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Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Easy French Step-by-Step; Author: Visit Amazon's Myrna Bell Rochester Page; Review: Love this.....learning French is fun and goes along quite easily,; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vanishing Ireland; Author: Visit Amazon's James Fennell Page; Review: What wonderful faces and stories......touching....and meaningful to me and my Irish ancestry.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Food Lover's Guide to Paris; Author: Visit Amazon's Patricia Wells Page; Review: Gave this as a surprise to my niece who will be living in Paris, France for the next 2 years. She loves it......is trying lots of suggestions for places to eat and buy desserts......also is having fun trying lots of the recipes. Hasn't found one that she didn't love and have success with.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vanishing Ireland: Volume 4; Author: Visit Amazon's James Fennell Page; Review: arrived in great shape, beautiful pictures, very interesting reading, meaningful to my Irish heritage; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vanishing Ireland: Further Chronicles of a Disappearing World; Author: James Fennel; Review: As with the others in this series, it is wonderful....loaded with strong pictures and stories. I loved it and it sits on my coffee table to enjoy on a continuing basis.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Lurgan House B B; City: Westport County Mayo Western Ireland; Review: A warm welcome & fabulous hospitality offered by Ina. We had a lovely downstairs room, beautifully cooked food, plus a super location. Short walk to the town centre, with all its attractions. Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clayton Hotel Galway; City: Galway County Galway Western Ireland; Review: Wonderful hotel. Large comfortable bedroom. Conference facilities & management very good, we received attentive service. Food was very nice. Location very good, city centre avoided, easy access to N6.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk; City: Dundalk County Louth; Review: Lovely spacious venue for business meetings. Also has a large reception for initial meet ups. Food in the bar was very tasty, & great service. Plentiful refreshments in meeting room, highly recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Springfield Hotel; City: Leixlip County Kildare; Review: The Springfield hotel provided a lovely venue for a business breakfast this morning. The staff were extremely attentive & welcoming to us and the place was spotlessly clean. The traditional breakfast was beautifully cooked & piping hot. It enjoys an excellent location and I’m sure we’ll be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jurys Inn Galway; City: Galway County Galway Western Ireland; Review: Lovely to return to this hotel once again. Excellent location, very pleasant welcome from the staff. Room was bright, modern & well appointed. The breakfast, served buffet style, was Jury’s usual high quality with plenty of variety. Just one suggestion to make, select a room at the rear of the hotel for a quieter option.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley; City: Clondalkin County Dublin; Review: This hotel is very well situated, great facilities for small or large meetings/seminars and the staff were very welcoming & attentive. I was in a very large group, so the lunch queue was long, but it was very well managed and moved quite quickly. The food was piping hot, very nicely cooked and served with a smile. Would be very happy to recommend this hotel for business groups.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Carton House Hotel Golf Club; City: Maynooth County Kildare; Review: Beautiful location for a business seminar in their drawing room. Highly attentive staff, facilities top notch. I was in a group of about 70, we enjoyed wonderful coffee & delicious pastries at registration. Very pleased to recommend this delightful venue.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley; City: Clondalkin County Dublin; Review: This hotel really looks after their business seminar clients. Excellent facilities & location, delicious food for lunch too. The restaurant management ensures that large numbers of delegates are served very efficiently. Highly recommend; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Talbot Wexford; City: Wexford County Wexford; Review: I was looking forward to visiting the hotel last week for a conference I was attending in Wexford. I received a very warm welcome at reception, very helpful. My room was spotlessly clean if not a little on the small side. Unfortunately it was stifling hot as the air con/heater unit had been left on at full temperature by cleaning staff. I opened windows, but my room seemed to be located near a boiler room, which meant a constant drone of dull noise from outside. The room was very hot in the middle of the night, but I couldn’t have the windows opened, so I didn’t get a great night’s sleep. Tv reception was very poor, probably due to the location of my room. In terms of food, my evening meal in the Oyster restaurant was delicious and imaginative & the service was extremely attentive. However the buffet breakfast the following morning left much to be desired. Food in their bain maries was barely warm, eggs rubbery, all in all a very different experience from the previous night. I witnessed another guest complaining too. When checking out, there was no greeting or enquiry if I had enjoyed my stay, very different from my arrival. Such a pity overall, don’t think I’ll be returning...; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: All Is Forgiven; Brand: Siren; Review: This is a good CD for this bands first release. I really like Kristin Massey's voice which is very versatile and very easy on the ears, unlike some female vocalist who can sound shrill and irritating. This is a very pop oriented album, although the band looked more Heavy Metal style-wise. "All is Forgiven" (title track) is very different and stands out from the rest of the album. I'm not saying that's bad, it would of been nice to hear more of that caliber of music. I bought this album (LP vinyl) when it was first released in 1989 just because of the song "All is Forgiven" and was a little disappointed with the remaining songs on the album. Truth be told, as I continued to listen to the album I came to like and respect the songwriting and production of each song on the album. It is a shame they couldn't continue on and recover from the law-suit that was threaten upon them from another band of the same name and was force to change from Siren to Red Siren. Don't know what happened to the band named Siren that threatened to sue. They probably broke up as soon as Red Siren started getting popular which is again is a shame because of Red Siren's short lived stint in the finicky music industry. If you like the song "All is Forgiven", I think you like the rest of the album, especially "One Good Lover" which is the second track on the album. I hope I was able to help with my review for "Siren" as I prefer to know them as, since I never heard anything from the other law-suit happy band. Enjoy!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 90125; Brand: Yes; Review: Excellent CD of YES's 80's genre style music with Trevor Rabin. Although, the hits: Owner of a Lonely Heart; It Can Happen; Changes and Leave It are excellent tunes, there are a couple of other songs on this CD that are classic YES prog rock styles that need to be mentioned. Like: Hold On & Hearts that could easily be added to the list of HITS. This CD has Great sound quality, although "Cinema" has a drop in volume and could be remastered for a better db level compared to the rest of the songs. I Highly Recommend this CD.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 90125; Brand: Yes; Review: Excellent CD of YES's 80's genre style music with Trevor Rabin. Although, the hits: Owner of a Lonely Heart; It Can Happen; Changes and Leave It are excellent tunes, there are a couple of other songs on this CD that are classic YES prog rock styles that need to be mentioned. Like: Hold On & Hearts that could easily be added to the list of HITS. This CD has Great sound quality, although "Cinema" has a drop in volume and could be remastered for a better db level compared to the rest of the songs. I Highly Recommend this CD.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 9012 Live VHS; Brand: Jon Anderson; Review: An awesome live DVD for all YES fans. This DVD gives you a choice to watch the concert with added visuals, which I find distracting and somewhat irritating. I think they were going for that "music video, MTV, 80's vibe". The director's cut let's you watch the concert without those visuals, which is how a concert should be viewed anyway. Very good camera work and sound quality. I highly recommend this DVD if you are a big YES fan.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Van Halen: Live Rarities; Brand: Michael Anthony; Review: There aren't any quality early VH Live video's out there. This is probably one of the best you'll find that isn't a bootleg. The video is a little rough and the sound quality is not the greatest, but if you are a VH fan, especially and EVH fan like me, then I would still recommend this video. Now if I can only figure out how to remove the annoying decorative banner-type frame of David Lee Roth from the video. I just want to see the concert and I don't need it to be fancy for someone's crazy reason.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_CDs_and_Vinyl |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Nearly Natural 5261 Paradise Artificial Palm Tree, 7-Feet, Green; Brand: Nearly Natural; Review: beautiful; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nearly Natural 6609-RD Geranium Hanging Basket Decorative Silk Plant, Red; Brand: Nearly Natural; Review: I'm not in love with it. I would of liked more flowers on the green leafy part. It looks okay from a 10' distance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Nearly Natural 5358 Golden Cane Palm Tree, 5-Feet, Green; Brand: Nearly Natural; Review: very real and well built; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nearly Natural 4855 Sansevieria Plant with Black Planter, Green; Brand: Nearly Natural; Review: This is very real looking & feel great. Just like the real thing. The pot is weighty too; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nearly Natural 4856 Agave Plant with Black Planter, Green; Brand: Nearly Natural; Review: Looks very nice & made well. can be confused for the real thing; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nearly Natural 6845-RD Bougainvillea Hanging Basket UV Resistant, Red; Brand: Nearly Natural; Review: I like this but Im not sure if Im in love with it. I would like a few more flowers like in the pictures. Im on the fence whether or not I should keep it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nearly Natural 6788 Double Giant Boston Fern Hanging Basket; Brand: Nearly Natural; Review: very full & definitely worth the money; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Replacement Water Reservoir "Steel Blue" for Keurig B70, B71, B75, B76, B77, B79 K70, K75, K77,; Brand: Keurig; Review: perfect; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: WorldPerfect: The Jewish Impact on Civilization; Author: Visit Amazon's Ken Spiro Page; Review: The story of the Jews, is the story of mankind. Spiro's exploration into the depths of history is fascinating, powerful and thought-provoking. What separates this historian's writing from most others is his humanistic view of history. It is both highly relevant to those interested in the modern world, and to anyone looking to understand how we got here. A poignant account of history which reads like a book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Witch of Portobello; Author: Visit Amazon's Paulo Coelho Page; Review: Coelho has inspired a generation of seekers, with his unique brand of new age spirituality, criticism of the mainstream, and engaging down-to-earth characterization. I am a great fan of his work. Thus, I was looking forward to reading the "witch..." However, was disappointed with the rehash of previous themes, and ultimately, with a novel that almost bored me to tears! There is little new or original in this work, and I would suggest that readers new to the work of coelho start with the alchemist, veronika decides to die, by the river piedra...etc.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing; Author: Ph.D. Caroline Myss; Review: Dr Myss manages to engage, inspire, and bring together three mystical traditions into one system. Her unique technology is a revelation! Entirely relevant to health and disease, Myss's exploration is mystical, spiritual as well as practical. You gotta read this book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Choices and Illusions: How Did I Get Where I Am, and How Do I Get Where I Want to; Author: Eldon Taylor; Review: A fantastic read, well worth the investment. Taylor is an expert on subliminal training, the subconscious mind. Although there is a lot of self-marketing, if you can ignore the self-promotion, there is some great content and practical suggestions. There is also some excellent philosophy and spirituality.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man; Author: Visit Amazon's John Perkins Page; Review: Although this book is a highly self-centred and personal account of his role in the "corporatocracy", Perkins' account is an eye-opener and a great introduction into the current state of our world. Perkins has been criticised for publically airing his guilt over his actions, however this is his way of coming to terms with his actions. I don't believe this is fair criticism, as this book is a personal account. It is engaging because it is about John Perkins. It's like criticising an apple for being an apple. However, I do admit that including a three page resume about himself was a bit much. That's way too much ego! That said, I would still recommend this book to people seeking answers to why the world is in the state that it's in, and for anyone else in fact! Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is an extraordinary story of a modern man facing his inner demons, with the backdrop of a world gone mad. Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman (Compass); Author: Visit Amazon's Malidoma Patrice Some Page; Review: Patrice Some's fascinating account of his life, against the backdrop of his native culture (the Dugara people) and the infiltration of Western missionaries, is visionary, liberating, and mind-expanding. His initiation into shamanism is a journey into the underworld, powerful spirits of the ancestors, dead men walking, other dimensions, and is as mystical and otherworldly as it gets. Some's experiences reveal a profound cultural chasm between Western and African cultures, and gives one an insight into the current state of Africa, and the reasons for that. Patrice Some is also a great commentator as he has lived in both worlds. Highly recommended for people with an open mind about other cultures, shamanism, mysticism, colonialism, and african spirituality.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Emissary of Light: My Adventures With the Secret Peacemakers; Author: Visit Amazon's James F. Twyman Page; Review: In Twyman's classic, he reveals in the intro that the basis of this book is a vision he had whilst travelling through the former Yugoslavia. Whether you believe that this vision was the product of a healthy imagination, or something deeper, is up to you. Maybe it isn't even relevant? It's a quick read, and the story is entertaining. My main complaint about this book is that it's a bit light weight for more advanced seekers. It offers a very superficial and pithy explanation about what the emissaries are about, and this is frustrating. It's up to you whether you believe they're real or imaginary.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Long Life, Honey in the Heart: A Story of Initiation and Eloquence From the Shores of a Mayan Lake; Author: Martin Prechtel; Review: Prechtel's prose is beautiful but this is difficult to get your teeth into. If you can persist with it, then it is rewarding as it travels the gamut of shamanic experience, and is wildly entertaining at times. However, there are drawbacks. It is very long, and the pace sometimes tedious. It's a pity this wasn't edited better. Overall, a good introduction to shamanism. I would recommend starting with Patrice Some instead.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wisdom of the Peaceful Warrior: A Companion to the Book That Changes Lives; Author: Visit Amazon's Dan Millman Page; Review: If you are new to Dan Millman, or an established reader of his, this book offers a background to many of his concepts originally introduced in PEACEFUL WARRIOR. I regard this book as Millman's best, as it outlines his wisdom in simple terms, without the fictional aspect. It is a superb follow-up to reading Peaceful Warrior. Millman has come a long way since his college days, and this is reflected in this book, a sometimes sombre and very mature assessment of his original work. I'm a huge fan of Dan Millman's, and if you appreciate his previous books, then this is a worthwhile addition to your collection.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Greatest Spiritual Secret of the Century; Author: Visit Amazon's Thom Hartmann Page; Review: Firstly let me say I have a lot of respect for Thom Hartmann. The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight is a classic. This is a departure from his previous work, as it's his first novel. However, I would recommend other readers start with his other work first. If you're into spiritual novels, then other classics like Celestine Prophecy (Redfield), Siddhartha (Hesse), Illusions (Richard Bach), The Alchemist (Coelho) or Peaceful Journey (Millman) are more highly recommended and great places to start. As a novel, it's flat, the characterisation is abysmal, the writing is mediocre and unbelievable, the story weak, the spiritual "secret" not really a secret at all. Overall a disappointing work.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Secret History of the American Empire: Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and the Truth about Corporate Corruption; Author: Visit Amazon's John Perkins Page; Review: John Perkins, a former "economic hit man", revealed his emotional turmoil in Confessions of an Economic Hitman. He illustrated from an insider's perspective the evils of the modern-day empire building of corporations or "corporatocracy" in action. He lifted the veil on the military-industrial complex, which partners with Government in bewitching consumers with guile, corruption and big marketing budgets, whilst carrying out gross environmental and human rights abuses. In this sequel, Perkins has a more mature view of the world. Gone is the continuous guilt and egotistical self-reflection, and in its place, is more depth, plenty of anecdotes, solutions for a better world, and many exciting world travels thrown in. Not only does it read like a spy novel at times, but also a travel book. Perkins is no journalist, and there is an opportunity here for a follow-up research piece on his vignettes. There are also times when unsubstantiated conspiracy theories run a bit far. His sources are not always vetted for quality. However, I believe Perkins' heart is in the right place and he should be forgiven for less than perfect journalism. One major faux pas is in his discussion on the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. He mentions that Israel launched an attack on Beirut, as if they were making afternoon tea, and faced international criticism. Perkins conceals the major facts of this war - that Hizbollah instigated it by kidnapping an Israeli soldier from sovereign Israel, and launched a missile attack on Haifa. This error of omission calls to question many of his other theories. I wonder what the book could have been if he had employed a fact-checker. There is no doubt that corporate hegemony is casting a chilling shadow on our world, and the more aware people become, the more we can do. Whilst this is by no means, a 5-star book, it is redeemed by the solutions provided, and Perkins' open-minded approach. Everyone with an interest in why the world is in the situation it's in, why we're so dependent on oil, politics, economics, and the environment, will find this book worthwhile. I would recommend it to everyone interested in the future of humanity and the world we inhabit. This is a must-read for anyone wondering why so much of Asia, Africa and the Middle East hate America.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Casio Men's G-Shock G300-3AV Shock Resistant Black Resin Sport Watch; Brand: Casio; Review: I am a big fan of Casio watches for a very long time. Casio has a watch for any person price range. My Casio G300-3AV looks good and works just the way I like it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cudas Men's Flatwater Water Shoe; Brand: Cudas; Review: I like these shoes but the only problem is judging the right size. I wear size 9.5 on regular shoes and out of precaution ordered a size 9 to be on the save side but is still a little big for my feet. I am going to keep it because I can not afford the return shipping cost.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Reef Phantom Mens Sandals | Flip Flops For Men With Cushion Bounce Footbed | Waterproof; Brand: ; Review: This is my first Reef Sandal and I liked it. My main concern was the weight of the sandal, it is light weight and fit perfectly.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cubavera Men's Linen-Cotton Herringbone-Textured Pant; Brand: ; Review: I like this pant because I will be able to wear it on different settings: a get together with friends, a beach bar, or to go to a casual restaurant. Caution: wash this pant in cold water, because with warm or hot water it will shrink.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEE Men's Relaxed Fit Straight Leg Jean; Brand: ; Review: I like this Lee jean and its fit perfectly. Another thing I like is the color, because it is different from what everyone tend to like.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEE Men's Relaxed Fit Straight Leg Jean; Brand: ; Review: I like this Lee jean and its fit perfectly. Another thing I like is the color, because it is different from what everyone tend to like.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEE Men's Stain Resistant Relaxed Fit Flat Front Pant; Brand: ; Review: I like this pant and it feels better after I washed it. Caution: Be careful when washing this pant with other clothes because it is a lint magnet.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEE Men's Stain Resistant Relaxed Fit Flat Front Pant; Brand: ; Review: I like this pant and it feels better after I washed it. Caution: Be careful when washing this pant with other clothes because it is a lint magnet.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Men Gym Bag Duffel Weekender Tote Overnight for Travel Sport Large Bag; Brand: ZEBELLA; Review: I like this bag so far. I was looking for a travel bag with the same dimensions before and I could not find it until now. The material of the bag is good but the price is better.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: INBLUE Men,Women's Alloy Genuine Leather Pendant Necklace Silver Tone Anchor Nautical Adjustable 16~26 Inch Chain; Brand: INBLUE; Review: This necklace might looks nice on a big person. It is too big and bulky (the anchor and the cord) for my taste.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Unionbay Men's Cordova Belted Messenger Cargo Short - Reg and Big and Tall Sizes; Brand: ; Review: This cargo pant feels very comfortable and it has a belt as an added bonus for the price.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CYZ Men's 100% Cotton Woven Boxers For Men Pack of 5; Brand: CYZ Collection; Review: These boxers are very good and well made.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BXMAN 4-Pack 100% Cotton Hypoallergenic Mens Woven Tartan Boxer Shorts; Brand: BXMAN; Review: I like the workmanship done on these boxers: the stitching. I would have prefer a softer cotton material but still I like these boxers.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Sauder Pogo Bookcase/Footboard, L: 41.10" x W: 14.49" x H: 32.84", Soft White Finish; Brand: Sauder; Review: After extensive online and in-store research, I purchased this for my 2 year old granddaughter. It went together very easily, and it is attractive and sturdy. She and her mommy will decorate this to match her playroom. The finish quality is excellent, and decals can be attached and moved without damaging the surface. The only downside is that she wants to climb into it to reach up to things on the top. This bookcase is not wider on the bottom than the top, and the toy area angled out makes it fairly easy to tip. If you have an active child, this must be attached to a wall to prevent the child pulling it over. Any shelf will have this attraction for a young child, but another review stated that this was specifically not an issue. Either they have changed the construction, or the writer was mistaken. In any case, I am pleased with the quality and Amazon has the best price. I will purchase this same bookcase for my other grandchildren.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Furniture of America Francia 3-Piece Mission Style Table Set, Antique Oak Finish; Brand: Furniture of America; Review: I actually love this set. It looks just like the pictures. Easy to assemble too. BUT there was a scratch on the top of one end table that was obviously from manufacturing, since the finish was over the scratch. We decided not to return the top since the other feedback made us think it could come back worse. It does show as a discolored line but we just ignore it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flash Furniture Oxblood Vinyl Luxurious Conference Chair with Casters; Brand: Flash Furniture; Review: We are very pleased with this chair. It is attractive and sturdy, and surprisingly comfortable. We have an office with many patients who have balance and mobility issues. Even with wheels this is stable on our carpeted floors and easy for people to get into and out of. The proportions are good for average or shorter people. Very tall people may not be as comfortable sitting here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coop Home Goods - PREMIUM Adjustable Loft; Brand: Coop Home Goods; Review: I have been looking for a really good pillow for 4 years. I have tried anything in the $100 range, even one prescribed by a chiropractor, and never really been satisfied. After all of that (and a house full of pillows rejected after a week or less of use) I finally have a pillow that does everything it promises. The ticking is first class; nothing comes through. It plumps up nicely. It holds its' shape and cradles your head and neck. It forms to YOU, it does not force you to sleep in a certain position. It doesn't get too hot and need to be turned during the night. I haven't washed it yet but I will just to see how it holds up. I bought 2, one for my (picky) self and one for my husband, that I planned on returning unopened. When he realized how much better I was sleeping he grabbed it. In fact, the idea of laying my head on that pillow is much nicer than continuing to write, so have a good night all!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bush Furniture Wheaton Reversible Corner Desk in Antique Black; Brand: Bush Furniture; Review: Not worth the time it took to put it together. The top is attractive, I will say that. The instructions are so poorly written as to be impressive. There are labels inserted changing the numbers of pieces. Hardware was missing. Pieces had also been changed so that they did not match up with the instructions or the correct part number. Some pieces had no designation. There were even extra screws that didn't belong to this kit. We are very mechanical and can build anything, but this was problematic. The actual design is not well engineered and the materials don't look like they will hold up well. That said, we started building before we realized how much of a problem we were going to have. By then it was not worth taking it apart and trying to re-pack it. It is built, looks OK, but it took an experienced person 4 hours to build and probably wouldn't last more than a year or two with anything but light use.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Simple Houseware Closet Underwear Organizer Drawer Divider 4 Set, Gray; Brand: Simple Houseware; Review: Very nice quality, especially for the price. The sections are deeper than I expected and will hold more. They fit easily where I needed them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Joseph Joseph 60051 Chop2Pot Foldable Plastic Cutting Board 12.5-inch x 6.5-inch Chopping Board Kitchen Prep Mat with Non-Slip Feet 3.5-inch; Brand: Joseph Joseph; Review: Too small to do much with. I bougth this to replace one that I thought was the same. It is from the same manufacturer and the pictures are identical. I still haven't used it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Doctor Who TARDIS Projection Alarm Clock (DR190); Brand: Doctor Who; Review: Bought this for my (adult) daughter who loves Dr. Who - she was delighted! It is attractive, works well and loads of fun. It seems to keep good time be well made.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Ambassadors Bloomsbury; City: London England; Review: Good points This hotel is a stones throw from Euston Station, but you would never know when you are inside, it is very peaceful. We arrived at 9.15am and had a very nice welcome. When we asked if we could drop or luggage off because we were very early for checkin, they said no problem, your room is ready now, we were in our room by 9.25am! The room was very clean, toiletries in the shower room, and the aircon worked perfectly, so we didn't have to open the windows. There are plenty of power points in the room. Our room was opposite the lift (Elevator) but we never heard it. Breakfast was good, plenty of it, not a rush. We just wished the plates had been hot. The bar was just right for a relaxing conversation, We used our Senior bus passes, and from the stop outside the Hotel no 91 takes you along the Strand to Trafalgar Square, good for the River, Covent Garden and the Savoy Hotel if you fancy afternooon tea!! Negative points We had a double room for one night, very small room, minimal hanging space for clothes, try and book a twin if staying longer. Only room for one chair, so someone has to sit on the bed! Hairdryer cuts out after 20 seconds, but if you phone concierge they will bring you a better one to your room.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum; City: London England; Review: Stayed here overnight to see a show, usually stay in Bloomsbury area. If you like museums and suchlike this is the place for you. Just up the road from the V&A, the Natural History museum, and a walk away from the Albert Hall and Kensington, also handy for Chelsea and from our bedroom window we could see Stamford Bridge. The rooms are spacious for London and very bright and clean, with good views, not the usual view of the dustbins or built up areas. The Staff are very efficient. We noticed there was a queue for tables at Breakfast, but as we were with a coach trip we were put in a side room, no queuing. It took quite a long time to get to Theatreland, roads very busy and there seems to be a one way system for coaches. Leave in plenty of time, we just made it before curtain for "Les Mis". Look out for the flight crew who regularly use the hotel. Quite exciting for us, just another job to them (sexy uniforms) We also visited the Olympic site whilst we were in London. We went on the coach but There is a rail link which would be worth investigating.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Lanzarote Village; City: Puerto Del Carmen Lanzarote Canary Islands; Review: This hotel is close to the airport but don't let that worry you. the planes don't fly directly over the hotel. They arrive over the sea, we walked down the beach road to the flight path, lots of enthusiasts there with binoculars video cameras.... On to the hotel - nice quiet area, but within reach of main towns, we walked both ways, to Puerto del Carmen, and Los Pocillos, but there is a bus stop, not very expensive. Quick check in, 20.30 so quickly went for dinner before going to our rooms. Were given instructions how to get to the room on 1st floor, but no offer to take luggage for us, we are all seniors. Room was very nice, clean and modern, well fitted bathroom, good shower, great that we had a fridge and hot drink making facilities. Love a cuppa in bed in the morning! We paid extra for a sea view, well worth it. Food was OK, help yourself, and catered for most European tastes. Tables were not allocated, so you could sit wherever you wanted, didn't have to wait for a table, the staff were very quick, and tables were cleared immediately, bar service at lunch and dinner, but no hot drinks, we used the pool bar which is just outside the dining room. The only meal that was waiter service was the "Gala New Year Dinner" If you didn't like it then leave it, a bit of a letdown on past years abroad. New Years entertainment was patchy to say the least. Ist sitting in the Dining room was 6pm and from 8.30pm there was no atmosphere in the Concert Room, no fancy hats or streamers to get us in the mood, I queried this at Reception and was told that "You will be having them soon" They were handed out at 11.50pm..... The pool area - We always got a lounger, no trouble at all, Gym - a nice Gym, ask for key at Reception, and a good Sauna available in the afternoon after 3pm, both were complimentary. Wi-Fi - if you have your own devices it is free around the Reception area. 1 euro for 10 minutes on the computer, bit on the expensive side, I heard it was cheaper next door in the Riu. On the whole, we enjoyed our holiday, we travelled with friends, and made friends while we were there, Colin and Tony, great guys from Peterborough. We like the Resort and would definitely return, but probably go for a Bigger Hotel Group; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crown Hotel; City: Weymouth Dorset England; Review: Just got back from a break at this Hotel and have to say, they cannot do enough for you. Our party was Seniors, some with limited walking, but the access was good for them. Lift to all floors, some had trouble opening their bedroom doors, the fire doors are quite strong, but someone was nearly always on hand to help. The place was very clean, and the cleaners always had a cheery word. For people travelling on their own, this is so important, to have a little chat as they pass by. Food was good, and the waiting staff would go out of their way to make sure everyone was happy with their meals. I'm told that the entertainment was good, (every night) although we like to do our own thing and go out on the town. This was great because the hotel is in the centre of town. practically on the harbour, by the shopping centre, and a short walk down a pretty flag bedecked lane to the beach, glorious beach at Weymouth. Thanks to all at the Crown, shall definately be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum; City: London England; Review: Stayed here before and the service was great, but this year they didn't seem to be coping as well. The hotel was very busy, but the queues for breakfast on Sunday morning seemed to go on forever. Tables were not cleared quickly, shortage of staff? The restaurant manager did her best, bringing baskets of cakes to the queue, very nice, but not the same as getting to a table. This time our room seemed very small. on the 14th floor lovely view, but sliding bathroom door, room so small, could hardly squeeze past each other when at the dressing table/desk. By the way, if you are getting a taxi back from the West End, ask the price before you get in. Our black cab cost just under £25 from Tottenham Court Rd. It was just after 12 at night, rates seem to shoot up.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Village; City: Benalmadena Costa del Sol Province of Malaga Andalucia; Review: Four of us stayed from 27th April till 4th May in two rooms. We had to queue to check in, not for long, and we were glad because we found out that we needed to fill in an information leaflet that was in the pack the First Choice Rep had given us at the airport on arrival. He rattled off his spiel so fast that I didn't hear the bit about the form. The rooms were very nice, in Paraiso Block B. We had a sea view and early morning sun. If you like afternoon sun, make sure you get a pool view in block B. The lunches are served in the Beach club restaurant. This is over the road from the main Hotel. We went across the road bridge the first time that we visited it, but asked the guy in the office/shop to open the gates for us after that. much quicker. Be careful crossing the road! The shop sells some groceries, but I had a poorly tummy and found out that they are not allowed to sell over the counter remedies, so we had to make a trip into Fuengirola for Imodium! I must say, this is the first all inclusive holiday I have been on where we had to buy bottles of water. 2 bottles in the fridge, but if you want more either buy it or save an empty bottle and fill it in the dining room. The lunchtime food in the waterpark was better than Dinner in the main hotel. Its a shame that the food looks so nice but has no taste, meat was very tough. The biggest moan I had was plastic glasses at Dinner. Get a drink from the bar on the way into the dining room, they will give you a glass. The snackbar by the pool hotelside serves burgers, chips, pasta. We didn't have any because we didn't know how long it had been sitting there uncovered. We popped our heads into the Malaka Bar, but it was a bit too loud for us, so we used the Piano Bar mostly. The bar staff are great, special shoutout for Man (Maria) smily face. The Irish Bar didn't open till 11pm so we never bothered. The Kid's Club worked their socks off, children had a great time. The hotel pool was kept very clean, and the carpet grass ws very safe, no slips! The indoor pool and fitness centre did not open until 10am, a shame, we would of liked to use it before breakfast, especially as there is nowhere to take an early morning walk due to the hotel being a bit remote. We had a lovely break at a really bargain price so thanks to all concerned; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Cottage Inn; City: Kenilworth Warwickshire England; Review: We came to the Cottage Inn, Kenilworth after a disastrous experience at another eatery. Well, all I can say is Wonderful. The place was very busy and the empty tables were reserved, but we found a little table, there were 3 of us and we checked the menu. Very reasonably priced, at lunchtime the mains are £4,99 except the ones with an asterisk against them, what a good idea. We went to the bar to order, very pleasant service, makes all the difference, the lady noticed that we were seated at a very small table, and said that she would move us as soon as a bigger table became available, Attention to detail, I love it! The food was delivered to our new table in reasonable time, not one ping of a microwave to be heard. The portions for the price were very large, very tasty. My friends struggled to eat all of theirs, but we were not in a hurry and decided to have a pudding, Lovely. We all said that the service, surroundings and food were very good and that we would definitely be back!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lawlor s Hotel Dungarvan; City: Dungarvan County Waterford; Review: Came across with Harry Shaw holidays and have to say we were impressed with the hotel. The room was large & had everything we needed, shower was good and easy to use. The meals were the best that we have had on our coach trip holidays, well served, plenty of it & always a choice. The bar and lounge were comfortable & welcoming. We loved that the harbour was a short walk away, lovely to sit and relax. There is a modern shopping mall behind the hotel. All in all we thoroughly enjoyed our time at Lawlors, very good value for money.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Red Roof Inn Buffalo Niagara Airport; City: Bowmansville New York; Review: Very clean and understated. Great for no frill affordable stay. They don't provide any water bottles so carry your own. The towels in the bathroom are a a little on the small size but that wasn't a deal breaker. Will stay again for sure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monterey Park Inn; City: Monterey Park California; Review: Exceeded expectations in every possible way. Very clean room and bedding. Safe neighborhood with a new shiny mall next door. Perfect for people visiting LA and not wanting to drive a long way everyday. The best thing is the very affordable price. I booked this hotel but was very skeptical due to some of the reviews mentioning dirty rooms, bad staff and lack of towels. I don't understand what the bad reviews were about! I am glad I booked this hotel. Everything was very clean and the staff was very professional. Will definitely stay here again. Very Highly recommended. Note: This is no longer a Best Western.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Las Vegas Nellis; City: Las Vegas Nevada; Review: Clean, quiet hotel with good amenities. Free breakfast was an added bonus given the reasonable room price. The staff was very professional. Great affordable option for Vegas trip. It's about 20 minutes from the strip in the quieter but pretty safe part of town.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ban Sainai Resort; City: Ao Nang Krabi Town Krabi Province; Review: This is a gem of a resort tucked away among the beautiful cliffs and forest just 5 minutes from Ao Nang beach. The rooms are fantastic with a little patio (even the cheaper ones) for relaxing. The staff is just phenomenal. They make sure you have a fantastic stay and are willing to help with any and every issue to make your stay memorable. The resort is super clean and the staff is very efficient in taking care of things. They also give complementary sweet banana chips which are a speciality of the region. There is a pool side massage which is very reasonably priced (its still more than the roadside places but not too bad) and very good. The pool itself is infinity style and you can admire the cliffs while swimming. They have a free tuk-tuk to the beach and market area and also give you a beach basket with beach towels for your day trips. Very highly recommended. My only regret is not having more days to stay here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Arinara Bangtao Beach Resort; City: Choeng Thale Thalang District Phuket; Review: Nice and quiet(er). Less of the crazy party crowd which was very much appreciated by us. Almost private beach which was very clean and had superb views. Very nice pools for relaxing on the . Another surprising standout was the breakfast which was probably the most lavish spread I have seen. Connectivity to other parts of Phuket is limited. Renting a scooter is probably the cheapest/easiest way to go anywhere. Overall we were very satisfied with the stay and for the price it is a really good deal in Phuket.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SpringHill Suites Newark Liberty International Airport; City: Newark New Jersey; Review: Stayed here for a night before catching the morning flight. Very conveniently located. The rooms were large and clean. Very affordably priced for such a nice property. My taxi driver got a little delayed getting to the hotel because the roads in this area are a little confusing. Not a major issue though.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Jefferies Socks Girls' Footless Tights; Brand: ; Review: Bought these for my daughter who has to dress herself for dance class at her daycare center. She struggles to put tights on by herself but these she can do all on her own since she doesn't have to mess with the feet. Nice thickness so I don't have to worry about snags or over-stretching.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Batman Kids' BAT4095 Digital Display Analog Quartz Blue Watch; Brand: DC Comics; Review: Purchased as a bday gift but played with it prior to wrapping it up and it's really cute. Time shows up well and then mysteriously dissapears until you press on the face. Band is soft and easy to buckle so I would think these would be easy to wear all day. Good way to teach a little one how to tell time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TFJH E Little Girls' Fly Sleeve Dance Gymnastics Top Dress Ballet Loetard; Brand: TFJH E; Review: Very nice quality for the money. I purchased for a 4 year old and it fits her nicely. Looks great with the matching skirt that I purchased separately. criss cross detail and flutter leaves are nice details.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: New York Fashion Police MIT T-Shirt - Officially Licensed Contemporary Logo T-Shirt; Brand: New York Fashion Police; Review: This is an itchy scratchy shirt. I had hoped for something along the lines of American Apparel but this is made from cheap short cotton.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: American Apparel Donald Trump Make America Great Again T Shirt with Bumper Sticker; Brand: ; Review: Great shirt. Nice and soft. Colors are just as they appear online.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: River Park Inn; City: San Ignacio Cayo; Review: Except for the roosters that started crowing at midnight (and didn't stop until dawn), this place was great. The rooms were very clean and the owner is super helpful with everything. The location is also great. The yard is beautiful and it is only a few minutes walk from downtown San Ignacio. I would definitely stay there again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Super 8 by Wyndham Mishawaka South Bend Area; City: Mishawaka Indiana; Review: The location was great for getting to Notre Dame, but the room was pretty shabby. There was paint and wood coming off the window sills and the corners were dusty. There were also cigarette burns on the bathtub and vanity in the bathroom. The first room we were given obviously had been broken in to as the door no longer closed all the way. The second room we were given had a lock but the battery was going out in the electronic lock system and we had to get it replaced since it stopped locking when we shut the door. The continental breakfast was super basic and both toasters had issues (only one side worked on one, and the other you had to hold the levers down to keep the toast toasting).; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rincon Familiar Hostel Boutique; City: Quito Pichincha Province; Review: All of the staff is super helpful and friendly. They are there 24/7, so staff is ready even for late arrivals or early departures to help with taxis and luggage. The rooms are comfortable and clean. This hotel is near everything in Old Town, so we couldn't have asked for a more convenient location. Except for the very front room, which has some road noise, it's a quiet place to hang out, sleep, or have a coffee. I would definitely stay there again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Caiman Eco Lodge; City: Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve Sucumbios Province; Review: The experience was wonderful! Rodrigo was our guide and he was so knowledgable and passionate about teaching us all about the jungle. It made every activity more exciting and interesting. We saw a ton of animals and spent time animal-watching in the boat, hiking during the day and night, searching for caiman, making yucca bread with an indigenous woman, meeting a real shaman, and relaxing in the hammocks listening to the sounds of the jungle. The food was great and everything was good for the price. To me the only downside was the somewhat slow pace. For others it was preferred, but I like fitting in more activities during the stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hosteria La Posada de Mindo; City: Mindo Pichincha Province; Review: The cabins look really cute and the lobby of the main building is nice and clean. When my Mom and I arrived the sign said "We speak English." No one spoke English. In addition, they lost my original reservation, which was for a room with 2 beds. They showed us to a cabin that had a bed downstairs and then a flat "mattress" up in a small loft. This was fine except there were mushrooms growing in the bathroom and next to the bed, dust and spider webs in the loft, and the door barely closed all the way, let alone lock. The hostess said the pool closed at 9:00pm but both nights we we stayed there were a lot of people with loud music and yelling at the pool (right outside our windows) until midnight or later. One morning we were going on a bird watching tour at 6am and we woke up to find out we were locked in and we ended up prowling around the main building to find someone to let us out. All in all, disappointing since it could be such a cute destination.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Learning Agile: Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban; Author: Visit Amazon's Andrew Stellman Page; Review: Great place to start understanding what Agile is and is not.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Effective DevOps: Building a Culture of Collaboration, Affinity, and Tooling at Scale; Author: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Davis Page; Review: I read it, and learned a bit. But it really was not what I thought it would be. A bit too focused from the author's primary perspective which was the person working in operations that wasn't treated well or respected by other parts of her organizations.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Big Data: Principles and best practices of scalable realtime data systems; Author: Visit Amazon's Nathan Marz Page; Review: Gave me a good idea of what Big Data actually is, and how it's implemented. Another tool in the chest.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cracking the PM Interview: How to Land a Product Manager Job in Technology; Author: Visit Amazon's Gayle Laakmann McDowell Page; Review: Not sure what I expected from this, but there were some interesting anecdotes and experiences.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide; Author: James M. Stewart; Review: Read cover to cover. Passed with flying colors. Mostly review, but covered several areas that were testable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Head First PMP: A Learner's Companion to Passing the Project Management Professional Exam; Author: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Greene Page; Review: Head First got it right. Very good method for getting information into your head, and sticking. I'll be taking a look at any head-first book for future training.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Sony Cybershot DSCW150/B 8.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot (Black); Brand: Sony; Review: The camera is fantastic. Camera fits in my purse, great pixel ratio, great zoom. You couldn't ask for anything more for the price... well except ask for more color options. I generally use a SLR Nikon. This is the perfect option for downsizing when the SLR is just too large to take along.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NOOK COLOR eBook Reader Tablet WiFi, Blue Soft Silicone Skin Case Cover And Smart Headphone Wrap/Key Chain Style; Brand: iShoppingdeals; Review: The silicone fits the Nook perfectly. No wiggle room like some budget-friendly options. The back has a soft grip texture to support non-slipping.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: C2G 13787 3.5mm M/F Shielded Stereo Audio Extension Cable, Black (6 Feet, 1.82 Meters); Brand: C2G; Review: Doesn't work half the time. The other half you can wiggle the cord and maybe get sound out of one ear or your headphones - left or right ear sound changes with each movement of the cord.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Yamaha RX-V673 7.2-Channel Network AV Receiver (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Yamaha Audio; Review: Great options and updates to this receiver. Only needs to include wireless functionality within the product rather then making me purchase the add-on separately.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Leviton T5630-I 15-Amp 125-volt 2.1-Amp High Speed USB Charger/Tamper-Resistant Receptacle, Ivory; Brand: Leviton; Review: We love this plug! It's great to install in each living room and office to change cell phones and electronic devices easier.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anker Bluetooth Aluminum Keyboard Cover with Stand, White; Brand: Anker; Review: The keyboard works great with my iPad. It folds up seamlessly to carry with the iPad. The iPad will not site on the keyboard if you have a skin though - needs to be removed to stand correctly. Overall it's a great add-on when a keyboard is needed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square; City: Philadelphia Pennsylvania; Review: This was our fourth stay here. It is one of our favorite hotels in Philadelphia. The staff welcomes you warmly. We always stay in the Junior suites which are spacious, well appointed and reasonably priced especially if you combine it with a breakfast and/or a parking package. Breakfast buffet or al la carte at the hotel is not unreasonable for a city. The restaurant is lovely and the service excellent. The location of the hotel is great. It is near major shopping and sites.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Riad Kniza; City: Marrakech Marrakech Tensift El Haouz Region; Review: Just spent two nights in Marraech at this amazing riad. We were in a junior suite . It was on par with the best places we've stayed at in morocco which is saying a lot. It wasn't just over the top luxurious with jaw dropping appointments, beautiful courtyards, rooftop oasis and fit for royalty rooms but had a staff that anticipated your every need. We ate dinner and breakfast on the roof-top terrace overlooking the city. The food was great. Please, please do yourself a favor and stay here.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lina Ryad Spa; City: Chefchaouen Tangier Tetouan Region; Review: We spent our first night in Morocco at the Lina Ryad. We were warmly welcomed by the owner and his wife. He took us around this beautiful Riad. Our room was beautiful and very comfortable. We had dinner and breakfast there and both were excellent. There was attention paid to every detail. Chefchaouen was a delight to visit. It was charming. Not to be missed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Le Doge Relais Chateaux; City: Casablanca Grand Casablanca Region; Review: We spent our last night in Morocco at Le Doge. Our stay was perfect. We received a warm welcome from Anna at the front desk. The manager, Laurand, showed us around and brought us to our beautiful room. After multiple opulent riads in Fes and Marakech the Le Doge was perfect. It was elegant in an entirely European way. Our junior suite was a tribute to Coco Chanel. The room was beautiful and the black and white bathroom with its claw foot tub was jaw dropping. The service was impeccable. Breakfast was great with both Moroccan and European items. Perfect for a romantic stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The American Colony Hotel; City: Jerusalem Jerusalem District; Review: This is a classic hotel with great service and facilities. We stayed 5 nights. The room, the upgraded pasha suite was beautifully appointed and spacious. Beautiful black and white bathroom. The room was quiet and private. Great staff and service. Great breakfasts.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glencoe House; City: Glencoe Village Glencoe Scottish Highlands Scotland; Review: We arrived at the Glencoe House after a long flight from the States and a drive from Edinburgh. This was a mansion turned into a magical retreat of seven beautifully and luxuriously furnished multi-room suites on beautiful grounds. We had a beautifully appointed living room and bedroom as you'd expect but also a separate dining room. This allowed us to enjoy an exquisite 5 course dinner by Chef Gunn served in our private dining room course by course. Not having to change for dinner and leave our rooms after a long trip to find a great restaurant was a true luxury. The greatest surprise was not the beautiful bathroom with the walk in shower but the second room with the twin soaking tubs. Best of all was the staff. The manager Ann welcomed us with glasses of champagne and a history of the hotel. Tracy, brought our bags to our room along with a great smile. Alex and Ian served us our dinner and breakfast friendly and graciously. Christina made our departure seamless. The owner Roger met us in the morning to make sure our visit was indeed perfect.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Three Chimneys House Over By; City: Colbost Isle of Skye The Hebrides Scotland; Review: We spent three glorious nights at the Three Chimmneys house o're bye. The isle of skye is not to be missed nor are the three chimneys restaurant and its house o're bye beautiful lodgings. We were welcomed warmly by the manager Fiona with tea and pastries as well as an introduction to the hotel. The room was beautifully appointed. The separate sitting area and the patio added to a spacious feeling. Best of all was the gracious service. Scott, the host and Fiona as well as Linda at the reception catered to our every need. The three chimney restaurant is not to be missed by anyone who appreciates exquisie food and impeccable service. We ate there all three nights. The food was prepared and presented perfectly. The staff, Dugan, Johnny, Marco and Mave were all wonderful. Friendly without being intrusive. A perfect stay.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square; City: Philadelphia Pennsylvania; Review: We visit Philadelphia about 6 weekends a year. The Sofitel is our regular hotel. The staff is wonderful-great ervice and welcoming. The junior suites are the perfect size and well appointed.The bed is incredibly comfortable. It makes for a perfect weekend getaway.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Dinsmore House Bed Breakfast; City: Charlottesville Virginia; Review: Pros:location, OK common areas, OK breakfast, kind host Cons : Room was in disrepair. Substandard bathroom. paint peeling. Needs major overhaul. Don't recommend it. There are nicer places in Charlottesville.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lotte New York Palace; City: New York City New York; Review: Beautiful hotel in great location with excellent staff. Have stayed here before and have always been thrilled. Great views of ST. Patrick's Cathedral. Easy walk to museums (MOMA, MET, Frick, etc.) Rooms are a nice size and well appointed. Bitan at front desk was especially helpful and accommodating our requests. Concierge was also great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: French's Classic Yellow Mustard, Stone Ground Mustard, Gluten Free, All Natural, 20 oz; Brand: French's; Review: Nothing to really review. This product has been around for EVER and it's not changed much over time. Still a great product.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kettle Brand Potato Chips, Sea Salt & Vinegar, 5 Ounce Bag; Brand: KETTLE FOODS; Review: Kettle Brand make real taste chips. The are cut slightly thicker than say Lay's chips and have a richer flavor. The bags are made of a different material and seal in the freshness. Try them you will like them.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Diet Coke Soda Soft Drink, 12 fl oz, 12 Pack; Brand: Diet Coke; Review: It's Diet Coke! What else needs to be said?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KIND Healthy Grains Granola Bars, Oats and Honey with Toasted Coconut, Gluten Free, 1.2 oz Bars, 5 Count; Brand: KIND; Review: Stuff tastes great and is good for you! These Kind products all have good flavors and an excellent combination of ingredients for your health. Highly recommend them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coffee-mate Original Powder Coffee Creamer, 16 Ounce; Brand: Coffee Mate; Review: Hey, It's Coffee-Mate. This stuff has been around a long time and everyone.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quaker Chewy Peanut Butter Dipps Granola Bars, 6 Bars; Brand: Quaker; Review: Good tasting! Nice and chewy. A little heaver on the fats and calories than the Kind Products.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clorox Kitchen Cleaner with Bleach – Floral Scent, 32 Ounce Spray Bottle; Brand: Clorox; Review: Great cleaner with a pleasant smell. Product works real well for kitchen cleanup. Especially whey you have a lot of lunk head employees that make messes.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bounty Paper Towels, Print, Regular Rolls, 6 Count; Brand: Bounty; Review: Great paper towels. Strong, absorbent, arrived quickly at a good price. Happy to not have to go to the store to buy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Planters Nutrition Cashews, Almonds, Macadanias 9.75 oz; Brand: Planters; Review: Great mixed nuts. It's Planters, the king of nuts (in volume anyway). But i like these for taste and mix.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oh Boy! Oberto Smoka A Roni Smoked Sausage Sticks, 3 Ounce; Brand: Oberto; Review: Oberto has been around a long time and knows how to make great meet snacks. Great quality. great flavor and prompt free deliever what more can you ask for; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Genuine Bayer Aspirin Tablets, 325 mg, 200 Count; Brand: Bayer; Review: The original Aspirin. Bayer Aspirin is the original Aspirin and is still one of the miracle drugs ever developed. The low does is excellent for heart care and you can't buy a better brand.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jack Links Beef Jerky, Peppered, 5.85 Ounce; Brand: Jack Links; Review: Taste good as always! Great product just wish more in the package for the money.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Prime_Pantry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: WHERE IS ELMO'S BLAN; Author: Nancy Stevenson; Review: I bought this book for my one year old. She loves Elmo and I was looking for something that would keep her occupied during church. She LOVES this book! We take it everywhere. She loves all the flaps and turning the pages. The flaps are a bit flimsy but that's to be expected in my opinion. She hasn't torn one yet and has had it for a couple of months. I highly recommend this book!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! Green Back Book; Author: Visit Amazon's Dr. Seuss Page; Review: It is exactly what it says it is. Using it for my daughter's teachers to write in and she'll get it when she graduates high school.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sleepy Kittens (Despicable Me); Author: Visit Amazon's Cinco Paul Page; Review: My daughter loves this book. We're big Despicable Me fans. She plays with this book for long periods of time m I'm disappointed there's no brush, daughter has never mentioned it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Learn to Draw Disney's Mickey Mouse and His Friends: Featuring Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and other classic Disney characters!; Author: Disney Storybook Artists; Review: Love these books. My 7 year old loves being able to draw Disney characters; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Learn to Draw Your Favorite Disney*Pixar Characters: Featuring Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Lightning McQueen, Mater, and other favorite characters; Author: Disney Storybook Artists; Review: My 7 year old is into drawing and loves Disney. These books are great for her!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1); Author: E.L. James; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: i read this series over 7 times....love love loved it! please remember it is a romance story...about love!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Long Hard Ride (Rough Riders, #1); Author: Lorelei James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This book was HOT HOT HOT!!! WOW!!! This book was a definate eye opener for me!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Belong to Me (Wicked Lovers, #5); Author: Shayla Black; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: 5 Star Read For 12 years, Logan has felt empty and lost. He is a well decorated Navy SEAL, who is also a Dom and club Dominion. Logan's loss comes from the one who got away.....his cherry. He has loved Cherry since he was sixteen years old, but had to leave her to keep her safe; unbeknownst to her. Tara is an FBI agent on a case close to her heart. Her best friend was sent to a BDSM resort in hopes of catching a human trafficker and hasn't been heard from for days. Tara is set on finding her, but to do that she has to undergo dom/sub training. When her agent partner is not hacking the dom role, she is in need of a trainer. Tara is Logan's Cherry and upon seeing her again, he will do anything and everything to win her love and trust back. Tara will fight like hell to keep her heart from being broken all over again. Oh.....did I mention that Tara is engaged. Yeah..she is; to a man that has never ever made her feel the way Logan does with one touch. So you can surmise what happens here!! It is totally fun to read how it happens though! All throughout Tara's 'training', Logan is doing his best to prepare her for what lays ahead. Tara learns most about herself and what she really wants. My Thoughts: This is by far one of my favorites in the Wicked Lovers Series! I adore Logan. He has a heart of gold and is so protective of Tara. His love for her was perfectly clear from the beginning. I loved reading about how he was knocking down those walls! Tara was totally relateable in the 'girl who got her hear broke' way. She is unbelievably strong and courageous. The things she does to help her friend are the showings of what a true friend is. The scenes between these two are sizzling and very well written, I could feel Logan's dominance and Tara's apprehension. LOVED IT! The adventure these two went on is what sealed the deal for this book. It wasn't just about sex. It was about the connection between these two people and watching it grow. I loved the mystery of who did it. It totally blew my mind and I loved every second of it! Overall, highly recommended book! Loved the characters, plot and steam of this book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rock Me (Ross Siblings, #2); Author: Cherrie Lynn; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: love. love loved this book!!! loved the hero brian!! but I pictured him without the gotee!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slave To Love; Author: Nikita Black; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Slave to Love By Nikita Black Also posted at: [url]... This is my second read of this book. I loved it the first, but didn't write a review. I wanted to write it. Homicide Detective Mick McGraw is trying to escape his past. He is a well-respected detective and takes his job super seriously. He is known as the Iceman, because of the ice that flows through his veins. Nothing gets to him. Nothing stops him. He is the ultimate. His current case, the Teddie Murders, is having him dig into a part of himself that he thought was locked away forever. In order to catch a killer, he needs to enter a world that he doesn't want to acknowledge again. Caroline Palmer is an officer in vice. She mostly works the prostitution beat and has been very successful at it. She is super sexy and carries herself that way. She would have to with the clothes she has to wear in front of all of these men! Short skirts and barely there tops...hmmm what's a man to think. Caro has dreams of being in Homicide. She has wanted it since she started the force. When Mick and her commanding officers come up with a proposition, what's a girl to do? But she has NO idea what she is in for. She has no idea about what Mick has planned for her. Mick and Caro become partners and are sent to infiltrate a local BDSM club to catch the killer. Caro soon realizes that this in not Micks first time here and begins to learn lots about herself and her sexual needs. Who's the killer? That is the question throughout this book. I for one was all over the place trying to figure it out. It is a total suspenseful romance with erotic thrown in there to. The sex scenes are hot, but they don't dominate the storyline. The story is awesome and well put together. Can you figure out who did it??; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Crossed (Battered Hearts, #2); Author: Kele Moon; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This is the second book in the battered lovers series. Its Juliet and Romeos story and it is hot!!! Who wouldn't love a hot boxer!!!!! I do love that it actually tells a story and has action! Romeo.....Romeo......; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Persuasion (Sweet, #2); Author: Maya Banks; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This book opened my eyes to a different kind of relationship. I never thought it existed, but apparently it is common. I did like the book. I just had a hard time adjusting to their lifestyle. That made it hard for me at times. I do understand more now.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dirty (Dan and Elle, #1); Author: Megan Hart; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Dirty By Megan Hart Also posted on [url]... Can a chance meeting at a candy store help heal a person? Elle is broken. Growing up with two brothers, a mother who's a bitch and a drunk for a father has put Elle on a path for emotional disaster. "They put the fun in dysfunctional." She refuses to get close to anyone, man or friend. She is alone. She refuses to date anyone because that leads to emotional attachments which she is strongly against. Dan was at the store buying candy when he met Elle. Dan is a lawyer and is enthralled with Elle and immediately asks her out. She goes and the whirlwind of their romance begins. "How a glimpse of pink could render a man mindless. We all have the same parts, us women, yet every man I've ever been with has looked at men as through he's never seen a naked woman before. There is power in our bodies that men don't have, secret and hidden places they yearn to explore over and over. Woman's bodies hold the mystery of blood and life, not just pleasure." Elle has so much to work through in this book to get herself back. The emotional journey is hard for her. I felt for her every step of the way. "I'd spend a long time hiding in my cave. No matter how much I might want to come out into the light. I knew it would hurt my eyes." Positives: I liked in the first half of the book, it really focused on Elle and her brokenness. I like how the author was very descriptive with language. In the second half of the book, it really picked up. The emotional rollercoaster and we finally find out what happed to Elle to make her so broken. The last half I just gobbled up. Sex scenes are hot! The threesome was outstanding! Negatives: I wish there was Dan's point of view. I would have liked to know what he was thinking and feeling. It was all one sided. For some reason the first half of the book, didn't live up to the last half. I got more of the punch towards the end. I wanted to know why she thought she was dirty! Overall, it was a good read. The reason why Elle is the way she is was shocking and I felt for her. Even though I was frustrated not knowing why she was the way she was, I kept reading frantically to get to that part. I was not disappointed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sheltered; Author: Charlotte Stein; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: This book was a complicated progression of the characters getting to know wach other. At times, I felt tgr drag...but then got sucked back in. I thought the dad confrontation would have a little more.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Try Me (One Night with Sole Regret, #1); Author: Olivia Cunning; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Try Me (One Night with Sole Regret #1) by Olivia Cunning Also found at: [url]... Stars 3.5 (rounded to 4--mostly because of length) Melanie doesn't want to be there, but her best friend Nikki has dragged her along to yet another Sole Regret concert. When Nikki leaves her yet again, Melanie runs into (literally) a hot hunk of a man. Being an awesome drummer, Gabe "Force" usually needs no introduction, except with Melanie. She somehow turns him inside out and for one night they have no regrets. My Thoughts: Try Me is a very short novella and the beginning to the Sole Regret Series. As with all Olivia's books, this is super hot and sexy. Love scenes are explicit and burning hot! Loved the elevator scene! I loved Gabe and his vulnerability. The way she shut down for a bit when Mel was talking to the other guys, like he wasn't sure of himself was touching. Even though he's 'a force to be reckoned with;' he is so sweet. He made my mouth water! Melanie seemed innocent at first, but well figured out--not so much! Who wouldn't want to have a hot fling with a hot man! This was one of the few novellas I have read. I usually steer clear of them because i like to get to know the characters much more than 100 pages! Even though short it was a great start to the series. I'm ready to read the next.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Indelibly Intimate; Author: Regina Cole; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Inked hottie whos a great guy, meets a semi messed up girl. Sparks fly..lots of them...and some action at the end. Good book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Office Affair; Author: Jess Dee; Genres: romance; Review: It was ok. It was hot and steamy, but lacked real story. It needed more character build up. I get they each had their reasons for acted the way they did, but i missed the build up. It happened rather quickly.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding, #1); Author: K.A. Linde; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Avoiding commitmemt was an absolutly wonderful book. I wasnt sure if i would like the flip from past to present, but the author wrote it wonderfuly!! All the characters had faults and they brought out such raw emotion in ME!! While i loved lexi, i wanted to slap the stupid out of her!! And oh jack....jack....jack.... there were parts i loved him and others i wanted to rip him apart!!! ramsey is hot hot hot and cant wait to find out his story in avoiding responsibility when it comes out. i highly recommend reading this book!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Backstage Pass (Sinners on Tour, #1); Author: Olivia Cunning; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Holy Hottness!!! Backstage pass is about a very hot rock star who is a bit love crazed...in that he wants love and hes done with fluzzies. Well kinda... I do love that he is a one woman man and he is quite known for that. Enter a hot college professor who low and behold teaches human sexuality. Myr is scared from her past and has a very difficult time with the word love. I love that the author kept true to the characters?! i loved learning about sed, trey, eric and jace. All hot! I am very curious though what Myr research came up with. Overall this was a joyfu read. It was hot, sexy, fun, spicey and acually had a good story! Loved it!! Cant wait to read the next. Im downloading it as soon as I hit save!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Behind Closed Doors (Daniels Brothers, #1); Author: Sherri Hayes; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at [url]... My Thoughts: Suspenseful....Romantic...Eye Opening...Well Written book; that went way beyond my expectations! It's a who done it story, that will have you seriously thinking. We get to hear two POVs Chris and Elizabeth's. I always love hearing both sides of the story. It tends to draw me in deeper to the story. This book is more of a narration from up above and many of the conversations are summarized instead of talked out. I would have liked to read the monologue between the characters--not the synopsis. I loved learning about the characters and their pasts. The author did a very good job being descriptive and very convincing. The issues discussed are deep and cut through me. Chris was easy to fall for. He's a good, kind man that is broken, with good reason. I totally understood him and his hurt/pain. Not to mention his tentativeness and apprehension. No one wants to risk being hurt right? Elizabeth was so shattered and I totally admired her trying to start over and gain her life back. She was so strong, yet seeing her hide or feel her pull away was heart breaking. I was pulling for her to grab her life back! I freaking loved the who-done-it!! I kept guessing and eliminating and I finally guessed right! I actually yelled 'I knew it' at my kindle--Thank got it didn't respond back! Overall, this was a well written captivating book that will have you guessing--who-done-it to the very end! *Book was given by author for honest review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Western Ties (Compass Brothers #4); Author: Mari Carr; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Leah and Swayer unexpectedly meet up in a bdsm party...shocking them both. Swayer gets all possesive and gives her a hint ofthe life. Tragity strikes which sends them all back home. Overall good story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Hard (Sinners on Tour, #2); Author: Olivia Cunning; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I absolutely loved Sed. I was excited to learn about his struggles and why he is the way he is. Jessica ticked me off at the beginning with the Im going to get back at him thing...granted he deserved to be brought down a notch or two. She had to realize that she hurt him when she keft. Even though i am proud she stood up for herself and did. This book had one of the hottest sex scenes I have read in it...i had to take a breather! I also love that all the band members were included. I cant wait to read their stories!!!!!Hot!!! I highly recommend this book/series! Its fun, exciting, sexy and and overall great read!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hot Ticket (Sinners on Tour, #3); Author: Olivia Cunning; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This review is going to be very short and sweet! I absolutely adore the Sinners series! The hot rockers and the sexy women they love! While Aggie's character as a dominatrix didn't throw me, it was the pain part that Jace needed. I personally don't know a lot about that. But Olivia did a great job at explaining it to me. I did enjoy the book. I throughally enjoyed being with the other sinners! Love them!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Mighty Storm (The Storm, #1); Author: Samantha Towle; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I read several reviews on this book so i dove right in. Its a fairly long book, but it has great character build up. Jake...oh Jake. I fell hard for this bad boy...whos not so bad. Jake is a rock god and has achieved fame and fortune at a very young age. But never love, because he left that behind when he was fourteen years old. Jake has lost of demons that he is trying to bury, but they keep coming out to haunt him. To me these demons makes him real and i connected with him deeply. Enter Tru, Trudy. Shes a music jounalist who long ago was best friends and in love with Jake until he abruptly moved away at fourteen. The magazine she writes for lands a huge interview with The Jake, and Tru reluctantly goes to do the interview. Sparks definately fly between them, but it takes some build up before anything happens. Oh did I mention that Tru has a boyfriend...ummm yeah Will. The author does a great job interweaving this triangle throughout the first half of the book. I personally may not have agreed with choices made, but I defintly felt for all the characters. The only complaint I have is there are lots and lots of typos. Which made reading parts hard, because i had to go back and reread. Thats why I gave it 4 stars instesd of 5. If you can look past the typos, you will find a very character enriched love story. I loved Jake and tru. Speaking of typos, please excuse any in this review as i am writing on a tablet and its giving me issues. Happy reading! Update So after laying in bed last night thinking about jake and tru I am going to amend my rating to a 5. yes there were many typos but the story was so good I can't knock it. I sooo felt for Jake. I could still fell his love, lust, addiction pain and loss way after finishing the book. Therefore it gets 5 stars from me!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wicked Game; Author: Mercy Celeste; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I really liked this story. Introduncing football qb jamie. Hot, sexy and all man. Enter his childhood nemisis Cass. Shes out of work and looking for a job. It ends up Cass goies to work for Jamie and the quick whit banter begins. I loved the bickering and the hot passion the characters gave off. TI I highly reccomend reading this book. Please excuse the typos...by tablet is messing up.....again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bouquet Toss (Love of My Life, #1); Author: Melissa Brown; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: For more reviews, check out [url]... My Thoughts: I was pulling for Daphne like crazy. I so wanted her to pull strength from within herself to move on. I connected deeply with her predicament and felt her pain right along with her. Mayson was a don in my eyes. I did not care for him at all. He was a typical use'em and abuse'em man to me. Ughh... Melissa did a great job writing him so I would dispise him! Melissa did a wonderful job with the flow of this story. We learn about Daphne and Mayson's past by flashbacks of their time together. It was very easy to get transported back and forth. Even though I loved the back story, I did not care for Mayson at all. Daphne sure goes through so much to try to move on. Melissa's up and down drove me crazy! I wanted to yell her her to get away from him! Ughh.. Overall, very well written book. Highly recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Playing for Keeps (Neighbor from Hell, #1); Author: R.L. Mathewson; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: More Reviews at [url]... Jason...Jason...Jason. Love Jason. From being a bad boy to his loving ways. The turnaround for him in this story was tremendous and I loved every second of it. I loved his self-doubt and his insecurities. I admit fully that I am not into virgins in my books, but in this story it played well. I really liked it actually as it was meant to be. I also loved how oblivious Hailey was to things around her. Being beautiful, but not sprouting off to every guy around that she knows she is. What I absolutely loved about this book is there is NO INSTA-LOVE! Jason and Hailey's relationship is slow and developing. It's exciting. It's those firsts that you crave. It's heartwarming. It made the whole relationship that much sweeter. I also loved that it was not smooth sailing for the pair. They both let their insecurities overrule their common sense and well.....I'm not going to give that away. Overall, great read. Highly recommend this book. I've already bought Perfect and intend on starting it tonight!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Walking Disaster (Beautiful, #2); Author: Jamie McGuire; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: ARC Provided by Publisher for Review via NetGalley Release Date: April 2nd more reviews found at my link text THIS. IS. A. MUST. READ. BOOK. If you have not read Beautiful Disaster, you need to....NOW! When I first began this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew that it was going to be retold through Travis' eyes, but one never knows the direction the author is going to go in. This being said, I LOVE TRAVIS MADDOX more than I did in BD. Hearing his inner thoughts on situations where I wanted to yell at him in BD, made everything seem right somehow. I must say that the prologue to this book was absolutely gut-wrenching. I had tears streaming down my face that I could not stop. I came in from reading this outside and my husband started laughing at me, asking 'is that a new look?' Apparently my mascara didn't like my tears. Finally learning the background of Travis and his feelings helped me to accept some of the bad plays that he did to Abby throughout BD. "I looked at Mommy but quickly shook my head. "I don't want to miss her." Becky put her soft, warm hand on my shoulder, just like Mommy used to when I was upset. "Your mom wants to be here with you. She wants that very much. But Jesus wants her with him right now." I frowned. "I need her more than Jesus does." Travis' dad is one smart man. I absolutely loved him too! Travis' dad had a really rough time dealing with his mother's death. And he lost himself for a while. The fact that he is back and able to give upstanding advice to Travis put a huge smile on my face. "One of these days you're going to fall in love, son. Don't settle for just anyone. Choose the girl that doesn't come easy; the one you have to fight for, and then never stop fighting. Never" But Travis didn't take it at first. He was too caught up in his own issues that he couldn't. He pushed her away relentlessly. And even when he finally decided that he wanted to be with her, his self-doubt held him back. "So you like her and you're scared. Now what?" "Nothing. It just sucks that I finally found the girl worth having and she's too good for me." Even through all his internal fighting, he can't say away from her. His Pidge. "I decided a long time ago I would feed on the vultures until a dove came along. A pigeon. The kind of soul that didn't impede on anyone; just walked around worrying about its own business, trying to get through life without pulling everyone else down. With its own needs and selfish habits. Brave. A communicator. Intelligent. Beautiful. Soft-spoken. A creature that mates for life. Unattainable until she has a reason to trust you." How I absolutely loved hearing him say these words. I melted for him into a big pool of goo. I couldn't hold back! Through; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sarah's Surrender (Ranchers of Chatum County, #2); Author: Lynda Chance; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Ughh... John is a very very alpha,male who gets what he wants. He decides he wants bucktoothed Sarah. He is very very forceful with her. At times i thought he would force her to sleep with him. Overall, it was an ok atory. Not one i would want to reread.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Slammed (Slammed, #1); Author: Colleen Hoover; Genres: young-adult, poetry, romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at: [url]... 5+ Stars After suddenly losing her father, eighteen year old Texan, Layken is uprooted from the only home she's ever known and moved to Michigan. Lake hates Michigan--the cold, snow, missing her childhood home, friends, missing her senior year of high school---everything. Until the hottie across the street, Will Cooper introduces himself and there is an instant connection that she has never experienced before. Will introduces his real self to Lake, by taking her to a club for Slamming. Lake is in awe--not only for him, but for his writing. Upon Lake's first day of high school, she suffers a huge blow. Can Lake and Will survive it? My Thoughts: I have a new book boyfriend! I never thought I was a YA kinda gal---but I am learning that I was wrong! I freaking loved this book!!! When I first read the Goodreads description, I was apprehensive. I have never been into poetry, but I got it in this book. I got it big time. I loved the feelings and emotions the poems brought out in the characters and me! Speaking of the characters--OMG! Will and Layken had so much depth to them and I was dragged, willingly, into their depths of love, hate, frustration, hope, anger and loss. It was so well written! Will is such a great man. He's so responsible, caring and loving that I was immediately in love with him. My heart ached for him. The cards he was dealt in life sucked--but he made the best of his situation. I felt extreme pride for him. For being eighteen, Lake was so much more mature than any 18 year old I've met. She's been dealt a shit hand also--but takes it in strides. The way she cares about her brother Kel and always thinks of him first was astonishing. I admit--I balled like a baby throughout this story. Between the poetry, secrets, notes and letters, I couldn't hold back! I would give this book more than 5 stars if it was allowed. It is a must read for everyone, even if YA is not your thing....because I didn't think it was mine and I was wrong! I am super excited to read Point of Retreat next to find out what happens to Will and Lake!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: No Flowers Required (Love Required, #2); Author: Cari Quinn; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: This story was okay. I got the story and the conflict of it. It was actually a story with reasoning. I felt the build up between Lexi and Dillon. But to me it was missing something. I felt the connection, but it could have been stronger. Maybe something with Lexi that made her go off the deep end.... I guess I just knew what was going to happen and part of me was just like come on and do this.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mystery Man (Dream Man, #1); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: What an awesome story!!! Okay so once I got past the mystery guy coming into her bedroom for A YEAR AND A HALF!!! and having sex with her...and her not telling him to get the f*** out!!!!!! I fell in love with the story. Quick Summary: Gwen allows the mystery man to come into her bedroom and sleep with her (well have sex with her) for a year and a half and never asks him his name. So she doesn't know who he is... but he knows exactly who she is. Cabe aka Hawk is her mystery man. Total alpha hot male. He is very protective of what is his and he considers Gwen his. She is not to apt to that after meeting him in the dayight because of his dominate...me man..take care of you...neaderthal ways. But it ends he wont take no for an answer. And when Gwen's druggie of a sister Ginger gets Gwen into some serious situations....Hawk is there..well watching her like a hawk. He is her portector. There are also 2 other alpha males in this story that have a thing for Ms. Gwen..(she's getting all the hot guys). Lawson and Tack the two other alphas. One a man of the law and the other the leader of a biker club. The author wove these characters into the story quite well. I believed with everything that all of these men had part of them that loved Gwen and wanted to protect her. There was lots of action and intrigue throughout the story. When i thought the story was over and the 'happy ending' happend...it kept going adding many other layers to the characters and the story. I was very impressed. I loved Hawk and though he was way on the alpha side...he was a sweetheart and only wanted to protect Gwen from the Badass life. The relationship started off creapy..but ended up...well...you'll have to read and find out. I strongly recommend reading this book!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Club Shadowlands (Masters of the Shadowlands, #1); Author: Cherise Sinclair; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: HOT SCENES! The story just didnt pull me in.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 12 Rounds (Knockout, #1); Author: Lauren Hammond; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: What the hell? This story ended without an ending....I mean seriously. Absolutely no closure at all. Review to follow....; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Damaged Goods (New York, #2); Author: Lainey Reese; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: OMG! This book was hot! Meet Brice. Hot cop who is trying to solve the murder of a young girl. He is a Dom...big time. He owns a club with his cousin and friend where he goes and plays. With all the stress of his Detective work, he goes to the club for fun. In walks in a beautiful little red head, terryn. She is very new to the scene and wants to be a sub. Well, she meets the one and only Brice and things get hot between them. The murder strikes again...and Brice is sent to investigate. The parts were the author describes the killings made my skin crawl, but I suppose that was the mood she wanted to set. I don't want to give anything away, but it did take me till almost the end to get clued into who the killer was. The author did a good job writing this. The scenes at thee club were hot, hot, hot. One scene in particular made me gasp...I loved it. I don't know much about the club scene, but after reading...hmmm.... I really liked that this book was an actual story and the plot went throughout the entire cast of the story. We meed many characters (which I didn't know this was book 2...so now I have to get book 1)--but we get a glimpse of what the characters from the first book are up to. We also meet Brice's partner, Angie, Jenny and many others that pull you into the story. The story is well rounded in my opinion. Not wam-bam...but an actual plot with hot, hot, hot...lovin! I recommend this book to anyone who loves a steamy read filled with romance, suspense, some BDSM and a hot, hot leading man!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thoughtless (Thoughtless, #1); Author: S.C. Stephens; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at: [url]... 5+ Stars Thoughtless is an emotionally charged well developed story that had me never wanting to put it down! Very Brief Summary: After moving to Seattle to be with her boyfriend, Denny, Kiera discovers that love can be difficult, beautiful, painful, and spontaneous and heart wrenching. Kellen Kyle, Kiera and Denny's roommate, proves to be the cause of her anguish. My Thoughts: Thoughtless is an emotional rollercoaster ride full of love, lust, deception, lies and betrayal. I was pulled in from the first few pages. The character development was some of the best I have read. SC was so detailed and thoughtful in writing, pulling me in at every turn. I connected on some level (even if only a little with Kiera) with each of the characters. It may have been love, lust or loathing, but I still connected. I also loved that each event in the book flowed so wonderfully. From this scene to that, they all entertwined so beautifully. Even though the book was quite long, I didn't feel it while reading. There was so much back and forth between all of the characters and their feelings. One minute, I want to scream and strangle--the next I want to hold and comfort! I also loved how intense some of the scenes were. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. The way they were writing brought on an extra level of intensity. I LOVED Kellen! Rock-god, bad-boy, hotter than hell man, was in my dreams many times since reading this book. At first, I thought--what is he doing??? But, I couldn't help but fall in love with him. The anguish of his character pulled me in and I locked on tight. I wanted to like Kiera. I really did, but I didn't. I still don't. There were parts that I did have a moment of understanding in the inner turmoil she was going through, but overall I just wanted to slap her! I'm not going to rant and rave about her...even though I could, but I have to say I didn't feel as if she deserved either man. I would say this book is a MUST READ for everyone into romance novels. It is beautifully written and I couldn't put it down. Now, I have to get up enough emotional courage to read Effortless!!!!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Table for Three (New York, #1); Author: Lainey Reese; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: A Table for Three By Lainey Reese also posted at [url]... This book was pretty much all sex the first six chapters. Riley always wanted to move to New York. She got her opportunity when the bank she worked for had a job opening. She jumped at the chance. Her first night there, she asks the cab driver to take her to a hot New York Club. Little did she know her life would be forever changed. Cade, the club owner, sees Riley sitting at a table all by herself with most of New York's hot and heavy looking at her with lust. Cade decides he wants her for himself. After club sex and a night with Cade, Riley is lovin' the feeling of him. One thing that Cade didn't tell her yet is that he shares---with his best friend Trevor. Cade and Trevor have been sharing their women for a long time. They do not have sex with each other. They are totally focused on the woman's needs. When Riley wakes up in Cade's bed with another man staring at her, she initially freaks out. But Trevor is hot...so what the hell. Add in the mix a psycho woman that wants Cade and Trevor's money--oh and Riley out of the picture and that is the bulk of the storyline. I read this series out of order. I read #2 ------ first. I loved #2. This one was okay. The sex scenes were hot, but there were so many of them--that I kinda got bored. I know I can't believe that I am writing this! It was mostly sex and not much story to it. Even with the psycho woman doing her thing, it was anti-climactic. I was glad that I read it though because I did want to know how these three go together. I just wish there was more story to it. I give it 3.5 stars--but on here I rounded to 4--mostly because the sex scenes were so hot. I always thought I could never have too much sex in a book--maybe I was wrong.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Futures and Frosting (Chocolate Lovers, #2); Author: Tara Sivec; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Futures and Frosting (Chocolate Lovers #2) By Tara Sivec This story is a continuation of Tara's first book Seduction and Snacks (Chocolate Lovers #1). Claire and Carter are together in their happy little world. Friends around them are getting married and they are enjoying their lives. Carter has decided that he wants to make their relationship official and ask Claire to be his wife. This story is the journey of this happening. There are ups and downs and laughs beyond belief. I really enjoy Tara's humor she puts into her characters. I told myself I would highlight the funniest quotes from the book as I read. I found that I highlighted over 40 different ones! I thought that it would be easy to pick my favorites for this review, but I'm thinking no. ------- Some of my favorites: "Gavin turns around and looks up at Drew with an angry look on his face. 'I'm going to put corn and hot sauce on your wiener and then I'll hit you in the face with it. Hit you in the face with your corny wiener.' 'Dude, you are an angry little man,' Drew tells him and he shakes his head. 'You're a juice bag!' Gavin yells." "In honor of the wine tours that evening, Drew dons a shirt with a picture of a corkscrew on the front that reads, "I pull out.'" "'He peed on our chair,' I complain, giving Drew the two-finger eye salute. 'You puked on my dick,' Carter deadpans. 'Fine, you win,' I say with a sigh." "'You're a gigantic, stinkotic, vaginastic, clitoral, liptistic whore dizzle." "'YOU AND YOUR STUPID RED AND WHITE STRIPED HAT! FUCKING CATS DON'T WEAR HATS!' Drew screams in frustration before throwing his phone against the wall." ------- I also love all the pop culture references that Tara made. Vanilla Ice, Real Housewives of Orange County and Atlanta, Say yes to the Dress, Brides by Lori...to name a few "Jenny looks over and sees the horror on my face as I try to block out the mental image of moldy cheese vaginas singing, 'Mold, mold baby,' in the voice of Vanilla Ice in my head." This book is mostly humor and if you want to laugh your lazy Sunday away like I just did, it's perfect way to do that! Review is also posted at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: UnRidden (Studs in Spurs, #1); Author: Cat Johnson; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Summary: Two hot cowboys meet one city girl and one falls in love. Contains spoilers: I had higher hopes for this one. My problem was, I kept compairing it to Lorelei James' Rough Riders the first one. I know that is probably not fair, but the story had the same feel. The major difference was character build up and connection. With Unridden, I didn't feel that connection between Slade and Jenna. I felt it more with Mustang and Jenna. But, even that connection didn't feel like a lasting one. More like as she called it 'a booty call'. I like when I read books and the charcters feel like I can reach out and touch them. Here. I didn't get that feeling. That being said the sex scenes were pretty hot with lots of m/f/m action.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: SoloPlay (Come Again, #2); Author: Miranda Baker; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Soloplay By: Miranda Baker WOW! If you are looking for a total erotic tale, this is the book for you! Alisa, a very sexy librarian, just got told by her 'boyfriend' that she is frigid in bed. She is determined to figure out why she has never had an orgasm...ever. Is it her? Is it her partners? She enters Come Again, an adult store and things in her life changes. She learns all about orgasms and she likes them. Ha! She ends up testing sex toys for the company Soloplay under the anonymous name Sologirl. Mark is the owner of Soloplay. He loves reading Sologirl's reviews. Everything she picks ends up being a best seller for him. Mark decides he wants Sologirl to try and review a new couple's line for his company. Alisa declines this offer. Mark sets out to find out why because he's desperate to save his company. Once meeting Sologirl, Mark is in deep lust. When Mark agrees to be her partner, will sparks fly or does Mark only want her to improve his business?? It is a romance, so that's not hard to figure out. I did enjoy this story and I learned lots about all these toys that are out there! Review also posted at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tempt Me (One Night with Sole Regret, #2); Author: Olivia Cunning; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Tempt Me (One Night with Sole Regret #2) by Olivia Cunning Also posted at: [url]... 3 Stars Madison has been Adam's pit stop every time he is in Dallas for a night of fun. Madison has it bad for Adam, but tries desperately not to let it show. Madison is the only thing that Adam thinks of. The meaningless women he has on the road do not compare to Madison. What happens when one night together explodes? Hot and Heavy! My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Sole Regret series. I couldn't help but feel very jippted. It is so short that it barely has time to tell the story of how Madison and Adam came together initially. This is the meat that i wanted to read. Olivia's bedroom scenes were as always hot and steamy. If you are looking for a very short, hot read..this is for you.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Motorcycle Man (Dream Man, #4); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Motorcycle Man By Kristen Ashley He's an ass. A jerk. A pig. A badass..... And I love him! Tack--Kane Allen is Motorcycle Man! Tack is the president of Chaos, a biker gang. He's tough, hot, sexy, badass and loves his women. We know from Mystery Man that Tack had a thing for Gwen and that didn't end in his favor. So he's back to his wild ridin' ways. Women, booze and bikes. Tyra met Tack at a Chaos party with lots of booze and sex. Tack kicks her out. Little does Tack know, Tyra's back. Not for him.....for a job. She is the new office manager for Ride, the shop Tack owns. When Tack finds out, he's not happy. This starts the back and forth that occurs between these characters. There is action, hot sex, kidnapping and lots of blood. I knew Tack from Dream Man Series and loved him already. So, that being said his assholeness rolled off me pretty easily. "Time to get your own bed darlin'" OUCH! As a female, that would freaking suck. But I overlooked it. I loved how Tyra was strong and in your face. I like that she didn't put up with Tack's shit and stood on her own two feet. Even though she was falling--hard. I loved how protective Tack was of Tyra, even when she tried to blow him off. And one of the biggest pluses of this story is...........ALL THE DREAM MEN!!!!!!!!! I loved reading about all of them and catching up with my dream men! Hawk and Lawson! I haven't read Wild Man yet so I don't know the other guys! But I loved catching up with them! Overall, highly recommended for any Kristen Ashley fan or anyone who wants a good book! Review also posted at [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Law Man (Dream Man, #3); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Not a bad story...just not my fav of the series.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Perfect Game (The Perfect Game, #1); Author: J. Sterling; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Stars! Check out more reviews at [url]... Please note..if you have not read this book...you may want to refrain from the last few pictures. It doesn't give it totally away..but it's there. It started with: Then: Between: and And after a lot of chasing: They fell IN LOVE: Until One Night: And a Hot Chick Later: Jack Carter made a mistake: And crushed poor Cassie: And crushed Jack too..... Had us as readers saying: Then by some twist of events: And lots and lots more: Some how some way: THE END.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Untouchable (Untouchable, #1); Author: Lindsay Delagair; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Untouchable. At first, when I started I didn't know how to feel about the storyline. Hitman hired to kill a teenage girl because of money. Hmmmm.... Well, it caught me. I wanted to know why. The mystery of who hired this man to kill an innocent girl was intriguing. I did miss the sexual aspect of the story. The girl in the story is very very pure. Which is great in real life---in a book.. I like spice. But the storyline was good to hold my attention despite that. I am nervous to read the next 2 books in the series.....guess I don't want to see them hit hard. But the angst is part of what makes this story so good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Chick (Rock Chick, #1); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Rock Chick By Kristen Ashley Indy has been in love with Lee Nightingale since she was five years old. Indy's best friend, Ally, is Lee's sister and Kitty Sue, the Nightingale's mom, has been her surrogate mom since the death of her mother. Indy has been avoiding Lee for the past ten years, ever since he told her she reminded him of his little sister. This crushed her, but she did everything in her power to stay away from him. Avoidance and lying has become second nature to her. Indy gets involved in a shooting and who can she call. Ally...who in turn gets Lee involved. Little does Indy know, Lee has been pissed as hell these past few years watching her go from guy to guy and wanting that guy to be him. He must work his ass off, to prove he can be the man she needs. I loved Indy. She's strong, independent, fun, loyal and rock n' roll! I loved that she didn't just turn into a big pile of mush when it came to Lee. She made him work for it. She put up a good fight and stood her ground. I like that she got pissed at him and didn't back down from it. There were some things that pissed me off about Indy too. Such as, NEVER FREAKING LISTENING! --But that went along with her independence...I guess. Lee is.....hawt! He is strong, responsible, protective, and possessive and did I say hot...O Hell Yeah! He sees his opportunity to win Indy over and he is not taking no for an answer, but he already knows she loves him. He is smart as a whip and has known it for years. He just needed to be the right man for her. I love that he is so patient. Most alphas in books are not...at all. But he is one of the most patience that I have read! I love all the action. I mean how many times can a girl get kidnapped? Quite a few I guess! I also loved all the characters. I'm guessing that they will all be showing up in their own books soon, since there are like a bazillion of them! I must say that I was expecting more of the sexual experience, since it is Kristen Ashley and Dream Man Oozed it, but the story flowed and carried so well that in the end I didn't miss it! Highly recommend! Review also posted on [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Get A Clue; Author: Jill Shalvis; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Couldn't finish it....; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Leave Me Breathless (Ross Siblings, #3); Author: Cherrie Lynn; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Kindle was steamin'!!!!!!! Also posted at: [url]... 5 Stars My Thoughts: Cherrie Lynn hit a homerun, slam dunk, ace in the hole or any other analogy that says.....IT WAS A FREAKING AWESOME BOOK!!!! This was me reading it: The way Cherrie writes is so intriguing. It pulled me in, wrapped its claws around me and wouldn't let go! And I LOVED the scratches! Ghost--Seth---OH. MY. GOD! Pierced...tattooed....bald...muscles....goatee....rocker....sexier than hell! OH my...give me a minute.....(Breathe....Breathe....) Okay..I'm better...kinda. We first met Ghost in Rock Me (#2 in the series) as Brian's best friend. Ghost may not be a "Ross" for this series, but who the HELL CARES! I loved how he was the badass with the I don't give a shit attitude, but underneath he's a totally compassionate, loving, heartfelt man, whose terrified of getting hurt. Ghost's loyalty to Brian was so admirable. I loved the banter between them. "Ghost leaned across the table toward Candace and Brian. 'Candace,' he said, and for a moment Macy thought he might actually say something sincere. No such luck. 'I really advise against leaving him alone with me again. Two hours away from you and he was coming on to me.' Everyone else at the table broke into laughter. It only egged him on. 'I mean, I know he wants me. He's made it clear. And I'm growing weak, I tell you. I missed him. If he does it again, I'm gonna give it to him.' Brian was shaking his head. 'God, we missed you,' Candace said. 'Did we?' Brain asked." Or "'Look at him pout. Don't pout dude. Ross the boss will get the job done.' 'A helluva lot easier if I had the Ghost with the most at my side.' 'Aw. Is that a proposal? See how he loves me? Candace, you don't stand a chance." We learn so much about Ghost -his name for one Seth. Cherrie did an amazing job with character development making it very detailed and enthralling! He has so much depth from hurt, joy, addiction, family, loyalty, happiness and on and on! Surprise! I loved him! Macy had the biggest splintered stick up her ass in Rock Me. She drove me crazy in that book. I'm so happy I got to learn more about her and even began to like/love Miss Killjoy! The reasoning for Macy's stick actually surprised me. I wouldn't have thought it, but it fits! Honestly, I believe I liked Macy because of what Ghost pulled out of her and helped her to become. I love, love, loved that we learned more about Candace and Brian's story too! That continuation made my heart flip! My absolute favorite thing was the after sex chats. They were so real and I learned so much about them and their flaws. Even though I kinda knew, or felt I knew, what was going to happen at the end--for me the author threw in a whammy for me that I wasn't expecting with Macy showing her kiss-my-ass-and-you-listen-to-me attitude. It made me love her! Overall, excellent, fantabulous, awesomely well written book from Cherrie; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stolen; Author: Shiloh Walker; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: ARC from publisher through NetGalley This was a DNF for me. I got about a third of the way through and had to stop. It was so repetitive, saying the same things over and over. I understand she is trying to find out who has stolen her identity--but there are only so many times one can say it. I had to be done with it. I will try to go back to it at a later time and may change my review then.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Exclusively Yours (Kowalski Family, #1); Author: Shannon Stacey; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Very cute book. reveiw to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Taking Chances (Taking Chances, #1); Author: Molly McAdams; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Taking Chances By Molly McAdams Posted on [url]... Wow... What other word is there? It's the only one I could formulate. I just went on a rollercoaster of emotions in this book: love, hate, anger, sadness, despair, hurt, excitement..... In collecting myself after reading, I still say Wow! Eighteen year old Harper has lived under her father's strict Marine thumb and has grew up on the base. She has learned to keep herself in check at all times. She never left base and was homeschooled. The only friends she had were the Marines in her father's unit and they came and went. Harper needed to get out. She grabbed her opportunity to fly across the country to California to go to college. Enter Bree, Harper's flirty, fun, partying roommate who begins to show her the ropes of living without someone's thumb pressing you down. Bree's hot, sexy, brother Chase. At first sight, Harper is mesmerized by him and has serious hots for him. Chase is a major 'player'. He has a different girl in his bed every night. He's a huge drinker and partier. Brandon lives with Chase. He is a hot hunk, tattooed, MMA fighter with a heart of gold. Harper takes one look at Brandon and instantly sparks fly. Oh, and let's not forget Carter. He's a Marine and Harper's best friend from the base. This begins the roller coaster ride of this book and your emotions! Harper begins dating Brandon and they are deeply in love--after only a couple of weeks. But Chase is still in her thoughts. She sees him all the time and he is a total jerk to her. Except on Sundays. Sundays are family days at Bree and Chase's house. Harper gets pulled into their family and wrapped around with love that she has never experienced before. On these Sundays, Chase is warm and loving. He never lets her leave his side. He's everything that she wants. She is in love with Chase also. Harper's inexperience with boys opens the door to much of this story line, will she sleep with him and who will she sleep with. It's that pull to find out what she is going to do. I am going to try my best with my thoughts to keep the spoilers out, but I don't know if that is possible with this book. I liked the heroine in this book. She had lots of flaws, but was still strong. She was very inexperienced in life, but did her best not to let it show. She was faced with many difficult decisions and took them on head first. She didn't negate from her responsibilities and met them head on. I LOVED Brandon. Loved him. I thought he was perfect, loving, caring and totally devoted to Harper. Everything about him screamed that he was totally in love with her and would do anything for her. He fighting scared the crap out of me, but also was super-hot! Chase, to me, was a jerk. He thought he could do what he wanted when he wanted.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: On Dublin Street (On Dublin Street, #1); Author: Samantha Young; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: On Dublin Street is a tale of a woman who leaves the states (Virginia to be exact) to escape her demons there. She moves to Scotland, the birthplace of her mother and attends school there. Joss is a strong woman, but has many hurts and flaws. Her parents and sister die at a very early age and it causes her to 'rebel'. She has never escaped her families' death and lives with it daily. She has vowed never to get close to anyone. This in her mind will get away from the hurt of her families demise. Braden is a Scottish alpha male who is a hot hot hunk! He usually has a hot, tall, blonde on his arm most of the time. From the first time he meets Joss (hot, shorter and brown hair) he is hot. He has his own demons that he is healing from. Mainly an ex that was a cold, gold-digging cheater. Joss is on the market for a new apartment and finds one On Dublin Street with Ellie. Ellie is a beautiful PhD student. Low and behold Ellie's brother is Braden, which is how the two begin to get to know each other. With Joss' not getting close to anyone philosophy, Braden strikes up a deal with her. No strings attached sex. She's all for it. Can they stay that way?? Or will Joss's walls finally come down?? -------------- My thoughts. I loved these characters. Joss..oh Joss. She is such a strong--stand up for herself woman. She is also so hurt inside and 'broken' as she called it over the loss of her family. I felt the depth of her pain. I wanted to cry--even though she couldn't. Braden...hot man. I heard is Scottish accent with each word that was written! It made me have goose bumps! I love that he was strong and wouldn't let Joss go. He knew what he wanted, just had to make Joss see it. This story was a nice romantic story. It didn't have people getting killed or someone attacking (for the most part). It had lots of emotional ups and downs. I highly recommend reading it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Take Me (One Night with Sole Regret, #3); Author: Olivia Cunning; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Take Me (One Night with Sole Regret #3) by Olivia Cunning Also posted at: [url]... 3.5 Stars Amanda is Shades ex-sister-in-law and has the hots for Shade since before her sister and him hooked up. Amanda is tired of waiting at the sidelines and when fate puts them together, sparks fly for both of them. My Thoughts: This is the third installment in the Sole Regret series. I am still sticking with the 'why the hell is it so short' theme from the other books. Out of the three so far, this one was my favorite. I think that's because the book did show Shade in a differnt light than the pervious books did. He had more character development. I was able to see the man behind the 'shades'....Jacob. That I really liked! In having those extra layers of depth, I was able to grow more attached to Jacob (the man behind shade). He was loving, caring and a really good guy. Amanda was okay in my book. I didn't fall in love with her character or anything like that. i thought she needed more character development because of how long she has known Shade. I would have liked to find out more about their relationship before. Overall, I like this one the best of the three.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Masters at Arms (Rescue Me Saga, #0.5); Author: Kallypso Masters; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: couldn't get through it.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Breaking Free (Masters of the Shadowlands, #3); Author: Cherise Sinclair; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Very hot book. I liked that it had a very believable story and it was totally relatable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lean on Me (Masters of the Shadowlands, #4); Author: Cherise Sinclair; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I wish there was more story to it. Just seemed like alot of pinning and hoping. not my fav so far.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Make Me, Sir (Masters of the Shadowlands, #5); Author: Cherise Sinclair; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: This is one of my favoites of this series that I have read. Quick Summary: Gabi is an victims advacate who goes undercover at Shadowlands to catch a horrible kidnapper who kidnapped her friend and is selling the women on the black market as slaves. Master Marcus is her 'trainer'. Sparks fly. I love that this book had a story that I could get into. I loved the action and the strong will of Gabi. She is a powerful woman and character in this book. I loved how she stood up for herself and yet..was a total submissive in the bedroom. Marcus...southern boy drawl..was HOT!!!!! I'm pretty sure he is my favorite of the doms. He is loving, carin and I didn't feel that coldness that I felt from the others. He is a dom I would love to take HOME!!!!!!!!!! I love how this story brings togeter the characters from the perevious stories and lets us know what has been happening with them. Overall great read! LOVED IT!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Creed (Unfinished Hero, #2); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Creed by Kristen Ashley One word...Sylvie. I whole heartedly believe this book should have been named Sylvie. This was HER book and I LOVE her! Sylvie is a very strong, independent, kick ass tough woman. She plays by her own rules and lives as she pleases. She has a foul mouth and is truly one of the 'guys'--from kicking ass to carrying a gun. She has survived a horrific childhood and young adult life. She had only one person in the whole world she counted on---Tucker Creed. But on her 18th birthday, when they were supposed to disappear together, he disappeared from her life. She's been carrying that loss along with her own tortured 6 years of hell after Creed left, for the past 16 years. I felt Sylvie's pain..It hurt in my gut. Just the thoughts of what she went through those 6 years was excruciating. It made me love her strength more. Creed has been living his own hell these past 16 years. We learn about what happened to Creed and why he left through Sylvie's dreams. The reasons are terrible..horrible and it wasn't by choice. Sixteen years later, Creed is called to work for Knight! Yes!!! KNIGHT!!! I was so excited to read about him in this book. It made me really love him. Knight showed how caring of a person he is by being a friend to Sylvie all these years. Sylvie also works for Knight. Unbeknownst to him, they are put together to work a case. I love how Kristen Ashley pulled in Knight and HAWK DELGALO!!! Yes you heard right! Hawk is in this story!!! (He's from Kristen's book Mystery Man--if you didn't know.) HOT! Sylvie and Creed together was explosive. From their initial fight (which I can't blame her for) to the hot and steamy sex! I had to cool off after a couple of those scenes! Their love is something many people strive for--and yes there are bumps--but their love is pure from when they were younger and the bond is super strong. I felt a truly emotional connection to them. I highly recommend this book. Also, the epilogue FREAKING ROCKED!!!!!!!! Review also posted at [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unforgivable (Untouchable, #2); Author: Lindsay Delagair; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: Thank god thats over....... ughhhhhh. review to come.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Down to You (The Bad Boys, #1); Author: M. Leighton; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Down To You by M. Leighton I will first off say that I am totally impressed. I was apprehensive while reading the summary on Goodreads, but after reading the book....I am soooo glad I did! Twin brothers!!!! HOT!!!!!!! Two brothers, who look identical, but have two totally different personalities. Cash is a typical bad boy, club owner, motorcycle riding hunk. Nash is totally opposite, soon to be lawyer, very smart, very educated hunk. What's a girl to do? Especially when Nash is dating her roommate and cousin and Cash is too bad in her mind to want forever. This story takes you through the rollercoaster ride that is Olivia's life. Who does she want to be with? Cash or Nash? And what will Olivia do when a bomb is dropped on her that includes Cash and Nash? I was totally into this book. I sat for 5 hours straight and only put it down briefly to get my kids dinner and go through their backpacks! I liked how each chapter went through different characters perspectives of the story. I could feel how each of them felt. I enjoyed the growing connection between Olivia/Cash and Olivia/Nash. I really enjoyed the twists and turns towards the end! It was a wild ride that I would have never expected. The author did a great job keeping my attention and having the story flow. The epilogue....I learned that this story is to be continued! I need to know when the next one is out! It will be an auto-buy for me! I highly recommend this book! I got it off Amazon/Kindle for like 4 bucks. Totally worth the money!!!!!! Review also on [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Little Harmless Sex (Harmless, #1); Author: Melissa Schroeder; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: A Little Harmless Sex (Harmless #1) by Melissa Schroeder Posted on [url]... Wow! This book will get your motor running. The bedroom scenes are very hot and inviting as you could say! HA! Max and Anna are best friends and have been for many years. Max is very straight laced. He likes everything in order. Anna is very outgoing and adventurous. She is a free spirit and the complete opposite of Max. They have gone through lots of boyfriends and girlfriends, but never with each other. They both think each other is hot, but won't cross that line into ruining their tight friendship. After Max's fiance dumps him and Anna breaks up with her boyfriend, they decide to celebrate! Enter........tequila! It reminded me of that song 'Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off!" After a night of way too much to drink, all kinds of hot and bothered feeling some out! They have a night of hot harmless sex. Max decides that he wants Anna, for good...forever. We go along on the journey of them discovering a new area of their friendship. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to slap Anna. She needed to get the cob out of her ass and just be with Max. Max just tried and tried and Anna pushed and pushed. Ughh... But that's what made it good! The back and forth! It's only about 200 pages so it went pretty quickly. If you are in need of getting your motor running, this is the book!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Devoured (Devoured, #1); Author: Emily Snow; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I devoured this book! Ha. Okay seriously. This was a really good read. Also posted at [url]... 4 Stars Rushing home to Nashville to help her grandma save her home was not on Sienna Jenson's to do list. Finding out the new owner is none other than the rock star, Lucas Wolfe, which she spent a wild night with 2 years ago, was a huge shocker as well. When Lucas comes up with a proposition for Sienna to save her grandmother's home, Sienna has no choice but to do it. Can Sienna follow all of Lucas's rules and get her grandmother's home back? My Thoughts: Even though the book was short, I got back story from the characters. I found out the 'why' in most instances. That is a huge plus for me when enjoying a book. Lucas was hotter than hell in my mind; rock god with tattoos all over and domineering as hell! What's not to love?? I loved watching Sienna's growth throughout the story. I love how she found her voice and was able to use it! I also loved how she cared so much about her grandma to do anything for her. My downfall with the book was the sex scenes. I thought they could have uses some more spice. They were just kinda there. I really didn't like the ending of the book because I wanted to know why! What happened?? It left me hanging. But as I looked on Emily's goodreads page, she has another book coming out that is the second in this series. I am hoping that I will find out those answers in that book! I will definitely be reading it!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Chick Rescue (Rock Chick, #2); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Rock Chick Rescue (Rock Chick #2) By Kristen Ashley Jet! What an awesome name! Jet is a doer...a mover and a shaker. She sees a problem in her life or her family; she does what she has to--to make it better. Well, she hasn't had much choice. Her father left the family, but pops back in for money. Her mother had a stroke and has lots of medical problems, which Jet is paying for. Her sister moved to LA and really hasn't helped Jet out. Did she complain? NOPE! She's too strong. Too dynamic to do that. Does she ask for help? NOPE...too much pride and stubbornness to do that. She has always counted on herself. It's the ONLY person she CAN count on. Jet has two jobs to help pay the bills. By day, she is a barista at Fortnum's, Indy's book store. She is getting to know all the people there and starting to think of them as friends. At night, she works at Smithie's. The local titty bar. No she doesn't dance. She's a waitress. But that doesn't stop the owner from trying to get her on the pole! Enter flaming hottie...EDDIE! Ughh... I had a major thing for him. I just melted at his description in the story. I wanted to run my fingers on those abs! Anyway..sidetracked. Eddie is a cop. He is honest, dependable, trustworthy and sexy! Oh and also Lee Nightingale's best friend. This is how the whole connection to the Rock Chick comes in. I love how Eddie doesn't let Jet push him away and keeps forcing her to face her feelings for him. Ahhhhh.... Jet's dad ends up getting into some really bad stuff. This leads to Eddie and the Nightingale team to protect her. There is blood, guns, kidnappings, theft, bikes, jealous bad asses, more hot bad asses, Indy and her entire crew from Fortnum's. The story is all about how these men and women protect each other from the bad guys! I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I loved the action and love. I loved the possessiveness Eddie showed. I love the hint of the other badasses that will be in the next stories. I want to learn all of these men's stories! Ughh! I can't seem to read fast enough! Enjoy!! Also posted at [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: From Ashes (From Ashes, #1); Author: Molly McAdams; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Check out more reviews at [url]... My Thoughts: What an emotional rollercoaster ride! This book will turn you around and flip you upside down. Cassidy's childhood was gut-wrenching to read, I cringed on many parts just wishing like hell it never happened to her. In learning about her past, it was easy to see why she had so many issues and insecurities. But that does not excuse her total lack of communication with Gage! Ugh... I so wish the connection between Cassidy and Gage felt stronger. We spend so much time on the book only hearing sides--but never really talking to one another. Therefore causing a disconnect for me. I needed a deeper connection. Because we all know the author can do it because I loved TAKING CHANCES!!!! There was a point in the book where I just wished everyone would go their separate ways. They were all becoming so toxic for each other. The bright light in this story is GAGE! Yummy!!!! Oh my.. What a thoughtful, loving, hot hunk of a man. I swooned over him big time! The on the flipside the dark gray cloud.....TYLER, the comforter, enabler who says he's loved Cassi all his life....well he royally pissed me off. Without getting into specifics, because I don't want to give anything away, I became appalled at him and really wanted nothing to do with him. Then poof...all is forgiven and everyone is one big happy family?? Hmmm... Something stinks in the kitchen and it's not the food! Overall, a good read, but not like Taking Chances. I missed the character connection and development.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Meet The Baumgartners (Baumgartners, #0); Author: Selena Kitt; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Meet The Baumgartners (Baumgartners 0) by Selena Kitt Also posted at [url]... Whoa... This book is very---very erotic. I needed a cold shower immediately afterwards! Carrie is a hard working college student who has to pee badly. Instead of walking all the way down the hall, she decides to go to the men's bathroom which is closer and hey..its 2 am no ones in there right?? Wrong! She finds Steve 'Doc' Baumgartner masturbating in one of the shower stalls in a full blown out fantasy. Carrie can't help herself but watch him. She also can't help herself in joining in her own fun while watching. Doc has his eyes covered and cannot see Carrie. Well, until he finishes and opens his eyes. Oopps. And she runs away! This meeting causes Doc to have the serious hots for Carrie and starts a pursuit. Little does Doc know, Carrie's involved with her roommate Maureen-lovers actually- who has a boyfriend that she wants to marry. Oh what a tangled web we weave. This book is seriously hot. The bathroom scenes were scorching and some of the hottest I have read. There is lots of sex. /ff/ /fm/ /ffm/ Craziness! I liked where the storyline was going, but I wanted more. This was the down fall for me. I wanted the book to continue. Good thing this is the first book in a huge series!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Chick Redemption (Rock Chick, #3); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Rock Chick Redemption (Rock Chick #3) By Kristen Ashley Also posted at [url]... This is my favorite Rock Chick book so far. I love Hank and I love the humor in this book. Rock Chick Redemption is Hank's story. Oh, yes..and Roxie's! Roxie is on the run from an abusive ex who won't take no for an answer. She has tried everything to get rid of him and now she things she has a full proof plan to do just that. She goes to Denver to visit her Uncle Tex. (I fully admit that I'm an idiot. It took me till chapter 2 to realize who her Uncle Tex was.....DUH!) Anyway, away from my stupidity. When entering Fortnum's, she runs into the Hot Boy Brigade and lays eye on Hank. Roxie is trying to get away from one man and doesn't want another, but see instant sparks with Hank. Quote: "It looked like GQ was having a convention and all the best looking guys had decided to have coffee at Fortnum's before going to seminars on how to cope with being really, unbelievably, fucking gorgeous." And he wastes no time showing her and everyone else his automatic interest. Quote: "'Fuckin' A, Roxie. Right On!' Uncle Tex boomed and I stared, not knowing what in the hell he was talking about. 'What?' I asked. Uncle Tex didn't answer me, he looked to Mace and Vance and declared, 'You boys gotta learn to move faster or all the good ones'll be gone.'" I loved this line. I could just imagine the boys sitting there and listening to Tex yell! Ahhhh... Hank Nightingale--swoon--holy hotness of a man. Words to describe Hank: hunk, sweet, honest, loving, caring, hardworking, protective, hot, cop. Just to name the ones off the top of my head! Hank falls instantly for Roxie and knows she has trouble immediately. He doesn't know what trouble, just knows that she has it. It fires up his protectiveness instantly. He doesn't care what it is, just knows that she is his. We embark on a rollercoaster ride of kidnapping, guns, blood, love, hate, lust, selflessness, haunted houses and sex to name a few. It is a freaking awesome ride!!!!! This is the third book in the series and my favorite so far. I loved this story and clung on to it. I laughed my ass off with Roxie's parents. I loved them. Their banter was freaking hilarious and had me rolling! I also loved that all the characters are there and are building their lives. I love learning about all them. I can't wait for the next one! Bring it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fallen Too Far (Rosemary Beach, #1; Too Far, #1); Author: Abbi Glines; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 More Reviews can be found at [url]... What?!?!?! No, You're Kidding Me Right!!!!! I have start out by saying I freaking HATE cliffhangers--especially when I have to wait till March for the next!!!! Okay--I'm done with my rant....all that being said....I am officially not an Abbi Glines virgin anymore and I'm in love with her writing! She nailed this book! I am completely impressed with her complex storyline; character development and overall feel of this book! I admit--I DID NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN--and read it in a few hours. I fell in love with Blaire the moment she pulled out her gun with her give-me-no-shit attitude. The amount of growing up she had to do at such a young age was so admirable. I loved her work ethic and her tenacity. To say I was immediately in love with Rush--would be a lie. He's a dog in heat--literally. I kept thinking Ewwwww...gross! But as the story unfolded I saw the other side of Rush that made me fall hard--No wonder Blair couldn't resist. The chemistry between these two was hot and sizzling. That first kiss...smoked up my kindle! "You're....you're perfect and untouched. And in the end you would never forgive me." Boy did I not understand the true meaning of these strong words. The slap in the face I felt from this still stings! Abbi did a great job hiding this and keeping it bottled up until just the right moment---then BOOM!!! "Everyone always said that love was enough. It wasn't. Not when your soul is shattered." Overall, wonderful MUST READ BOOK! Highly recommended. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS!! I HAD TO EXPRESS THIS PART OF THE STORY!!!!!!!! LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF SPOILERS HERE: I had to continue with this review, but in trying not to put any spoilers in the first part....was hard. Here are my other feelings. Okay--I so....thought there would be some sort of love triangle or square! With all those hot men!! Come on!!! Grant, Woods, Rush, Cain!! Only a little bit of shoving and pushing!! I wanted more!!!!!!!! I was hoping to explore more of the connection with Woods and Blaire. I amen OMG--just a date or something to get my hooks in him! There is so much to him he could have his own book! While I understand Nan had a rough time growing up, damn...she's a total bitch and I have a hard time finding one redeeming quality about her! I'm sure I'll learn more about her in the next book, but as of now.... I HATE HER!!! And the twist and turns at the end! Holy Shit! I tried to hold on to my pants, but I think I lost them along the way! There are still sooooo many questions!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blindfolded Innocence (Innocence, #1); Author: Alessandra Torre; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Blindfolded Innocence By Alessandra Torre Also posted: [url]... In looking at the cover of this book, I almost didn't read it. I don't know what it was but it did not wow me. You know what they say--don't judge a book by its cover--well this is the book that falls in that category. Julia Campbell, a pre-law student, has just broken off her engagement. She is now free, well until she begins her internship at a prestigious law firm. Her boss has warned her to stay away from one of the partners in the firm, Brad De Luca. He tells her that De Luca is bad news and she needs to stay clear of him. Brad De Luca is one of the best divorce attorneys. Brad has made quite a reputation for himself. He has slept with pretty much every woman that has crossed his path, including his clients. He is straight forward and very persuasive. He does things his way--always. He is also incredibly hot!!! Julia, who loves a challenge, does pretty good at staying away from De Luca. She only meets him once and concludes that he is a jerk and wants to keep away from him, but continues to think about him. She doesn't want to risk her internship. Then a phone call comes to Brad and it peaks his interest in Julia and he has to meet her. Really meet her. Julia does very good at holding him at arms-length, but Brad LOVES a challenge. He lives for it. So the hunt is on! The hunt goes to Vegas where I guess---what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas???? Hmmm.. not sure about that one. There is so much that happens in Vegas. The bottom line for me was....I wanted to kick and scream at Brad here. I was pissed at him. All I could think was WTF??? Who in the hell would do that??? Obviously him! There is lots sexual tension between Brad and Julia. There are m/f, f/f and m/f/m scenes in this book. I really enjoyed this book and didn't want it to end. I wanted to know what was going to happen. I stayed up until 2am trying to stay away to finish it. I didn't want to put it down. I am super excited for the second book and am so glad that I got past the cover!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Letting Go (Mitchell Family, #1); Author: Jennifer Foor; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Letting Go (Mitchell Family Series #1) By Jennifer Foor Also posted on [url]... What's a girl to do? After catching her boyfriend (well they weren't technically together-but kinda were) with another woman, Savanna high tales it out of his place. Ty knows he screwed up and goes in search for her only he's had a bit too much to drink. Ty ends up in a horrible car accident and ends up in a coma for six months. Savanna's guilt is waning on her. She feels that if she didn't run that night, he wouldn't have gotten into the accident. Savanna has sat with Ty every day for 6 months, only leaving to go to class, which she is very dedicated to school. She and Ty's friends have shunned her and Ty's parents blame her for the accident too. Savanna prays that Ty will wake up, but he never does. Colt, a southern boy and total gentleman, comes to town to help Ty's dad with the farm since Ty is down and out. Colt is Ty's cousin. Sparks fly between Savanna and Colt, but she tries to hold back. Well at least for 24 hours right. It's been a long time. When Ty wakes up, all of it blows up. Colt is in love with Savanna. Savanna feels obligated to Ty. Savanna is in love with Colt though. I did like this story. It is a college romance, but doesn't focus on the college aspect entirely. Colt and Savanna's connection is wonderful. I felt them growing together and becoming one. I like how Colt let Savanna deal with what was going on in her head. I felt pissed at Ty. He was a womanizer and cheat! I did feel really bad for Savanna when she found out about his cheating ways. This story did have a lot of 'How did I get myself into this mess.' By the 100th time of it, it did get old. I just think that it could have been written more angsty in that sense. Drag you in a little more. The next book out will be Ty's story. I'm looking forward to it! I didn't like Ty at all at first, but he grew on me and I like his change. I do hope he finds his Savanna.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick, #4); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick #4) By Kristen Ashley Also posted at [url]... First thing I want to say is I LOVE HOW KRISTEN ASHLEY'S CHARACTERS SPEAK WITH THEIR EYES! While I'm reading, I can see it and feel it. I love how descriptive she is and love seeing the fires in her characters eyes! Ahhhh!!! This is Vance's story. Oh yeah...and Jules. Jules. She is a modern day renegade, hence the title. She is a social worker at the local teen shelter and works very hard to set teens on the right path. After the death of one of her kids, she sets out to stop drug dealers by wrapping their cars with saran wrap and throwing smoke bombs at them. Yes, you read right. That is how she thinks she's helping. It's a good thought, but mostly just annoying them. But what we also learn is that she is being trained by 3 'good guys' well kinda. She knows how to shoot a gun and she knows how to defend herself. When trouble begins coming her way, she becomes the 'Law' and actually begins to get street credit--at least to the kids she works with. Jules makes a stupid mistake. She ends up shooting the tires out of a drug dealer's car--right in front of Fortnum's. Oh yeah and all the Hot Bunch guys.. But Jules doesn't realize that she caught the eye of Vance and now he has become very protective. We really didn't learn much about Vance in the previous books. I admit my initial connection wasn't there like it was with the other guys. But he is super-hot. Vance is a man of very few words. We learn that he has had a very rough life. I felt for him as a man and a little boy. When Jules gets in a bit over her head with catching these drug dealers, Vance is there to help her out. She is a bit reluctant at first, but of course like all the Rock Chicks--she gives in. I do admit that I was waiting for the impulsive kidnapping, torcher, blood, fighting--but I didn't get much with this story. It seemed to be one of the mellower ones. Jules did kick a couple of guy's asses oh yeah and some skanks, but it wasn't like the other books. As I know each one is different, I get used to the way Kristen's writing was in the previous books. Therefore, I missed that part of it. I also missed the other Rock Chicks. They were in this book, but not as much as the others. I gave it 3.5 stars, but rated it 4 because there are no half stars! I do love reading about the Rock Chicks. I can't wait to read about Luke next!!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Naked (The Blackstone Affair, #1); Author: Raine Miller; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: [url]... My Thoughts: Mr. Blackstone....yummy!!!!! I totally fell in love with Ethan immediately! Was it strange that he fell for her over a picture..yes. But it brings a new idea to love at first sight. He had amazing sex appeal and his possessiveness was hot! I was so immersed in Ethan I could not put the book down and read 75% of it in one sitting! If I wouldn't have had work the next day, I would have said screw sleep! Brynne's broken spirit was crushing. I so wanted to know why she's so hurt. I felt her apprehension in getting with Ethan. Raine did a wonderful job with character development with both Brynne and Ethan. You will be hooked! I loved the sexual chemistry between B & E. OH...MY...was all I could muster on some of those scenes! Raine did a fabulous job with these scenes. She was descriptive and soooo real. I felt as if I was sitting there watching it in person! Overall, great read! Highly recommended! Hot, Sexy Mr. Blackstone with suck you in and hold you captive!!! PS..I gotta know what happens! I'm off to grab book 2 right now!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Chick Revenge (Rock Chick, #5); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Rock Chick Revenge (Rock Chick #5) By Kristen Ashley Also posted at [url]... LUKE! LUKE!! LUKE!!! This was by far the best in the Rock Chick series in my opinion. I loved the action and love! *sigh* Ava is scarred from her past. She grew up Fatty, Fatty, Four Eyes and had horrible sisters that degraded her at every opportunity. Ava has sworn off men. She is tired of getting used, abused and stolen from. She is not going to get used again. When Ava's BFF Sissy gets herself into some trouble with her husband, Ava knows she needs to help. Sissy's husband is a lowdown dirty, cheating, womanizing, mobster scoundrel! He is a very bad man. Dom has even hit on and kissed Ava (without her permission) in front of Sissy! Sissy has had enough and she wants out of the marriage. Ava has vowed to help her get away. Ava is in need of a PI and who better than Lucas Stark. She grew up next to Luke and has been in love with him since she was 8 years old. The last time she saw Luke was at his father's funeral. He was very sweet to her as always and wanted to meet her after for coffee. Ava was more than willing to go, until she heard her dreadful sisters making fun of her and Luke together. At that point, she vowed that she was going to avoid Luke until she was a bombshell that she knew she could be. Ava hired a personal trainer Riley and began to work on herself. Upon entering the Nightingale offices, she rethinks asking Luke for help. She just doesn't think she can handle it. But everyone in the office holds her there until Luke arrives. I absolutely loved all the banter between all the characters during this first encounter. The comments of here it goes again etc. I laughed and laughed! Loved it!!! Luke doesn't recognize Ava upon meeting her. Has no clue. Of course Luke helps her! Luke---SWOON!--I wish I had a picture of this hottie! Ripped, dark hair, mussels everywhere and of course the mustache! He has had his own busted up past. He and his father fought all the time. He was a rebel and loved to ride his motorcycle. We know lots from Luke from the other stories in this series too--such as his thing with Jules and Roxie. Those these come out too. And cause lots of drama! We meet Dom-Sissy's husband, Ren-Dom's cousin who has the hots for Ava, Uncle Vito-Ren's dad and mob boss, Lucky and Santo-Ren's bodyguards, Riley-Ava's personal trainer who also has the hots for her along with many others. Sherleen! I love her! She's a hilarious woman and I love how she takes Ava under her wing and into the Rock Chick's group! I loved the action in this book. I missed it in book 4. There is so much! Shootings, rape scenes, fighting, lovin', car bombs, German shepherds, duct tape!! I loved how this book just kept me on my toes; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rock the Heart (Black Falcon, #1); Author: Michelle A. Valentine; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at [url]... Book given by Author for honest review. 3.5 Stars My Thoughts: I am a huge pushover for a hot and sexy rocker and Rock the Heart sucked me in with Noel! This book is written from Lanie's point of view. I wish I could have gotten more of Noel's inner thoughts about what was going on! I kept saying--I wonder what he's thinking! The character development was done well, although I wish I knew more from Lanie and Noel's high school days. (Maybe a pre-to Rock of Heart?? Hmmm...) I think knowing more about their pasts would have helped me with a deeper connection with them. The storyline was a bit predictable while reading, except for the shock towards the end! I gasped and yelled at my Kindle! That was a twist I didn't see coming. I loved the sexy, smoking hot, sex-god and vulnerable Noel! I could hear is growling, yummy voice singing! Even though, he is a rock god on stage, he has these vulnerable parts to him that are crushing! I felt for him. His past with his parents was hard and I wish I could have gotten a little more back story to the situation or some closure. It seems to be just hanging out there unanswered. Lanie--there were parts where I wanted to slap her--mostly due to her reluctance to be with Noel initially! Then about her job...really??? I get your career oriented, but come on!!! There were lots of secondary characters that we were introduced to and I want to know more about them! Riff--I know there is so much more to him! He may be a womanizer, but it's his way of dealing with pain. The Twins---T&T I call them! I know there is some secret stuff going on with those two. Maybe they are into manage or something. Hmmmm... Then STRIKER! I know that he isn't in The Black Falcon's, but damn do I want to know more about this smooth talking British man! Overall, a good debut book for Michelle. If you have a love for rockers, this is for you!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Surrender the Dark: A Loveswept Classic Romance (The Three Musketeers, #1); Author: Donna Kauffman; Genres: romance; Review: Surrender the Dark: A Loveswept Classic Romance (The Three Musketeers #1) by Donna Kauffman Copy provided by publisher for review. Also posted at [url]... Quick Summary from Goodreads They call themselves the Three Musketeers: three lifelong friends, men who will put it all on the line in the name of honor and loyalty. Jarrett McCullough values those bonds as seriously as he values his job heading a covert group of operatives skilled in handling sensitive international information. But his current mission has suddenly gone very wrong--and he finds himself wounded and near death in the last place he ever expected to be. Rae Gannon is stunned to find her ex-boss bleeding from a gunshot wound, mere paces from her front door. It has been two years since her move to the remote Blue Ridge Mountains, where she tried to erase the memories and the pain she suffered from having been part of McCullough's team. Yet as Rae tends to Jarrett's battered body she realizes that the air between them is still sizzling with a slow-burning need. But this time there are more than just hearts at stake. The mission that almost got Jarrett killed threatens to put Rae back in harm's way. And if they surrender to their desires, it may cost them their lives. My Thoughts: I was not to into this book. I didn't feel the emotional pull between the characters. I thought it would be more in depth. I would have also liked more of a backstory with Rae and Jarrett. The book tells us very little about their lives together before they broke apart for 2 years. I think I could have related to Rae better had I known what she went through and not just had it glossed over. I would have also liked to know if there was sexual tension with them earlier in the time together. The book did not focus on that. Jarrett came off as a jackass. Even at the end, he was okay, but I didn't fall in love with him. I did like how even though Rae was strong willed and stood up for herself, we did get to see glimpse of the other side of her. I gave this book 2.5 stars, but rounded up to 3. It wasn't a horrible story, but I thought more could be told to bring me into it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bonds of Trust (Wicked Play, #1); Author: Lynda Aicher; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Bonds of Trust By Lynda Aicher Also posted at [url]... Release date for book: November 26, 2012 Copy provided by publisher for review through Netgalley. Forty-four year old, divorce Cali Reynolds is looking for acceptance in her sexuality. After being married for over twenty years to a man who had no interest in sex, she is ready to explore her sexuality. She hesitantly joins the local BDSM club The Den. She doesn't know what she wants, but knows that she wants to feel and be touched. After seven years of nothing, she is in desperate need. She feels this club is her only hope. Club owner Jake McCallister has had a rough life. He suffered a great loss at ten years old with the death of his parents. He uses his role as a Dom to hide away any emotional attachment. If he doesn't get close, then people can't leave him. The only friends he has are Seth and Deklan, who co-own the club with him. Jake only has three months left of his five year contract with the club and wants to disappear again. He is always running. Seth and Deklan don't want him to leave. Upon the initial interview for The Den, Seth decides that Jake needs to do a second interview with Cali. Seth says that he sees something in Cali and wants a second opinion. Jake is hesitant at first, but agrees to the interview. Upon meeting Cali, he has feelings inside of him that make him want to possess and love her. He hasn't ever felt this way about a sub before--ever. These feelings scare him Cali is a beautiful submissive to Jake and their trust and bond grow. I really loved the connection between the two characters. I felt the despair, longing, love, trust and completion throughout the book. The author did a great job with her descriptions of feelings these characters had. The BDSM aspect was there, but it wasn't overplayed. It felt real and genuine between these characters. Every touch he gave her, I felt it too. The BDSM scenes were hot and very descriptive. This was a romance story with BDSM scenes. It did not focus on BDSM even though it was significant to the couple coming together. I recommend this book to those who like a good contemporary romance with some kink; those who like to read BDSM or erotic books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Folding Hearts (Mitchell Family, #2); Author: Jennifer Foor; Genres: young-adult, romance; Review: Folding Hearts (Mitchell Family #2) By Jennifer Foor Also posted at [url]... Copy given by author for review Folding Hearts begins where Letting Go (Full Review here [url]/... ) left off. Ty lost the girl, Van; he thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with. Why?? Because he cheated and she caught him. He ended up spending 7 months in a coma to wake up and find "his girl" fell in love with his cousin Colt. Ty is feeling very alone since this loss. All of his friends are either dating someone or party to hard even for him. Miranda is a single mom who wants desperately for her baby daddy to be a family with her. Problem is---he's an ass. Ty and Miranda know each other because Colt is both of their cousins. (Yeah--I know wrapping my head around that took a little bit, but technically they are not blood) And--Ty helped deliver Miranda's baby in book #1. Ty goes to visit Colt and sees Miranda. Let's just say that Miranda's family is not happy with anything to do with Ty because of his history with women. But sparks ignite--we get a bit of love, hate, confusion, hurt (in more ways than one), lust and an asshole of a baby daddy. My Thoughts: First off after the first book, I could not stand Ty. He was an ass and I didn't think I would every get past it. Well, I kinda did. I liked how the author expressed his regret and pain he felt in coming to terms with what he did. He knows he made his own bed in losing Van and has to deal with it. I loved the connection between Ty and Izzy (Miranda's daughter). I thought that it was strange in the beginning their connection and was wondering if Ty just wanted to have Izzy as his kid. Since Miranda was his mom, well she came with the package. But the author wrote it so it ended up being believable. I think the scenes with Izzy and Ty helped to break away some of the ice I had around my heart for him. I liked how we had two points of view throughout the book. Each chapter was designated for either Ty or Miranda. I enjoyed feeling their feelings throughout the book. There were a few typos throughout the book, but nothing that stopped me from reading. I had a hard time putting it down. My biggest downfall with the book is the lack of closure between Miranda and her baby daddy. What happened? Was the question I kept asking myself. It was like....poof.....gone. Hmm.... I also tried to get how Miranda trusted Ty so much, but that was a hard one for me. I know that Ty was flawed, but it was hard. That's more of a personal thing than the book I think! Overall a good read. I did like this one better than the first. I received an email from the author and there will be 5 books total. Book; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Proposition (The Proposition, #1); Author: Katie Ashley; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: The Proposition By Katie Ashley Also posted at: [url]... 4 Stars All Emma Harrison wants is a baby and love, but not necessarily together. After her best friend, Connor refuses to help her with one of her wants; an unlikely source offers her a hand. Aiden Fitzgerald is known as a womanizer and has been around the block or office more times than anyone can count. Since Emma turned down Aiden's advances, Aiden has had his eyes set on her. Adian comes up with a proposition for her, sleep with him the old fashioned way and he will provide the sperm for her child. Can they keep this arrangement all business? My Thoughts: First and foremost are the conversations between Aiden and Emma were so real and captivating. I felt as if I was watching an honest conversation between two of my close friends. They were very well written and drew me totally into the story. I admit, my first thought of Adian was---he's a pig...wants sex and doesn't give a shit about anything else. Well, I guess the added 'don't judge a person by their cover' was very true with him! I was very wrong about him. I loved him. He was so closed off and to see him open was beautiful. I felt very bad for Emma. Her life has thrown her some unbelievable hardships and I just wanted to be her BFF and make it better! I totally understood why she wanted a baby so badly, when I was younger I felt the same way. I could totally relate to her. I loved seeing her at home with her family and friends. It was ultimately heartwarming. I do admit I found myself smiling like a Cheshire Cat many times throughout the story. You're probably wondering why did I only give it 4 stars. There were two reasons. One, the beginning was a little lacking for me. I like a little get up and go and I got that more towards the middle and end. Two was the ending! I was sooo pissed it ended just like *poof*! But I supposed Katie wanted that so I would be on my hands and knees begging for The Proposal to come out! Overall, a great read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Losing It (Losing It, #1); Author: Cora Carmack; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: I dont know why im finding this one so hard to review. hopefully it will come to me.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1); Author: Katie McGarry; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Also posted at: [url]... 5 Stars GUT-TWISTING Echo has suffered terribly, but cannot remember why or how. All she has are the scars on her arms and a few memories of her mom to remind her of that lost time. Going from Ms. Popular to the social outcast of her high school overnight has been emotionally trying for Echo. Not to mention living with her father and his new wife, her ex-nanny and the haunting memories of her brother who died at war. The one person, who seems to feel her pain, happens to be the high schools resident bad boy, Noah Hutchins. Noah has his own demons he is battling and a forged responsibility that he wants to take on. Both Echo and Noah are thrown together by Mrs. Collins, the school counselor, who vows to help them both. Noah and Echo share a common bond in that they don't trust anyone, especially Mrs. Collins. When they team up to help each other, they may find that they need each other more. My Thoughts: Pushing the Limits is a gut twisting emotional rollercoaster ride that I'm so glad I hoped on! This book was so much more than I bargained for. First off...Echo...really???? After the explanation, I understood better, but at first I kept thinking what were her parents on?? I guess I found out! The author did a phenomenal job at her descriptions of the characters and their emotions. I felt Noah's pain, Echo's hurt, Noah's anger, Echo's confusion, Noah's struggles, Echo's smile, Noah's smirk and all the other feelings these characters felt. All of it encompassed me and pulled me in a thousand different feeling directions, which I loved every second of! Some very serious issues were discussed and I liked how the author didn't sugar coat them. Such as Echo being the outcast at school after the 'incident,' her feelings expressed and all the crap from her 'friends' she had to deal with. All of this was well laid out. (Grace pissed me off.) Echo was strong--she didn't know it, but while reading I knew. Her life was a blender of mixed emotions set on high and stirred up! She had no one but herself and somehow managed to pull through. Noah...Noah...Noah... I have a new book boyfriend (now that he's 18 that is.) His troubled past (and present) cut him so deep that I bled for him. I just wanted to scoop him up and make everything better for him. In my opinion, an author that can make me feel that from words on a page is worthy of a great review! I loved the relationship between Noah, Isaiah and Beth! Those strong bonds of friendship sucked me in and helped me to remembered closeness I felt during my high school years. My favorite quote from Noah was, "You're my world, so I'd say that evens things out." Swoon!!!! If I didn't like Noah at all, this quote alone would have me falling all over myself! The only dislike I had of the book was the ending.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire, #1); Author: T.E. Sivec; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Stars Check out more reviews at [url]... My Thoughts: The Beautiful Lie takes you on a suspenseful ride always asking the question--'What is going on?' There are so many twists and turns and surprises in store while reading! Tara's writing of the bedrooms scenes were unbelievably hot! My jaw dropped in the first scene. I felt it. Totally utterly felt it. The second was so fierce and raw! YUMMY! It has a really good, plausible storyline. I was intrigued and wanted to know the who's and what's of it. And believe me--my jaw hit the floor a couple of time from things I was not expecting! While it had a good storyline, my biggest issue in reading was the way I was told the story. I felt as if the book was a narrative and I was being told the story--not feeling the story. I missed the character dialogue, which didn't pick up till towards the end. This caused me to have a disconnect with the characters. It also switched POVs so much that I had a really hard time figuring out who was talking. Overall, good book that is out of Tara's box of chocolates.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Calling The Shots (Long Shots, #4); Author: Christine d'Abo; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at [url]... Copy given by publisher for review Overall: 4.5 rounded to 5 Sizzle: Freaking Burning! Holy Hell! I haven't read many m/m/f or m/m books. I'm sort of a virgin with it. This book opened my eyes wide! HOT! Josh Scott owns a hot BDSM club, Mavericks, but is feeling the need for change. Before he makes any changes, he feels that he needs to play matchmaker. His beautiful club manager, Beth Norris and hot sexy head bartender, Oliver Stephenson, are on his list. Josh has watched these two, but has hidden his own feelings for them. He feels that if they are together and happy it will be enough for him. Josh is openly bisexual, but hasn't crossed that line with them. Josh has many demons haunting him and has not found ways to let go of his past. He feels he doesn't deserve to have it all. Beth has had the hots for Josh since she started working for him 2 years ago. She has kept these feelings to herself with only a mild flirtation between the two of them. But with working in the BDSM club, it has opened her eyes to her own sexual needs. Oliver is trying to work through his problems. He's trying pick up the pieces of his life, but not doing such a good job at it. He is very conflicted about his sexual feelings. He is very attracted to Beth and Josh, but insists that he is straight. The flood gates open in a night of mind-blowing sex. Could it work between the three of them? There is also a major twist that I didn't see coming! I love it when that happens. My Thoughts: OMG! The sex scenes are hotter than hell! I think my kindle started smoking! I didn't even know some of that was possible! Big eye opener for me! I loved Josh. He was dominate and sweet. I could feel his torment with everything he had to go through growing up. I wanted to reach into the book and hug him. I was angry with him for pushing the other two away, but I understood why he did it. I felt it. I love how he was trying to look out for both Beth and Oliver. Beth was hot in my book. She came off as sexy and strong. I like that she was both a dominate and a submissive. I loved seeing both sides of her. I liked that even though these two men were in her life she was still strong and didn't take any shit. Oliver, oh Oliver. I felt so bad for him. I wanted to wipe away what that bitch did to him. I loved how the author fielded his torment of loving a man. Oliver was so conflicted about his feelings for Josh stating first that he was straight. It never came across that he had any issues with being gay, but it was just that he never explored it. I did love the way the author talked about the; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Undercover Professor; Author: December Gephart; Genres: romance; Review: Undercover Professor by December Gephart ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley Also posted at [url]... 3.5 Stars My Thoughts: Cute Short Story. I liked Drew/Andy even though he was a liar--but the lie wasn't bad enough to turn me off to him. I did not see his reasoning's for not telling her though. I thought he should have just spat it out, but keeping it from Lacy was the draw of the story. I loved seeing Drew's sweet side. That is what made me forgive the lying part. I understood Lacy's 'rules' and the hurt that she felt, even though she didn't follow them. The whole, gamer, storyline, I didn't understand. I'm not a gamer so I have no idea anything about gaming and the people who game. This entire part was foreign to me. I liked how the author built up the sexual tension between these two, but parts made me feel like it was all a conquest. The feelings needed to be a bit stronger for the characters to make me feel otherwise. Those feelings didn't seem to come until later in the story. Becca was cray cray!! She made my eyes bug out of my head more than once! WOW! I also thought there could have been more development with Kevin. It seemed as if he was just thrown in there. I understand the author was trying to establish reasoning for one of Lacy's rules, but I thought it could have been more developed. Overall, if you're looking for a short romance about rules and gaming, this is the book for you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Chick Revolution (Rock Chick, #8); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: 5+++++++++++++++++++++= Best of the Rock Chicks!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Theory of Attraction; Author: Delphine Dryden; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at [url]... Copy given by publisher for review This is actually three different stories and I will review each one separately. The Theory of Attraction; A Shot in the Dark; Forbidden Fantasies ----- The Theory of Attraction 2 Stars Camilla, who vows she is not a stalker, has her eyes set on Dr. Ivan Reynolds rocket scientist and neighbor. When Ivan needs help, he calls upon Cami for help. She is more than willing to help the good old doctor out. Little does Cami know, the professor is hiding a secret. Will Cami be able to handle it? My thoughts: This was a hard read for me. There were, I guess you call them scientific terms, in that had me saying huh? It was a bit of a turn off for me. I also could not get past the whole, geek with 6 pack abs thing. I guess my imagination wasn't flying when I read because I couldn't picture him. Therefore couldn't get that connection with him. I found myself skimming a lot. __________________________________________ A Shot in the Dark by Christine d'Abo 5 Stars Sizzle: Smokin Hot As the co-owner of a coffee shop, Paige Long works non-stop and has no time for a social life. As a firefighter and Dom, Carter has had his eye on Paige for a while. Carter sees a submissive hiding in Paige and is curious. Little does Carter know, Paige has closed herself off to the lifestyle. Carter vows to find out why. My thoughts: Even though this was a very short read, the author did a great job in developing the characters. Carter was so loving, patient and sexy as hell! He gave Paige time to get her head together and didn't push her. I loved Paige. She is so strong and stubborn, yet so vulnerable in dealing with her past issues. I loved how she had to fix things herself and fought for it. The Dom/Sub scenes were so realistic that I could totally relate. The author did an awesome job at her descriptions. I also liked that there was a sub-story with Paige's brother, Ian and 'Blue Eyes.' I believe Ian is the star of one of the books in the author's series. Overall--This book was the best part of this "The Theory of Attraction" Book Other Books in the Long Shot Series: Double Shot Pulled Long Calling Shots _______________________________________ Forbidden Fantasies By Jodie Griffin 4 Stars Married for 15 years, Jessica and Alex have a rock solid marriage, except after Jessica finds a love for reading erotic books. How can she explain to her husband the kink she wants to try in the bedroom? Will he run? My Thoughts: The author did a wonderful job expressing the ups and downs of a marriage when it comes to sex. It was well thought out and feelings were expressed in a way that I totally understood and got it. The author did a great job with the POVs of both the characters and I felt everything from them. The doubt, hurt, love,; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Forbidden Fantasies (Bondage & Breakfast #1); Author: Jodie Griffin; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at [url]... copy given by publisher for review through the book "The Theory of Attraction" _______________________________________ 4 Stars Married for 15 years, Jessica and Alex have a rock solid marriage, except after Jessica finds a love for reading erotic books. How can she explain to her husband the kink she wants to try in the bedroom? Will he run? My Thoughts: The author did a wonderful job expressing the ups and downs of a marriage when it comes to sex. It was well thought out and feelings were expressed in a way that I totally understood and got it. The author did a great job with the POVs of both the characters and I felt everything from them. The doubt, hurt, love, lust, apprehension, curiosity were all displayed so well, considering it was a very short book. This did impress me. Overall wonderful book for married couples who are having a hard time with getting some kink! It was almost like therapy!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Shot in the Dark (Long Shots, #2); Author: Christine d'Abo; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at [url]... Copy given by publisher for review through the book "The Theory of Attraction" __________________________________________ A Shot in the Dark by Christine d'Abo 5 Stars Sizzle: Smokin Hot As the co-owner of a coffee shop, Paige Long works non-stop and has no time for a social life. As a firefighter and Dom, Carter has had his eye on Paige for a while. Carter sees a submissive hiding in Paige and is curious. Little does Carter know, Paige has closed herself off to the lifestyle. Carter vows to find out why. My thoughts: Even though this was a very short read, the author did a great job in developing the characters. Carter was so loving, patient and sexy as hell! He gave Paige time to get her head together and didn't push her. I loved Paige. She is so strong and stubborn, yet so vulnerable in dealing with her past issues. I loved how she had to fix things herself and fought for it. The Dom/Sub scenes were so realistic that I could totally relate. The author did an awesome job at her descriptions. I also liked that there was a sub-story with Paige's brother, Ian and 'Blue Eyes.' I believe Ian is the star of one of the books in the author's series. Overall--This book was the best part of this "The Theory of Attraction" Book Other Books in the Long Shot Series: Double Shot Pulled Long Calling Shots _______________________________________; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Night is Darkest (Men in Blue, #1); Author: Jayne Rylon; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at: [url]... WOW!!! This book was so much more that I was expecting! After learning the unexpected news of her police officer brother's death, Lacie Daughtry turns to his best friends Mason and Tyler for support. Even though Lacie has thrown herself at Mason and Tyler, they have rebuffed her advances. But when they are all three lost in grief and Lacie comes into danger, the men must protect her. My Thoughts: HOLY HELL!!! This book was so hot it made my kindle smoke! Not only are there some of the hottest scenes in this book; there is also a great story too! This book has m/f; m/m; and m/m/f scenes that are very detailed. This author is very descriptive throughout the book, including the sights and smells. She made me feel as if I was there in vivid color. I loved the emotions! Oh MY! The first few pages had me choked up. Then throughout the entire book I could feel Mason, Tyler and Lacie's emotions which were so strong! LOVED IT! Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Love You to Death (I Love You, #1); Author: Natalie Ward; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: My Thoughts: Tissues...Lots and Lots and Lots of Tissues Needed!!!!!!! For me to say this is a heavy read is a total understatement. I was not at all prepared for the emotional ache this book put me through. The level of despair I felt moved me to my core. I knew just by the title and cover that I was in for a deep, deep ride. Ash's grief, despair and guilt were fabulously written. I thought several times that this storyline could go south really quickly and become redundant...BUT I was sooo happy to say it DID NOT! The author found every possible conceivable way to describe and express grief/guilt/despair. I kept thinking..OH God...What's next?? But it would always be different...never the same...never repetitive. I enjoyed that I was kept on my toes. "So in fact, my life is far from normal, it's actually complete shit." That's saying it lightly. Connection with Ash's 'not so normal life' was very easy. I many not have felt her level of guilt, but I understood it on some level. I may not have had her level of loss, but I have felt it. That connection with her kept pulling me in. I wanted her to overcome her emotional turmoil and every time she fell...I'd fall right with her. I feel that Ash has some of the best character development I've read. I know her, feel for her and want her to be happy. I love, love, loved how the author wrote the 'memories' of all the different losses Ash experienced. It was a great way to do flashbacks. Not only did we learn deeper into her past; each one was a mini-story that was wonderfully detailed and jammed pact. I really feel that Luke was sent by Ash's angels above to help her work her shit out. He was so unbelievably patient and held her as if she would break at any moment. He was so admirable and an overall great guy. I love how Luke could see through Ash's mask and dig into her, but yet be so careful and patience with her. It was so very endearing. The entire book is written in Ash's perspective. We get to swim in her sea of turmoil. I would have loved to hear Luke's POV!!!! That is the only downfall I have with this book. I wanted inside his brain soooooo badly! I wanted his feelings about everything going on. Parts of this book were utterly gut-wrenching. I went through a huge amount of tissues. I even did the whole sobbing on my kindle thing..but don't let that detour you from reading. A little crying is good for the soul! I did love how each chapter outlined the music that went along with that chapter It helped me make a deeper connection with the book. Music tends to do that. Please do not go into this book thinking is a happy go lucky--because it is not. It is dark, sad and grief ridden--but that said it is an awesomely written book with a great story line.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Troubles and Treats (Chocolate Lovers, #3); Author: Tara Sivec; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Blog Tour Starts Today Dec 3!!! Com by Reality Bites! for Ask Tara and a signed paperback of Troubles and Treats Giveaway!!! [url]... Tara did not fail with bringing comedy back! HOLY SH*T! I laughed and laughed to point of pissing my pants. This book should come with a warning----will cause hysterical laughter, please be prepared! Drew and Jenny's story is fast forwarded 6 years from the last book (Futures and Frosting). A lot has happened during that time! Drew and Jenny have a serious problem....they need to bring sexy back! Their problem is totally relatable and I got where they were coming from. Mostly, I wanted to yell at them to freaking talk--but we wouldn't have a story if they did that right?? Jenny is still ditsy as ever. The words that come out of that women's mouth are freaking nuts! She's a few balloons shy of a bouquet! But...that being said...I loved her! I related to her on so many levels! Being a mom, having body issues and not wanting to have sex after having a kid. Very relatable and I got it completely. Jenny's Screwed Up Words (yes I had to write them down.) Jenny's Screwed Up Words (yes I had to write them down.) Testicle of himself -- Spectacle of himself Speaking in thongs -- Speaking in tongue Family Oriental -- Family Oriented Baste in the glory -- Bask in the glory "Something stinks in suburbia and its not my balls." Drew not only likes to talk about them, but he is NUTS!!!!!! True he is extremely immature--True he always has sex on the brain--True he wears some kick a*s shirts that I'd never have the balls to wear in public----- But he loves his wife and family. He is loyal to his friends and an overall good guy. He may not ever know what the hell he is doing or saying, but the love for his wife is evident. I love all of Drew's lines. He had me rolling. One word--Tupperware. We also get to find out about the whole crew--Carter, Claire, Liz and Jim. Oh and their heard of children! I loved their connection to one another and their easy banter! Especially the women! "Shut the hell up crotch rot!" "Oh you did NOT just call me crotch rot, you twat faced cum dumpster." Feel the love! I do love how all six of them are there for each other no matter what. Even in uncomfortable situations.... "Yes, and in just a few minutes, a d*ck will be able to find your vagina without needing night vision goggles and a weed whacker." What I missed was Gavin's smart mouth. He's now ten and we don't get to hear a whole lot from him. "Why are their Barbie heads hanging from our ceiling?" she asked as she climbs in bed next to me and rolls on her back. "Well, Gavin decided all the other Barbies needed a warning. He figured if they saw what happens to Barbies who disobey, they'd think twice about putting Ken in a; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shattered Hart (The Hart Family, #2); Author: Ella Fox; Genres: romance; Review: Full Review to come. I really did like the angst in this book. The repetitiveness through me off a bit, but the actual storyline was really good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Exquisite (Exquisite, #1); Author: Ella Frank; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Exquisite By Ella Frank Also posted at: http:realitybites-letsgetlost.blogspot.com Book was given by author for review. I have received an exclusive snippet of Entice from Ella! Please continue to read!! 4.5 Stars For nine years, Dr. Lena O'Donnell, has been consumed with guilt, struggling to make it through each day, drowning herself in her work. Unable to get past that one fateful night and her horrible loss, Lena has closed herself off and built concrete walls around her heart that the military would have trouble getting through. Lonely, miserable and guilt ridden, Lena believes this is how her life should be. Owner of the hottest restaurant in Chicago, Mason Langley loves the life of the hottest bachelor in the city. Who knew that one encounter with a terribly pissed off doctor would change everything. Mason cannot stop thinking of Lena. As the tension and chemistry explodes between these two, they begin to feel their walls start to crumble. When tragedy strikes, the effect on the couple is astronomical and surviving it together may not be an option. My thoughts: Initially, I had a very hard time getting into this story. The first few chapters were not grabbing my attention because Lena wasn't connecting with me. I just wanted to smack her, but I kept chugging along and I'm so glad I did! OH.MY.GOD. Mason Langley. An unbelievably hot, sexy man who cooks! HELLO!!!! Sign me UP!! Mason got so much more than he bargained for by helping his mom out! That initial meeting between the hero/heroine was combustible. The hate and loathing were just dripping off the pages. My initial thought of Mason was.....whoa! What crawled up his ass--but that so did not last long! Every time he smiled and showed those hot dimples, I felt it in my toes! I loved that he was his own kind of flawed and so real. Also, the way Mason fought for Lena, wouldn't let her move away and started crumbling down her walls....I mean that's a lot of work for a playboy! "My dad once told me that one day I'd meet someone who drives me so crazy I want to strangle her and yet never would because I can't bear for her to be gone. Well, that's when I'll know I've met a woman worth keeping." Lena--for a woman who is so broken and guilt-ridden, she sure had a lot of spunk! I loved the quick comebacks and her relationship with Shelly! Side note...LOVED SHELLY--she's the star of the next book in the series! Initially, I found Lena totally annoying and had a very hard time getting past her total bitchiness, but as time went on that bitchiness turned more into attitude. The more understandable/relatable attitude that I grew to like and connect with! I'm not saying that I got totally over her annoyingness...because that is not true. There were many times that I just wanted to take her out back and beat the living crap out of her!!! I loved how the author wrote the love/hate banter between Lena and Mason. The lines; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pleasures of Winter (Pleasures, #1); Author: Evie Hunter; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Comes out tomorrow! It's a great read!!!!! Review posted at [url]... ARC from publisher through NetGalley for Review Release date November 1, 2012 5 Stars Hardworking journalist, Abbie Marshall is in a bit of a jam and needs to get out of Honduras immediately. The only way is to hop on a private jet with Hollywood heart-throb Jack Winter, under the pretense of interviewing him. Abbie is instantly mesmerized with Jack's unbelievable looks and his playful attitude. When the plane goes down in the rainforest, Abbie has to put trust in Jack to get her out alive. Abbie sees sides of Jack that intrigue her and brings out parts of herself that she didn't know existed. Upon returning to America, neither Jack nor Abbie can stop thinking about each other. They have a connection that they need to explore, but there are many things that Abbie doesn't know about Jack. She must figure out if his secrets are hers too. ------ My Thoughts: I was drawn into this book during the first two chapters. There was so much action and excitement that I couldn't put it down! It did have a BDSM theme, but it was not overly done and definitely not hard-core. I love how it was a progression throughout the story of learning what BDSM is and what happens during a dom/sub relationship. The authors did not just throw it up in the air. It was very well explained and Abbie's feelings/emotions on the lifestyle were very well written. I also loved how Jack explained everything to Abbie and was so patient. I also loved that it wasn't a 'jump into bed with me now' story. It had build-up and excitement. The sexual tension was thick and exciting. I loved Jack's jealousy and his caveman antics. Abbie was a strong character; independent, smart, focused and endearing. I loved how she had a backbone and knew how to use it. I also loved her journey of discovering her sexual desires. She was so apprehensive and I could feel it thought the writing. Jack---swoon----- Irish accent, hot 6 pack abs, unbelievable body and pure Dom, but yet patient and thoughtful--what's not to love? Jack has his demons that he has been hiding which pulls you in more to him. Loved him! I do have some unanswered questions though. I am hoping that there is a book 2 that continues this story, because I would like the answers. Overall, AWESOME book! If you are a fan of Fifty Shades of Grey or Bared to You--you must read this book. I highly recommend reading it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Undeniable (Undeniable, #1); Author: Madeline Sheehan; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Also posted on: [url]... Quick Summary: Five year old Eva meets twenty-three year old Deuce at Riker's Island visiting her dad, president of the Demons Motorcycle Club. Eva has an instant connection with Deuce. After many chance encounters spanning many years, their connection grows. My Thoughts: I've been reading lots of hype about this book and thought I would check it out. Hmmmm..... This is not a traditional love story by any means. This is a messed up, twisted relationship about two people who can't seem to keep away from each other. I was really taken aback with the fact that a five year old could be so descriptive about a man including commented on his eyes. Really? I'm thinking not. This made it very difficult for me to get going with this book. I kept shutting my eyes thinking, what the hell???? I also found it difficult keeping track of how old she was throughout their encounters and during some encounters I wanted to scream at Deuce! What was he thinking!?! The other thing I had to look past was the disrespectful language. I am always up for a good alpha male. I thrive on reading them, but when the alpha is telling everyone to respect women; then every other word out of his mouth is b****, c*** or w*****, I tend to lose respect in him. It was hard to get past. Eva was easy to like. The way she was written made me want to like her, heck even be friends with her. I loved that she was her own person growing up, even if she was surrounded by a bunch a biker boys. I also liked that she was a survivor. It was also awesome to see all the biker guys fawning over her and treating her like the princess of the club; with all her 'uncles' taking care of her. I also felt like she didn't have a choice with Frankie. She was just stuck. My heart felt for her. I wanted to like Deuce and there were parts that I kinda did, but there were very few of those. His treatment of women and Eva was repulsive. I couldn't feel his redeeming qualities other than the brief description of his father. I didn't feel him. The passiveness of an alpha was there, but I didn't feel the protectivess and love. Overall an okay story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Disastrous (Disastrous, #1); Author: E.L. Montes; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Check out more reviews at: [url]... Disastrous is spoken through Mia's POV. She takes us on a journey though her crazy relationship with the hot and desirable Marcus. Marcus is hot.....and I mean really hot!! Bad boy pushed to the ultimate limit. Who wouldn't fall for this man?? But the price to pay?? I don't know if I could. I really enjoyed to push and pull of Mia and Marcus' relationship. I had a really hard time with all of the jumping around this book did. One minute I'm in this scene...and I don't think its over....but it is. Hmmmm... Just unfinished. I wanted to know more. It also killed me that entire conversations were overlooked. Such as the really important conversations between Mia and Jeremy. She had to tell him something extremely important and we get no dialogue--just a narrative of the conversation. Overall, Okay book. I enjoyed reading it. I just wanted more. More character development, more character interaction, more conversations and less of the narrative.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Unbeautifully (Undeniable, #2); Author: Madeline Sheehan; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: 4.5 More Reviews at [url]... *ARC provided for honest review. Bitch. Can. Write. This is Ripper and Danny's story. It's not paved in yellow gold, butterflies or roses, but is told in a raw all-consuming way that drags you into this crazy-ass biker world and has you dreading turning that last page. Ripper is real. He's a man whose past follows him every time he looks in the mirror. He's scarred...badly scarred. His face mutilated by an ass of a man who got his kicks doing it. But the scars on the outside are about as thick as the ones on the inside. "Baby," he said gruffly. "Man like me got no business with a girl like you. You're nothin' but fuckin' beauty and I'm a whole lot of fuckin' ugly who's already halfway to hell." Danny is the biker princess being Deuce's baby girl. She grew up in the MC and knows her way around knowing what these bikers are like. Ripper is also older, by more than a decade, but these two together send shockwaves and explosions off in their path. They are raw, hungry and mouthwatering all over each other. Now, this is a motorcycle club and dating the biker princess is one thing, but dating the biker princess behind the biker king and clubs back.......well that's a whole nother story. Add to that, crazy ex's, club drama, guns, 'runs', fights, alcohol and business gone bad, you get a petri dish of wonderfulness that is Madeline. Oh how I loved this.... It may have been Ripper and Danny's story, but we also get a continuation of Deuce and Eva's story! "You're my reason, Deuce," she whispered through her tears. "You always have been." (EVA) We learn the fallout from that fateful night in Undeniable and the repercussions of it. It was hard gut wrenching and pissed me off. I LOVE Eva's backbone to stand up to such an alpha male and put his ass in his place. We also get to see a special moment biker style! LOVED THAT! Overall, HIGHLY recommend reading this book! Madeline is an auto-buy for me. If you love alpha males, who ride bikes, stand up for what they believe in, fight for what they want, demand respect and love with every fiber of their being, you will love the Undeniable series. Favorite Quote: "Perspective is a bitch when it slaps you in the face, after the fact." Series Order Undeniable (Undeniable #1) Unbeautifully (Undeniable #2) Unattainable (Undeniable #3); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unattainable (Undeniable, #3); Author: Madeline Sheehan; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: 5+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Must Read Book. Madeline is an absolute genius. LOVE LOVE LOVE......... <3; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wild Ones (The Wild Ones, #1); Author: M. Leighton; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: The Wild Ones by M. Leighton Also posted at: [url]... Stars 3.5 (Rounded to 4) After loosing his father, Trick must drop out of college and help his mom not lose everything. Trick gets a job with a local horse breeder and when his bosses beautiful daughter, Cami, comes home from college he is hypnotized by her violet eyes. One problem--boss-man tells Trick hands off and Trick needs the job to help his family out. My Thoughts: This was a cute little bubblegum romance with a pretty bow on it. I did like the storyline, but it isn't my everyday read (trying to expand myself). I am a country girl so the setting pulled me in right away. I admit I don't know the first thing about horses, but I didn't feel lost in the story. I did like the build up throughout the story with Trick and Cami's relationship. Trick and Cami are very likable characters who I could relate to. Trick---swoon! HOTNESS!!!! He can take his shirt off anytime! The ending seemed a bit rushed. It skipped lots and lots for me. The author could have included all the drama between the families and Cami's father--it just skipped over it, with a couple line explanation of it. I would have liked more details. Overall, good lipstick romance. Not much sexual explanation and you pretty much know the ending, but overall cute read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Come Away with Me (With Me in Seattle, #1); Author: Kristen Proby; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: OH.MY.GOD. Kristen Proby...where have you been???? Or maybe I'm just blind! I absolutely loved this book. This was the ultimate romance. There was no angst....just a wonderfully told romantic story of two people falling head over heels for one another. I couldn't get enough of it!! Things between Luke and Natalie move super-fast, but I felt it. I felt the connection, love, lust. It was there ten folds. I loved how the characters were flawed and didn't take what was happening between them lightly. I love Nat's character!!!! She was unbelievably kind, loving considerate, but push her and damn it she fights back! Luke...Luke..Luke.... Holy Hotness!!! Not only was he hot, sexy rich and a move star---he's an actual great guy! It was nice to read a story where the guy was romantic and charismatic! I loved it! It's a must read book!!!!!! I can't wait to dive into the next!!! More reivews at [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Touch of Winter (Pleasures, #1.5); Author: Evie Hunter; Genres: romance; Review: A Touch of Winter By Evie Hunter Also posted at: [url]... 4 stars Conclusion to The Pleasures of Winter [url]/... or at [url]... Abbie Marshall has been dating Hollywood heart-throb Jack Winter for a year now. Upon arriving at his home to surprise him after being gone on a journalist mission, she finds him in a very compromising position with another woman. A heart-broken Abbie runs, with Jack on her heels. Jack has to try to convince Abbie that she is his one and only sub. My Thoughts: This was extremely short, but very very hot scenes. I would have liked it much better if it was the epilogue to The Pleasures of Winter, even though right now it is free on amazon. Even though short, I was still pulled into the story, mainly because of my love for the first. This book has references to the first and the other characters we were introduced to. The connection between Abbie and Jack was undeniable. The love and chemistry were powerful. Love this! This is a definite read after The Pleasures of Winter!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard, #1); Author: Christina Lauren; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 2.5 Stars Check out more reviews at [url]... My Thoughts: While I love a good sex scene, this book was way over the top. At 10% into the book, they had already done the deed twice! I mean damn! I don't even know these characters yet! And at 50%, I totally started losing count! Every time they were together, bam...sex. Which concludes to me...that this book was pretty much ENTIRELY about sex and different ways to have it. This book lacked character development big time. I wanted to feel more for these characters, but I had great difficulty when I new NOTHING about them, expect they had sex like jackrabbits. Overall, If you are looking for a book that has more sex than actually developing a relationship with the characters, then you will like this one. If you are like me and want to be engaged with the characters, this may not be for you.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Schooled; Author: Deena Bright; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Also posted at: [url]... 4 Stars--Only because the ending pissed me off royally! Would have been a 4.5 for me. My Thoughts: I was sucked in completely with all of Janelle's marital problems. I felt for her. I wanted to scream, fight and stand up for her! I wanted to be her Char! Deena really wrote this as real as it could come with a woman's feeling about being cheated on and lied too. I really liked how she worked that. I freaking loved Briggs and Leo. Two hot, sexy hunks of grown men just waiting in the wings to show Janelle what she had been missing all those years! I mean, we all need a brush up course now and then...right??? I loved how Janelle had to 'teach' Briggs and Leo had to 'teach' her. *Swoon*! Another thing I loved was all the pop culture references. I read in the back of the book that Deena was told to take out all these events that it would time her book....screw that! I loved the 'urkle' reference and my ultimate favorite was the 'Wicked' references. I am very partial to loving that play so well there ya go! It was also a pivotal moment for Janelle too. "No more regrets. No more worrying about what everyone thought. It didn't matter. It was my life. My life to live. Life was flying by. I needed to fly too, 'defy gravity.'" I was really captivated with this book. I loved finding out who she was going to choose and all the drama that was unfolding, even if I didn't get my answer. The buildup was nice. I mean a teacher with a sex life...no way! I was utterly disappointed with the ending. There really was not ending. The story just stopped. I got no closure or conclusion. I want to know what happens. I am sure the author will have the next book out soon, but I don't like the abruptness of how this ended. Can't wait to hear when the next book comes out cause I'll have to read it to find out what the hell happens! "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: it might have been!" Words to live by!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: While It Lasts (Sea Breeze, #3); Author: Abbi Glines; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Hearts Loved this book...love this series. Review to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Just for Now (Sea Breeze, #4); Author: Abbi Glines; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock My Bed (Black Falcon, #2); Author: Michelle A. Valentine; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Hearts Giveaway, Review and Tour 4/20/13! [url]... She got the golden ticket! She got the golden ticket! Okay I had to get that out of my system before starting! I had a very hard time putting down this book. I had to read more and more about Riff! He sucked me into his Willie Wonka Golden Ticket self and got would I have like to get one of those! Do I dare say that I love Riff more than Noel?? YES! I do! I absolutely adored Riff! Hot, sexy, mohawk wearing, bad boy rocker that will melt your panties off your body.....God yes!!!!! He is a total man-whore, but has a wonderful heart, even if he thinks it is totally broken and unworthy of love. Riff never thought he would want anything more with a woman besides a quick screw, but one look and taste of Aubrey; he can't resist her. I loved reading his inner struggles with the feelings he has for Aubrey. It made my gut twist and I wanted to reach in the book and just hug him! I was so touched by the reason he loves his Oreo's so much!! I don't want to spoil that for the reader. But I was melting. Not to mention, his inner thoughts on the Noel/Sophie situation! His struggle with it (more on the friend side), but seeing his pov was awesome! Aubrey is strong. That is what I loved most about her. She wasn't some wimpy...hanging all over him...waiting for his every call....woman. I loved that she gave him a run for his money and made him work for her. She wanted to be remembered, even if he didn't want her for the long hall, he was going to remember her. Even going so far as giving him rules to follow! I loved that!!!! And also his response! They both fight their feelings not wanting to get hurt or hurt one another. I loved the push and pull. Then the realization of love and the journey it takes them to get to their happily ever after. The bedroom scenes are smoking hot!!! Michelle's writing had my mouth watering and panting all over the place! Michelle did a wonderful job telling this story. It sucked in my attention and wouldn't let me go. I actually think there is so much more that could be told with this story. Maybe she is planning a novella to elaborate. God, I freaking hope so!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Entice (Exquisite, #2); Author: Ella Frank; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: ARC provided by Ella for honest review 5 Star Read First off, it is very hard for me to believe that this is only Ella's second book. Her first book Exquisite was really good, but I have to say that Entice was even better. I absolutely adored Shelly in the first book. I loved her relationship with Lena and how they were together. In Entice, my love for her grew leaps and bounds. I loved learning what was under Shelly's smartass mouth and amazaball qorgeous looks! She had so many layers and I loved learning as they were peeled away! Shelly's choice in men stems from being hurt and used. She vowed to never be in that position again. So, Shelly made a nice little box. Inside that box, she wanted a stuffy, suit wearing, well established, boring as hell man to spend the rest of her life with. In having these qualities, she wouldn't get hurt right? "Corporate's not fixing the issue. Time to hire a handyman to flush out the plumbing." In comes 'the construction worker', Joshua Daniels in his torn jeans, not to mention hotter than hell! He has his own hurt he's working through and as soon as he lays eyes on 'Barbie' he vows it ain't gonna happen, no matter how much his buddy Mason wants it too! Lucky for Josh, Shelly feels the same way. Josh does not fit into her box. Too bad that hot-sensual-fir setting spark is burring so hot they can't seem to get away from one another. So, what about a harmless little sex only-no strings attached-relationship? They can do that right? "He set me on fire by just breathing." I loved the buildup of their relationship. It was in no means--BAM--I love you. It was gradual and we as the reader get to go along the journey and watch them grow into this couple. The journey is incredibly well written and draws you into every second of it. It will make you smile and cry. "Don't make me want to keep you.' Josh felt a huge grin spread across his face. 'Well then, don't make me want to be kept." Along with the journey of Shelly and Josh, we get to learn--What happens to Mason & Lena!!! We get to go to their wedding! Yes, we already know they are engaged and the wedding is coming (so no spoiler there). What got my tears absolutely flowing, were the vows. **SWOON** Be ready to melt into a big ol' pile of goo! We also begin to learn what makes Rachel tick! I can't wait for her story!!!!! Overall, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED read by Ella! I freaking loved this book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eyes Wide Open (The Blackstone Affair, #3); Author: Raine Miller; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Eyes Wide Open (The Blackstone Affair #3) 4 This is the third book in The Blackstone Affair with hunky Ethan Blackstone! What I loved about this book: We get a mix of point of views! In the first book Naked, it is Brynne's. In the second All In, we get Ethan's. But in EWO we get both. I really liked this. Knowing what each other was thinking in that same period of time. One thing that got me was the switching took place, well everywhere. Its not chapter by chapter switch. Sometimes its within scenes, but I didn't find it distracting while reading. I loved learning more about Ethan's past. I have been wanting to know more about it since I read Naked so long ago and we get to find out more about it! Ethan: God if only he were real. He's strong, Alpha, dominating-----yet loving, caring and even playful and fun in this book. We get to see a different side to him!!!!!! I loved this!!!!!!!!! Hotness that is the bedroom! God...those two can tear up the sheets!!!! LOVED IT!!! This all being said, there was a bit of predictability with this book. I knew where it was going before it took me there. The twist saw it. How they worked through it was wonderful though. Overall, great story. And from what I hear we haven't heard the last of Brynne and Ethan. Keep your Eyes Wide Open for the next installment. **ARC provided for honest review through NetGalley.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All In (The Blackstone Affair, #2); Author: Raine Miller; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: For more reviews check out Reality Bites! [url]... My Thoughts: IT'S ETHAN'S POINT OF VIEW!!! I thought I was invested before in the first book, boy was I wrong. All In grabbed me, wrapped me in a straight jacket and wouldn't let me go! (Not that I wanted it too) To say I love Ethan is a total understatement! Obsessed---Yes; Lustful---Most Definitely; Yearning--Absolutely; Want--Undeniably!! Mr. Blackstone is my new number one book boyfriend hands down. (And he beat out lost of hot men!) Hearing this story from Ethan's POV put a totally different spin on it for me. I loved hearing his inner most thoughts about his passion, love, obsession, hurt and jealousy. All the things he held back and the hatred thoughts that crossed his mind, but never came out of his lips. Raine put so much depth and realism in Ethan that I could reach out and touch him. I loved how detailed and descriptive everything is throughout this book. The bedroom scenes were unbelievably real and hot! It was all encompassing. Oh and there were lots....and...lots....and....lots.....and....lots...and....lots of these scenes. They were like rabbits! I am happy that some of my questions from Naked were answered such as "What exactly happened to Brynne?" But I did NOT like how this book just ended............POOF....DONE...WTH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!? And yes I did notice I haven't said much about Brynne. With no having her POV voice, I didn't feel as connected to her. Not a disconnect...just not a deep connection. Oh, I have to say something about the British slang. I'm American and I don't hear it ever...so some of the terminology..got me! "Shag"--Ok so I knew this one from Austin Powers "Bugger Me!" We also get a small treat of Simba, the fishes, point of view. It was unusual, but kept my interest. I absolutely CAN NOT wait for the next book!!! I need more Ethan NOW!!!!!!!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hopeless (Hopeless, #1); Author: Colleen Hoover; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Check out more reviews at: [url]... Hopeless By Colleen Hoover 5+++++++++++++++++ Hearts I am in utter awe of this book. My mind is totally spinning. This review is going to be kinda short--Just for the mere fact that I don't want to give ANYTHING away!! As the reader, I want you to be as blown away as I was. I have to start with Colleen Hoover. She has some serious talent for writing. She draws you in with her amazing character development and unpredictable storyline. Her writing is amazingly flawless and she left me stunned. She added so many twists and turns, but kept them is such an even flow throughout the story. At one point, I thought I had things figured out---but damn I was wrong! The feelings and emotions I experienced during reading were monumentally strong. I was laughing, crying, angry, surprised, shocked and ultimately stunned. It pulled me in so many directions that I was twisted in knots! As I stated before, the character development was amazing. I totally fell in love with Sky the moment I began reading. I love how smart she is and not just book smart--people smart. She is so wise beyond her years and it was astonishing. With Holder, I felt differently. He left me very uneasy in one sense--but on the other I was so drawn to him. Not to mention--GORGEOUS!!! He almost makes me want to take up running so maybe I could get a glimpse of him. Overall, AMAZING MUST READ NOW BOOK!!!!!!!! Captivating....Unpredictable...Emotionally Packed.....Amazingly Written Book of 2012!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: In Flight (Up in the Air, #1); Author: R.K. Lilley; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: [url]... 4.5 Stars (For Bianca staying true to herself and not falling for shit; For Stephan being the best BFF that anyone could ever want; For the overall story) Thoughts: I am utterly surprised that this book/trilogy isn't getting much much more buzz! It is a great read and deserves much more attention. This book has a very similar feel to Fifty Shades and Bared to You. If you are fans of those books, you will be of this one as well. But don't let that detour those of you who are not fans. It's worth the read. This book is from Bianca's point of view. You are pulled into her thoughts, emotions, sexual experiences (or lack thereof), confidence, despair, hurt, laughter, friends, enemies.... I was sucked in by her. I freaking loved Bianca. I know she is scarred from her past (who the hell isn't), but what astounded me in this book is her self-assuredness. I loved that she called bullshit on James and even though that attraction was there, she still took everything at face value. (Sometimes maybe too much) She didn't do the fall in love with him at first sight (even though I think she really did but played it off well). She is so unbelievably strong. I loved how she flat out told him what was off limits with her and what was an automatic deal breaker. I loved that she wasn't a whiney character. Bianca was also so closed inside of herself on things that it was crushing. She had this tough shell, but she hurt. The author did a great job with allowing the reader to feel along with Bianca. I LOVED BIANCA'S BFF STEPHAN! Okay!! Now if there is a spinoff of this series it has to be about Stephan. He could be an entire trilogy himself! I want a BFF like him! He is the most loyal, trustworthy friend. I loved how close he and Bianca were. I loved how he would do anything and I mean anything for her! Please!!! Please!!! Write his book!!!! James....OH.....James..... I wanted to love him and I think towards the end I was getting there. But there was a bit of character disconnect for me. Not knowing much about him and not hearing his thoughts--hurt his character in my eyes. I would have loved to learn more about him and feel him. The main term that bothered me was about her hymen...really?? Who says that?? That being said, I do love me a strong alpha male who goes after what he wants and that is what saved James in my mind. Not to mention sexy as hell and fantastic in the bedroom...or well anywhere. (And the fact that I immediately read book 2 Mile High and fell totally in love with him!--But that review will be soon) Oh and the snatches in this book...well they suck! The end of this book had me gasping....I couldn't believe what I was reading. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but DAMN! Overall, great read. I couldn't put it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mile High (Up in the Air, #2); Author: R.K. Lilley; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: My Thoughts: HOLY HOTNESS!!!!!! I admit that I was not totally in love with James at the end of the first book--like yes---love no. I didn't connect with him as deeply as I would have liked. BUT IN BOOK TWO--I GOT CONNECTED!! The way the author wrote James' vulnerability, troubled past, insecurities and persistence was wonderful! I got drawn into loving him deeply!! His alpha dominant sexiness was to much for me to resist! I would have loved to see his 4th floor! The BDSM aspects in this book were were not over the top. Those scenes were hot! I loved how James never pushed Bianca any further that he knew she could be pushed. That consideration made him A++++++ in my book! "You must know by now that I've never done any of this for anyone else. I was a slut once with my body, but I've never been with my heart." -James I sooo loved Bianca's strong willed nature in In Flight and how she wouldn't change no matter what. In Mile High, we get to see James slowly, o'boy do I mean slowly, chip away as Bianca's ice. There were several points in where I wanted to slap her and yell open your freaking eyes!! You cannot be that naive!! She frustrated me beyond belief. I had to keep going back and reminding myself of her torrid past and why she is the way she is. I loved seeing her vulnerability and insecurities underneath that hard shell. I wanted to read more about Stephan! I missed him in this book. I understand this one was more of a discovery between James and Bianca, but I needed some more Stephan! R.k could write an entire trilogy on Stephan! PLEASE! Overall, loved this book. This is a series that I can't wait to continue. The third book comes out February 23, 2013! DAMN!! I CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG!!!! This series is highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Zone (Daniels Brothers, #2); Author: Sherri Hayes; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: 4.5 Heart Review After reading Behind Closed Doors (Daniels Brothers), I was in love with the Daniels brothers and couldn't wait to read Gage's story. Sherri did not disappoint! Hot shot quarterback Gage Daniels doesn't have to want for anything. Money.....got it. Women.....has em'. Family.....yep. Sexy body.....HELL YEAH!! But he does have one big problem. A psycho stalker is on his tail and he has no idea who or why. Suspended after a bad case, FBI Agent Rebecca Carson is going out of her mind at home doing nothing. When her ex-partner calls her for help, she doesn't hesitate......no questions asked. She should have asked lots of questions! Rebecca's get-out-of-boredom job is being 'bodyguard' to the hot and sexy Gage, while posing as his girlfriend. Problem is....Gage doesn't do girlfriends and convincing the guys on the team he's turned a new leaf poses lots of challenges. Not to mention that Rebecca is about as tight as they come, wearing suits and her hair pull up tight daily. Who it the hell would think she would be Gage's girlfriend?? Adding a layer on to this pile of fun, the fact that the owner of the team doesn't want any of this getting out and they have to be super careful....what could go wrong?? My Thoughts: From the very beginning of the book, I was completely hooked. I read this book in 2 days and only stopped the first because it was 1am and I have little ones who like to get up at 5! There is action, suspense and romance all woven together in an awesomely written story. There is more than meets the eye with Gage. Yes, he's hot and an amazing athlete, but what I loved seeing were his vuneralbilites. Those are what pulled me in. How he is before a game. His feelings about Rebecca. Those are the wonders of Gage! I'm not gonna lie. There were times where I wanted to slap Rebecca and knock some sense into her! She drove me crazy always pulling inside herself and thinking way to much! When she didn't think, it was so hot! The pull between these characters is fun to read. Gage's confidence....Rebecca's resistance add so much to the dynamic of this book! I also loved the mystery of who the stalker is and the lengths this person will go to; to achieve their goal. It kept me wanting more! This is a definite read for all romance fans who are looking for that Happily Ever After!!!!!! **ARC provided by author for honest review; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Feral Sins (The Phoenix Pack, #1); Author: Suzanne Wright; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: Check out more reviews at [url]... 5 Heart Review!!!!!! Ever since Taryn Warner's dad (leader of their pack) found out she was latent (meaning unable to shift from human to wolf), he's treated her horribly. Now an adult, he is forcing her to mate with a very evil man who only wants to break her feisty spirit and make her a submissive slave. Trey, alpha leader of The Phoenix Pack, is the ultimate alpha male/wolf. He's been the alpha since he was fourteen years old, when banished from his pack. Like Taryn, Trey's father was a vicious man who left serious scars on Trey. Now that his father is dead, The Bjorn Pack is threatening Tray to reunite; with Trey's uncle Darryl as the Alpha. There is absolutely no way Taryn is willing to go back there and no way will he give up being alpha. So, what's a strong, sexy alpha to do? Find a made of course. What better way to do that than find a female in need of an out. My Thoughts: This was my official first paranormal romance book and I was knocked off my a**! I freaking LOVED this book! Not only are the characters amazing and strong--there is one hell of an awesome story being told! I was totally hooked from the first few pages and yes I ended up reading it twice. Storyline: Awesome and fast paced. I loved the action, lust, bad boys, good boys--everything. I loved that there were several different stories going on, but they kept intertwining and finding resolutions. I loved the references of Flintstone, Bedrock and Dumb and Dumber. Had me cracking up! Characters: Unbelievable!!!! Both hero and heroine were unbelievably strong and despite their flaws--totally likeable/loveable. I loved Taryn. Even though others tried to break her over the years, they never did. I loved her smart ass mouth and her strength! She's amazing! "Just give me a second. Attempting to give a f**k.....Attempting harder to give a f**k....Sorry, there was an error. F**k not given." Trey is sexy as hell! So strong and superior, confident and totally yummy! I loved his possiveness and making her his. He's totally mouthwatering. Even though totally fierce and feral....he is so loving and caring of Taryn (when he gets the stick out of his a**). I loved him! The chemistry between these two was smoking hot! Unbelievably well written and had me sweating! It was explosive when these to alphas went at it! My favorite line: "Love is giving someone the power to completely destroy you and hoping that they wont." Overall, AWESOME story!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOK!!!!! LOVED IT!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grounded (Up in the Air, #3); Author: R.K. Lilley; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Review Check out more reviews at [url]... Also if you would like to win a copy of this book enter here: [url]... Why yes Mr. Cavendish...you may take me to the 4th floor. **SQUEEZE** When this book landed in my inbox, I did a backwards flip (okay it was in my mind cause there is no way I could actually do that but you get the point). And R.K. did not disappoint!! Mr. Dominate Controlling Hotter than hell Mr. Cavendish is back in the 3rd installment of series. First was In Flight with Mile High right after. I thought waiting for Grounded was painful cause I wanted more of Mr. Cavendish! Grounded picks up with Bianca coming back to James after her little get away! And Mr. Cavendish is not to happy--well he is happy just hurt from her leaving. Their reunion is HOT and STEAMY! And of course the punishment....which is it really punishment?? The chemistry between these two is still electrifying and fun. James has it bad for Bianca...I mean bad. He is so engrossed in this woman that he would staple her to his side if he could so she never left him! Now some of his craziness is well crazy...but you also feel the love there. Even if Bianca can't quite get it out yet. Bianca is still fighting all of her inner demons that have had no resolve. She is apprehensive of totally giving herself to James (and who wouldn't be after her life). All her walls are strong, but James keeps breaking them down little by little. And to make matters worse, her totally insane father is still out there and we know that he is a cold blooded killer. And she is next on his list. That is if he can get past the ogles of security that James has put on her. I mean 4 people to guard one body. I love that Bianca thought so to and expressed it to him. It made me like her more. She knows when to stand up and when to step back. She is a very smart woman. STEPHEN!!!!! Okay, I CAN NOT write a review and not talk about Stephen! I LOVE him! I want him to pop out of the book and be my BFF! (Please R.K. write Stephen's story!) Stephen's loyalty to Bianca is so admirable and it made me total melt for him. Yes there is lots of co-dependancey going on there...but I have to say if I grew up and all I had was this one person, I would be stuck to them also. What I totally love is that James gets that and supports that! Makes me love him more. I love hearing Stephens POV in a couple of the chapters! I was in awe! I loved hearing his thoughts and feelings. I want more! The sex is totally hot and totally dominate. We see the different sides of James and how strong Bianca really is cause I tell you what I would have been crying if I were her; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mistress Christmas (Wild West Boys, #1); Author: Lorelei James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4 Sexy Hearts Also posted at: [url]... My Thoughts: If you haven't read Lorelei's Rough Riders series--well you are TOTALLY missing out on some serious cowboy love!!! I was so excited to see this story was about one of the West boys (McCay cousin--McCay's dominate the Rough Riders series). Mistress Christmas is a very short book with a hot storyline. Lots of times I read these short books and come up feeling empty, but not this one. This book was sexy--in only the way Lorelei can do it. It was hot and fun! She packed a lot into this little book. I liked Holly (Yes I know but it is a Christmas book!). She is very relateable and who doesn't want to shut off their daily persona and want to be someone else...even for a couple hours!!!!!! She turned out to be one firey kitten! Nick..(St. Nick)...I just loved Nick. I know it's because I 'know' all of his cousins and I feel close to him already! I love his persistence and determination. I love that he goes for what he wants. And did I mention he's HOT!!!!! Overall, a great short, Christmas read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rush (Breathless, #1); Author: Maya Banks; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 First & formost---I still don't get where the name of this book came from at all. I'm trying to figure that out so if you have an idea shoot it my way. I LOVE LOVE LOVED Gabe!! Holy hot hunk of a man. I adore how Maya writes her alphas. She gives them edge but also shows their kind and caring side of the coin. Mia-oh Mia-she was a lost cause when Gabe looked at her. I loved that even though she was his submissive she still had a strong backbone and was able to use it. She wasn't some whimpy heroine. I loved the whole "when will Jace find out" battle cause you knew it was coming. Gabe's reaction had me wanting to reach in the book and slap him silly. I really enjoyed that there was no cliffhanger and we get the HEA. Can not wait for my mail man to bring me Fever. [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Hot Holiday; Author: Angela James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: [url]... My Thoughts: STEAMY--HOT--Christmas Tales! This book is divided into 3 shorter ones. I will review them as such. I Need You for Christmas by Leah Braemel Cute story with HEA ending. Hot scenes that were very descriptive. I felt more connected to Ryan that Meg. Not my favorite out of the three. Breath on Embers by Annie Calhoun I love love loved this short story. Annie was so descriptive and engaging in her writing. I was sucked into Thea's heartache and grief. I felt it right along with her. Ronan *swoon* the sexy hot fireman who wasn't afraid of showing his emotions, was amazing! He did everything he could to help Thea and it was so admirable. Vey-Very hot scenes in this book. m/f and m/f/m--very detailed and well written. It will get your blood pumping extremely hard! Wish List by K.A. Mitchel WOW...So I haven't read any m/m books before and this was an eye opener! I loved Evan and Jonah's relationship. I loved how they were with one another despite their lack of communication that they needed! Even though this part was extremely short, the author did a great job developing the characters and I felt connected to what happened to them. I really wanted to punch Jonah....it's amazing what one will do when they are scared. Overall, all three were good in their own way. This book has a little bit of everything for everyone!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Both Sides Of Opposite (Maykenna & Trevor Novella #1); Author: Scarlet Hope; Genres: romance; Review: Check out Reality Bites! for more reviews [url]... My Thoughts: Both sides of opposite is Scarlet Hope's debut novella. Even though it is short, you get an entire story that is detailed and descriptive. I was really amazed at how deep Scarlet was able to go with her character development in such a short time. We take a trip throughout both Maykenna and Trevor's inner most thoughts by switching POVs by chapter. (There are only 5 chapters) Strangely, I connected to both characters even though I've never been rich beyond my wildest dreams or as poor as they come. I connected with their attraction, chemistry and their feelings of being unworthy. We've all been there at some point. Speaking of chemistry--HOLY HELL there were some seriously hot scenes in this book!!!!!! Trevor is so hard on himself because of money and sees himself as unworthy. "Take this moment in Trevor coz stuff like this don't happen to f***ups like you." Maykenna's inner demons have pushed her into seclusion....almost completely. She feels like she has no ability to love again. The supporting character, Maykenna's BFF Tamyrn has a story in her. I can see the author giving her some wings to fly. My only problem with the novella was the amount of typos it had. I was a bit overwhelmed by them, but please don't let that distract you from this awesome storyline ahead of you. (****Talked to the author!!!!! She sent it in to be re-edited!!!!!!!****) Scarlet's next book is a continuation of Trevor and Maykenna's story. What will happen? I can't wait to find out!! **Copy provided by author for honest review**; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Champagne Toast (Love of My Life, #2); Author: Melissa Brown; Genres: young-adult, romance; Review: 4.5 Stars Check out more reviews at [url]... My Thoughts: A true romance story! If you are looking for a book that gives you that warm, fuzzy butterflies in your gut feeling....this is your book! Although Champagne Toast has some references to Bouquet Toss, it is a stand alone book. CT is told through both Kate and Evans point of views. I love this because I get to see and feel the deep emotion I felt for these characters! The were very relatable. Their faults were out there along with their strengths. I also loved that this was not a tie it in a bow romance. It was gradual over a very long period of time. We get to learn the pre-part of their relationship which helped with the connection of the characters. The only issue I had with the past and present is I wish it would have been written with the date the days/weeks/months/years that had passed. I found myself going back to the previous chapter so see how much time had progressed. Overall, I really liked this book! It is a true romance. I recommend it to everyone looking for a little romance!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Covert Seduction; Author: Callie Croix; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: **ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley** For more reviews check out: [url]... My Thoughts: Hunky navy seal whose fighting for our country....yes please! Reid was definitely yummy and totally alpha male. Becca was semi-relatable. My likes with this book was Reid. My dislikes with this book were simple. I felt very disconnected with the characters. There was not a lot of build up or character development. It was a very predictable story and parts of it I was like 'oh come on'. Recommended for those who like HEA and hot war men.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gone Country (Rough Riders, #14); Author: Lorelei James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: For more reviews check out: [url]... My Thoughts: First, I love the country setting and the hominess of this series. Second, I love the strong family ties of the MaKay's and West's. Third I adore Lorelei James and her writing style. Gone Country is #14 in the Rough Riders series. If you have not checked out this series, you need to get on it...fast! Gavin Daniels is no country man that's for sure. He wears freaking loafers while walking through cow crap! Get the boy some boots!!! He may not have the McKay last name, but he is a McKay through bread! Astonishing good looks, dark hair--piercing blue eyes, charming, loving, smart and a wonderful father! The biggest difference between Gavin and his kin is he's NOT a playboy that needs reigned in. He's ripe for the pickin'. And pickin' is what Rielle Wetzler wants to do! I so admired Ree! She's a self-made woman, smart, independent, so utterly self-sufficient, beautiful and an awesome mom! There is not much drama in this book at all. It's a gradual getting to know you love story with some serious hot bedroomness! This book was different for me that the others just because Gavin didn't really have the faults to relate to like the other McKay men. Those faults of theirs sucked me in to their stories. What really sucked me into this story was the sub-story of the book. Gavin's daughter Sierra and Boone West (who she's not related to by blood but they do have the same aunts). Sierra, 16 and Boone 18 had a storyline that drew me in hook-line and sinker! I wanted to know more. When the POV switched back to Gavin or Rielle--I got frustrated and wanted it to go back to S & B! I want to know what happened!!! I definitely feel spinoffs coming for Rough Riders 5billion7hundered90eight! LOL! Sierra and Boone need a story and Rory (Rielle's daughter) and Dalton (Gavin's cousin). BRING IT! Overall, love the McKay MEN!! If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend reading it! It is very erotic with lots of bad boy cowboys! Start at #1 (which is one of my favorites of the series) and keep on movin'!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bad Rep (Bad Rep, #1); Author: A. Meredith Walters; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Stars! Check out more reviews at: [url]... I absolutely adored the characters in this book. The author did a wonderful, fantastic job in the character development of this book. She was so descriptive and punched me in the face with the character connection I felt. Maysie is a dynamic character. We are put through so much with her. My favorite thing aobut her was her confidence and seeing that confidence crumble--crushed me. She is such a relatable character. Every way she turned, I saw myself. I loved feeling that instant attraction between Jordan and Maysie. "Down Vagina! Down Girl." Their pull was so strong and it continued to suck me in! "Holy bad boy Batman!" Jordan.....Jordan......Jordan..... I loved him---I hated him---I loved him again. He put me through the ringer. I kept picturing him in my mind and I don't think I could do him justice. I think he is off the charts when it comes to bad ass hotness. As I was reading, I could hear him beat on the drums and sing directly to me...yummy! The chemistry between Jordan & Maysie was electrifying! The build up of their relationship was intense. The bedroom (well some were in the bedroom) scenes were smoking, realistic and very HOT! "Damn had he seriously just screwed my brains out behind a dilapidated old shed in the middle of a party? Yes, he had." I also loved the college/sorority/fraternity storyline. It was so realistic and dead on! It took me back to a time and place where I was young and carefree! :) I can't finish this review without talking about the secondary characters. Riley, Olivia, Milla, Gracie, Viv and Eli. Even though they were in the background the author did a wonderful job at connecting them to me as the reader. I loved some (Riley); hated some (Milla); annoyed by some (Olivia, Eli); made friends with some (Gracie and Viv), but each held a very special place in the storyline. Overall, wonderful read! Highly recommend to all who like college romance!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (The Three, #1); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: My Thoughts: This book is a solid 4 for me. I absolutely love KA and everything that she writes. I just had difficulty with the para part. I know your thinking, didn't she read what it was about before reading? Yes, I did that is why I am not knocking the book. It is my own personal preference. This being said it is an awesomely well written book. Totally descriptive. Totally awesome character development. Totally likeable characters. Overall, not my thing, but if you are a para fan you will love this.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Never Too Far (Rosemary Beach, #2; Too Far, #2); Author: Abbi Glines; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Freaking love Rush!! Review soon; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wicked Cravings (The Phoenix Pack, #2); Author: Suzanne Wright; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: 3.5 Review More Reviews at: [url]... **ARC provided for honest review** Wicked Cravings is the second book in The Phoenix Pack series. The first, Feral Sins, is one of my all time favorite books. You need to read it before WC! Yummy!!! Dante is bold, strong, dominate, responsible, caring and not looking for a mate. He sinks his teen into all his work of being Beta to Trey. he doesn't delegate his work and actually likes staying totally busy to drown out his hurt. He plays around with females, but always let them know that its just for fun and nothing will ever come of it. Since he was burned at the ripe old age of 18, he doesn't want to have that connection with anyone again. he doesn't want the hurt. Jamie has just joined The Phoenix Pack along with her brother Gabe. Jamie was a kid when Dante left their pack, but has had it bad for him ever since. But since all of her perfectly clear advances towards him have been brushed off, Jamie has vowed to now let him go. She has to much self respect to keep pursuing him. Jaime is also hiding a very powerful secret that prevents her from ever wanting to find a mate. She knows that at any moment everything could be taken away from her. She doesn't want to hurt her mate in that way because it would hurt to much. She doesn't want to imprint either--this would also cause to much pain. Little does Jamie know that once, Dante realizes she's moved on from him, his wheels start turning and he doesn't like it so much. Dante realizes that while he may never have a true mate, he wants Jamie. Things I liked: Jamie's attitude--she is spunky and quick whited. (Reminds me a lot of Taryn) Dante's Protectiveness--Who doesn't love a man who will do anything to protect you! The Who Done It--I liked trying to figure out who was behind all the 'incodents.' Trey & Taryn--God I love these two!! I love that we see the continuation of their story and love that we get to witness something totally special! Things I liked Not So Much: Predictability--Some of the scenes, I found to be very predictable. As I was reading, I thought oh I bet this happens...and then it played out exactly like I had it in my head. Love/Bedroom--While good, the connections were not as intense as I would have thought. Especially, after the first book was so strong in this area. Overall, good read. I did like it, but I thought it was missing a bit for me.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Edible (Exquisite, #3); Author: Ella Frank; Genres: romance; Review: 4.5 Ella...Ella..Ella. She has done it again. Edible is just that....edible. This book to me was more sensual and sexual than the previous two and I loved every minute of it. Rachel. She's lost, looking for something, but she really doesn't know what that something is. She loves her family, but feel desparately like the fifth wheel constantly. Because of her past relationships, she has vowed to never let a man have control over her. But it may be exactly what she needs. Cole! Oh. My. God. I admit Cole is my favorite Ella character to date. I want to meet him, date him, love him (hope the hubs doesn't mind)! Cole is a very dominate man in and out of his suits. He's beyond sexy and demands things from Rachel that she didn't think she would give. The tension between these two is to thick you can cut it with a knife. Two scences still stick out to me, even after reading it about a month ago. Caramel and Library. Those are my two most favorite, erotic, sensual, loving scenes written. The entire Exquisite series is highly recommended to read. I believe that Edible is my fav to date! *ARC provided for honest review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys, #1); Author: Abbi Glines; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Loved going down memory land with all the highschool drama and young love. I loved how Abbi developed the connection between Beau & Ashton. It was slow and gradual entanglement, but felt as if that connection had been there forever! Personally, i didn't want her with Sawyer and i really didn't like him towards the end. He did semi-redeem himself but there is work there for me. Especially since he is the star of book 2. Very light fun read. more reviews at: [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Valentine's Arrangement (Hard Feelings, #1); Author: Kelsie Leverich; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Sexy tattoo artist Ronnie Clark hates Valentine's Day. She doesn't do flowers, candy, hearts or little naked babies shooting arrows. It has nothing to do with the fact her fiance, while stationed in Iraq, cheated on her. She has always hated the holiday thinking its fake and any man who really loves a woman would tell her every day and not just on one day of the year. Ronnie is snarky, hard-shelled, rough and I absolutely loved her! She wasn't a bitch in my eyes. She just told it like it was and I admired that! I adored the eye rolls and her comebacks. She's beautiful and sexy, but is hardcore in this man's world. Then sexy SFC Kale Emerson comes in for a memorial tattoo and the lines start to get a little fuzzy when it comes to not dating a solider again. SFC Emerson is only on leave for a short time. He has no family and is just biding his time before he can get back to his unit overseas. His live is his work. He loves it and is intending on making this his life long career. Ronnie cannot deny the attraction to Kale and has a very difficult time focusing on her job. When sparks fly between these two, the fire is lit. I loved how this book showed this tough girl who didn't put up with any ones shit become vulnerable when it came to Kale. I loved the passion these two shared. It was hot and very sexy. I loved the internal fight that Ronnie had with herself and dealing with her past. She just showed her strength ten folds. I LOVED Kale. Hot and sexy soldier man! YUMMY!!!! I also loved that he was a good guy. He's not a player or womanizer. He just has a lot of baggage himself. Overall, I really liked this book and you will too! *Copy Provided for honest review* Giveaway on Reality Bites 3/17 [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Darkest Fire (Lords of the Underworld #0.5); Author: Gena Showalter; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: Very short story, I think only 60 some pages. A lot happened during those pages though. I had a very hard time wrapping my head around all the things going on in this story. And I have to admit, it was not one of my favs.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Saving Grace (Mad World, #2); Author: Christine Zolendz; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: MUST READ BOOK ONE BEFORE READING THIS. HAS SPOILERS OF BOOK 1! 4.5 Stars Check out more reviews at [url]... Saving Grave is the second book the Mad World series. If you have not read Falling from Grace, stop reading this, and read one first! Saving Grace starts exactly where Falling from Grace left off. Grace is desperately trying to get out/away from Gabriel's clutches. She wasn't to get back inside Grace's body. Shocking her still-her love of her life, the one she's been searching for 2000 years for walks away from her....so she can live. How is Grace to handle losing the love of her life? Like every other female....despair....depression. In knowing her love walked away, could Grace really try to be with Shane? Knowing she was so close to having the love of her life? My Thoughts: After finishing the first book, I was crushed to find it ended in a cliffhanger. That being said I rushed to get the next book and dove right in! I wept along with Grace. I felt her loss and pain. I was rooting for her to live this life she was given to the fullest. I loved her quick and smart ass mouth. When 'dealing' with Shane's girls. I was totally cheering her on! Shane....Shane...Shane.... I feel head over heels for him all over again. Even though he was a total jealous jerk at times....I let that all slide. I continued to be enthralled in the push and pull of Grace and Shane's relationship. I was totally hooked and loved it. I love how it shocked me at the end. I wasn't expecting certain things and they many my heart ache and smile. Overall, great book! I loved it and HIGHLY recommend it to all who love a hot, tattooed man, angels and finding love.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fight with Me (With Me in Seattle, #2); Author: Kristen Proby; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Own the Wind (Chaos, #1); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: 5 Stars It is Kristen Ashley After all! Motorcycle Man is still my favorite. Review to come.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blind Obsession; Author: Ella Frank; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: *ARC provided for honest review **WIN and ARC [url]... Blind Obsession is totally different from Ella's Exquisite series. It is dark, haunting, twisted and will stay with you long after reading. I read this book before going to bed and I had a hard time sleeping. My thoughts were all scrambled up and a big blender and I couldn't get myself settled. Even though I finished yesterday, I am still feeling unease. Now, don't get me wrong, my unease is not about not liking the book. I did like it. It was very thought provoking. My unease came in when, I thought of myself in Gemma's shoes and what I would do in them. I am not sure I could have made the choices she did and been able to live with myself. Phillipe to me was so unbelievably broken and hurt that I had a hard time wrapping my head around his feelings. They are so destitute and raw. Our journey to find out why he is this way is one I couldn't put down. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know the why. "God, you're so naive. I'm not just broken. I'm twisted inside my own f*****g nightmare that never goes away. I'm f****d on the inside. You're only seeing what I want to show you." Ella did a great job sucking me in and holding my attention through this book. It was a whole new experience the way that she set this one up. I was literally in the chateau with Phillipe and Gemma. I was feeling their feelings. I was immersed in them. With is this being Ella's first erotic book, she did a very hot job of being very descriptive and focusing a lot on the feelings that were going on with each of the characters. These scenes were sexy and hot! While Gemma is the lead woman in this story, there is also another woman who is as prominent as her. The way Ella wrote her was very inventive and very intimate. I give her kudos for this because this was not an easy task. Overall, this book is a total mindf**k, but you will love it!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kaleb (Alluring Indulgence, #1); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Heart Review Kaleb Walker is hard working, determined and a hunk of a man. Whis his stunning good looks and beautiful ble eyes, he can and has had his pick of the ladies in his small ranch town. Kaleb, along with his equally handsome 6 brothers (Travis, Sawyer, Braydon, Brendon, Ethan and Zane) own Walker Demolition. The Walker men are notorious in their town for all the 'fun' they like to have with the ladies! Zoey has spent the last 4 years back at home with her father after a heartbreaking divorce. She is determined and very smart. Zoey along with her best friend V, have their own cleaning business that Zoey is extremely proud of Zoey also has another best friend who she has kept feelings for locked away since they were kids.....Kaleb. Little does she know her best friend has been fighting his feelings for her---for just as long. There is one little problem......Kaleb and his brothers are trying to buy Zoey's fathers land to build a resort. Can this cause their relationship to be a disaster?? My Thoughts: Great read! I loved the family togetherness throughout this story. Nicole did a great job giving all 7 Walker boys their own unique personality and making me swoon over all of them. I loved the bothers connection to each other and to their parents. Kaleb is such a good man. Even if he's been around the block 100 ways from Sunday. I loved how hard working and caring he is. Not to mention a total gentleman. Even his bedroom demeanor--while totally dominate--always loving and caring. Zoey is so strong. I totally admired her determination to start her own business and make is such a huge success! I loved her strength and determination, but also her vulnerability considering her past relationship. I loved the build up to Kaleb and Zoey. Nicole did not just throw them together. We get to learn about their friendship and how they are with one another. That first kiss was explosive!! "It seems like I've waited my whole life for you to do that." Zoey whispered. The tension between these two is very well written. I felt it and just couldn't put the book down. I had to know what happened! The bedroom scenes are mouth dropping and be ready for a very dominate man and menage. Overall. a wonderfully laid out story that I highly recommend for romance fans! **ARC given by author for honest review; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Addicted (Club Destiny, #2.5); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5--4 Check out more reviews at [url]... My Thoughts: Another hot book from Nicole Edwards! This book is super-short. While I feel totally connected to Sam and Logan, I didn't feel much of the connection with Tag. He's the third and I'm naive enough to tell you that I have no freaking clue what it is like to be a third in a relationship with a married couple. I think that is where my disconnect with the story came in. I think if it was longer and had a bit more explanation of how this third thing worked, I would have connected more. I just have so many questions that I want answered! I mean is there jealousy, feelings, love.....????? I wish it dove deeper into the 3s relationship. The bedroom scenes are explosive as Nicole does best. Overall, good read. I wish it was longer and more explanatory.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Conviction (Club Destiny, #1); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Check out more reviews at [url]... **Copy given by author for honest review** My Thoughts: Sam and Logan's spark is fire red! From that first video conference on, they had this instant pull towards each other that draws you into this book. With Logan being Sam's boss, they try to fight off these feelings knowing how many problems they will face. The tension is so thick you can cut a knife with it. I loved it! When Sam and Logan finally give in to their spark, it is unbelievable. It is electrifying! Even though they know the consequences, they just can't help it. "Good idea or not, I'm past that point. Please stay." He lowered his voice, taking her hands in his. OH. MY. GOD. The bedroom (pool, hot tub, car etc....) scenes came close to melting my kindle. They were red hot. They were incredibly well written and I felt as if I was right there with them. My imagination was crazy! I learned A LOT!! Whoever says you don't learn from 'romance' books is a fool! Be prepared for lots of kink. I mean there is lots! m/f; m/f/m; m/m; m/f/m/m---yes all of it! It's crazy hot! I felt the love between Logan and Sam. I wanted them to be happy even when push came to shove. "I want you Sam, that's a given. But I want all of you." Overall, great read! I loved it! I recommend this to romance readers who like some kink. This will be the book for you! I need to read the next one!!!!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Temptation (Club Destiny, #2); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance; Review: 4.5 Review Check out more reviews at [url]... My Thoughts: Holy....Steam up my Kindle. This is one of the HOTTEST series that I have read. Nicole did not disappoint with Temptation! My biggest question to Nicole is How the HELL does she come up with these scenes?? I mean........damn!!!!! They are so hot and erotic. This story is about acceptance. Acceptance in ones sexuality and learning how to accept it within yourself. This is a touching story. To me, it blows open wide the misconception of a three-way relationship. I learned so much from Luke, Cole and Sierra's story. I always wondered how this type of relationship would work--now I know! The love these 3 individuals feel for each other is powerful and emotional. I was rooting for them the entire time--just hoping they could work it out. The ups and downs they faced in their relationship shed light on society's misconceptions of three-way relationships. That all being said........Luke and Cole were freaking hotter than hell!!! OMG!!!!!!! You will love these two dominate men and love seeing who comes out on top! The love they have for Sierra and the time and attention they put on her is wonderful! There was a part in the story where Logan and Luke are drinking and they state something about poor souls who never experience another man pleasing their woman.. I never understood that. But Sierra.. I got it! I can't tell you how many times I had to take a break during this book. It is so erotic and hot. I really want to know where Nicole came up with these scenes! If they are from experience all I can say is DAMN!!!!!! You will not be disappointed in this book! Overall, I can't freaking wait to get into the next book!!!!!!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Happy Hour (Racing on the Edge, #1); Author: Shey Stahl; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Star Read Goodreads Summary: Between revving engines, smoking tires, and high speeds, two friends form a vital bond in the shadows of the blaring spotlight. Sway Reins, a track owner's only daughter, and Jameson Riley, a gritty NASCAR rookie driver, have been best friends since they were kids. Over the years, Sway becomes his safety shield during his rapid rise to the elite levels of auto racing. A night of celebrating a victory leaves Sway believing that she can convince Jameson to fall in love with her. She becomes determined to be more than just a pit lizard trolling the pits. Little does she know that this steadfast racer has his own idea of revelry. Soon their compression ratios are timed exactly right and all the reciprocating motions have led them to happy hour. As their passion revs, the inner workings of an internal combustion engine have never been so erotic. Just a taste turns into a thirst neither of them saw coming. Can she convince this rookie he can have love and his dream? My Thoughts: I absolutely lobed this friends turned lovers story. I loved reading about Jameson and Sway's history together and how they became to be who they are together now. Sways character was awesome! I loved her determination to not be a pit lizard. Then her coming to know that she is definitely more than that in Jameson's eyes. I loved how Jameson was so freaking clueless and when it finally hit him, he was shocked as well. I do not understand racing or any of the terms at all. So, this part was a little rough for me, but that being said it did not distract me from the connection between Sway and Jameson. And a side note--loved the names! Overall, great read. I couldn't put it down and about got busted in a meeting reading it! Recommend it to all you romance junkies out there!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Raid (Unfinished Hero, #3); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: I'm giving this 5 stars because Kristen Ashley wrote an awesome book. But if I go off my KA scale rater...because she has to have her own...I say its a silid 4 star. Review soon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rule (Marked Men, #1); Author: Jay Crownover; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock the Band (Black Falcon, #1.5); Author: Michelle A. Valentine; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: **ARC provided by author for honest review.** 4.5 Star Review Check out more reviews at: [url]... I truly love Noel Falcon. There is a whole new dimension to him in this book. I felt as if I was learning more about him each second I read. We know from book one that he has a womanizing past. He was clouded and put through the ringer with Sophie and came so very close to losing Lane forever. In Rock the Band, Noel comes to terms with wanting Lane for the rest of his life, but how to get that is the question. I loved hearing from Noel's POV. His thoughts, emotions and jealousies were gripping! The continued banter between Noel and Lane sucks you in! She resurfaced, fighting mad. "You're such an asshole!" I laughed as she splashed water in my face again. "So you keep telling me, but I know that's just another way of you saying you love me." She rolled her eyes, and I knew I was right. LOVE IT!! Knowing they love each other even after all the crap they went through was heartwarming! The term 'defying the odds' came to mind while reading. Oh, and speaking of heartwarming, I freaking LOVED how Noel took care of Lane. OH. MY.GOD. My heart grew so much from that section of the book! The passion between Noel and Lane is still intense! Michelle did an awesome job writing the scenes between them. I felt the 'realness' in them. The emotion was totally there! I LOVED how they had to get 'creative'! YUMMY!!!! Even though this was a novella, we get a whole actual story. It's filled with want, need, lust, love, jealousy, anger, hope, romance, fulfillment and much more! That is what I love! The only issue I had with it, was it was too short!!!!!!! I WANT MORE!!!!!!!! I cannot wait to hear Riff's story and lick the Oreos! Overall, fantastic read! If you are a Falcon fan, it is a MUST READ!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reaper's Property (Reapers MC, #1); Author: Joanna Wylde; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Check out more reviews at [url]... Reaper's Property 5 Star Must Read Loyalty....Strength....Commitment...........Brotherhood The brothers of the Reaper's MC are the 1%. They play by their own rules--not societies. They see and handle matters with an iron fist and expect--no demand--respect from all. Club business, stays club business and no one talks about it. NO ONE. These bikers have no problem putting someone in ground for not doing things their way and teaching those to respect if they show none. They have a different view on women and in their world, sweet butts and old ladies service them in different ways. Which one a Reaper takes is his business, but old ladies are sacred. They are the untouchable women who are the Property of the man who claims her. Any woman who is a Reaper's Property is family and to be protected by all in the club at all cost. After escaping an abusive marriage, Marie turns to her brother, Jeff, for help. It turns out that unbeknownst to Marie, Jeff is working with The Reaper's MC and gets an eye opening initial meeting with them. Horse. Strong......Badass.....Sexy......Motorcycle.......Hung....... Horse is not your typical hero in a story. He is a rude, demanding, controlling, rough, crass, alpha male. He is the apidomey of the 1% rule and lives his life to the fullest. (And hotter than sin!) "Do you have to be so crude?' I snapped. 'Have you met me?' He can have and has had...more women than can be counted, but he's never had an old lady, not that he wants one. There is just something about Marie that has him feeling a little whipped. To say Horse wants her is an understatement, but Marie isn't quite ready to give horse all he wants. When Jeff finds himself in serious life and death situation, Marie is the only one who can save him. How? Be Horses house mouse of course where he can do what he wants, when he wants to her and she will love every second of it...right? What happens if she doesn't? Oh..yeah...they kill her brother. What's a girl to do! "I was a still-married woman held as collateral by a motorcycle club for her brother's debt." To help save her brother, Marie goes on a wild ride with Horse. It is up and it is down. It's full of sex, hurt, lust, blood, tears, happiness, heartache and what the true bond of brotherhood means. This is a wonderfully well written book by Joanna Wylde. I was seeing this book pop up all over the place. It was just getting noticed. Since, I love motorcycles, hot men and alpha males, I had to read it. I am so glad that I did! I read it twice in the course of 3 days. Yes, I liked it that much. Now, don't go thinking that this is a roses and butterflies kinda book. If you are looking for that...this is not for you. How the RMC talk about women is crass at times. It did not bother me one bit, but; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Muscle For Hire (Heart of Fame, #2); Author: Lexxie Couper; Genres: thriller, crime, romance, mystery; Review: For more reviews check out [url]... My Thoughts: Aslin is a man with few words. After protecting a famous rock star for years, Aslin can handle Hollywood...right?? Or more importantly, can he handle the hot sister of the film star?? Aslin has seen well, everything following around Nick Blackstone and his wild ways. What he hasn't seen before is Rowan, who he is instantly entranced with. I freaking loved their initial meeting! Her spunk and swiftness had me in awe! I loved how strong Rowan's character was. She was not this little weakling that needed protecting....oh no... She was strong, independent, a freaking fighter! Even though she had her weaknesses, she was so determined and headstrong. Aslin is so dominate and a take what he wants type of man. I do love those....swoon! Him wanting to protect this strong woman ended up in the headstrong battle of chemistry! YUMMY!!! Aslin is totally the strong, silent type! When he does talk, or stares at you with intensity...you top and listen. All his layers were fun to learn. I loved the mystery throughout the book. It was a who done it???? It made me keep turning the pages at a fast rate! I wanted to know who would hurt Rowan. And oh 'boyo' do you find out! Overall, really enjoyable mystery/romance book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Infatuation (Club Destiny, #4); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Stars Infatuation is the 5th book in the Club Destiny series. If you haven't read the first 4 books (one is a novella), I strongly recommend you do before reading this one!! They are not stand alone books. The story continues throughout all of them and you will miss a lot!!! Tag Murphy is a very well established lawyer working for both XTX and Club Destiny. He is very good friends with both Luke and Logan McCoy and this is how we meet him initially. His 'non-traditional' lifestyle lands him as the third in Logan and Sam's relationship. Up until this point, he has been totally happy with being the third. This way he doesn't have to feel or have any of those pesky connections with anyone. He's just these for the pure pleasure of sex. This is until a fiery red head catches his eye and his thoughts begin to drift to not ever wanting to share again. McKenna Thorne owns her own website, Sensations Inc. It focuses on all the 'naughty' things the world has to offer sexually. She does not see them as naughty by any means. She thoroughly enjoys her job and what she offers her clientele. With the case of Susan against Sierra catching tons of interest that McKenna's readers want to know more about, she finds herself trying to interview the gorgeous, bald, brooding hunk of a lawyer that she has had her eyes on the past few months. When he declines, she decides that other tactics are needed and uses her website to do so. Along with an interview, McKenna wants to know more about the private area of Club Destiny and its owners Luke and Logan. She vows to only to only speak the truth if granted the interviews. Tag does one better, at least for him. Under the total reluctance of both Luke and Logan, Tag offers McKenna a seven day stay with him alone in his private room at Club Destiny. At which point, he will show her exactly what she desires to know. My Thoughts: I absolutely LOVE this series of books! If you haven't read them, they are a must! I loved the buildup of Tag and McKenna's relationship. The lust between them...then growing into more...and not being seen. The roller-coaster of emotions, lust, desire, jealousy, timidness, fear......all of them are so fun! I adore that we learn more about the entire clan: Luke, Logan, Cole, Alex, Sierra, Sam, Alex and Ashleigh!! I love that they are in the throes of all the drama going on throughout this story. It kept me connected to them while still growing with Tan and McKenna. We get to find out their growth from the previous Club Destiny books. There are parts of this book that will knock fans on their ass and say Noooooooooooo!!!! You will have happy moments, sad and definitely aroused ones! And don't freaking miss the epilogue! Overall, Nicole did another great job in this series! Highly recommend it to all erotic romance readers! **ARC provided by author for; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Phoenix Rockstar (Biker Rockstar, #1); Author: Bec Botefuhr; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 review Travis Phoenex is a tattooed, sexy, built, tough rock star who has made it in the music world. He left behind the town he grew up in and moved to New Yor abrubtly causing much pain in his absence. Violet has felt the pain for years. Even though she was much younger than Travis, she loved him and only him. But when he left, many things changed for her. Violent grew up in the biker world. Her father is the president of a motorcycle club that is very hard knock. The rule is no one in the club is allowed to touch Chief's daughter ever. That being known Violet hasn't been lucky in love. When Travis returns from New York, Violet can't stay away from him. He's her best friend and the love of her life. She is drawn to him and we are taken on this very bumpy journey. This book has violence, love, pain and happiness. It is a cliffhanger!!!! It ends and you will want to scream. I was so pissed!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Burning Love (Hell Yeah! Cajun Style, #1; Hell Yeah!, #6); Author: Sable Hunter; Genres: romance, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: 4 Stars! First I have to say something about this cover. Ick. The guy on the front seems to be on lots of covers and I don't find him to appeal to me the way Beau does in my head! Cover aside, this is a really good story. I got it free on Amazon and thought what the hell, sounds interesting. As time went on, I finally got to read it and it was a really good book! I absolutely loved the characters Beau and Harley. I love their history (even though tragic) and their re-connection. The author did a great job of building up the intimacy. Harley has so many hangups and Beau was utterly patient and wonderful throughout the process. I loved how they went for help and reached out to one another. I loved that Harley was a bad ass chick! I mean she freaking detonates bombs for a living. That's totally hot! Beau is not just some alligator wrestling dude, he's strong, intelligent and above all totally and utterly head over heals in love with Harley. I even liked the danger aspect of the book! There were a few things that didn't feel right to me. One the ghost/haunted house thing. It was never really played out and it seemed very out of place in the book. Another thing was the back story of the cannibals, etc. Ugh. I could have done without that. I didn't see the fit in the book either. Overall, I really enjoyed this book! Its super hot, sexy, spicy, dangerous and cooked up Cajun style!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Knight & Play (Knight, #1); Author: Kitty French; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Stars--Just wanted more... Check out more reviews at [url]... Holy Hell Lucian Knight!! Sexy, rich, self-made man--What's not to love..right??? Lucian Knight owns his own sexual empire complete with clubs, toys and stores all focusing on sexual satisfaction. He is not a one woman man and believes that monogamy is not natures way. He unfortunately learned this at a very young age and it has scarred him, but his main focus and solitude is his work and has given his life meaning. One thing that Lucian Knight can not stand is men who cheat. He doesn't understand why they can't be man enough to just tell their significant other they want someone else. Sophie Black is in need of a change in her life and what better way to do that than PA to a mogul in the sex entertainment industry. She suspects her husband is cheating, but can not face it. But Lucian is more than a boss, she quickly learns and sets off on a journey to discover herself with Lucian helping her every step of the way. His proposition to her her lands them both in uncharted territory. This is not your typical meet a guy romance. Sophie is married and while his is a dog--she is and you have to be open to this while reading this book. This is my first book from Kitty and I admit I totally wanted more. This book is a HUGE cliffhanger and I was seriously pissed off since the next book doesn't come out until April of 2013!! I loved Sophie's journey to self discovery and growth. I loved how she got stronger and started to work through her issues. I totally felt for her and wanted to maim her cheating husband! But, she gets Lucian for a week, so its a better bargain. Overall, very sexually charged book that left me wanting to read the rest!!!! I want to know what happens next!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lana; Author: R.K. Lilley; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Review Comes out March 11th!!! *ARC provided for honest review* We get Lana's story!!! For those of you who have not read the Up in the Air series....I have to ask WHY THE HELL NOT??? I would read that series before reading this novella, so you know and understand Lana a bit before reading. When we first met Lana, we had mixed feelings and tried to feel her out. We knew we needed Mr. Cavendish and Bianca together and we didn't know exactly how Lana placed in that. After learning of their strong friendship, we couldn't help but fall in love with her. We even learned through a conversation with Bianca about the love of Lana's life....Akira. Little did Lana know that that little conversation, led Bianca and James to make a detour on their trip to Japan. They stopped in and had a little chat with Akira. This chat is what leads us into the story of Lana and Akira. It is a novella. After eight years of being away from her home Hawaii, Lana returns to attend to business with the Middleton hotels. While she knows she may run into Akira, she can't help but make her first stop to see his family at the Kalua shops. Auntie and TuTu are her family to, at least that is how she sees them and they return those feelings for Lana. There surprise and affection for Lana is heartwarming. TuTu is Akira's mother and a spitfire. She is totally not one to be messed with! I loved her!! After spending the day with them, she leaves only to run into the one many she is unable to resist--Akira. "How many times and how many ways, could my heart be broken by that man?" R.K. Lilley takes us on an emotionally charged ride full of ups, downs, pain, happiness, great character development, exceptional writing and totally hot bedroom/car scenes! Not to mention the beautiful beaches of Hawaii, to get swept away in the romance. Highly recommend this book to all who have read the Up in Air series of books! You will love Lana and Akira. We also get a sneak peak at Tristen and Danika's story!!!!!!!! EEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!! He's a hot, tattooed hunk of a man who can bake cookies and she is a nanny. I can't wait to see the sparks fly with these two!!!! R.K. said this book should be out in the next 2-3 months! If we can wait that long!!!!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bad Things (Tristan & Danika, #1); Author: R.K. Lilley; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Hearts Review to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boots And Chaps (Ugly Stick Saloon, #1); Author: Myla Jackson; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Review More reviews at: [url]... Lots of sex. The story almost gets lost. If you are looking for an erotic book, this will be for you. This book is very short and I felt there were so many other places the author could have taken it, but it stayed pretty singular. It wasn't difficult for me to fathum the brother's sharing a woman. I was perfectly on board with that. What bothered me was that the twins really didn't have a connection with Aubry, so I din't know where it left the characters. I felt very disconnected from it. It didn't seem like an ending, just a continuation. Considering there are other books in this series, I have a feeling that this story will play out in the other books as well. To me, I like a book with more depth and character development. I felt it was to one sided and focused more on the sex and not the story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Captivated (Club Destiny, #4.5); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance; Review: 4.5 more reviews at [url]... **ARC provided for honest review** Holy Hotness!!!! Nicole does it again with her sassy sexy writing! We met Lucie and Kane early on in the Club Destiny series, but never really got their story. This is their story. Kane is total dominate alpha male. He has no problem with women. Well, except one, he doesn't remember ever sleeping with Lucie. And well that drunkin' night, resulting in a beautiful little girl. Now, I'm not saying Lucie made the right choice to hide it from Kane, but the fact he didn't remember...well I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing. Lucie is totally relatable in my book. She's a single mom with a sick baby and will do whatever she can to make ends meet. In my book that is admirable. The stealing part...not so much. I loved the history between these two characters. It wasn't a simple 'lets get together'. It was a process. It made me connect deeply with Lucie and Kane. I loved the push and pull. Lucie wants Kane....then doesn't....then Kane wants her... The bedroom scenes are totally hot, but I would expect nothing less from Nicole. I absolutely adore her writing style! Oh...shh....we also get a sneak peak into Zane's story!!! I can't freaking wait to read that one!!!!! It had me gasping wanting more! Overall, great addition to the Club Destiny Series!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Twisted Perfection (Rosemary Beach, #5; Perfection, #1); Author: Abbi Glines; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: WOODS WOODS WOODS WOODS!!!!!!!! Review to come; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scandalous (Scandalous, #1); Author: Ella Steele; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 This story was good. I did like the premise of it and the way that it went. My biggest issue with the book was that I wanted more character development. I wanted to learn more about them. I just thought that so much more could have been added. Because of that, I felt as if it was lacking.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Real (Real, #1); Author: Katy Evans; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Play with Me (With Me in Seattle, #3); Author: Kristen Proby; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: LOVED THIS ONE!!!!! Review to come; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Safe Word; Author: Teresa Mummert; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 5 OMG!!!! This book was sooooooo not what I was expecting!!!!!! SOOOOOO GOOD!!!!!! I would have given this book 5++++++++++++ BUT I wanted more! I felt the book could have taken me on so many more angles, even though where I went....was freaking AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! So, in light of not giving anything away in this book, I have found that this review was super-difficult for me to write! I want the reader to experience every twist and turn of this crazy ass book! Colt is not your typical hero. He's dark and what he does is despicable. He did not rate high on the like him/love him meter at all. But as the story grew, I found myself falling for him, even though part of me wanted to say hell no are you freaking crazy???? Lily had no idea what she was getting into with Colt and there were times at the beginning she wished she never saw him. Colt and Lily's chemistry is sparking hot and delicious. Now there is so much more that I want to type in the review....but I don't want to give anything away and I'm afraid I will. So here is my summary, GO. READ. THIS. FREAKING. BOOK. *Copy given by author for honest review. More Reviews at [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Short Rides (Rough Riders, #14.5); Author: Lorelei James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Find more reviews at: [url]... Tour and Giveaway 4/24 **Book Provided by author for honest review. First, I absolutely LOVE the Rough Riders series. The McKay and West men are hotter than hell. They know what they want and go for it!!! You will need to read the series to know the background for this anthology. You will be a bit lost if not. But these cowboys are smokin' and sooooooo worth your time reading!!!! All these stories are very well written and Lorelei's writing is super sexy! King of Hearts: This one was a little rough for me. Cam is dealing with a murder/suicide of someone in the very small community. This story deals with Cams PTSD from his war days. It connects with this killing. We learn how all of this affects him and how his family is there for him to help him through the dark times. Rough Road: I LOVED this one!!!!! I already loved Chassie, Trevor and Edgard. Their relationship is super-hot. The sex in this is so smokin' my kindle was on fire! What I LOVED about this story is it deals with a very serious issue of moronic people with their idiot ideals of what 'normal' is. I loved how we see how they handled the situation. And in true McKay fashion, we see how they all ban together to show their love and support of them. All Knocked Up: Keely!!!! She is sassy, outspoken and I freaking love her!!!!! Not to mention Jack is super super super sexy! I loved how this story didn't sugar coat pregnancy and showed the good, bad and ugly. It also had pregnant sex, which I don't think I have ever read before and it was hot! I loved meeting the newest member of the McKay clan! Overall, LOVED this anthology! Love this series! You NEED to read this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Superhot cowboys, sexy, hardworking, some dominate and mouthwatering men that will wet your taste buds!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock with Me (With Me in Seattle, #4); Author: Kristen Proby; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: I am in utter awe of the way Kristen Proby writes. The flow is outstanding. Her characters suck you in, pull on all your emotional heartstrings and let's face it have great sex. You must read all of these! I say this because they are all wonderful books and each book gives you another layer to suck you into Seattle. Come Away With Me (With Me in Seattle #1) Fight With Me (With Me in Seattle #2) Play With Me (With Me in Seattle #3) Rock With Me (With Me in Seattle #4) Rock With Me is Leo's story. We first met him in Play With Me when he sang at Luke and Nat's wedding. Now, I'm gonna be really frank with you; I didn't like Leo in that book. Why you ask? Well, it was hard for me to see him as a protector and 'brother' when he pushed away the only sister he ever had and left her. That just screamed asshole to me. Now that I have read Rock With Me, I do understand his thought processes better and will cut him some slack. I may not agree with it, but he did redeem himself in my eyes. First, LEO! Oh. My. God. I want to lick his freaking stars! Rock-god Leo Nash told us in Play with Me that he would never settle with a woman. In RWM, he jumps in full throttle in getting what he wants. And what he wants is Samantha, the Montgomery's sister. What starts off as playful banter, quickly develops into much more. I really did expect Leo to put up a bigger fight or have some internal struggle in being with Sam because of his comments in PWM, but that doesn't happen. He is fully enthralled with Sam and wants her for his own. Sam is very strong and independent. One will never confuse her for a weakling that gets walked all over. She is anything but. Her tough shell proved challenging for Leo to break through. There were ups and down--well an awesomely written roller-coaster ride of emotions for their journey. I totally adored Sam. Bottom line, this is a must read book and a must read series. I love the family dynamic and friendship between all of the characters. It leaves me always wanting more. If you have not read these yet, you need to ASAP. **ARC Provided for Honest Review**; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Losing Hope (Hopeless, #2); Author: Colleen Hoover; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 5++++++++++++++ Stars!!!! When I first received this book from NetGalley, I was..... ...because I was so excited, I about passed out. Losing Hope is Holder's POV from the book Hopeless, which was Sky's POV. In this book, we have a replay of all the events that took place in Hopeless, but from the male perspective. This book is wonderful. I LOVED Hopeless. But I LOVED Losing Hope more. Why you ask? I loved hearing everything from Holder's eyes. There is just something about the male POV that grips me and compels me as I read. I would definitely read Hopeless first, if you have not. Even though you could get away without, because Losing Hope is a full story, you would greatly benefit from Sky's POV first. First, I want to talk about writing style. I love Colleen's. It's so smooth and well thought out. The flow is beautiful and emotionally tying. Now let's get to the story. The first 10% of this book, I was..... ...we learn all of what Holder went through with the death of his sister. It is the most emotional, gut-wrenching and heartbreaking thing to read. I was a mess and loved every second of it. You've been warned. Reading this put into perspective the grief and pain that Holder went through at the loss of his sister and the way he ended up talking to her, was priceless. In the initial meeting between Sky and Holder in Hopeless, I had several questions. Such as, why the hell is he acting so strange? In Losing Hope, we get to intermingle in his head and find out. His confliction between thinking this woman was his Hope, but realizing that she was Sky. The internal struggle of this was off the charts. It answered so many questions I had. Holder's hope from Hope and loss of Les was heart-breaking. "Then every single time I'm reminded of Les, it leads to thoughts of Hope. I think about Hope, I'm reminded of how I let them down. I failed them both. It's as if the day I gave them their nickname, I was somehow nicknaming myself the same. Because I sure as hell feel pretty fucking hopeless right now." Sky grabs ahold of Holder and doesn't let go. He can't help be feel things for her that he has never felt before. He takes things so slow with Sky because of her past, even though it kills him. "I'm scared if I kiss her too soon, it'll feel like every other kiss she's ever received. She'll feel nothing. I don't want her to feel nothing when I kiss her. I want her to feel everything." And boy does she... Holder is determined that Sky is Sky and not Hope. He falls in love with her any way. Well, in LIVE. "I laugh and take her in my arms, bringing my mouth to hers. 'I live you, Sky,' I say against her lips. 'I live you so much.'" The journey these two go on is rough. They are discovering each other as; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zane (Alluring Indulgence, #2); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Hearts More Reviews at [url]... Come by May 30 for your chance to win a signed copy of Zane along with some hot swag!!!! You know you are sinking your teeth into a super-hot sexy book, when this is the warning: Warning: This book contains sexual encounters and graphic language that some readers may find objectionable, including, but not limited to: m/f, m/m, m/f/m, m/m/f encounters, anal sex, exhibitionism, and voyeurism. Contains graphic material that is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Zane is that and more. Nicole sucks you into her world on indulgences; that will have your panties melting and have you begging for a Walker hottie. V, Vanessa, is a very hard working woman. She has vowed never to turn into her mother, who happens to not have such a stellar reputation. But living in a small town, everyone knows your business. When Jake, the asshole, makes advances at her and V blows him off, Jake is not too happy. The words that come out of his mouth are vile. Zane being a strong hunk of a man he is did not put up with Jake's shit and put him in his place. This lead to the one day that V will never ever forget; the day that changed her life. Jake and his buddies decided to get retribution on Zane by literally beating him to the point of death.....while V watched. V blames herself for Zane's injuries and leaves him in the hospital after she knows he will be okay. She cannot face him. After an almost full recovery, Zane has one thing on him mind, V. Before the incident, they had some very hot and heavy escapades and all Zane wants is V by his side. V on the other hand, cannot bring herself to go there. Sex..just sex she can handle. Anything else, not so much. Zane is off to change her mind. But after Jake starts threatening V, Zane takes matters into his own hands to protect her because he will be damned if anything happens to her. The push and pull between Zane and V is off the charts! I loved the rollercoaster of emotions that I felt throughout this book. The characters grow and develop at a wonderful pace that I felt very at ease with them. I totally fell in love with them. I absolutely love the crossover from the Club Destiny series. I am a huge Luke fan, so just his name makes me hyperventilate. Nicole connected these two series so well. I also love that we get to find out about Kaleb and Zoey!!!! We get a special moment with them. LOVE! The sex in this book...is off the charts smokin'. I mean...damn. Between having Beau join in their sexcapades and their battles between themselves, it was a wild ride that I really didn't want to get off of. The warning for this book is serious. There are some of the hottest scenes I have read in this book. My mouth gaped open, tongue hung out; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Travis (Alluring Indulgence, #3); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 If you are planning on reading Travis, please be advised. You will see..... And...... And.... Oh yes. This is one of Nicole's steamiest yet. There were several times, where I went back and reread a scene, just to make sure I read it right. O'yeah...I did. Travis Walker, the oldest Walker brother in this series, has some skeletons in his closet. The biggest one happening ten years ago and he's never been the same since. He's an asshole and wears it well for everyone. At the end of Zane, a preview of Travis and Gage that was so smoking hot it had me begging for more of Travis right then and there...and Gage. Oh.My.God hottness! Gage was enough to have me dropping to my knees. Enter the ten year reason for Travis's behavior, Kylie and we have a trio of hotness that sucks you in for one hell of a ride. The journey for these three is heartfelt and loving. It's also hard and brutal. The roller coaster of emotions you will go on is incredible. In one moment you want to tear up for them, in the next your so hot and bothered that you need to find your husband stat. There are many scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. The first being... Holy snit! This scene was so loving, caring and wonderfully written. Loved it! Next was: This scene was hot. Hot..Hot..Hot. This made me think of storms in a whole new way. Those were my two favorite. There are many many more of course. Bottom line. This is one of Nicole's best so far.Her writing is utterly descriptive and sucks you into every scene of the book.The journey of Travis, Cage and Kylie is fantastic. ;And I must say I really didn't think it could get much better than Temptation...but I was wrong. < Highly recommend reading all of these books in order!;Including the Club Destiny series who we (squeeeeee) get a visit from in Travis! Love!!!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Promises, Promises (Alluring Promises, #1); Author: Josie Bordeaux; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Finished this last night. Couldn't put it down!!! Loved Z and Izzy!!!!! Best Part was...ITS FREE till May 6!!!! [url]/... Review to come!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Typist - Billionaire Novelist: Complete Series; Author: Mimi Strong; Genres: romance; Review: If you are going to read this, I would definately get the whole series. In my eyes, the entire series should be one book. There is really no reason to have them individualized, but that is how the author wanted them and I am glad she had the boxed complete set. I absolutely love alpha male books. Huge fan of them...devour them. I was not impressed with Smith I hate to say. There is a difference between being an alpha and being a jackass jerk...he in my eyes was a jackass jerk. This turned me off to the story. Tori was an okay character. I just wish she had a bit more build and development to her throughout the story. Overall, okay read. I will definately try some of Mimi's other books, just this one didn't strike me. More reviews at [url]...; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rock the Beat (Black Falcon, #3); Author: Michelle A. Valentine; Genres: romance; Review: In this installment of the Black Falcon series, we get to see Trip away from the rock star lifestyle and in one of his passions, motocross. While I'm a huge sucker for a rocker, I did love how Michelle went a different route with this story by not putting them all on a tour bus or in concerts repeatedly. Don't worry we still get to see the guys rock out as only they can do. Holly's life has been rough, between a mother who left her and a father who is trying to save his striving business, she has no other choice but to drop out of college to help her save her family business. Trip is looking for a new investment one where he can enjoy his second passion. When he gets a lead on a dwindling motocross business, he makes arrangements to check it out, under the guise that he works for the investor. Lucky for him, no one in the small town know that Trip..is well Trip. So his guise works well. One huge problem, Holly hates him. And why you ask...cause the tattoo wearing playboy reminds her to much of her cheating, no good ex-boyfriend who just crushed her heart. But when Trip comes up with a plan to make the jerk jealous, Holly sees that with Trip there is so much more there than meets the eye. This love story has its ups and downs. Holly is a bit naive when it comes to the men in her life. Even though her boyfriend cheats on her, she wants him back. Ugh. Really?? No thank you. But to each their own. Trip is just the man to show her that the jerk is not worth it. This is a definite must read in the BF series. LOVED Trip!!!!!! We even get to see the other guys and their families!!! Eeeeeppppp!!! Loved that. But it left me with a lingering question.....is this the end of Black Falcon??? God I hope not! If you love rockers and badboys, you need to read this one! Find more reveiews at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Four Play; Author: Maya Banks; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 REview to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fire Inside (Chaos, #2); Author: Kristen Ashley; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Fire Inside 5 Fire Inside is the second book in the Chaos series, but it is also a spin off to the Dream Man Series and more importantly Motorcycle Man. In my opinion, you must read Motorcycle Man to find out exactly what happened to Lanie and why she is partially the way she is. Also, it's important to learn about Tack and Tyra. They are woven through this story and it is best to have their backstory as well. Also, in MM, you learn about Hop's past. Some is very shady and has you asking yourself...is he a good guy? As far as Mystery Man, Law Man, Wild Man and Own the Wind, while these are totally awesome books and I highly recommend you reading all of them, the characters from these books (Oh and I forgot Rock Chicks guys are mentions too!) are included in the story, but enough of the their background is given that you won't get lost if you haven't read them. This is Lanie and Hop's story.......... Lanie Heron is no stranger to hurt and heartache. She has spent years drowning in her personal hell because of a man who was supposed to protect her and put her first. That didn't happen. She's beautiful and successful, but utterly closed off to relationships. Due to Lanie's past, she became a member of Chaos...she became family. She is not a gash. She is class. Hop has watched Lanie for years. He knows that she is untouchable, not only because she's family, but because she is in a whole other class than him. He knows she is way out of his league. When Lanie invites Hop for one night of pure bliss, he is hard-pressed not to say yes. Their one night turns into more....more than either of them had planned or intended. LOVED THIS STORY!!!!!!!!!! I am an HUGE KA fan. LOVE HER WRITING!!!! This being said, and having read many of her books, this is by far one of my favorites. The top for me being Motorcycle Man and Fire Inside ranks up there with MM for me. I freaking loved Lanie. In Motorcycle Man, I wanted to slap, beat and maim her. Yell that she is stupid and slap her a few more times. But in FI, I wanted to hug, love and comfort her. She turned into one of my favorite KA women. She was so broken, that I didn't realize how bad it was for her. I ached for her. I wanted to take her pain away. This is why KA rocks. She had me gripping my kindle, turning it as fast as I could read so I could find Lanie's relief. I was shocked and stunned to learn about Lanie's past. She is so complex and every road led to something new. Hop! OMG!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!! He gave me the WOW!!!!! I was not in love with Hopper Kincade in MM. I had my beef with him too. BUT shit did he blow me away in FI! Sweet, Loving, Patient, Caring and Hot as; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rule of Three (Rule of Three, #1); Author: Kelly Jamieson; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Rule of Three 4 This is a menage book. Don't be reading it if you have something against it...and if you did, I don't know why you are reading this review. I really liked this book. The book is scortching.....like set your kindle on fire-call the fire department scorching. What I loved about this book: It was not some cookie cutter o'we are gonna be together...no it showed the confliction between all three of the members of this trio. It showed the pain, love and confusion between them all. It talked about the hard issues of having to make a 3 way relationship work. But shit knows, I'd have no clue. It talked about the apprehension each one had and working through it. Kelly did a great job explaining and helping through every emotion. I even liked that they were all into business, smart and ambitious. It showed the lengths of what they had in common, that it was not just in the bedroom. Highly recommend this book. Great read!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Colters' Woman (Colters' Legacy, #1); Author: Maya Banks; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 This story was missing well...story for me. It was an instant you are the one...no build up of liking one another..it turned me off. I love menage...but I need build up.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Their Virgin Captive (Masters of Ménage, #1); Author: Shayla Black; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: Likeable characters. Each one held a place in my heart. LOVE!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Babysitting the Baumgartners (Baumgartners, #3); Author: Selena Kitt; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 2.5 If you are looking for a pure sex book....here ya go. I need more story with mine. Sex was hot don't get me wrong....problem was..that is all it was....; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Loving Two Doms (Club El Diablo #7); Author: Holly S. Roberts; Genres: romance; Review: 4 Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Destiny Calls; Author: Samantha Wayland; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Stars I loved the whole been best friends for years idea. Where it fell flat for me was the comrodery such as hanging out for pizza night, movies, going out etc. I wanted more of that. The only time we really got it was when Patrick was describing Brandon's body. It just felt like...sex...danger...sex...danger....sex....danger...sex...sex....sex.... I wanted more substance. I loved Patrick's reaction to kissing Brandon. It felt authentic and genuine. Brandon won my heart. I'm totally infatuated with him and his wonderful soul. Destiny, I could have liked a bit more if I would have learned more about her. I missed that connection. Sex was hot and explicit and very well detailed. Overall, good read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pack Challenge (Magnus Pack, #1); Author: Shelly Laurenston; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: I haven't read much para, but I really enjoyed this one. Review to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Erica's Choice; Author: Sami Lee; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Really liked the emotion in this book. Review to come.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Ride (Ride, #2); Author: Maegan Lynn Moores; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Blackmailed (Blackmailed #1); Author: Annmarie McKenna; Genres: thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery; Review: DNF. Male hero was unconnectable and I did not feel him at all. It totally turned me off to the entire book.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Small Town Siren (Texas Sirens, #1); Author: Sophie Oak; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Good storyline, but to me it was missing the connection. And we never get to find out what happened with Sam and Jack.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: White Trash Beautiful (White Trash, #1); Author: Teresa Mummert; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4 Stars More reviews can be found at [url]... **Copy Provided by NetGalley for Honest Review Gut-wrenching. The first 2/3 of the book, I was balling like a freaking baby. My heart ached for Cass. I've read reviews that say Cass was annoying and whiny--not to me. To me, she was determined, thoughtful and caring. Abused women have a different outlook on their lives--good or bad--in your eyes it is not right to judge. In Cass' mind, she was doing the right thing. She was trying to make a better life for herself and those she cared about even though drugs kept that from happening most of the time. The helplessness that Cass felt ate me up, but when she got knocked down, she got back up. Tucker to me is still a mystery. We only learn a small part of his background and of course that he is a rock god. I would have liked to learn more about him and heard from his POV. My only real gripe with the book is the final draw that causes Cass to put herself first. The build up was so big that I thought it would be an explosion. But the ending gave me the drama and fireworks I was craving. Overall, great book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Naughty Girl (Naughty Girl, #1); Author: Scarlett Metal; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4 Stars Review to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reveal Me (Unveiled, #1); Author: Cari Quinn; Genres: romance; Review: 3.5 Very Very short story. I think it was around 50 pages. If you are looking for a hot sexy read with two long lost lovers, this is for you. Its extreemely fast paced, but that is to be expected from a short one. It has an actual story to it, even though I wanted more of it. More reviews at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Heat (Vampira, #1); Author: Jan Springer; Genres: paranormal, fantasy, romance; Review: 3.5 Stars; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Diamond Girl (G-Man, #1); Author: Andrea Smith; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 **Copy given by author for honest review More reviews can be found at [url]... I could not put this book down. It sucked me in and begged for more. I got this book on a whim because I was doing the tour for the second book Love Plus One. I did not realize they were a series, but I am so glad they are because this book was exactly what I needed! Samantha---I can't even begin to tell you how much I related to her. Mom, wife and no identity of her own. I felt her pain and longed for her to find her outlet. I admired her for taking her life and finding something that she loved to do. I may not personally have chosen her route, but each their own. What I loved is her growth in self-confidence and self-discovery. I am still totally in awe of her. Slate--Initially, freaking hot-ass jackass. The rules...OMG...the rules. I was in utter WTF mode on that one. (This is coming from a small town farm girl with no clue what Motorcycle Clubs do). But even though I wanted to strangle him right along with Sam, I couldn't help but fall in love with him. And as time kept going...madly...deeply in love with him. Sam & Slate's romance is not roses, butterflies and rainbows. It's a freaking biker CLUB! They have ups, downs, lies, happiness, hurt, deceit, tears, joy and everything else in a big old emotional blender. Andrea did a awesome job with Jack and Sam's relationship. I never wanted to like him. I wanted to reach in the book and kick the living shit out of him. That to me is good writing. And lets not forget Lindsey, Sam's 19 year old daughter and the star of the second book Love Plus One. My heart ached for her. The mom in me wanted to wrap my arms around her and help her through all her hurt. I can not wait to sink my teeth into the next book. I am actually going to start it soon! Overall, great read!! Highly recommend reading this one!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Love Plus One (G-Man, #2); Author: Andrea Smith; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Hearts *Copy given by author for honest review Find more reviews at [url]... Loved this book. This is Lindsey's journey to love and it is seriously bumpy. Lindsey is still reeling from her father's betrayal and abandonment of her. She's tired to pick up the pieces even transferring to college to be closer to her mom, brother and step-father. Lindsey has held her v-card for 19 years and swears its whats holding her back from finding a boyfriend. Her luck with men is pitiful. Taz *swoon* is Lindsey's step-dad Slate's best friend. He's a sexy many who has whoever whenever he wants. Lindsey's had her eye on him for what seems like forever, yet, Taz only sees Lindsey as his best friends step daughter and knows that Slate would cut his balls off. What Lindsey doesn't know is that Taz is having a very hard time getting her out from underneath his skin. Sex with no strings attached seems like the perfect answer--but when Lindsey plays by the rules Taz begins to have other ideas. Especially when her new may Kyzer comes into play. Let's not forget that Taz is FBI and when Lindsey finds herself in danger, Taz is the one she turns to. Loved Lindsey and Taz together. I also loved them trying their damnedest to say apart. The push and pull was wonderfully written and kept me turning the pages as fast as I could. I LOVED that Sammie and Slate were such and integral part in the book, but not overpowering. Warning: Explicit Sex, contains rape scene Please note the warning I have highlighted. The rape scene will tear your heart out beware of it. It has stuck with me for days now after finishing the book. Please don't let it discourage you from the book, there is a purpose to it. Overall great read! Highly recommend reading Diamond Girl and Love Plus One.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Final Lesson Plan (Schooled 2); Author: Deena Bright; Genres: romance; Review: *ARC provided for honest review Tour stops at Reality Bites 6/6 enter to win a copy and the grand prize! You must read Schooled first. This book is not a standalone. You need to know the background of these characters! First and foremost, I LOVED the beginning. Deena took the time to write out exactly what fiction mean and that her book is total fiction. It made me laugh histarically when she even put the Websters Dictionary meaning of the word included. Then to top it all off, she even gives an expalaination if one cannot understand those two: "In case you cannot understand what that means either, then (1.) you're and idiot. (2.) you shouldn't be reading this book." As some of you may know, Deena had a bit of trouble with her first book being a rocking smutty book of wonder. Since those times, she decided to make Schooled 2, smuttless. I'm not gonna lie, I was not happy about this. I was kinda freaking out actually. BUT while I missed it, it was not necessary because my mind drifted to the fun that Briggs, Janelle and Leo were having off the pages of the book. Schooled 2 is the battle of who is going to win Janelle's heart. Briggs....Leo???? I freaking love the intimacy that went one between the two couples. When I say this, I mean the connection. It was so strong with both of them and had me rooting for them both. I of course had my winning pick, but the way Deena wrote it, I had a soft spot for both. Loved the push and pull. One would mess up, then fix it. The other would mess up, then fix it. I loved Janelle's self discovery. I loved how Briggs came out of his cockiness a bit in this book. I loved how Leo became more self assured and expressed himself. Both of these men are freaking awesome and I am so glad that I was not in Janelle's place. Add in her crazyass ex, and you have a recipe for disaster. I loved the humor in this book along with all the pop culture references. My favorite was the 90210 one about Kelly Taylor having to pick between Brandon and Dylan; then her realization that she was Kelly in her situation. LOVED IT!! As a woman who grew up on that shit, she had me. Overall, really good followup to the first. I would love to have some deleted scenes pop up with Briggs and Janelle and Leo and Janelle doing their thing. One can hope.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #2); Author: J.R. Ward; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: Must Read Series! Loved!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Driven (Driven, #1); Author: K. Bromberg; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 5+++++++ LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! This series is an absolute must read!!! You will love love love Colton...he's smoking hot with a touch a flaw!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Must Read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Devotion (Club Destiny, #5); Author: Nicole Edwards; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4 Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lover Awakened (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #3); Author: J.R. Ward; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: Freaking AWESOME!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #4); Author: J.R. Ward; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: Freaking LOVED it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #5); Author: J.R. Ward; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: LOVED V!!!!! Balled my freaking eyes out!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #7); Author: J.R. Ward; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: Very well written book. There is so much going on that keeping track of everyone proved difficult at times. But I have totally fallen in love with all the characters! I can't wait for the next!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #6); Author: J.R. Ward; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: good writing just wasn't crazy about phurys story. I LOVED all the others though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blown; Author: Braxton Cole; Genres: history, thriller, crime, biography, historical fiction, romance, mystery; Review: 3.5 Hearts This review is going to be very short, as this book is super-short itself. Pros...the Hot and Totally sexy Mateo. Even with as little as we know about him, he is still one sexy beast. Roni...Stong and sexy. She's not a whiner, I liked that. She accepted the things she could not change and rolled with it. Sex is super, super hot!! It had my panting. My main con was with it being so short, we don't get a lot of the ins and outs and character development that I like to see in books. I wanted more depth on why these two should be together. They really don't know much about each other except they are good at sex. I wanted the whys in there. Overall, good short sexy story that will get you blood pumping!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All That He Wants (The Billionaire's Seduction, #1); Author: Olivia Thorne; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 very short. not much of a story cause they want you to get books 2 & 3. they should have made it all one book. instead of parts. this one was free...then parts 2&3 are 3 each. for as short ad the book is. I can wait.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rock My World (Black Falcon, #2.5); Author: Michelle A. Valentine; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: More reviews found at [url]... Oh Zach!!!! Rock My World is the follow up novella to Rock My Bed, Riff and Aubrey's story. It is a very short read, but packs a hell of a punch. Michelle managed to get an entire story in there in only eighty pages! To me that takes talent. On my review of Rock My Bed, the one thing that I wanted was a novella because Riff and Aubrey's story did not feel finished to me. There was still so much more that I wanted and needed to hear from them. Michelle did not disappoint. We all knew that Aubrey's parents are sticks in the mud and we find that in this story they are even bigger douches. When Aubrey surprises her parents and brings Zach home, they are not too happy. They are very disrespectful and cause Zach to second guess himself at every turn. Even though he feels that his love with Aubrey is tight, when thoughts are implanted in his head, he has a hard time ignoring them. Aubrey only wanted her parents to love Zach as much as she does and when that doesn't happen, things go from bad to worse. Add in a guy that he dad really wants her to be with and the worse....falls deeper. If you were a fan of Rock My Bed, you will fall in love with Rock My World. I am never one to give things away because I want ya'll to read and enjoy. I will say that I was in tears for this one. The emotional tugs for me were there. I broke for Zach and then was so happy at the same time. Overall, Michelle did a knockout job with Rock My World and I can't wait for Rock the Beat, Trip's story!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Perfection (Neighbor from Hell, #2); Author: R.L. Mathewson; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beg (Songs of Submission, #1); Author: C.D. Reiss; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 This series is so additive I thought I was truly on a drug. Once you read Beg, you will have to move on to the next and the next and the next, because it will suck you in, pulling you to learn more about Monica and Jonathon's story. Beg is a very quick novella that packs a huge punch and leaves you wanting so much more. This entire series in increadbly well written in the first person point of view dragging you through all the emotional bouts this couple goes through. And let me say, its a hell of a ride! Jonathon...I've looked for a picture to do him justice, but haven't found him yet, at least how I see him in my eyes. When I first read that he was a red head, I thought what the hell? No one writes in a red head...but as I kept going, the red suited him and made him sexy as hell. Domniate is a loose word for Jonathan. He takes it to a whole other level. The sex in this book was smoking...like burn your kindle into a pile of ash smoking. Yeah. You heard me. It will totally ruffle your feathers. Monica....O'Monica..... I never saw her as the poor woman that had no family as I know she is written in the book. She had so much that she was oblivious to at times. She had her best friends who were just like family. She got to sing which she loves to do. She had a job that was bringing home the money. Yes, her struggles were deep, but they are who made her into the strong woman that she is. I admired how she kept going in life and kept pushing herself. Overall, highly recommend this series. I could not put any of the books down and engulfed them as soon as they hit my kindle. I hope you get to know Monica and Jonathon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Submit (Songs of Submission, #3); Author: C.D. Reiss; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tease (Songs of Submission, #2); Author: C.D. Reiss; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Control (Songs of Submission, #4); Author: C.D. Reiss; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Burn (Songs of Submission, #5); Author: C.D. Reiss; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Review to come; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Resist (Songs of Submission, #6); Author: C.D. Reiss; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Hot Series Review to come; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hell's Knights (The MC Sinners, #1); Author: Bella Jewel; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Addison has lived in hell. Strike that...she's lived below hell. Her mother is a lowlife scum who allowed many things to happen to Addi at a young age. With everything that's happened to her, you'd think that Addison would be a shell of herself...but you'd be wrong. She's strong, determined and has a shit ton of spunk. Cage has his own personal hell that has changed him into the person he is today. He's tough and takes no shit from anyone...until he meets Addison (who happens to the daughter of his president of the MC club). He's tough and demanding and SEXY! Addison's past catches up with her sending her entire world into a tailspin crumbling it to the ground. This book is graphic. As in the sex is graphic and the violence is graphic...beware. I personally was not ready and felt myself cringe quite a few times. Addison...what is there to say about her but I LOVE HER. I felt Addi to my bones. Her strength knocked me on my ass. I loved how she stood up and always took care of herself. I thought that Bella did a great job with her character development of Addison. I felt a roller coaster of emotions with Addi and loved every second of it. Cage, I wish I knew more about him. This is where the book was lacking for me. I love, LOVE, a strong ALPHA male, I crave them. Cage is totally that. But I needed more.We learn why he hurts and feels incredible guilt, but we don't learn about him. Does he have a family, brothers, what's his favorite food, does he like anything other than riding a bike? Yes, he's the VP of Hell's Sinners, but I want to dig in deep and drag everything out. What exactly makes him tick. Explore more of his life in the MC's. Overall, I found this story good. I was interested and it kept a good pace. I thought that it could use more character development for Cage. Addison's character development was wonderful. The sex was hot and steamy. And Cage was HOT! More Reviews at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Turn and Burn (Blacktop Cowboys, #5); Author: Lorelei James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Oh....boy! I love me a rowdy hot cowboy!!!!!!! Turn and Burn gave me him (Fletch) and the sexy, strong, independent Tanna! LOVE!!!! After a brutal accident that left Tanna's body broken, her prize winning horse dead and homeless, Tanna packed up her horse trailer and moved to take a summer job at Split Rock in Wyoming. Being a native Texan, Tanna is strong, independent and a spit fire letting nothing get her down--except for her fear of getting back on a horse. August Fletcher (Fletch) has no time for love--he barely has time to take a piss as the local large animal vet he's always on call. Taking calls at 1am is a norm for him, so when it comes to a relationship, he doesn't do them. Sex--hell yeah! He's all for a roll in the hay--but nothing more. Until...the barrel racing bombshell walks into the local bar stopping his world on its axis. After one night of rough and tumble, mind blowing sex, Fletch knows he needs to see her again. But Tanna disappears only to be found at the local resort being chased by every man in the joint. Fletch's possessiveness kids in and wrangling this cowgirl takes a lot more than he was ever willing or planning to do. LOVE--LOVE--LOVE-- THIS BOOK!!! So much so, I ran to my computer after finishing it and ordered the first four in the series, because I have to read them. I love the character of Tanna. I admired how tough and strong she is--love how she doesn't take any shit from anyone and can definitely hold her own with a bunch of cowboys. I love her rough comebacks that her mouth can not hold on it. I also love how take chard she is with her sexuality--taking charge and then giving up control to Fletch. I admire her weaknesses and her growth in overcoming them. Fletch is mouth watering, drop your panties, sexy beyond belief. I want one! He's a mater fiddler in that he could play Tanna's body exquisitely bringing her to ultimate pleasure. But what makes Fletch hot...is he's a really nice, honorable man. He comforts his patients owners and takes time with them. Loved how compassionate and loving he was. His ultimate weakness though is his job. his time is so focused on only that, when put on vacation....yes put...he doesn't know what to do with himself, except try to convince the feisty Tanna to be with only him. Overall, wonderful fantastic read. Lorelei did a fantastic job writing these characters. I loved them from the bottom of my heart. I am in awe of her writing. Highly Recommended Read!!!!! *Copy given by author for honest review. More reviews at [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Finding You (Finding, #1); Author: Sofie Hartley; Genres: young-adult, romance; Review: Holy Hell!!! Cliffhanger Alert!!!! And not just a small one...a HUGE monumental one! One that I did not see coming! I am the first to admit, I took quite a bit of time to cool off before writing this review. I hate cliffhangers and when this one had it...I was angry and crushed. BUT I don't want that to deture you from this book. I have to day it was really really good. So here we go. Are you Team Logan or Team Angel????? (Me...Team Logan--I'm a sucker for the BF) Nev has had a self professed protector for the past ten years, her brothers best friend Logan. Holy smokes Logan is freaking HOT!!!!! I wanted to eat him up. The problem with Logan is...he's a man whore. Big time, but he's always been there for Nev no matter what. He loves her and tells Nev so. And the dumbass she is, she pushes him away because she is 'protecting' him. Nev, pissed me off, big time. Her crying, whining and her decision making drove me up the wall. I wanted to reach into the book and slap the stupid right out of her. But with her past and loosing her parents, I did feel for her. I was very engrossed in her and did want the best for her. Angel is the other man in this trifecta. He hot, sexy bad boy ready to run circles and get what he wanted. And take it he does. This book will be a page turner. I could not put it down. I was up till the wee hours in the morning (I think that's why the cliffhanger crushed me so...) I do highly recommend this book. It is very well written and will keep you on the edge of your toes. Just keep in mind that you will have to wait for this story to finish....and damnit I want it NOW!! PS...I would have given this book a 4.5 even a 4.75 if there wasn't a cliffhanger. That just messed me up. Happy Reading! **Copy Given by author for honest review** More Reviews Can be found at [url]... Giveaway 10/16 [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Corralled (Blacktop Cowboys, #1); Author: Lorelei James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Holy Hell!!! I didn't read the synopsis of this book...I know stupid. But I read the 5th in this series and knew I needed to read all them. I didn't care what the synopsis said...I just needed to read it. That being said. I admit I was pleasantly surprised when I found out this was a menage situation! Yummy!! I do love them so much. Sharing...would you ever share your woman? I don't know how these men fell for the same woman so fast, but when it happens, it happens. Both Hank and Kyle fell hard for the curly haired med tech and not wanting to lose her, and her not wanting to choose between the two--lead to three weeks of on the road rodeoing...and bulls were not the only thing getting ridden. Lanie, being the daughter of the most famous bull fighter, has been over her since her dads passing. She idolized him and still does. Working for the med techs on the rodeo circuit gave her a way of helping those that got hurt just as her dad was. But when she is forced to take a vacation...well why not spend it with the men she's hot for. This story takes you on a whirlwind rodeo circuit that will bring you to your knees. The sex is hot as hell and enough spice to turn you inside out. There is also those wonderful emotions that pull you in. Lanie does choose between the men. So...who do you think it will be?? Read and find out!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys, #2); Author: Lorelei James; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: Very well written book! Love me some cowboys!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maybe Baby (Baby Lite, #1); Author: Andrea Smith; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 Good read.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Heaven's Sinners (The MC Sinners, #2); Author: Bella Jewel; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 Wow..Just Wow. I loved Spike's story. After reading Hell's Knights, I wasn't sure what to expect. But already loving Spike from book one had me totally intrigued. I'm so glad I read it. It is very much recommended you read book one first. My review is below and you will know my POV, but there are some pivotal parts to Spikes story that you will need to know. And Cade is delicious. Spike...Oh lord Spike. Why the name you ask?? Well it appears that our man Spike has some serious fetishes. Like, having the women he has sex with take the spikes off of his dick piercings. Yep. (s) multiple. He says its part of the experience with him. YUMMY!!! As we learn in book one, Spike had the ultimate tragedy happen to him, forcing him to live with the guilt for years. He blames himself and Cade for his tragic loss. While he is the president of his own motorcycle club Heavens Sinner's, he does have a pretty good relationship with Jackson the president of Hell's Knights. In turn he has a good relationship with his daughter, Addison, Cage's Old Lady. He is interwinded throughout both MC's allowing us to continue the journey will all of the characters from the first book. Ciara. I'll be straight. I didn't think I'd like her. With her sister being with Spike, I thought that their relationship was totally doomed. But Bella did a wonderful job building their characters and having me fall deeply in love with Ciara and rooting for her to be with Spike. I loved her determination. I loved their pasts and flashbacks. Overall, this book was hot and sexy. It provided me with action, love, lust. It had great character development and descriptions of scenes. Bella did an awesome job with this one. I loved it. I recommend it for you biker lovin' bad boy lovers! Find more reviews at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Carter Reed (Carter Reed, #1); Author: Tijan; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: 4.5--Carter was seriously hot. I really loved him! I loved the action. Definitely a page turner.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unexpected Angel (Isthmus Alliance, #1); Author: Sloan Johnson; Genres: romance; Review: Enjoyed this one. Review to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: McQuade: The Lone Wolf Takes A Mate; Author: Lynn Richards; Genres: paranormal, fiction, fantasy, romance; Review: 3.5 Book was good but felt it could have been so much more.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wild Child (The Wild Ones, #1.5); Author: M. Leighton; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 This is a very short novella in the Wild Ones series. We learn more about our favorites Trick and Cami which I totally loved! Jenna is wild and free. She never thought she'd want to settle down, but with Rusty she has met her match. The problem is, Rusty knows she has wings that she wants to spread and he doesn't think they include him. This book is wild and fun. The growing relationship between Rusty and Jenna is fun to read. We also begin to understand why Rusty is the way he is. Recommend this book for anyone who has read The Wild Ones. More Reviews at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sing (Songs of Submission, #7); Author: C.D. Reiss; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: What a wonderful way to end this series. If you have not read Jonathan and Monica's story, you are totally missing out. There are so many ups and downs throughout AND it is freaking HOT HOT HOT!!! You will be sweating! Sing is the final installment in the captivating series and it will have your gut twisting. It was painful (but in a good way). I was so saddened by the turn of events and it kept me on the edge of my seat. This book was a definite page turner as were all of them. The ending even had me freaked out (but I'm not gonna say why..sorry) Overall this is a wonderful series to read. Please note that each book has cliffhangers. I am not a cliffhanger kinda person, but I knew that they were going into reading them, therefore I was prepared. It also helped that most of the books were already published when I started reading the series. I highly recommend this highly sexually charged series to all erotica lovers. **Copy provided by NetGalley for honest Review** More reveiws can be found at [url]...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Broken Rules (Broken, #1); Author: Kimberly Lauren; Genres: young-adult, romance, fiction; Review: 4.5 What a great book! Loved every second of it. Review to come!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crossing the Line (Battered Hearts, #3); Author: Kele Moon; Genres: mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: ARC given for honest review. Full Review to come. 5 Shining Stars! This is the best book in the series! You will love Wyatt!!!!!!!!!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Craving Constellations (The Aces, #1); Author: Nicole Jacquelyn; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: 4.5 Highly recommend this for MC loving readers. I ate this book up! It was full of emotion and grips you from the first moment you start reading. It was raw and real. Holy hell this book had me on the edge of my freaking seat several times. If you want a good MC read, this is for you. [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saving Dallas (Saving Dallas, #1); Author: Kim Jones; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 3.5 I'm absolutely on a MC biker kick with books lately. This one happened to pop up on my search. While I read the synopsis, I was seriously intrigued. I did like Dallas, even if she was a little bit prissy. But what got me was Luke. Yes...luke is hot..hot hot hot. But what got me is he came off like a pussycat and not a badass biker. There were moments were I thought he was gonna go full out biker mode...but it didn't happen. I did enjoy the book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Seize Me (Breakneck, #1); Author: Crystal Spears; Genres: thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: 4.5-4.75 Really invested in the characters in this book. Again another great MC book for those of you who love bikers! Where do I start with this review. Lets just say I finished reading this about fifteen minutes ago and I want to dive into the next book really really bad. First, this book is raw. If you don't like cussing, violence or sexual situations, this book isn't for you. This book had my emotions in an upheaval up until the very end. I will tell you what I loved about this story. First, Winter. LOVED LOVED LOVED this character. I mean beyond loved her. Her strength was admirable. Coming from the Russian mafia she had already seen some messed up things in her life. In doing her best to escape that, she became independent and created a new life for her self. When she gets propositioned to dance at an MC she flat turns it down. But her best friend has eyes for one of the guys, so she gives in. Little does she know that doing this one dance will change her life forever. Braxxon is sexy! Oh man. I need me one of him. He's crude calls women bitches and is not afraid to hit a woman if she wronged him. Like I said, this is a raw story, so if you can't handle that, it's not for you. Since he's the president at the age of thirty, he has a lot on his shoulders, but one look at the beautiful Winter and he lays claim. This story takes you on the wild journey of these two. Parts are hard to read. Violence, drugs, sex, rape and tons of bloodshed. Me personally. I liked the book a lot and recommend it to all of you who love MC biker books! [url]...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fueled (Driven, #2); Author: K. Bromberg; Genres: romance, fiction; Review: 5++++ Wonderfully written book! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! This is an absolute must read! You will fall in love with Colton!!!!!!!!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Cassini Division (Fall Revolution); Author: Visit Amazon's Ken MacLeod Page; Review: A novel of ideas? Yes, I suppose, because this book does contain a mishmash of poorly-conceived and ill-developed ideas. The most startling one to me was that genocide is A-OK, as long as it's done by the right people to further socialism. If I hadn't already been put off this book by the complete lack of character development and the flimsy "plot", I would have been when the author hauled out that gem. To the extent there was a plot, it followed the time-tested formula of "it's time for X to happen so it will," regardless of the characters. I wish I had used the time I spent with this book to do something more enjoyable, like clean up those oil spots on my garage floor.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Diamond Age, or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer; Author: Visit Amazon's Neal Stephenson Page; Review: Stephenson delivers a real masterpiece here. Hard SF fans will love the technological details and throwaways, and the meticulous care devoted to the accuracy of the nanotechnological future. Lovers of good books will love the great dialogue, the thoughtful plot, the characterizations, and the vividness with which they are all realized. It's hard to go wrong with anything written by Stephenson. This book also rewards multiple readings. I loved the book the first time around, but didn't much care for the last couple of pages; they seemed like a letdown to me. However, I "got it" the second time I read the book. Buy it, read it, repeat. You will be glad you did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: This Perfect Day; Author: Visit Amazon's Ira Levin Page; Review: This novel has been sadly overlooked and out-of-print for years. That's a real shame, because this is among Levin's best, if not his outright best. Levin paints a vivid picture of the logical end of the therapeutic state, a bland dystopia in which conformity is pharmaceutically enforced. In a sense, this novel is a precursor to "The Matrix," a memorable and cranky uncle to it, if you will. This is great science fiction, from an author who doesn't usually work in that genre and is therefore not too bound by its conventions. This novel is back in print now, so buy it fast while it's available!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Lewis Page; Review: This was a really funny book that also gave me quite an education in investment banking and the world of finance. "Liar's Poker" is very well-written, and keeps things moving. While the subject matter may be complicated, Lewis keeps it comprehensible to those of us who don't have an MBA. It's fascinating to see how the big players work the markets - and in some cases, manipulate them outright. Indeed, "Liar's Poker" gives us a front-row seat to the creation of the mortgage-backed debt obligations that are commonly traded today, and that allowed the current real estate bubble to inflate as large as it has. Lewis' analysis of Salomon and its problems applies in many respects to professional service firms in general. Having worked in a law firm during the recent boom years, I can say that rapid growth and an abundance of cash can lead to hubris, disorganization, and a loss of core values. Lawyers, accountants, and anyone else who works at a professional service firm will particularly enjoy this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Desperate Deception: British Covert Operations in the United States, 1939-44 (Brassey's Intelligence & National Security Library); Author: Visit Amazon's Thomas E. Mahl Page; Review: Mahl does an excellent job unearthing data that the British secret services sorely wish had remained secret. With copious footnotes, Mahl shows how Britain manipulated public opinion, lied to the American people, and subverted the democratic process. Mahl also demonstrates how Britain could not have pulled this off without the complicity of American Anglophile elites with stronger devotion to a foreign power than to their own country. While the information is interesting and well-supported, I found the writing style of this book to be tedious. Despite the fascinating material, this book is not written in a way that grabs your attention for a sustained read. Still, it's history, not a novel, so at least some of this is to be expected. If you have any interest in the intelligence field, and particularly the effect of covert operations on politics, policy and civil society, I recommend this book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 101 Biggest Mistakes Managers Make and How to Avoid Them; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Albright Page; Review: This book is the managerial analogue of a Chilton repair manual for your car. You can look up a problem you're having as a manager in the same manner you might look up what to do when the headlights on your car are dead, and get a practical step-by-step process for solving the problem. Albright and Carr keep focused on actions that can be taken to solve real problems. This book is tremendously useful, and if I had to recommend one book to new managers or to any manager interested in improving his or her performance, it would be this one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Project Orion: The True Story of the Atomic Spaceship (Allen Lane Science); Author: GEORGE DYSON; Review: If you're like me (and if you're reading this, there's a good chance you are), you are a sucker for space history, particularly the history of odd and obscure programs, and of classified or "black" projects. This book puts together a great deal of information about the Orion program, its goals, and chances for success. Most of this information had previously been unavailable, or scattered, or bandied about on bizarre X-Files-ish web sites. But this is the real deal, the definitive history of the program that was once shrouded in mystery and aerospace legend. While a bit clunky and awkward in places, "Project Orion" held my attention, and generally maintained a cohesive narrative. There are quite a few drawings and photos in this book, which really help to the sense of adventure and excitement of Orion. Several reviewers mention that many of the details remain classified. That's certainly true. But having said that, I am amazed at the things we learn in this book that actually were declassified (e.g., the survivability of materials in close proximity to a nuclear explosion). I have a degree in engineering, and this book got technical enough to satisfy my technical curiosity, but not so technical as to bore me. I started reading this book thinking that I would chuckle at the naivete of scientists who thought they could blow up a few nukes to drive a spacecraft. I finished it thinking that it might actually work. Who knows--perhaps we'll all get a chance for a Grand Tour of the solar system before we die.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Benjamin Franklin: An American Life; Author: Visit Amazon's Walter Isaacson Page; Review: This book will not shake the world of Franklin scholarship, list the minutiae of his life, or advance any new or controversial theses about this giant among our Founding Fathers. What it does, and does quite well, is provide an interesting, accessible account of Franklin's life that is at the same time quite readable. For example, I hadn't realized just how much of his life he spent in England and how many Enlightenment figures he knew personally, nor had I realized the extent to which he had advanced the experimental sciences, particularly the study of electricity. This biography may not satisfy professional historians, but for the rest of us, this is a good choice.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing; Author: Visit Amazon's Charlie Papazian Page; Review: When you first feel the desire to brew beer, and start looking into the process, it can seem pretty formidable. Walking into the homebrew store or visiting its website, and seeing all the ingredients and equipment, can be intimidating for the newcomer. Turning to the web, magazines and books for enlightenment, the first-timer can be intimidated by the sheer volume of brewing information floating around. Rather than throwing your hands up in confusion and walking away, buy this book. Papazian's motto is "Relax, don't worry--have a homebrew!" Rather than getting bogged down in the details of making perfect, contest-winning beers, Papazian focuses on the basic steps a homebrewer has to follow to make good beer. You can make something tasty and enjoyable with minimal equipment, malt extract and part of a weekend afternoon, and Papazian holds the brewer's hand through the entire process. Once you've nailed the basics--and it's not hard--the last part of the book teaches you how to advance to intermediate brewing without much additional hassle. Experienced brewers may find this book too basic for their needs. Beginning and intermediate brewers will find it invaluable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: New Brewing Lager Beer: The Most Comprehensive Book for Home-and Microbrewers; Author: Visit Amazon's Gregory J. Noonan Page; Review: This classic book has recently emerged from the land of the out-of-print books in a new edition, and I bought one as soon as I found out it was available. As an experienced homebrewer, I found it fascinating and informative. Noonan gets down to the hardcore chemical and technical foundations of brewing. And if you are interested in decoction mashing, Noonan provides what is probably the best description of the process that is available in print. This book is perfect for the professional brewer or advanced all-grain homebrewer. However, the sheer volume of detail would bore a newcomer to brewing, or worse yet, scare him or her off. The beginner simply doesn't need this much highly-technical information. However, after that beginner gets a few batches under his belt, this book would be a good addition to his or her brewing library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food; Author: Visit Amazon's Garrett Oliver Page; Review: This book is a good introduction to craft beer for newbies, and a good source of information for connoisseurs as well. It surveys the major beer styles, and discusses the best food pairings for each, teaching skills that help the reader decide what beer to pair with which food. Wisely, Oliver omits the technical descriptions of beer styles and focuses on what they taste like. For homebrewers and beer geeks (hey, I'm one myself), discussions of IBUs and original gravities are great, but they can turn off people who are just interested in drinking good beer and in expanding their beer horizons. And this book is as much about spreading the good word about craft beer as it is about appealing to those who already love it. However, there is enough information about history and brewing to appeal to the most advanced brewer. Indeed, Oliver does a good job at keeping it breezy and accessible without being pedantic or "dumbing down" the material. The appendix at the end provides a list of suggested beer and food pairings. It is useful and provides a quick reference that you can consult before heading out to the store. If you have any interest in craft beer and good food, you will enjoy this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Golden Age; Author: Visit Amazon's John C. Wright Page; Review: Where can one start in reviewing this book? It is tremendously entertaining, at once a grand space opera, a detective story, and a much-less-grimy-than-genre cyberpunk narrative, with enough philosophy and depth to keep things interesting without getting bombastic or tedious. If you like any one of these things, you should consider this novel. There is a lot of detail and far-future terminology (the names alone are fascinating) thrown at us from the very beginning. However, Wright wisely doesn't spend a lot of time trying to tell us how all of the technology works, or explaining all the details of the richly-imagined Golden Oecumene. We figure it out through context and the actions of the characters, which helps keep the story moving without getting bogged down. The Golden Oecumene is also refreshing in the SF genre, as an imagining of the far future that is neither dystopian nor utopian-but-hiding-a-dark-secret. At its core, this is an optimistic novel, and optimism is often sorely lacking in SF. If there is any obvious flaw in this book, it is that the ending seems somewhat abrupt; I suspect that this books was the first half of a larger volume that was arbitrarily chopped in half by the publisher. Hence, the "Volume 2" designation on the sequel, "The Phoenix Exultant." Buy both books and read "The Phoenix Exultant" immediately afterward; you will be glad you did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs); Author: Visit Amazon's Richard K. Morgan Page; Review: Morgan gets off to an auspicious start with "Altered Carbon." This novel was entertaining enough that I finished it in one cross-country airplane trip. That's no small feat; I'd rather stare at the back of the seat in front of me than finish some of the books I've brough on airplane trips. If you like cyberpunk, you will probably like this. To the extent that it has problems, it perhaps follows the conventions of the genre a bit too closely. Further, there are one or two too many characters, and the crime investigated by the main character is a bit too convoluted. In fairness, I don't care for mysteries, which typically involve the same kind of over-thought and complicated crimes and investigations; if you like mystery novels and SF, you would likely give this five stars and enjoy it quite a bit.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Golden Transcendence: or, The Last of the Masquerade (The Golden Age, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's John C. Wright Page; Review: "The Golden Transcendence" is a book of ideas that works--a rare bird indeed. Wright weaves philosophy, action, and character skillfully into a wildly creative novel that is very hard to put down. It's refreshing to read a good optimistic space opera that isn't all about galactic-scale battle strategy and tactics. Most "books of ideas" at some point become talky at best, or preachy and didactic at worst. Wright avoids these pitfalls and integrates the ideas pretty seamlessly into the story. For those familiar with objectivist philosophy, you will be on familiar ground. In some respects, the hero Phaethon, more so in than in the previous few books, is reminiscent of the architect from "The Fountainhead." Both have similar values, and both have constructed a magnificent structure to express those values. However, this novel is far from a clone of "The Fountainhead," and any baggage the reader may have with regard to Rand's novels should not affect his or her opinion of this book. The glossary at the end does clear up some of the terminology and naming conventions used in the three books of this Golden Oecumene trilogy. However, I recommend waiting to read it until you're done, unless you are completely baffled, because there are potential spoilers in there. A great read--don't hesitate to read all of the books in this trilogy. You'll be glad you did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon); Author: Visit Amazon's Dan Brown Page; Review: Friends lent this renowned book to my wife while we were visiting them. We knew we were in for trouble when the book told us not once but twice in the first few pages of the "renowned curator" of the Louvre, as if we didn't get it the first time. Rather than prose and plot that should be renowned, this novel serves up cliche after cliche in a grating, clunky style, as well as broadly-drawn caricatures like "The Bull" rather than actual characters. Even the religious claptrap that has brought this book the opposite of renown in some people's eyes is rehashed mumbo-jumbo. While a book of this quality would bring renown to an eighth-grader who managed to put it together, it is simply embarrassing that an adult would write something like this, and even more embarrassing that other adults would buy it. Boring, tedious, and stupid, this book should be renowned for its badness. If ever there were a print version of Mystery Science Theater for books, surely the Da Vinci Code would be the first one subjected to the MST3K treatment, which would finally be something of renown associated with this book.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Gangs of New York; Author: Leonardo Ddwd 24017 Dicaprio; Review: One has high expectations for any Scorsese film, as a result of triumphs such as "Taxi Driver" and "Goodfellas." He is one of the great American directors, and on top of that, the man really loves film as an art form. As a result, it's particularly disappointing when a Scorsese film misses the mark. This movie tried so hard to be an epic that it failed in the most basic departments of story and characterization. The enormous sets, the costuming, the size of the crowds--all of it screams "hey, I'm an epic!" But ultimately this movie is a collection of trappings of an epic film badly stitched together into something much less than the sum of its parts. For the three solid hours that we spend with the characters, we never know any of them (other than Bill Cutting) very well, nor does a coherent plot ever coalesce. And although the performances are generally quite good, neither DeCaprio nor Bill the Butcher ever quite figure out what accent they want to use and stick with it. Indeed, about every third line of Bill's sounds like Fat Tony from the Simpsons, and the others sound like standard American English. And what was up with the ending? Both anticlimactic and somewhat baffling, it makes the viewer wonder why he just sat through three hours of film. If this movie had been about an hour shorter and focused more on substance than style, it would have been a real winner. As is, this is best rented, and only if you have 3 hours of time on your hands for something that you probably won't like very much.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Coalescent; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen Baxter Page; Review: I bought this novel at the airport bookstore, which never has a great selection. Having heard of Baxter, and faced with a choice between this, some Dan Brown dreck, and some generic fiction, I chose "Coalescent." I wish I had simply stared at the back of the seat in front of me, like Puddy from Seinfeld, for the entire flight instead. Early in the novel, we meet the main characters: George, a nebbishy middle-aged white man, and Peter, a nerdy middle-aged white man whose character is defined in part by his Internet proficiency. One might say that Baxter knows his audience. More cynically, one might place this book solidly in the "wish-fullfilment" subgenre of SF (what Gerrold would call "Mary Sue" stories), where the protagonist is the outsider innocent (like the reader) who is gradually introduced to some greater truth and some adventure at the same time. The first two-thirds of this book are serviceable, if tedious and somewhat boring. They are unfocused, and in the best tradition of lazy historical fiction, get by with name dropping. King Arthur and Mussolini? Please. At least he gets points for creativity in name dropping. In the last hundred pages, though, "Coalescent" picked up the pace, and started to capture some of my waning interest. The "human hive" idea set forth on the back cover finally starts to come into play toward the end. But then the novel encounters a serious problem: Peter. The character of Peter is problematic in many regards, particularly with regard to the Internet. The novel fosters the idea that some nuts in a chatroom can actually solve the mysteries of the universe, when the reality of chat is that it's merely a place for adolescent boys to argue with each other and for retirees to talk about contrails. Peter, with little actual expertise, a laptop, and participation in some conspiracy chatroom, figures out the nature of some vague threat to humanity. OK, although implausible, this is simply wish-fulfillment stuff for a subset of his readership that actually might believe that science, or societal change, or anything else useful might result simply from chatting with your fellow conspiracy buffs. Yet, Peter proceeds to take quite serious action based on silly chatroom speculation, action with dire consequences - and the novel approves! Peter's actions are much more insane than heroic, and yet the book treats him as if he was justified in his actions. Great. This drops my rating down to 1 star from 2 stars, as it comes awfully close to encouraging a subset of his readership to do things in real life they and others might regret. I have not read any of Baxter's other books. After this, I don't think I want to.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Flying Sorcerers; Author: Larry Niven; Review: Gerrold and Niven are both excellent SF writers. I usually enjoy their books, and both have built up large and high-quality bodies of work. That's why the badness of "Flying Sorcerers" is so baffling. It's like they banged this out in a weekend on a bet. Much is made of the alleged humor of this novel. Fannish jokes and puns belong at Worldcon, not in a book put out for sale to the general public. Their humor value fails to rise over the level of Granpa's thighslappers. For example, two young alien boys who build a flying machine are called "Wilville" and "Orbur." Ho, ho. My sides! And the gags go downhill from there. So why 2 stars instead of one? Despite all of its flaws, this is still an amiable book. "Ringworld Throne" aside, both Niven and Gerrold have enough talent to make this book at least somewhat interesting, and to keep the thin plot moving. If you're interested in these authors, and you should be, pick out almost anything from their extensive catalogs before you purchase this.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: A Rage for Revenge (War Against the Chtorr, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's David Gerrold Page; Review: As is common in SF novel series (Dune is the classic example), each successive novel becomes progressively slower and more turgid. The War Against the Chtorr series is no exception. A Matter for Men sets up the series very well. The hero is flawed, but that's OK from a literary standpoint. The milieu Gerrold created is quite rich, and the mystery of the worms (are they intelligent? how did they get here?) is compelling. However, by the time we get to book 3 here, half the novel is wasted sitting in a room getting some whacked-out est training with the hero. Indeed, the supposed "mode" training is just recycled est psychobabble; just look up est on line (you can even use Amazon's A9 engine) and you'll see what I mean, right down to the chair arranging (lovingly detailed in the novel) and the weird assistants. The mode training is simply sophistry and power-playing forced down our throats as some kind of philophical breakthrough. Not only did I not buy it, it bored me to tears. And let's not overlook the clumsy and inexplicable relationship between Jim and Lizard. There is no basis whatsover for the attraction or relationship, as far as I can tell, and it's written like a high school student imagining what two people in love actually say to each other. In between fumbling around with his girlfriend and getting brainwashed, Jim hangs out with some renegades (more brainwashing and psychobabble). After an interminable amount of time, the book peters out, thankfully. This novel not only fails to provide any answers to any of the "big mysteries" set out earlier in the series, it just piles on more of them. And by Book 3, we ought to be getting somewhere. In my opinion, this is the worst of the four novels; A Season for Slaughter actually picks up the pace somewhat and provides some kind of advancement to the story, even if it's still peppered with huge doses of modie "philosophy." Avoid. Although if you've already read books 1 and 2, you'll end up reading this one out of curiosity no matter what the reviews say.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: A Matter For Men (The War Against the Chtorr, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's David Gerrold Page; Review: As a novel standing on its own, A Matter for Men succeeds. The setup of the alien infestation of Earth is quite skilled, and is written in great depth in a realistic manner. Gerrold's future Earth, decimated by plague and beseiged by alien ecology, is believable and interesting; in other hands, it could easily come across as silly or boring. Although our protagonist McCarthy is flawed, so what? The perfect hero gets boring after a while. Having said that, his whining and drama get a little tedious after a while. The reason this is a tough review to write is the steady decline in quality of the next three books in the series. As is common in (endemic to?) SF novel series, each successive novel tends to become more turgid, slow and self-indulgent. The War Against the Chtorr is no exception. In fact, the remaining novels in this series (particularly Book 3) set new standards in tedium. Were this novel standing on its own, I wouldn't hesitate to give it 4 stars. However, after you read it, you'll want to read the others, and you will likely be disappointed. I have to knock off one star for the annoyance you will endure if you do so. Be forewarned!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sister Alice; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Reed Page; Review: Although Robert Reed has been writing SF for years, many of us first found him through his recent epic "Marrow." One of the great aspects of "Marrow" was its titanic scale in both space and time. A novel that spanned thousands of years in the lives of its immortal characters was brash and new. "Sister Alice" continues that epic scale in a different milieu, focusing on the lives of a handful of immortal members of the Families, guardians of the peace and stability of the galaxy. When Alice's attempt to create a new universe goes horribly wrong, an epic chain of events is set into motion, as the Families attempt to protect the galaxy and punish those responsible. Alice returns to Earth to take responsibility, and bonds with her sibling Ord, who tries to help set things right. Reed does not disappoint in scope and imaginativeness, creating a rich environment for this story. I knocked off one star primarily because the character of Ord is essentially a cipher, despite the amount of time the novel focuses on him. Somewhat like Oliver Twist, we never really get to know him, despite his centrality to the story. Ultimately, we get to know his pursuers Xo and Ravleen better than him. This is wrapped up with the mystery of what Ord is doing and why; for most of the book, even he isn't entirely sure. I would have liked a little more substance to our main character. Although the cover is atrocious and has nothing at all to do with the contents of the novel, I cannot deduct any stars for its unfortunate art and graphic design; authors never have any control over such things. Fans of "Marrow" and of epic space operas will definitely enjoy this.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hunt for Zero Point: Inside the Classified World of Antigravity Technology; Author: Visit Amazon's Nick Cook Page; Review: 50 years ago, the titans of aerospace all agreed, in public and in writing, that antigravity technology was only 5-10 years away. It's true - Cook has the documents to prove it. The pioneers of aerospace, while cocky, were not ones to make statements like that if they weren't true. And they were all in agreement. So where are our flying cars, 50 years later? Nick Cook, a writer for the respected Jane's Defense Weekly, set out to get some answers. Along the way, he encounters some of the usual suspects in the antigravity story, such as Townsend Brown, and even some characters familiar to those with some knowledge of UFOlogy. I'm sure many readers won't appreciate that he dismantles a number of legends that have grown up around those folks. For example, Cook puts forth convincing evidence that while Townsend Brown may have discovered something important, he was not part of the overall classified effort to achieve antigravity. The story takes Cook to Nazi Germany and to the elusive Hans Kammler, as well as the Bell. This is a fascinating book that will appeal to anyone with an interest in antigravity or unconventional science. It's definitely worth a buy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Consider Phlebas; Author: Iain Banks; Review: I have put off reading anything by Banks for years, for no particular reason. I suppose the library or bookstore always had something else I wanted to read more. However, on my latest trip to the library, I finally checked out this novel as my introduction to Banks' work and to the Culture novels. I wish I had left it on the shelf. The plot, such as it is, is thin and often nonexistent. Our "hero" Horza has things happen to him as he drifts about for the first 2/3rd of the book. These things are uniformly nasty and unpleasant, as the novel wallows in a variety of ugliness. After wandering the galaxy aimlessly, suddenly the book realizes about 100 pages from the end that it needs to get somewhere, and then a whole bunch of plot and exposition gets tossed at the reader. At least we finally get some direction. Then, in the last couple of sentences of the book, we get a final insult from the author; I won't spoil it for you, but if you're like me you'll slam the book shut and smack it against your head repeatedly. Then, like "Animal House," we get a "where are they now" section at the end that explains what happened to our characters later, and at the end of that, we get another, really final insult from the author, after which you'll smack your head some more. This novel is sometimes characterized as "morally ambiguous." If that means that the characters act in reprehensible and amoral ways, then, sure, I agree. There really isn't a likable character put before us. Avoid. Or if you must read this, check it out from the library first.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Code Names: Deciphering U.S. Military Plans, Programs and Operations in the 9/11 World; Author: Visit Amazon's William M. Arkin Page; Review: "Code Names" doesn't provide any major breakthroughs in pulling the veil off the secret world of Federal black programs. There are no UFOs, antigravity projects or Terminators here. What "Code Names" provides is a comprehensive list, by country, of the legal framework of the military/intelligence relationship between that country and the US, as well as the definitions of a lot of code names, 70% of which appear to be already-public names of war games of the past 30 years. So what, you may ask? On its own, this is pretty dry stuff. As other reviewers have noted, this is more of a reference book than something you pick up and read like a novel. However, what "Code Names" does is put some meat on the bones of Chalmers Johnson's concept of the "empire of bases" from his book "The Sorrows of Empire." The agreements, the exercises, the cooperative activities - the mechanisms of imperial control are laid right out in "Code Names," as dry as they are. You might wish to check this out from the library before you buy it, just to make sure it's something you would be interested in or could even use.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Stargate Chronicles; Author: Joseph McMoneagle; Review: A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure to meet Dr. Edwin May, who was involved in the remote viewing program at SRI. I had read Jim Schnabel's book on remote viewing, and asked Dr. May about it. He told me to read the "Stargate Chronicles" if I really wanted to know the history of what happened in those years. While Schnabel's book chronicles the SRI side of remote viewing, McMoneagle's book covers the Fort Meade side. This is a very personal account of the Army's remote viewing program told from the viewpoint of the top remote viewer himself. While it is unlikely to convince the hardcore skeptic, it is an interesting and well-written account of a mental technology that deserves respect and further consideration. Anyone interested in the topic of remote viewing should enjoy this book. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers: The Guide for Achieving Success and Satisfaction (Crown Business Briefings); Author: Visit Amazon's James M. Citrin Page; Review: If you are looking for step-by-step handholding, this book will not provide that. Rather, "5 Patterns" identifies 5 patterns, as you might gather from the title, that are common to successful leaders. I prefer that approach to the all-too-common connect-the-dots approach of the typical management/leadership book that attempts to shoehorn you into the "one true formula" for success. "5 Patterns" provides a good balance between personal histories of successful leaders and the lessons that one can learn from those histories. While the book sets forth suggestions based on the 5 patterns that may help you in your career, it is ultimately up to you to decide what lessons you wish to draw from this book. Particularly if you are feeling stalled in or dissatisfied with your career, you should at least get this book from your library; you will likely be impressed enough to add it to your personal collection.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Judgment of Paris: California vs. France & the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine; Author: Visit Amazon's George M. Taber Page; Review: The actual Judgment of Paris - the blind tasting between California and French wines in Paris in 1976 - only occupies a few pages of this book. The first part is a fascinating story of the history of wine in California, and the history of how the wineries, and their wines, that were in the tasting came to be. The second part covers the fallout from the Judgment of Paris, and how it, in many ways, led to the global surge in production of fine wine. The Judgment of Paris shook French winemakers out of their complacency, as they themselves said toward the end of the book. A subtext that perhaps even the author may not have noticed was that the leading California winemakers did the same thing for California wines. The victors were not from Northern California - the owner and winemaker from Stags Leap was from Chicago, and Chateau Montelena was acquired by two Angelenos who hired a Croatian winemaker. The wine business of Napa and Sonoma was stuck in complacency of its own, focusing on low-quality jug wine to the extent that grapes were even grown at all. It took outsiders from the Midwest and Southern California to kickstart the wine industry in Northern California into its present state. If you are at all interested in wine, this is an interesting and very approachable book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Century Rain (Revelation Space); Author: Visit Amazon's Alastair Reynolds Page; Review: "Century Rain" is an interesting attempt at smashing SF and film-noir style detective fiction together, with some alternate history as well, and seeing what results. For such a mix of disparate styles, this book works very well. It's something different - which is a quality increasingly hard to find in SF novels overall. Generally well-written and well-plotted, this novel held my interest throughout. So why just four stars? I agree with one of the other reviewers about the over-cuteness of some of the throwaways in the book - the same ones made me wince as well. And, in this novel Reynolds has a tendency to put the characters in situations characterized as ones from which they cannot possibly survive, and they do, perhaps once or twice too often for believeability. Still, this is an interesting novel that is at least worth checking out from the library. Fans of Reynolds' other works will want to just purchase this outright.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Peace Like a River; Author: Visit Amazon's Leif Enger Page; Review: My wife and I took a vacation in the plains states this summer, starting in North Dakota. After driving a big loop, we stayed in Bozeman, Montana at a B&B on our way back to North Dakota. One morning at breakfast, we met a man from Fargo who was working in San Francisco. We told him how much we liked North Dakota, made pleasant conversation, and then went our separate ways, waving at each other as he drove off and we loaded up our rental car. I was surprised when he drove back up to us a few minutes later, getting out of the car with a book in his hand. "Peace Like a River," it was, and he told us that if we liked North Dakota we'd probably like this book. I'm grateful for the gift of this novel. The characters are interesting and well-drawn, and the plot takes you places you would not expect without being overwrought or manipulative. "Peace Like a River" succeeds on many levels, as a straightforward story, as a novel rich in symbolism, and as simple entertainment. Stylistically, it reminds me somewhat of Tom Robbins and Neal Stephenson, while maintaining a distinct and original voice. I really enjoyed this book and cannot recommend it highly enough. Buy it now - or at least check it out from your local library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs); Author: Visit Amazon's Richard K. Morgan Page; Review: "Woken Furies" was an interesting novel that packed in a lot of ideas and characters, some of which (the stacks and the Envoys) are carried over from "Altered Carbon," and most of which are new. There's something new on every page, just about. By and large, it is entertaining and holds your attention. However, "Woken Furies" is badly in need of editing. Where "Altered Carbon" was taut and well-plotted, "Woken Furies" meanders quite a bit. Part of the problem may be Morgan's movie contract. The book jacket indicates that Joel Silver bought the movie rights to both books. As a result, "Woken Furies" at times seems to read like a series of big SF action-adventure movie set pieces written with the movie-to-come in mind. Nevertheless, this book is at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Light: A Novel (Kefahuchi Tract); Author: Visit Amazon's M. John Harrison Page; Review: "Light" is so well-reviewed that excited blurbs spill onto the front cover, with luminaries no less than Neil Gaiman and Alastair Reynolds raving about how good this novel is. I didn't think it lived up to the hype, but it wasn't awful. I agree with the reviewers below that its ending left a lot to be desired, and that the characters are uniformly unlikeable. Nevertheless, Harrison's prose style is interesting, and the universe he creates out at the edge of the Kefahuchi tract is imaginative and compelling. "Light" may appeal to fans of Iain Banks, another author who devotes particular attention to dark and depraved characters. I am unlikely to read this book again, and I am also unlikely to search out other books by Harrison. Again, I didn't hate "Light"; it just left me lukewarm. Readers might want to check this out from the library rather than buy it blind.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Art Book; Author: Editors of Phaidon Press; Review: This little book couldn't be any more straightforward or useful. Over the span of 500 pages, each page is devoted to a different artist, with one representative work by that artist and a short description of his or her life and work. At the end, an invaluable 6-page glossary provides short and informative descriptions of the major genres and schools of art (e.g., Fauvism, Constructivism, Expressionism, etc.) that don't require a PhD to understand, as well as explanations of common art materials and techniques (e.g., gesso, fresco, tempera, etc.). It's a great value, and much more inexpensive than almost any other art book this informative. Buy it now!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Speaker for the Dead; Author: ORSON SCOTT CARD; Review: What can one say about this book that hasn't been said before? "Speaker for the Dead" is fundamentally different from "Ender's Game." Those expecting epic space battles and wild technology will instead be confronted with science fiction in which the primary science is anthropology, which is a welcome change of pace. "Speaker for the Dead" is by turns gripping, moving, frustrating, interesting, preachy and grossly manipulative. It's not perfect, but what is? Wise readers will stop the Ender series at the end of "Speaker for the Dead" and pretend that "Xenocide" doesn't exist. Don't say I didn't warn you.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Xenocide: Volume Three of the Ender Quintet (The Ender Quartet); Author: Visit Amazon's Orson Scott Card Page; Review: "Ender's Game" and "Speaker for the Dead" are modern classics of SF, well-written novels with an emphasis on characters that is often lacking in the genre. Even a spectactular novel would be hard-pressed to follow these two. But "Xenocide" is not a spectacular novel at all. Instead, "Xenocide" is talky and implausible. The Ender books are not all about action. But not much happens at all in "Xenocide." Contrast "Speaker for the Dead," which is not by any means an action/adventure novel, but which is chock full of character-driven actions. I can sum up the problems with "Xenocide" in one phrase, a howler uttered by the superintelligent Jane entity after being made aware of a huge plot hole (one she obviously should have noticed) - "Now that you mention it..." Fans of the series should simply stop at "Speaker for the Dead."; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Children of the Mind (The Ender Quintet); Author: Visit Amazon's Orson Scott Card Page; Review: Essentially, this novel is a continuation of "Xenocide," with all of the flaws of that novel rehashed yet again. "Children of the Mind" is talky and implausible, in the sense that it becomes increasingly harder to suspend one's sense of disbelief as the book continues. By this time, readers want some resolution of the plot threads began earlier in this series. However, instead of resolution, what we get is a setup for yet another sequel. If you have read up to "Xenocide," of course you will read this as well, but it is doubtful you will like it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Catch 22. DVD-Video; Author: Unknown.; Review: "Catch-22" is a comedy, but not a "Happy Gilmore" sort of comedy. Dry rather than hilarious, with more than a few downer moments, it succeeds as satire rather than as laugh-out-loud escapism. A definite artifact of its time, in terms of its style and content, it still holds up today. "Catch-22" is a scathing indictment of war, as well as the State. Yossarian's confrontation with Cathcart near the end of the movie highlights this, when Cathcart attempts to bully Yossarian into following Cathcart's orders by asking whether he loves his country. Yossarian counters, correctly, that Cathcart and his lackey are not his country. M&M Enterprises, referred to by its organizer from square one as the "Syndicate," is just a mafia by a different name, and its co-option of Cathcart and its effects on the fliers make the point that the State is just another organized crime outfit. The cinematography of this film is spectacular, with some astounding complex shots that last a very long time. Everyone in this movie went on to be famous, just about, if they weren't already - or at least became a "hey, it's that guy" type of actor. It's amazing how young some of the actors are. Good luck spotting an 18ish Bob Balaban without his expected beard and glasses! The same goes for Richard Libertini. Fans of the "Bob Newhart Show" will see half the cast in this movie, from Newhart himself as Major Major, on down. On the downside, the commentary track is disappointingly sparse. Mike Nichols just doesn't say much. Steven Soderbergh asks good and probing questions in an attempt to get Nichols to talk, but Nichols' answers are short and unenlightening. "Catch-22" is worth at least a rent.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Other End of Time (Eschaton Sequence); Author: Visit Amazon's Frederik Pohl Page; Review: "The Other End of Time" is a compentent work of alien contact and abduction, readable but derivative. The characters are generally one-dimensional, unlike those of his far-better "Gateway." Hey, it's the horny guy! There's the rich woman! And the cop! The setting is well thought-out, but inconsistently treated. And while the plot is generally interesting, it is slow and badly-paced. I suspect a much-edited one-book version of the Eschaton series would be a much better read. I enjoyed this book well enough, but not well enough to pick up the sequel. The Heechee saga is a much better introduction to Pohl's work, for those who have not read this author's books.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Orphans of Chaos (The Chronicles of Chaos); Author: Visit Amazon's John C. Wright Page; Review: I gave up on the fantasy genre long ago. I have nothing against it; I just stopped enjoying fantasy even before the end of high school. This is the first fantasy novel I've picked up in over 20 years, and I did so specifically because I liked Wright's SF novels so much. I'm glad I did. This fantasy is grounded in our present, in Greek and other mythology, and in science, so it provides you with some reference points rather than abandoning you out on the Windy Sands of Mrrhkyirgh or some other implausible fantasy location. The realities of the school, on which the book focuses at the beginning, provide grounding for and contrast against the fantasy elements that are later introduced. The characters are interesting, although at certain points of the novel they undergo some abrupt and jarring changes that don't ring quite true. The plot is interesting, and sets up some good possibilities for the next book. This is a good choice for casual readers of the fantasy genre.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Boy Who Would Live Forever: A Novel of Gateway; Author: Visit Amazon's Frederik Pohl Page; Review: I was quite excited to find this book at the local bookstore a couple of weeks ago. The previous four "Gateway" novels are among my favorite SF novels, with inventive aliens, interesting characters and strong plotting. In marked contrast, "The Boy Who Would Live Forever" is an aimless ramble that adds nothing to our knowledge of the Gateway universe, its characters, or anything else. One example will suffice. In "The Annals of the Heechee," we get a chunk of information about the Foe. They are interesting and worth exploring further. So, in this novel, we get about 3 pages with the Foe, in a completely unbelievable situation, and then the Foe never turn up again! This novel is tedious and uninteresting, and fans of "Gateway" should ignore it and pretend that the series ends with "The Annals of the Heechee."; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Boy Who Would Live Forever: A Novel of Gateway; Author: Visit Amazon's Frederik Pohl Page; Review: I was quite excited to find this book at the local bookstore a couple of weeks ago. The previous four "Gateway" novels are among my favorite SF novels, with inventive aliens, interesting characters and strong plotting. In marked contrast, "The Boy Who Would Live Forever" is an aimless ramble that adds nothing to our knowledge of the Gateway universe, its characters, or anything else. One example will suffice. In "The Annals of the Heechee," we get a chunk of information about the Foe. They are interesting and worth exploring further. So, in this novel, we get about 3 pages with the Foe, in a completely unbelievable situation, and then the Foe never turn up again! This novel is tedious and uninteresting, and fans of "Gateway" should ignore it and pretend that the series ends with "The Annals of the Heechee."; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Iron Sunrise (Singularity); Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Stross Page; Review: "Iron Sunrise" is a sort of sequel to "Singularity Sky," in that Rachel Mansour and her partner Martin make a return appearance, and that both books are set in the same milieu. However, in most other respects the two novels are very different. "Singularity Sky" is a wildly speculative SF novel that centers on a technological singularity on a backward Eastern European planet, with a small helping of left-libertarian politics but not so much as to be distracting or didactic. In contrast, "Iron Sunrise" is a James Bond movie, complete with a Blofeld joke, space nazis, and espionage. It's a lighter, fast-moving romp that stays interesting throughout. If you enjoyed "Singularity Sky" or "Accelerando," you will probably enjoy this novel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Divergence: A Novel (AI Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Tony Ballantyne Page; Review: Until a few years ago, British and American SF novels were very different animals, each informed by a different culture, and each appealing to different tastes. Then, for whatever reason, around the turn of the century the British Invasion of fantastic SF took America by storm, breaking through the previous reluctance of Americans to embrace SF writers from the UK. Authors like Alastair Reynolds, Charles Stross and Tony Ballantyne burst onto the scene with fresh new ideas and perspectives. The first two novels of Ballantyne's trilogy were among those great British Invasion novels, interesting and fun, and leaving the reader wanting more. However, this is not the novel one would have hoped for to finish the trilogy. Not much actually happens in it; it's more a novel of characters. But the characters are, by and large, ciphers; for all the time we spend with them, only a couple take on any real personality. The first two-thirds of this novel drags. Some interesting ideas are brought up, but not fleshed out. By the time we reach the climax, one of the characters expresses exactly what I thought: it's anticlimatic. Note to authors: when you write a character saying that the end of the story is anticlimatic, write a better climax. If you have read the previous two books in this trilogy, you will read this, and you won't hate it, but you will be left with the feeling that it could have been much better.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Smith & Hawken: 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden; Author: Visit Amazon's Carolyn J. Male Page; Review: I received this book as a gift, after my small 4-plant tomato plot fared disastrously last summer. 1 of the 4 plants produced decent tomatoes, while the rest died unceremoniously. This year, following the recommendations in this book, my 4 plants are all doing great, and I already have little tomatoes-to-be on 3 of the 4. For that reason alone I would recommend this book. I wish some of the planting and tending suggestions were a little clearer; you have to piece some of them together for yourself. Nevertheless, just two of the express recommendations on their own have made a world of difference for me. The photographs and descriptions of the different heirloom varieties are fantastic, and will inspire you to pick out some different and unusual tomatoes for your garden. You don't have to be a tomato fanatic to enjoy and learn from this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Happiest Baby on the Block; Fully Revised and Updated Second; Author: Visit Amazon's Harvey Karp Page; Review: Our baby daughter is not colicky, but like all newborns has times when she's screaming like the world is coming to an end. Thanks to the techniques in this book, we discovered the position in which we can hold her, and the two other things we do at the same time, that shut down her crying within 10 seconds. Dr. Karp calls it the calming reflex, but whatever you want to call it, it allows the baby to calm down enough to eat (and hopefully sleep!). New parents will find this book well worth the money. And it makes a great baby shower gift! The DVD is a great companion to the book, because you see visual and auditory proof that the techniques work, and you see a visual demo of proper swaddling technique. We have both and I'm glad we do.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Designing Great Beers: The Ultimate Guide to Brewing Classic Beer Styles; Author: Visit Amazon's Ray Daniels Page; Review: Daniels' book is a must-have for the intermediate brewer. Invariably newcomers to brewing start off with extract kits, which can produce decent beer and have the virtue of simplicity. However, after a few batches, the now-intermediate brewer typically wants more control over the result, which leads to forays into recipe formulation. Daniels provides a wealth of information that can help with that. This book does not provide recipes, but it does provide great information about the fundamentals that you can use to formulate your own recipes. I wouldn't want to be without this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Basics Photography 01: Composition (Basics Photography 1); Author: Visit Amazon's David Prkel Page; Review: Despite the sheer number of photography books in the marketplace, finding one that defines, explains and teaches the basics of composition has been difficult - until now. David Prakel's fine book explains the fundamentals of composition in clear and understandable ways, providing examples and definitions. Far from being a mechanical "how-to" book, "Composition" provides the building blocks that a photographer can use to build a style, or simply improve casual picture-taking. This book is a must-have for photography students, amateurs interested in improving their photos (like me!), or people interested in the art of photography. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Is there a six-star button in here somewhere?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Photography Book; Author: Editors of Phaidon Press; Review: Following on the heels of the similar "Art Book," "The Photo Book" is an inexpensive, interesting and invaluable reference. Each page is devoted to a single photographer, and provides a snapshot (pun intended) in writing about that photographer, as well as a reproduction of a representative work of that photographer. The appendix provides a wealth of information about photography in general, as well as a taxonomy of sorts regarding fine art photography. If you are interested in photography as an art form, this book should be in your library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Chabon Page; Review: In the afterword, Chabon tells us that the working title of this book was "Jews with Swords," which would have been an apt and tongue-in-cheek title for this wonderful novel. Chabon has a true love of language, and his prose is at once erudite, literate, accessible and funny. This slim novel (200-ish pages) moves quickly and never bogs down. The titular "gentlemen of the road" are the thin French physician Zelikman and his African friend and traveling companion, Amram. They are at once con men, warriors, vagabonds, thieves and heroes. As you might expect, they have a variety of adventures that lead them to the kingdom of the Khazars, a Jewish kingdom of the Caucasus, where they have more adventures. The journey is as much fun as the destination. Your reaction to this book might be determined by your reaction to the title of Chapter 1: "On Discord Arising from the Excessive Love of a Hat." If you find that intriguing and amusing, you will love this book, hands down, and you can feel comfortable ordering it blind. If not, you may want to check out this novel from the library first. This is the first Chabon book I have read, and after this I plan to read the others. Wonderful!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Brand You 50 : Or : Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an; Author: Visit Amazon's Tom Peters Page; Review: Many, if not most, business books began their life as a set of PowerPoint charts that the creator presented to seminars, conferences and the like, and that were subsequently converted into book form. As a result, most business books are chock full of filler - anecdotes of questionable relevance, endless repetition, and other low-value material. In contrast, "Brand You 50" eschews surplusage. It reads like a conference presentation, for better and worse. On the plus side, this book is a fast read, and it includes dozens of ideas for improving your performance, your skills and your marketability. Which ideas you choose to embrace and implement will depend on your job, your goals and your personality; this book provides a huge buffet of ideas from which to choose. "Brand You 50" has no filler at all, which I appreciated. On the minus side, the book is formatted horribly. Peters crows that he designed it himself. I appreciate the thought, but some editing of punctuation, font, and the like would have helped immensely. It literally reads like a transcript of a motivational speaker, complete with a plethora of exclamation points. Indeed, this may be the first book in the English language with more exclamation points than periods. However, after you get past the awkward formatting, "Brand You 50" provides a wealth of practical ideas for building your personal brand. It's at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court; Author: Visit Amazon's Jan Crawford Greenburg Page; Review: Most legal reporting in the mainstream media stinks. Either non-lawyers miss the point of cases, or lawyers fail to translate that point to a level where the average person can understand. "Supreme Conflict" is an exception. This book focuses more on the personalities and dynamics of the justices, and on the nomination and selection process, than on particular cases. The tales of how certain people are selected for the Court, and how they mesh with the other justices once they have arrived, are interesting glimpses into a world rarely seen by outsiders. Some reviewers point out, rightly, that "Supreme Conflict" does not hash out particular cases in detail. But that's not the kind of book this is. Other reviewers contend "Supreme Conflict" is too sympathetic to the right. That leaves me scratching my head, given the account of how Bush Jr. picked Harriet Miers as a nominee. True to form, Bush Jr. got some kind of gut feeling and couldn't be talked out of it by reason, and you see what that got him. We also see the mechanism of how the great right-wing spin machine is deployed for, or against, particular nominees. None of this is particularly flattering for Republicans. This is a good companion to "The Brethren," by Bob Woodward, a similarly-good popular level book about the Supreme Court of an earlier era. Most libraries will have this book, and it is worth checking out if you're interested in the Supreme Court but not so interested as to add "Supreme Conflict" to your permanent collection.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thirteen; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard K. Morgan Page; Review: I have enjoyed Morgan's Takeshi Kovacs novels, which are interesting, well-written and tautly-written. "Thirteen," while still interesting and entertaining, is more flabby, weighing in at over 500 pages. Although the story is well-thought-out, it is too thin to support the weight of that much paper. Sadly, this problem occurs with virtually every SF writer as he or she gains popularity and the concurrent ability to evade the hard editing that really needs to be done to bring story length under control. Nevertheless, if you like Morgan's other works, you will still enjoy this one; it is a good novel, even if overly long. Your library probably has a copy, and you may want to check it out rather than buy this blind. If you are new to Morgan, I would suggest reading "Altered Carbon" first.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Voice of the Whirlwind; Author: Visit Amazon's Walter Jon Williams Page; Review: I picked this off my bookshelf after not having read it for a number of years. Wow, did this book manage to hold up over time! Walter Jon Williams has always been an underrated and underappreciated SF writer; all of his books that I have read have been at least good, with many being great. "Voice of the Whirlwind" falls in the great category. Williams crafted a tightly-written novel that eschews the bloat that often creeps into SF (any genre, for that matter). This book is laser-focused, with no surplusage. The characters are believable, and the story is interesting. It's a military-ish novel without the jingoism and space opera of military SF; a cyberpunk-ish novel that isn't a Gibson clone, and a first contact-ish novel that puts a fresh spin on alien-human interaction. If I have any quibble with the book, it's that part of the plot seems a little overcomplicated to me, but not enough so to be more than a minor distraction than a major problem. If you like SF, you will almost certainly enjoy this book. I'd even recommend this as a blind purchase for yourself or as a gift. If you don't feel that adventurous, "Voice of the Whirlwind" is definitely worth seeking out at your library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Robert's Rules Of Order Newly Revised; Author: Henry M. Robert III; Review: It is difficult to review this book. On the one hand, "Robert's Rules" are certainly a comprehensive and recognized set of rules by which a meeting can be run. On that level, this is a five-star book. It sets forth detailed rules, and is internally consistent. On the other hand, in too many organizations and for too many people, "Robert's Rules" become a less fun and more nerdy "Dungeons & Dragons" for adults. I have seen firsthand how "Robert's Rules" become the focus of a meeting, and how game playing with the rules by those sad souls who have memorized this book can drag out a simple meeting into an all-day exercise in frustration and futility. "Robert's Rules" exist to allow that small minority of people who thoroughly understand the book to manipulate organizations far out of proportion to their numbers, to grandstand, to take over organizations, and to obstruct people actually trying to do work. Are meetings messy? Yes. Do there need to be some rules, particularly in a larger meeting, about how the meeting is run? Absolutely. But those rules cannot overtake the actual subject matter of the meeting in importance - and the use of "Robert's Rules" virtually ensure that they will. If you actually want to accomplish something rather than chase your tail, this book is best left on the shelf.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew; Author: Visit Amazon's Jamil Zainasheff Page; Review: Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer have put together a useful handbook for homebrewers. If you don't like to formulate your own recipes, you can simply brew any of the recipes in this book to create a great beer of any style. If you do like to formulate your own recipes, this book gives you a great jumping-off point for deciding what to put in your beer. No more searching for hours on line to find out what type of malt goes in a Flanders red! "Brewing Classic Styles" is, on another level, a condensed version of Jamil's live Internet show, also available as a podcast, and highly recommended. If you have never homebrewed, start with Papazian's book instead to get all the basic information you will need. But if you've brewed even one or two beers and want to brew more, this book belongs in your library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Kinks: All Day and All of the Night: Day by Day Concerts, Recordings, and Broadcasts, 1961-1996; Author: Doug Hinman; Review: Far more than a simple listing of where and what the Kinks played over the years, this book provides a detailed look at the lives of the Davies brothers in particular, as well as some of the other members of the band. Some of the songs have even more meaning when you learn of the stories and details behind them. And it's a tremendous benefit to have a US/UK discography so that there's no doubt what may be missing (if anything) from your Kinks kollection. What leaps out at me from all of the details is a portrait of tremendously-talented songwriter Ray Davies as a reluctant rock star who may have been happier working in film or the musical theater, and a portrait of tremendously-talented guitar player Dave Davies as a man who wrestled with depression back in the days before anyone took that seriously. It's no wonder they fought a lot. If you love the best of the British Invasion bands, buy this book. You will be glad you did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: So Brave, Young and Handsome; Author: Visit Amazon's Leif Enger Page; Review: "So Brave, Young and Handsome" is a novel about three men who are none of these things - failed author Monte Becket (who is the least brave of the three), retired train robber Glendon Hale (no longer as young as he was), and aging detective Charles Siringo (not young or particularly handsome as the book proceeds). While they may not be brave, young and handsome, they are interesting and well-drawn characters, amiable companions during a novel of medium length. Like "Peace Like a River," a significant part of the novel takes place on the road, as Becket and Hale travel by boat, car, foot and horse from Minnesota to California, in search of the wife Hale hasn't seen in 30 years. They are pursued by Siringo, written as the classic tenacious and omniscient detective, Terminator-like in his dogged pursuit of Hale, the one who got away years ago. However, the pursuit is not the entirety of, nor the point of, the novel, nor is this an adventure or genre novel. At its core, it is the story of two men at the end of their lives, and a middle-aged man who is caught between them. While not as playful as, and without the supernatural elements of, "Peace Like a River," "So Brave, Young and Handsome" manages to deliver an interesting, literary story with a light touch. At times, I thought that Enger wrote Monte Becket as a quasi-autobiographical character, particularly in describing Becket's difficulty in following up his unexpectedly-popular first novel. Those who loved "Peace Like a River" will not be disappointed in "So Brave, Young and Handsome." Indeed, I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes good writing. You will be pleased with this even as a blind purchase. If you don't want to spend the money, seek this out at your local library. You will be glad you did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seduced by Secrets: Inside the Stasi's Spy-Tech World; Author: Visit Amazon's Kristie Macrakis Page; Review: "Seduced by Secrets" is an intersting book that gives us not only an insight into the spy methods of the East German Stasi, but also a glimpse into East German life toward the end of the Cold War. By and large, this book is a collection of anecdotes about defectors one way or another, and spy technology used both to spy internally and externally. Unfortunately, the anecdotes are not all interesting, and they do not tie together into a coherent overall narrative - my primary concern with the book and the reason I only gave it 3 stars. What puzzles me the most about this book is that the invisible ink chapter -- the most interesting and groundbreaking -- is not only hidden in the middle, but not even alluded to in the promotional material or the flaps. Apparantly, invisible ink technology is zealously guarded by our Federal masters, and the handful of documents from World War I that are still classified concern that technology. Using old Stasi materials, the author and a professor from the chemistry department of the author's university were able to create a 70's vintage high-tech invisible ink - a triumph of reverse engineering and an interesting story on its own. The real meat of the book lies here - and it is unfortunately given short shrift. The editor should have suggested that the story of the invisible ink become the backbone of the book that ties the anecdotes together, in my opinion. Despite these flaws, if you are intersted in spy technology or late-stage communism before the fall of the wall, you will enjoy this book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert A. Levy Page; Review: Levy and Miller did a fantastic job of explaining legal topics in a clear and accurate manner that is accessible to non-lawyers. The premise of the "The Dirty Dozen" is that the Constitution establishes a presumption of liberty for the individual in its interpretation - a premise that is explained in a manner that is also accessible to non-lawyers. The "Dirty Dozen" are cases, primarily from the 20th Century, that most violate those principles. The authors provide some interesting background for each case, placing it in historical and legal context. Levy and Mellor do a good job of exposing "judicial activism" as the nonce phrase it is. In modern parlance, calling a judge a "judicial activist" just means that judge wrote an opinion that the speaker disagrees with. The authors attempt to recast "judicial activism" as the exercise of judicial power in a manner divorced from the Constitution altogether. However, given the baggage that the phrase carries, it might be better to abandon it altogether. To the extent I have any disagreements with the book, it is the idea that policy questions are the province of the legislature and not the judiciary. All laws are implementations of policy, so any question of law necessarily carries policy implications. Calling something a "policy question" is as devoid of actual content as calling someone a "judicial activist." Nevertheless, this is a great book, and is highly recommended to anyone interested in liberty and/or constitutional issues. It's at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Happy Hour Is for Amateurs: A Lost Decade in the World's Worst Profession; Author: Philadelphia Lawyer; Review: "Happy Hour is for Amateurs" is written in a style that will not be unfamiliar to those who have read "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." This book is hardly a knockoff of "F&L", but the voice is similar. Your reaction to this book will likely be similar to your reaction to "F&L." The author takes us through booze, drug and sex filled escapades during and after law school, as he comes to a realization of the nature of the career he has chosen. I doubt that most of that stuff actually happened - the author would have been dead 10 years ago. But it's a stylized over-the-top rendition of the type of things that go on in law school and in law firms. I was an associate at a big firm for a while, and while I didn't hate the experience nearly as much as the author did his, there's a reason I'm not in private practice anymore. Among the raunchy hijinks, there are more than a few nuggets of truth about the practice of law. I'm not sure if this book has wide appeal to general readers, but lawyers will likely find it interesting. "Happy Hour is for Amateurs" also should be required reading for people considering law school; although it's not a completely realistic snapshot of practice, it will give potential lawyers some idea of what they might be in for, and some idea of what questions to ask before they enter the profession.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Baby Talk (A Lift-the-Flap Book); Author: Visit Amazon's Dawn Sirett Page; Review: My daughter is 14 months old and insists on being read this book about 10 times a day. She'll pick it up and bring it to me, which is nonverbal communication that even I can understand. She can make all the sounds that the babies in the book make (except for "night night"), which may be why she likes it so much. She also likes seeing the babies and playing with the flaps of the book. She loves this book so much that I'm buying my third copy. She's destroyed the first two, not due to any fault of this sturdy thick cardboard-paged book, but out of sheer hard use, and the fact that most 14 month olds are engines of mass destruction. It's cheap and kids love it - you can't go wrong with this one. "Noisy Farm," also from BK, is also a big hit in our house. Amazon often offers a deal when you buy both, and if you have a 1 year old, I would just go ahead and buy both. They'll both be a hit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NoisyFarm (Baby Fun); Author: DK Publishing; Review: "Noisy Farm" is a favorite with my 14 month old daughter, who loves to lift up the flaps to see what the animals say. It's a guaranteed hit with the 12 months and up crowd, and a great introduction to reading. Your toddler will want you to read this to him or her 10 times in a row - which is really helpful in getting him or her to settle down before bed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anathem; Author: Visit Amazon's Neal Stephenson Page; Review: "Anathem" is a giant doorstop of a novel that manages to remain interesting, even compelling, throughout its entire length. It is difficult to review it without giving spoilers. As the novel begins, we meet Fraa Erasmus, the equivalent of a monk, in monastic seclusion. However, on Arbre, unlike Earth, the cloistered orders are scientific and philosophical, and the "secular" world outside is the religious world. We see Arbre through his eyes, and one of the interesting aspects of "Anathem" is how one would perceive a society based on only seeing bits of it on short occasions, as opposed to being immersed it in as a participant. I'll stop there in describing the plot; other reviews have done a better job than I have, and you will enjoy it more the less you read about the details of the plot. Stephenson has often been criticized for the endings, or perceived lack thereof, of his novels. I used to agree with that criticism, until I returned to some of his works and "got it" the second time around. Nonetheless, "Anathem" includes a more conventional ending that most readers will find satisfactory. The idea of "more conventional" may explain why some readers did not like "Anathem" as well as some of Stephenson's past works. Most notably, "Anathem" lacks the digressions and diversions that have characterized his previous novels - from the chapter in "Cryptonomicon" about eating a bowl of Captain Crunch, to virtually all of the Baroque Cycle. Indeed, the Baroque Cycle didn't have a plot so much as thousands of pages of stuff happening - the journey itself was the destination. In contrast, "Anathem" is much more tightly plotted and rarely gets off-track in the course of 900 pages. After I finished "Anathem," I was reflecting on how different it was from Stephenson's past novels, and how it is not connected to any of them. However, I realized (without giving away any spoilers!) that the special gold in the "Baroque Cycle" and "Cryptonomicon" may have its origin explained in "Anathem." Perhaps I'm reading too much into certain events in "Anathem," but that's my interpretation and I'm sticking to it. "Anathem" is SF as literature, or literature with SF elements. Although hard science is part of the story, this is not a hardware-dominated novel - in contrast to "The Diamond Age" or "Snow Crash." As such, people who do not read much SF may find this to be accessible and interesting. I recommend it highly to anyone who likes interesting, thoughtful writing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holy Headshot!: A Celebration of America's Undiscovered Talent; Author: Visit Amazon's Patrick Borelli Page; Review: "Holy Headshot" is simply a collection of headshots of different actors, the headshot being an 8 x 10 photo with a resume on the other side. "Bad Cat" for actors, if you will. But there is no commentary, funny or otherwise, just a compilation of headshots. Some are amusing, some are just sad, and a couple are from people who are obviously mentally ill. We're supposed to laugh at these people, in a mean-spirited way. That might be excusable, if the end result was funny. But it's not. You will finish this thin book in one short sitting, and be left wondering why you bothered. There's also a question of just who this book is intended for. Readers at large will be left scratching their heads in confusion. The saving grace of "Holy Headshot" is that half these people will get calls from agents this month because their headshot has reached a wider audience. If you're not a casting director, pass.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Three New Deals: Reflections on Roosevelt's America, Mussolini's Italy, and Hitler's Germany, 1933-1939; Author: Wolfgang Schivelbusch; Review: "Three New Deals" is an interesting book about the similarities and differences between FDR's New Deal, Mussolini's fascism, and Hitler's fascism. Certainly all three were different from one another. But it's quite an eye-opener to read about the mutual admiration across the three in the 1930s, particularly between some of FDR's advisors and the Mussolini camp. This is also a relatively short book; a quick read that doesn't belabor the point or wear out its welcome. Those with an interest in politics or WWII history will be interested in at least checking this out from the library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Africa Rising: How 900 Million African Consumers Offer More Than You Think; Author: Visit Amazon's Vijay Mahajan Page; Review: "Africa Rising" is full of interesting information about life in Africa today, and the business climate there. The book mentions but does not dwell on the problems that confront Africa, from crime to war to hyperinflation. Indeed, the author himself relates a tale of being held at gunpoint. But to dwell on problems is to miss the fact that businesses and entrepreneurs across the continent are doing their best to overcome the difficult problems there. The book focuses on those people, and is generally upbeat and optimistic, perhaps a little too optimistic. At times it comes across a little cheerleader-y. Nonetheless, "Africa Rising" provides a look at the Africa that isn't in the headlines every day. Anyone interested in Africa, whether in business terms or otherwise, would enjoy this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries; Author: Visit Amazon's Naomi Wolf Page; Review: "Give Me Liberty" begins with a scathing indictment of the current state of the federal government, describing in detail the usurpations of power that certainly did not begin 8 years ago, but that have accelerated ever faster since then. The fact that the nationalization of entire sectors of the economy (aka the "bailout") has occured since then, much of it on the say-so of the Fed and the Treasury alone, only reinforces Wolf's thesis of a "fascist shift". It is a stirring call to action to patriots who love liberty, regardless of their party registration. Wolf is on the left, but is not the stereotype of the dogmatic, knee-jerk leftist. Nevertheless, her political orientation does lead to some head-scratchers. For example, after accurately identifying that state power increases as a result of empire-building overseas, a later chapter lays the blame for the current imperial project exclusively on corporations. And there is the non-ideological head-scratcher that a restriction against blocking traffic is somehow the most crippling restriction among the thicket of rules that govern protest in the U.S. But these are nitpicks that do not affect the basic thesis of this book. An interesting companion book to this would be Ron Paul's "A Revolution," which identifies virtually the same problems as Wolf did here, and also calls for citizen engagement to restore our liberty. "Give Me Liberty" is a good choice for anyone concerned that our freedom is rapidly eroding, regardless of what political party you support.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Invention of Air; Author: Visit Amazon's Steven Johnson Page; Review: "The Invention of Air" is a short book. If you bought this for an in-flight read on a cross-country flight, you'll be reaching for the airline magazine by the time you get to Iowa and crossing your fingers for a decent movie. But short is good in the history genre. Too many history books get bogged down in minutiae to the detriment of the reader's ability to finish the narrative. "The Invention of Air" keeps moving through Priestley's eventful life, and is written in a compelling manner that makes you want to keep reading and not put it down. For example, I had no idea of Priestley's contributions to Enlightenment culture or the influence of his friendships with Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. I was also very interested in the experiments that Priestly did to discover the nature of air. Johnson does a good job in describing what they were and what they proved. On the downside, this book is so short, and tries to cover so much area, that it comes across as superficial at times. Further, the author makes some interesting, but barely-supported, assertions that fall flat. Franklin would have liked to have finished out his life in London but for the Revolution? Really? Maybe this speculation is true, but in a book about Priestly, it's as out of place as it is unsupported. And Johnson attempts to shoehorn too much of Priestly's life into his own historical paradigm, in a clunky manner. Nevertheless, readers interested in science and in Revolutionary-era history will enjoy this book. It's at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Little Quack's Bath Book; Author: Visit Amazon's Lauren Thompson Page; Review: My 18 month old daughter loves the Little Quack board book. So, this was an obvious bath book to try. Hey, anything that keeps her happy in the bathtub for at least long enough to get clean is good enough for me. She likes it, and wants to hear the story - an abridged version of the short one from the board book - over and over again. It's not Dickens, but that's not why you're buying this. I agree with the other reviewers that the blowup duck on the cover is useless. It is easily removable from the book, though, and makes a great bath toy for a couple of baths until it springs a leak and you have to throw it out. But, then you still have the book, which is what you really wanted anyway.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cooking School Secrets For Real-World Cooks; Author: Visit Amazon's Linda Carucci Page; Review: Linda Carucci's book is great on a couple of levels. First, the recipes are great; every dish I've made from this book has been at least good (more often great), and many have made it into the regular rotation at home. Second, and more importantly, this book has changed the way I cook overall, for the better. The first section of the book is an in-depth and accessible "cooking school," which gives a lot of practical information that can improve your cooking technique. Even better, each recipe comes with a sidebar that explains why certain techniques are used, and why certain ingredients are used (and what potential substitutions might be made). I had always been afraid of letting meats or vegetables just sit in the pan without touching them, for fear of burning them. I got over that fear with the help of this book, and my food is better than ever. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Elements of Photography: Understanding and Creating Sophisticated Images; Author: Visit Amazon's Angela Faris Belt Page; Review: The photographic literature is chock full of books and magazines that focus (pun intended) on the technical aspects of photography, but pay short shrift to aesthetics. The literature is also full of photo books that show off the portfolio of one photographer or another, or that analyze photography in a high-level ivory-tower way, but that aren't accessible to ordinary people or beginning students. In stark contrast, "The Elements of Photography" sets forth a simple and easily-understood grammar of photography. Copious examples of artist portfolios illustrate what the author means by that. Faris Belt also provides a number of exercises that can be performed by students as part of a class, or by individuals who simply want to make better photographs. "The Elements of Photography" is a great introduction to the art of photography, and is accessible enough and short enough for ordinary amateur photographers (or those who appreciate good photography) to gain substantial information from it. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lonely Planet Argentina (Country Guide); Author: Danny Palmerlee; Review: The Lonely Planet guides always pack a lot of information into small, travel-dimensioned books. As with any LP guide, "Argentina" starts off with some history about the country and some description about its culture, before launching into detailed travel information about the different cities and provinces of Argentina. In the back, a sizable appendix provides a lot of information about the nuts and bolts of travel to, from and within Argentina. Some color photos are provided, but this book is primarily textual. Those looking for a DK-type photo extravaganza will be disappointed. I always enjoy browsing the LP guides to countries I've never visited (and probably never will) just to learn more about different places and how people live. This guide to Argentina is no exception. I have never been to Argentina, so I cannot provide any information as to how well the guide actually maps to the country itself. Other reviewers here have actually traveled to Argentina, and are better able to address that question. That aside, as a travel book, "Argentina" is excellent, and well worth reading.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Love My Mommy Because...; Author: Visit Amazon's Laurel Porter-Gaylord Page; Review: This was a great Mothers' Day gift and a big hit at our house for mother and 2 year old daughter alike. It's a great companion to "I Love my Daddy Because...", and really, if you have one, you need the other. My daughter loves the animal pictures, and she loves having this read to her. This is a pretty durable book, too, which is key for toddlers. Recommended for kids as young as 18 months.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeff Sharlet Page; Review: "The Family" expands on Jeff Sharlet's groundbreaking article "Jesus Plus Nothing," published in Harper's a few years ago. It's available on line, and I would suggest you read it whether or not you buy this book. Odds are, if you read it, you will want to read "The Family." A primary virtue of "The Family" is that Sharlet likes the majority of the people that he met through and in the organization. This is not a hatchet job on the right wing or on religion; Sharlet has no axe to grind. He genuinely wants to understand the group and its goals. This authencity lets the Family open up and talk, and the information that he gets from just letting them speak is jawdropping. One of the most eye-opening parts of the book is the chapter centered on Senator Sam Brownback. Like most of the people in "The Family," it's clear that Sharlet genuinely likes Brownback. Sharlet asks him about homosexuality and the grounds for his opposition to it, expecting to hear the standard Bible-based arguments. To his surprise, Brownback was unfamiliar with any Bible-based prohibition on homosexuality; he just felt it was wrong. Because he knew it in his heart, it must violate natural law, and thereby Jesus wouldn't like it. His complete misunderstanding of natural law aside, Brownback's answer illuminates the central flaw in "Jesus plus nothing" teaching, and the central problem it poses to the remainder of society. When Jesus is unmoored from theology, doctrine and logic - the thousands of years of scholarship across all major Christian denominations and groups - and reduced to something akin to an imaginary friend that you talk to, then personal preferences get reinforced by internal dialogue with Jesus and elevated to the level of theology themselves. "Jesus plus nothing" then morphs into "whatever I think is what God wants." This is a narcissistic theology that is uniquely suited to politicians and others who seek power over others. The second danger is that leaders of groups such as the Family can shape that internal dialogue and enforce groupthink, such that whatever the leader said morphs into what Jesus supposedly wants. Jesus isn't bound by morality or any external constraints, nor are his followers, as we hear repeatedly from Doug Coe. So without any recourse to morality, be it the Sermon on the Mount, the Ten Commandments, or anything else, the leader can motivate a group of "Jesus plus nothing" followers to do anything he suggests in the name of Jesus. This is the danger to society posed by the Family. To the extent there is weakness in this book, it tends to meander, but not so much as to become distracting. The value of the information in here is so great that any editorial problems take a back seat. A source of optimism is that both Hillary Clinton and Sam Brownback have various degrees of affiliation with the Family, but the Family was not sufficiently powerful to elevate either to the presidency. Indeed, Brownback barely made it out of the starting gate. For the; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Affinity Bridge (Newbury & Hobbes Investigation); Author: Visit Amazon's George Mann Page; Review: A book about zombies, robots, airships, a ghost, and paranormal phenomenon in an alternate London in 1901 sounds like a surefire winner. What's not to like about this stuff? There's enough ideas in that stew for several books. Sadly, none of these ideas are explored to their full potential. "The Affinity Bridge" reads like a novelization of, or a treatment for, a steampunk "X-Files" clone. Not even steampunk, really, but more of a bland alternate 1901. The characters are broadly drawn in categories we've seen before, and not much of the story is particularly inventive. Mann's prose is workmanlike and serviceable, when it should be breezy or playful, given the subject matter. Think more Tom Robbins than Tom Clancy. Nevertheless, I've read worse books on cross-country plane flights. More bland and disappointing than bad, I'd still recommend it as a purchase at the airport when you need something for a long flight but only have a couple of minutes to pick something out. This also might be worth checking out from the library for a light summer read.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Something Missing: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Matthew Dicks Page; Review: "Something Missing" is something different - a novel like you haven't read before. In an era of me-too literature, it's refreshing to encounter a different plot. I won't bother summarizing it; the official writeup of the novel above does that very well. Like many reviewers, I didn't care for the first act, which was glacial in pace and just repeated things we already knew. But the second and third acts are gripping and race ahead at top speed, in stark contrast. When I finished the book, I realized the glacial, almost boring pace of the first act was deliberate. As in the movie "Joe Vs. the Volcano," the first act is intended to induce a state of boredom in the reader to convey the sense of where the character is, and to stand in contrast to the events to follow later. Dicks put out an excellent first novel in "Something Missing." I look forward to his next effort.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nature Photography: Insider Secrets from the World's Top Digital Photography Professionals; Author: Chris Weston; Review: This book is perfect for beginning photographers with an interest in nature photography, or indeed for beginning photographers of all kinds. The first third or so of the book (perhaps closer to the first half) is devoted to basic photographic concepts that even amateurs with a few weeks' experience understand. However, this material is presented very clearly and cogently, in a clearer manner than I have seen in many other books. As such, it's great for beginners, but will likely be uninteresting to intermediate beginners and above. Then the book moves on to discuss nature photography. I would have liked to have had some more detail, on the one hand. On the other hand, nature photography covers so much ground (literally and figuratively) that there isn't and can't be a step-by-step formula for getting a great shot. "Nature Photography" does a good job of setting forth a number of basic ideas that you can use to compose your own great nature photograph, be it an animal shot or a landscape. If you're diving into photography specifically with an interest in landscapes or animals, this is a must-purchase book to go along with your shiny new digital SLR.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Book That Eats People; Author: Visit Amazon's John Perry Page; Review: The Book that Eats People didn't eat me. Perhaps I'm too old and tough. But it didn't eat my daughter either, so it must be full. For now. This is a fun and different book, with colorful and detailed illustrations and well-thought-out text. It was suitable for our 2 year old, who likes it, and I would think older children would enjoy it even more. Well worth a purchase!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Inside Lightroom 2: The serious photographer's guide to Lightroom efficiency; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Earney Page; Review: "Inside Lightroom 2" doesn't know what kind of book it wants to be. On the one hand, the first third of the book covers basic subject matter, and is essentially the release notes for Lightroom 2.0 with a few other items added. The chapter on building an ideal computer for Lightroom 2.0 is a head-scratcher - if you're an advanced user, you certainly don't need that information. The remainder of the book goes into a lot of detail in some specific areas, but doesn't provide much data in others. If you write or edit your own presets in Lua, or if you do a lot of photographic printing on your own equipment, this book will be very helpful to you. "Inside Lightroom 2" is the single best print resource that I've seen for help with presets. If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to Lightroom, you would be better served by "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby (which provides great explanations about the fundamental controls in the Develop module, what they do, and the order in which you should use them) or "Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers" by Martin Evening, both of which are available right here on Amazon.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fodor's Costa Rica 2010 (Full-color Travel Guide); Author: Fodor's; Review: I have to preface this review by stating that I've never been to Costa Rica, and therefore cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information in this book. I love travel books like this for countries I've never visited, because they let me do some armchair travel to locations I'll probably never get to. The "Fodor's Costa Rica 2010" is like a combination of the best parts of the Lonely Planet guides and the DK books. Lonely Planet is sometimes a bit sterile, lacking in illustration or photography. And the DK books are gorgeous, but lack detail and information. In contrast, Fodor's packs in a lot of useful information, along with just the right amount of photos. I'm impressed that the book is so huge for a country that is so small, as well. I'm inspired by this book to consider Costa Rica as a destination in the future when I plan my first Central American vacation. This is well worth a purchase by anyone considering visiting Costa Rica.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: First Stop in the New World: Mexico City, the Capital of the 21st Century; Author: Visit Amazon's David Lida Page; Review: The best travel writing gives you the feeling like you've actually been to a place yourself - not just the tourist haunts and the hotels, either, but the place as it's experienced by those who live there. "First Stop in the New World" does exactly that in a colorful, entertaining and informative way. Once you start reading this book, you won't want to put it down. I've never been to Mexico City, so I can't personally vouch for its authenticity. But the author writes so vividly and in such detail that I can't believe the contents are anything but real. This book is at least worth checking out from the library if you are interested in Mexico or Mexico City.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Engines of God; Author: Visit Amazon's Jack McDevitt Page; Review: "The Engines of God" is a good example of the moribund state of American SF in the mid-90s. The characters are flat and unbelieveable, and do stupid things because the plot says they have to. Their interactions with each other are tedious and clunky, especially the painful "romance" subplots. Characters resolve various mysteries with "Aha!" moments that require no logic or thinking, but that are required to hit the plot checkpoints. Perhaps worst of all, we the readers in the 21st century are able to figure out things that our highly-skilled, doctorate-having, vastly-experienced protagonists cannot. This book is a painful reminder of those days shortly before the British Invasion of SF. I finished this book because it was the only reading material available to me on a four-hour flight, and it was more entertaining than staring at the seat back in front of me. That's worth a star right there. Nevertheless, two stars may be too generous for this book. I have no interest in continuing this series of novels, and left my copy of "The Engines of God" on the plane. If you must read this, check it out from the library.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Photography in 100 Words: Exploring the Art of Photography with Fifty of its Greatest Masters; Author: David Clark; Review: I enjoyed this book as a survey of the major works of a variety of modern photographers. It is not as exhaustive as, say, some of the Phaidon books. Nevertheless, the focus of this book is late 20th and early 21st century photography, which does leave out a number of photographers. Some photos in this book were better than others, in my opinion, but you can't read a book like this without forming similar opinions of your own. I really liked the appendix, in which the major exhibitions of each photographer were identified, and the web sites given. I plan to spend some time exploring further the works of some of these great artists. However, the one thing I didn't like was the "100 Words" conceit of the title. I appreciate that the author was attempting to do something different, and for the interview of each particular photographer, I found the author's selection of two words from it to describe that photographer's style to be perceptive and interesting. However, collecting all those words together in some kind of mish-mash didn't do anything for me. Nevertheless, despite that misfire, this is an interesting (albeit slim) book that is at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Shoes: How Successful Leaders Grow into New Roles; Author: Visit Amazon's Sander A Flaum Page; Review: At first, I was encouraged by the slim size of this book. Far too many business books are bloated expansions of a tired set of slides given at hundreds of seminars, and when I picked up "Big Shoes," I knew it wasn't going to be one of those books. Instead, it was another type of tiresome business book that I've seen far too many times. "Big Shoes" is long on buzzwords and platitudes, and short on nuts and bolts. I thought this might be a book with practical down-to-earth pointers for real people who are interested in building leadership skills in a new role, or in preparation for a new role. In contrast, this book seems oriented to new CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, limiting its audience significantly. Further, its prescriptions for "how successful leaders grow into new roles" boil down to things like "have a vision for the first 100 days" and "work hard those first 100 days to get buy-in and adjust your staff to make sure that vision happens." Great. We also get contradictory advice, such as a multi-page screed against multitasking (as if your CEO or board will appreciate you not returning their emails), contrasted with a paean to social networking. "Big Shoes" also is a marketing piece for the author's consulting company, the achievements of which are touted in a self-congratulatory manner throughout this book. No wonder he tells future CEOs that execution teams for projects need to be outside consultants brought in specifically for the task. "Big Shoes" lost all credibility with me when it approvingly cited TV's "The Apprentice" as providing a good example of leadership. I've worked in a number of industries in several capacities, and I can tell you I've never seen people in real-life business act that badly. Well, not if they weren't getting escorted out of the building the next day. To suggest that the kind of reality-TV backstabbing and bad behivior of "The Apprentice" is an example of leadership is absurd. This is a quick read, and it's possible that someone might benefit from perusing it for a few minutes at the library. Nonetheless, for me it's too unfocused, anecdotal, and unconvincing to help me. I'd recommend a pass.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Freeman Page; Review: "The Photographer's Eye" is a rare book that has a lot to say of value to amateur photographers, and that also probably appeals to pros as well. (I'm just an amateur with a digital SLR.) Rather than getting caught up in ivory-tower academic analysis, or just showing off the author's favorite photos with a few unhelpful anecdotes, as too many photography books do, "The Photographer's Eye" clearly and expertly gives the photographer information about virtually every aspect of composition. Even practicing the ideas on a handful of pages on this book would result in substantially better photographs for virtually every amateur snapshot shooter. "The Photographer's Eye" also educates the reader in a subtle manner as to what aspects of artistry result in a "good" image, without being didactic about it. The writing is easy to understand and casual, and the accompanying images really show the point being made in each section. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in taking better photos, whether with a cheap point and shoot digital camera or a top of the line SLR.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Winter Haunting; Author: Visit Amazon's Dan Simmons Page; Review: The best part of "A Winter Haunting" is that it spurred me to re-read "Summer of Night" beforehand. I'm not a big horror genre reader, but "Summer of Night" succeeds as an excellent, interesting read that simultaneously captures what it must have been like to be 12 in the 1950s, and that also introduces original horror elements in a deft manner. I'm surprised "Summer of Night" has never been made into a movie. "A Winter Haunting" is about a third the length of "Summer of Night", and carries forth Dale's story from that novel. Most of the other characters are absent. On the one hand, "A Winter Haunting" does a good job of portraying the likely real-life fallout of horrific events that a 12 year old experienced. On the other hand, Dale is not a particularly likeable character. This may be more of a problem to readers who have not read "Summer of Night," because those who have will carry forth positive feelings about Dale and feel more sorry for him than anything. In the end, "Summer of Night" was creative and something special; "A Winter Haunting" is competent but nothing special, and feels like something we've read before. My personal theory that a good chunk of horror is simply "Carnival of Souls" redone endlessly was bolstered, but not entirely confirmed, by this novel. If you've read "Summer of Night" first, this is at least worth checking out from the library. If you haven't read "Summer of Night", do yourself a favor and read it first.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Vision India 2020; Author: Visit Amazon's Sramana Mitra Page; Review: "Vision India 2020" is essentially a collection of business plans for a number of different businesses that could be started in India. Of course, they are all successful, looking back from 2020! The book is useful for non-Indians in that it sets forth clearly the opportunities, and problems, facing India today. This is a light read; an introduction to India. For those with an interest in Indian business, this is at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Trader's First Book on Commodities: An Introduction to The World's Fastest Growing Market; Author: Visit Amazon's Carley Garner Page; Review: Commodities are not a game for the faint-hearted or inexperienced. You can get wiped out, and then some, in the blink of an eye. A small retail trader will be outmatched time and time again by large-volume professionals who know how to move the market. Having said that, there is enormous potential for profit in commodities. This book sets out a number of very basic things that a trader needs to know. If you ever wanted to know every detail about order type and execution, and you should, this book sets out that data clearly. "First Book" also summarizes the major commodities that are traded, lot sizes, and other basic information. You need to know a lot more than this in order to trade commodities - but you need to know at least what's in this book. This is worth at least checking out from the library for anyone who is a prospective trader.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Cave on Earth; Author: Visit Amazon's James M. Tabor Page; Review: "Blind Descent" is a window into another world - two worlds, really: the one beneath our feet, and the one inhabited by the "Tribe," extreme spelunkers who love supercaves. The first 3/4 of the book follows an American team in Mexico, and the second 1/4 follows a Ukrainian team in Georgia. The differences between the teams, the caves and their approaches to spelunking are fascinating. (As one might imagine, the Americans try not to disturb things, and the Ukrainians do not hesitate to use explosives.) The author really captures the excitement, extreme discomfort, and terror of being at the front of a massive multi-week expedition below the earth. I didn't know anything about this subject, and found "Blind Descent" to be an interesting tale of people who thrive on challenges that I can't even imagine. On the downside, the ending just kind of peters out. And, as other reviewers have pointed out, a drawing or two to illustrate the supercaves described in the book would have been nice, but certainly not essential. "Blind Descent" is at least worth checking out at the library. It's also an ideal length for cross-country airplane reading.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Big Yellow Book of German Verbs: 555 Fully Conjuated Verbs (Big Book of Verbs Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Paul Listen Page; Review: For those with a basic background in German, this book is invaluable. It starts off with a chapter of concise and useful information about German verb conjugation and usage in general, followed up with 555 of the most-commonly used ones. For the vast majority of people learning German, this book will contain more than enough data, presented in a way that is easy to understand. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Naked, Drunk, and Writing; Author: Visit Amazon's Adair Lara Page; Review: I write a specialized blog for a niche audience, and I was hoping this book might give me some tips for writing. The kind of writing - the personal essay - that "Naked, Drunk and Writing" teaches is not what I write (or what my readers want to read!). Even so, this book provides some great tips for motivating yourself to write, for writing more clearly, and for writing something that's more fun to create and to read. Writers of all kinds may benefit from perusing this quick, light and breezy book. It's at least worth checking out from the library if you're looking for some ideas to reinvigorate your prose.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming; Author: Visit Amazon's Mike Brown Page; Review: Mike Brown put together an interesting and highly readable book about his discovery of Eris, and other Kuiper belt objects, in this fascinating book. Brown explains exactly why Pluto shouldn't be a planet, and by the end of the book I found myself grudgingly agreeing with him. Two things stick out as memorable bits of science history. The first, which I never realized, was the accepted configuration of the solar system in the late 1800s, in which 4 of the main-belt asteroids were considered to be planets. I hadn't realized the collection of objects that we refer to as planets was so mutable. The second was the fleeting nature of secrecy of electronic information and the importance of good security. The lack of such data security led to a controversy about the discoverer of one of the major Kuiper Belt objects, which forms a large part of the last third of the book. This would be an ideal book for a holiday gift for any adults (and teens, for that matter) on your list that have an interest in astronomy or science - or even for yourself if your interests are so inclined. It is long enough to make you feel satisfied when you finish, but short enough to finish in the space of a few days. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Plastic Cameras: Toying with Creativity, Second Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle Bates Page; Review: "Plastic Cameras" starts off with an interesting set of selected portfolio images from pro photographers who work with Holgas and other plastic toy cameras. Even if you never take a picture with one of those cameras, if you appreciate fine art photography, you will enjoy those portfolio selections. The authors then set out an exhaustive list of plastic cameras, sources for such cameras, modifications you can make yourself, and ideas for how to use these cameras in the field. Even if you don't have a Holga, virtually everyone has a cell phone camera, and the book addresses how you can get creative with that as well. The basic message is just "take pictures!" Once you understand the limitations of your cell phone camera, you can use it like a Holga - focus (pun intended) on composition and subject, and don't worry about the technical merit of the final product. Like Holga pictures, many will not work out, but you'll find some gems if you keep at it. The author's enthusiasm for the subject is apparent, without turning into fawning or gushing. While I don't plan to rush out and buy a Holga or other plastic camera, the book set forth some interesting knowledge, and it was a worthwhile read. Recommended for those interested in photography.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rebel Buddha: On the Road to Freedom; Author: Dzogchen Ponlop; Review: I didn't know a lot about Buddhism before reading this book, and what I did know I found off-putting. For example, emptiness, and the goal of transcending the self - seemed bizarre and frightening, at best. What "Rebel Buddha" does best is explain these concepts, and others, in plain, simple language directed to Americans and Westerners. The text is written in a highly approachable and clear manner. "Emptiness," for example, doesn't mean the absense of thought or emotion, but rather a state where you aren't running on autopilot based on preconceptions, habits, and so on. Put that way, it's not "emptiness" so much as "freedom" or "autonomy," as we would think of it. While I'm not ready to go out and take up the dharma, the author does a fantastic job of explaining Buddhism and Buddhist practices in a way that anyone can pick up this book and clearly understand them. This is highly recommended for anyone interested in finding out more about Buddhism. In addition, this would be a great resource for high school or college students tasked with writing a paper about comparative religion, or that focuses in any way on Buddhism.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Terminal World; Author: Visit Amazon's Alastair Reynolds Page; Review: As "Terminal World" begins, I was reminded very strongly of Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon the Deep," which utilizes a similar McGuffin to the "zones" of "Terminal World." But, although the concept may be very similar, the execution is quite different. Different levels of technology exist in the different zones, and can only function in the specific zones in which they originate. People, however, can move between the zones with difficulty. One of those people, Quillon, is an "angel" from the highest level, and he has an adventure with a girl Meroka from one of the lower levels. Stuff then happens. As the ending approached, I was looking forward to a resolution to this one-off novel. I thought this would be, like Century Rain, a one-novel digression from Reynolds' usual work. Imagine my surprise when, only a few pages from the end, it becomes obvious that this novel isn't going to end so much as just come to a stop. On the plus side, that means the cliche ending I was afraid of didn't happen. However, on the downside, the abrupt stoppage of the narrative means there will be a sequel. Or two. Or more. I am not nearly as excited about more books in this series as I was about more books in his space opera series. I have read most of Reynolds' books, and I generally enjoy them; he is a talented writer. However, this book is not up to the usual standard - but it's still a solid 3-star read. If you are new to Reynolds, I would not start here. If you are a fan already, "Terminal World" is a decent choice for a long plane ride.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dora the Explorer Rainbow Surprise: Felt Fun Storybook (Nickelodeon Dora the Explorer); Author: Reader's Digest; Review: Little girls love Dora. It's not a bad show, and Dora is a good role model for girls - she's smart and kind and doesn't give up. Plus, she speaks multiple languages! My daughter is almost 4, and loves Dora. She likes this felt book pretty well. There's an actual book attached to it, as well as a convenient pouch to keep all the felt pieces. The felt pieces adhere to the book reasonably well. They include Benny, Map, Dora, and the expected characters, and were a big hit. My daughter was disappointed she couldn't close the book and have them stay in place, but I explained to her this is not that kind of book. I wish the pouch had some kind of more-secure closure, but it's still a lot better than having to carry around a separate baggie with the book. Kids who love Dora will enjoy this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Quantum Thief; Author: Visit Amazon's Hannu Rajaniemi Page; Review: "The Quantum Thief" is an amazingly-creative first novel, which from page one thrusts you at high speed into a wildly-advanced and unique future. One cannot fault this novel for a lack of creativity. It's refreshing to read a different use of language in an SF novel; this is more akin to Delany than Asimov. Perhaps it's the result of the Finnish author writing an English-language book in Scotland! This comes across almost more as literature than SF in many places. "The Quantum Thief" is long on description and character, and short on plot. That may appeal to some readers more than others. I found myself wondering about 1/3 of the way in what the story actually was. The narrative didn't really kick in until Act 3. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't a page-turner, and it took quite a while to get through. After devoting an extraordinary effort to fanciful and creative world-building, the author then takes us right out of the book with the jarring and (to me) outright absurd description of the origins of the zoku. Similarly, occasional bits of current slang interject themselves and take the reader out of the carefully-crafted worlds of "The Quantum Thief." Nevertheless, "The Quantum Thief" is at least worth checking out from the library, if you like SF.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Korean Deli: Risking It All for a Convenience Store; Author: Visit Amazon's Ben Ryder Howe Page; Review: "My Korean Deli" explores the odyssey of a young couple who invests their life savings in a deli in Brooklyn as a gift for the wife's mom. The wife, Gab, is the daughter of immigrants from Korea, who were successful small businesspeople back in their home country. In an attempt to do something for her mom, she and her husband buy her a deli. Like any small business, the deli has problems right out of the gate. Problem #1 with buying a business: if it's so great and making so much money, why is the previous owner selling it? Indeed, the previous owner was deeply indebted, and left behind a tax bill (which he failed to disclose) that ran with the business, creating a huge crisis for the store. Problem #2: a small business like that is lucky to profit $300 a day - and that's a good day. That's not much of a cushion when the inevitable bumps in the road are hit. Problem #3: there are always bumps in the road. You never expect them and they can wipe you out in a heartbeat. Problem #4: usually the government is the biggest of those bumps. "My Korean Deli" catalogues how New York is actively hostile to small business, and would rather penalize it to death than allow it to continue. There is more advice and wisdom in this book about running a small business than in an academic program. Howe matter-of-factly, but lovingly, describes the cultural differences between his WASPy self and his Korean in-laws. Clearly he loves them, and he accepts the differences and deals with them even when they make him crazy. He's not being a good sport, or tolerant; he accepts and cares about them the way they are. Men (or women) involved in a cross-cultural relationship need to read this book. In many cultures, you don't marry a person, you marry the whole family. If you're not prepared to have a giant extended family of people intrude into every aspect of your marriage for the duration, then that kind of marriage may not work for you, regardless of how much you love your potential spouse. Reading "My Korean Deli" will give you a flavor of what your marital life may be like, and at least will give you some great topics you should discuss with your potential spouse well before an engagement. Also, this book features George Plimpton, which for me was a huge plus. On the down side, there are several plot threads that are set up with great care that deliver no payoff at all. The big order of gourmet food items is one of them. I wanted closure on that story thread and never got it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book quite a lot. "My Korean Deli" is a quick read that makes you want to keep reading more. It's at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lensbaby: Bending your perspective; Author: Visit Amazon's Corey Hilz Page; Review: The Lensbaby, in all its variants, is a great, fun optical system that can give you tremendously creative results. You can just go out and start shooting and learn how to use the Lensbaby on your own. Or, you can purchase this book. It's full of tips, examples, and troubleshooting data that will be particularly useful to amateur photographers. It's comprehensive but short, which is a good combination. I would recommend this book to anyone considering a Lensbaby, as well - the description of the different models and the different lenses is invaluable, and can guide a wise purchasing decision.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lonely Planet Spain; Author: Visit Amazon's Anthony Ham Page; Review: For years, Lonely Planet has been a reliable name in travel. Their books have been distinctively and proudly black-and-white. However, they've taken the leap into the future, and begun to use color in their books. "Spain" is the first of these that I've seen. By no means have they taken the full-color thick-page color-glossy route of the DK travel guides. Instead, "Spain" uses color to emphasize and to make it easier to find things in text and in maps. The execution of this new tarted-up Lonely Planet guide is spot on. Some of the recommendations for sleeping and dining in Madrid and Barcelona I can confirm firsthand. As for the rest, Lonely Planet has been a trustworthy source of information for me across many countries and many years, and I have no reason to believe this book is any different. While Lonely Planet tends to focus a little more on budget travel, it doesn't leave out the higher end. Nevertheless, if you're preparing for a trip to Spain, I've found that Lonely Planet in conjunction with Frommer's is a great combination. If you plan to spend a week or more in Madrid or Barcelona, you also can't go wrong with the smaller pocket-sized Lonely Planet guides for each city, each of which includes a convenient Metro map. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buzz Aldrin, What Happened to You in All the Confusion?: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Johan Harstad Page; Review: You've seen a plot summary if you've gotten this far: a young man who wants to be #2 in life, and not stand out, faces a series of obstacles in life. Buzz Aldrin is his hero, as the soft-spoken second man on the moon - hence the title. Harstad has an unusual but very approachable writing style that doesn't get in the way of the characters or the story. Some of the paragraphs are page-long run-on sentences, which strangely manage to work without being difficult to follow. Matthias' stream-of-consciousness becomes an important part of the story. It's not so obtuse as to be Joycean; but what is? I've been to several of the locations in the book, and found his descriptions of Scandinavia to be spot-on and often funny. For a long novel, it's a fast read because it remains interesting throughout. "Buzz Aldrin" ends, in my view, happily, although there is a loose end introduced 3-4 pages from the final page that keeping tugging at my brain. I don't know if it's intentional, if it's an artifact of translation, or if my reading comprehension suddenly failed me. I didn't find the penultimate events of the novel as unlikely as other reviewers did. I think that project is ultimately what causes a transformation in Mathias, not his chance meeting with Eydis. The central question of "Buzz Aldrin" is how to be somebody, without being Somebody, or nobody. Initially, Mathias tries by doing things more for attention than for the love of doing them; it's when he finally encounters a project that he really believes in and can throw himself into that he gets to be somebody, and enjoy being who he is. The happy ending is underrated, and I commend Harstad for not taking the easy way out of this novel. In some ways, I found this novel to be similar to Neal Stephenson's work, where sometimes he takes us on a digression for the sheer joy of doing so. (For example, the gleeful 4-page chapter in Cryptonomicon where the novel instructs us in the proper way to eat a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal). Well worth a read - at least check it out from the library if you're not sure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rule 34; Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Stross Page; Review: I am a big fan of Stross' work, and have read all of his previous novels. They are imaginative, funny, interesting and optimistic. His viewpoint in the SF universe is welcome and unique. As with all his novels, I looked forward to the release of the new "Rule 34." However, I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I did his other works. I won't summarize the plot, which has been done elsewhere, and I don't want to give anything away. I found myself wondering just what exactly happened after I finished the novel. We get an explanation that is supposed to tie up the loose ends, but it left me scratching my head. This may be a function of "Rule 34" being a police procedural/detective story that happens to have SF elements, rather than an SF novel. Frankly, I typically get confused by the convulutions of the mystery genre, and that may be why I just couldn't figure out what the heck happened in this novel and why. A few days later I managed to think up what actually might have happened, but I want a conclusion. I don't want to have to make up an ending and wonder if it's what the author really wanted. Personally, I found the second-person present-tense form of the novel to be distracting and off-putting. Other reviewers loved it. Whether you like it or not will be purely a matter of personal taste. Stross fans will not hate this; I didn't, but I just didn't like it as much as his other works. Readers who are fans of both the mystery and SF genres may be the ones who enjoy this the most. It's at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Giving Tree with Gift Card; Author: Visit Amazon's Shel Silverstein Page; Review: "The Giving Tree" is a classic tale of the dangers of unconditional love. The boy loves a tree authentically at first, before he realizes he can take anything he wants from it while giving nothing in return. Indeed, the boy demands so much from the tree that eventually he consumes virtually the entire tree itself. The book points out that the tree thought it was happy, "but not really." If only the tree realized it could say no, or even if the tree realized that it could expect something in return for all that the ungrateful boy demanded, it could have been actually happy. It's an abusive, codependent relationship in which neither part is really happy. While dressed up as a children's book, this is definitely not a book for children, who may take it to mean that love means taking whatever you want from someone. Someone gave this to my child as a gift and I am uncomfortable reading it to her. Frankly, I hide it from her, and if she finds it and wants me to read it, I will insert commentary so that she knows when the boy is being mean. The illustrations are poignant and beautiful.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kosher Chinese: Living, Teaching, and Eating with China's Other Billion; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Levy Page; Review: Michael Levy's book is interesting and entertaining. It's quite a culture shock for him to move to a smaller Chinese city (small by Chinese standards!) where Westerners were few and far between. Levy does a stint as an English teacher, and his students are confused about what the Jewish religion is until one of them remembers that Karl Marx was Jewish, as was Einstein, and they were cool, so he was too. His student nicknamed him "Friendship Jew," which is entertaining and cringeworthy at the same time. As one of the tallest people on campus, he ends up as part of the basketball team as well, leading to some interesting stories. Levy takes this all in good stride, as he acts in the best tradition of regular American people making contact with other cultures. His insights into what motivates his students, their goals and dreams, and what their lives will be like after college are interesting, and give the reader a taste of what it must be like to be an average Chinese citizen. This book is fun, lively and at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The French Slow Cooker; Author: Visit Amazon's Michele Scicolone Page; Review: In my family, with both parents working and a small child, it's hard to find time to cook, especially on a weekday night. I usually make a large quantity of something on Sunday night, enough for two or three meals during the week. However, that leaves a couple of weekday nights where my wife or I have to put something together to eat that both we and a 4 year old would like. This book has helped me out a lot. It sets out dozens of straightforward, simple, easy recipes with French style and flair. I made the chicken with dijon mustard and tarragon a couple of days ago. It took all of 20 minutes to prepare in the morning before work, and was done when I got home. My daughter loved the chicken, and so did we. Based on that recipe, I can't wait to try some of the others. I highly recommend this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: It Is Dangerous to Be Right When the Government Is Wrong: The Case for Personal Freedom; Author: Visit Amazon's Andrew P. Napolitano Page; Review: There is a niche market - and it's a big niche - for books that introduce people to the ideas of liberty. "Restoring the American Dream" by Robert Ringer was one such book, and it's still enjoyable, but it's hopelessly dated and stuck in the 70s. Similar books came out in the 80s and 90s, and those also lose relevance with time. Napolitano's book, in contrast, confronts the issues of our era, one in which our liberties are under unprecedented attack. At a time when even the rights to habeas corpus, to a trial, or even to have charges filed against you before detention are under threat, "Dangerous to be Right..." stands squarely on the side of freedom. Napolitano explains legal concepts clearly and firmly, which is a rarity. This book is timely, thoughtful, and factual, with plenty of footnotes and suggestions for further reading. This would be a great book for yourself or to give as a gift. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mirage: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Matt Ruff Page; Review: Fans of the TV show "Fringe" will find some parallels (pun intended) here, with two alternate universes between which some objects and people can travel. The universes are similar enough to be recognizable, to some extent, and the character of the individuals in both universes is similar. For example, the bad guys are the bad guys in both universes. Ruff creates a rich and interesting world, and introduces us to a group of Baghdad law enforcement officers in that world. Our heroes are interesting and well-written, and each provides a window into a different aspect of their society. Overall, the plot is strong and believable within the context of the world of "The Mirage." Nevertheless, "The Mirage" has problems at both ends. The first 60 pages or so don't really go anywhere, and have a slightly-overly-precious feel, like it's wallowing in "ooh, look how similar that is to our timeline, but it's not!" However, once the McGuffin is discovered, the pace really picks up; Act 2 and most of Act 3 are really interesting and well-plotted. Also, as with some other reviewers, I found the ending unsatisfying, with a deus ex machina appearing at the end that was never hinted at earlier. The ending that was accomplished with that deus ex machina also left me scratching my head and wanting more. Nevertheless, Ruff wrote an interesting literary sci-fi/fantasy/cop novel that is at least worth checking out from the library. It's an entertaining read that should appeal to fans of multiple genres.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sams Teach Yourself HTML, CSS, and JavaScript All in One; Author: Visit Amazon's Julie C. Meloni Page; Review: In my experience, the entire Sams line of books is unequalled for clear, to-the-point practical instruction for a variety of software products. This book is no exception. It's thorough, detailed and easy to follow. I haven't had the time to go through all of the material in the book - there is a lot of it! If you're looking to learn HTML, CSS and JavaScript, this is a great way to start. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career; Author: Visit Amazon's Reid Hoffman Page; Review: As one might expect, Hoffman spends a portion of the book flogging LinkedIn. I am a user myself and generally find it valuable. However, the book goes far beyond LinkedIn, and suggests a number of actions one might take to stay fresh and relevant apart from social media. "The Start-Up of You" is quick reading, but it is actually reading. It's a real book, instead of the expanded slide decks that comprise so many business tomes. The advice given is practical, do-able, and to the point. If you are interested in a job or career change, or just interested in how to network effectively in the 21st century, this book provides some great ideas.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tyler Makes Pancakes! (Tyler and Tofu); Author: Visit Amazon's Tyler Florence Page; Review: My daughter is 2 weeks shy of 5 years old, and she loves pancakes. So, I thought "Tyler Makes Pancakes" would be a perfect match for her. I was right. She loves the book and asks me to read it to her at least once a day. It's of a reasonable length, educates kids about where food comes from without hectoring, and is fun and moves right along. If your 4 year old loves pancakes, he or she will probably like this book. UPDATE My daughter, now 7, finally made the pancakes from the recipe in the book, and they're tasty!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Losing It! Behaviors and Mindsets that Ruin Careers: Lessons on Protecting Yourself from Avoidable Mistakes; Author: Visit Amazon's Bill Lane Page; Review: Most business books are expanded slide decks that could be summarized in 10 pages. "Losing It" sets a new record by setting forth its points on the inner front flap of the dust jacket. The body of the book simply expands those points with old war stories, name dropping, and tangentially-related tales, none of which particularly amplify the point at hand. The most egregious one to me was the one about integrity, where the author relayed a story about his time as a young man in the Vietnam War. Having picked up a young man suspected of being VC, but who was instead an unfortunate mentally-challenged young man, an American intelligence agent began to inflict a particularly vivid form of torture upon him. (Sadly, some things never change.) The author's way of dealing with this with "integrity" and "ethics" was to walk away, and he was OK with that. That's a terrible of example of ethics. Compare and contrast Hugh Thompson, Jr., who in the same war intervened at My Lai and told the perpetrating soldiers to stop or he'd open fire on them. Walking away from an ongoing crime scene is not an example of ethics or integrity. For me, the major takeaway from this book is "don't work at a Fortune 100 company." This book is replete with tales of VPs and senior VPs being jerks just because they could; of Jack Welch being a passive-aggressive jerk who would give praise only to denigrate you a moment later in passing just to keep you in your place; of pure politics played by people for power and not for the company. The fact that the author relays tales about how some of these folks later got fired doesn't mean that they didn't thrive in the organization for 20 years before advancing to the elect. Avoid giant companies like this; find a startup or a small company and just avoid these problems. Better yet, give this book to a college student so that he or she understands what it really means to work at a giant corporation. The only good thing about this book was its length; weighing in at approximately 150 pages, it's not good, but it doesn't last long.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Managing People & Performance: Fast Track to Success (Accelerate Your Career); Author: Visit Amazon's David Ross Page; Review: I have mixed feelings about this book. It contains a few good nuggets of information. However, finding those nuggets in the weirdly-formatted layout of this book is problematic. The publisher was trying way too hard to be hip or trendy, while simultaneously shoveling corporate buzzwords right and left. (At least there is a helpful glossary at the end for determining what all the double-talk is supposed to mean.) The content is all over the map, and the book doesn't know its audience. For example, the last entire section has to do with becoming a director of a company - how to do it, and what the responsibilities are. However, 99.9999% of the readers of this book will never be a director, and those that will don't need a basic how-to book for management. The examples of leadership and management are also laughable. I cringed at the one where a new facilities manager decided to shake up the company hierarchy by removing the reserved spaces in the parking lot for upper management and making other such changes - without any kind of approval from management. At any real company he'd be sacked within a day. Here, it's presented as behavior worthy of emulation. There are much better beginners' books for management, such as "101 Biggest Mistakes Managers Make." Avoid this one.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Existence; Author: Visit Amazon's David Brin Page; Review: David Brin has written a number of great books and rightly won a number of awards. Unfortunately, "Existence" is not one of those books. I won't go into details about the plot, such as it is, and will leave that to others. However, the plot, or lack thereof, is one of the biggest problems with "Existence." It's a snoozer. I actually forgot I was in the middle of reading this book on two separate occasions, putting it down for a week and forgetting I'd ever picked it up. That's not a good sign. In "Existence," like the TV show "Lost," it's as if the author got bored writing the story in the middle and just started telling a new one. In "Existence," it happens twice. Characters and subplots simply vanish, never to be even mentioned by other characters again. The most egregious example has to do with a character and a situation that we spend literally dozens of pages with at the beginning of the book; that plot thread is snipped away and woven into nothing. Further, the novel doesn't finish as much as it just stops. As a personal pet peeve, every other sentence ends with an exclamation! That's not to say there aren't some interesting characters and ideas in this book, because there are. Fans of Brin will buy this regardless of any reviews, and will enjoy it on some level. Nevertheless, this book is best checked out from the library. Newcomers to Brin are advised to start with "Sundiver" or "Startide Rising" instead.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fodor's Big Island of Hawaii (Full-color Travel Guide); Author: Fodor's; Review: We are planning to take a vacation to the Big Island in a couple of years, so we can't confirm the data in the book against ground truth. However, we look forward to doing that! I like how this book is organized; it's a little different from a traditional travel guide. Most travel guides go region by region or city by city and give all information about that area - attractions, dining, lodging - before moving on to the next area. Instead, this book provides information about all of the attractions of the Big Island before moving on to dining and lodging. This makes a lot of sense in the 21st century, as many people prefer to get that kind of information online from review sites rather than in book form. I plan to rely on this book a lot when we finally make plans to go to the Big Island. This book has a lot of great photos without being photo-heavy to the detriment of delivering information. It's pretty and has substance at the same time. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Great North Road [Paperback] [Apr 11, 2013] Peter F. Hamilton; Author: Visit Amazon's Peter F Hamilton Page; Review: "Great North Road" is a giant doorstop of a book, a multi-pound and multi-week commitment. Despite its flaws, it never makes you want to put it down and not pick it back up. Despite the fact that nothing really happens and the book has essentially no momentum in the first 400 pages (seriously), the next 500 actually get you somewhere. There is enough mystery and enough plot to keep you coming back. The basics of this book are great. However, it's weighed down by 400+ pages of unnecessary exposition, prose, and characters. So many plot threads exist that some of them are dropped for 100 or more pages, only to remind you, when they come up again, that some characters you had long forgotten about actually are in the novel. Fallout from such a large number of characters and such a large plot includes the fact that we don't get closure on everyone in the conclusion of the novel. Some characters simply drop off the map, never to be heard from again. I also have a philosophical problem with the perfect "marxist" enterprise that is Constantine's realm. I don't get the impression that it is particularly marxist, and I don't think a marxist Jupiter colony could be anything but a disaster. (See USSR, 1917-1992.) It strikes me as a throwaway that Hamilton tossed in to be edgy, but that he didn't want to commit to or think about in too much detail. Finally, the conclusion just kind of happens. It's anticlimactic, cursory, and feels small given the grand scope of the entire endeavor. Nevertheless, if you have an international plane trip in your future, and you like SF, you could do a lot worse. This isn't the best book I've read all year. However, it manages to be somewhat interesting and engaging despite all its flaws. I'll take this before Benford or Bear.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wool - Omnibus Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: The Wool stories were a surprise - an interesting and well writen set of interrelated short stories/novellas that I knew nothing about before purchasing this book. The surprise was half the fun, so I don't really want to say anything about the details here. What I will say is that Wool reads like a cross between a Twilight Zone episode and your favorite post-apocalyptic movie. The characters are well-drawn and the setting and plot are original. If you are a fan of SF, you will almost certainly enjoy the Wool Omnibus Edition. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Exploding the Phone: The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws who Hacked Ma Bell; Author: Visit Amazon's Phil Lapsley Page; Review: "Exploding The Phone" starts off with stories of young people in the 50s who discover how to explore the details of the telephone system, and almost as a minor sideline realize they figured out how to make free phone calls. Interestingly, at least half of them are blind. In the modern world, probably all of them would be diagnosed as Aspergers' kids; you need that kind of single minded attention to detail to figure out the details of the phone system the way they did. Initially, the book begins with independent stories, and as the book proceeds and some of these young people (later called "phone phreaks") get to know one another, their stories intertwine. Also, as the book progresses, the phone company shifts from a bemused behemoth to an angry elephant, particularly when the military and the NSA get involved. For people interested in intelligence topics, the information about AUTOVON - the military phone network - is fascinating, and is discussed nowhere else that I know of. I was fascinated to learn about the People's Computer Company on Menalto Avenue, which is almost around the corner from my house. I never knew that little strip mall had such an illustrious history in the early years of the Valley, nor that the famous PCC was located next door to where I get my hair cut. This is a book about the ur-hackers and their contribution to early hacker culture as much as anything else. If you have an interest in that kind of thing, if you like technology, or are interested in phone technology, you will enjoy this book. Recommended, at least to check out from the library.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wool - Omnibus Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: I downloaded this to my Kindle after a suggestion from Amazon that I might like it. Given the glowing reviews, I gave it I a shot, and I'm glad I did. "Wool" is classic, well-thought-out, straight-up SF. It includes interesting characters, some mysteries, and more importantly answers to those mysteries. It lacks the flash of a Neal Stephenson or Charles Stross novel, but captures perfectly the setting and the lives of the people trapped in that setting. The omnibus edition will keep you entranced on both legs of a cross-country round trip airline flight. If you like SF, take a chance on this - you will enjoy it. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies; Author: Visit Amazon's Betty Crocker Page; Review: This isn't a vintage recipe book reissued for the 21st century - it's an original book full of a lot of different kinds of cookies you can make. As some reviewers note, some of the recipes call for Betty Crocker mixes. That's OK with me. They are readily available, and if you don't want to use a mix, there are plenty of other options for cookies to bake in this book. Get inspired for Christmas and buy this early!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 12th Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael R Lindeburg Page; Review: I have no intention whatsoever of taking the PE exam. I think I've about had my fill of exams at this point in my life. Nonetheless, this is a comprehensive and useful reference. I am a patent attorney, and a volume of this nature is quite useful. It provides an outline, terminology and useful information covering over 70 discrete topics in mechanical engineering. This would have come in handy when I was an undergrad, as well. If you have a need for a thorough mechanical engineering reference book, this manual is for you. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Departure; Author: Visit Amazon's Neal L. Asher Page; Review: I'm glad to get another Asher novel. That man never sleeps. The series "The Owner" takes place much closer to our own time than the Polity novels. Consequently, it lacks some of the fantastic elements and overarching scale of those books. I can see how some of the fans of the Polity novels didn't care for this as much. However, I view this series (whether it's Asher's intent or not) as a prequel to the Polity novels. Asher delivers large scale and big drama on a scale perhaps more familiar and comprehensible than usual. When a man with no memory of his past, but with a top-secret computer interface inside his head, goes up against a totalitarian world state, mayhem ensues. Much more so than the Polity novels, this book takes a strong and unmistakeable anti-statist stand. If that is not your cup of tea, you will not like this novel, regardless of its other merits. Be forewarned.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change; Author: John Hagee; Review: I am not sure why I am reviewing this book, given that virtually all of the purchasers will be Hagee's faithful. However, I received this as a well-intentioned gift, and cannot let its content go by. This book has very little to do with the BIble. Hagee cherry-picks a few verses in the first half to assign some kind of significance to a sequence of "four blood moons" (hey, I said the title of the book!) that occurs every few decades. The second half of the book cherry-picks historical good things and bad things that happened during each of those blood moons the past few times they came around. Then it anticipates what will happen in 2014-2015 the next time those blood moons happen. Spoiler alert: the Israeli government wins a military battle against its enemies. The end. None of this should be surprising, given that Hagee is a dominionist and the founder of Republicans United for the Likud Party, *cough, cough*, Christians United for Israel. However, it's a black eye for Protestant Christianity to have the teachings of Jesus outright ignored to sell a thin screed that cheerleads a military victory by the government of Israel. This is Erich von Daniken level stuff, the kind of thing you'd find in a grocery store checkout lane in 1975. None of this has anything to do with the Bible. The book even gives the Rapture, the red meat of the Evangelical movement, short shift, brushing it aside in what amounts to an afterword. The cynicism of this book, a poorly-written astrology chart, meant to extract $10 from the rubes, is breathtaking. And shameful. Avoid.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Terms of Engagement: How Our Courts Should Enforce the Constitution's Promise of Limited Government; Author: Visit Amazon's Clark M. Neily III Page; Review: Books about legal topics tend to fall into two categories - those written for a lay audience that take out all the law, and wonky tomes directed at lawyers only. Clark Niely manages to transcend these categories with a short, clear book that concisely lays out the principles of modern constitutional law - and what is wrong with them. HIs style is breezy but compelling, making this book hard to put down. If you take nothing away from this book but the idea of the "rational basis test," or as Neily calls it the "rationalize a basis test," you are ahead of the game. Laymen often believe that federal judges carefully and thoroughly listen to the plaintiff and the government make their best case, and proceed from there. They will be shocked to discover that most government action need only be justified by a "rational basis" that the judge can actually fabricate from whole cloth. They will also be shocked to discover whether you win or lose as a plaintiff is usually determined not by the facts of your case, but whether your case gets tossed into the "rational basis" bucket or the "heightened scrutiny" bucket. Neily contends, quite rightly in my view, that "judicial activism" is merely a phrase that describes any judicial decision the reader doesn't like. The fear of "judicial activism," coupled with the populist impulse to do what the majority wants, make it difficult for courts to apply any meaningful constraints on the government. That stinks, because the point of the Constitution was to apply meaningful constraints on the government. Neily advocates getting over the fear of activism and judging in an engaged manner - which simply means at its core that the rational basis test must be discarded and the government must be required to justify its restrictions of liberty when challenged. He also calls this "real judging." This book is a great read for anyone concerned about how one goes about placing any kind of constraints on federal, state and local governments. Also, this book would be ideal for incoming law students to read the summer before starting law school - the information about the different levels of scrutiny alone would put somebody ahead of the game in his or her constitutional law class. It would make a great gift. If nothing else, if you have an interest in these topics it's worth checking this out from the library. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Edible: An Adventure into the World of Eating Insects and the Last Great Hope to Save the Planet; Author: Visit Amazon's Daniella Martin Page; Review: "Edible" is a fascinating look at entomophagy - colloquially, bug eating. Daniella Martin takes us through the cultural history, culinary variety, and economic/environmental reasons for eating bugs. As she puts it - and as I've always thought; it was like she read my mind - animals are "meat machines" for converting plants to protein. From a sheer efficiency standpoint, bugs are far better meat machines than larger animals. And, as omnivores, we humans need that meat protein to stay healthy. The travelogue parts of the book are the highlight, as she interviews a variety of people in the first and third worlds who are pioneers in entomophagy. This book is organized in two parts: the primary narrative and the "epilogue." The epilogue contains instructions how to farm many of the insects discussed in the book, descriptions of the bugs and their flavors, and bug recipes for those who want to taste what Martin described. I don't know that I'd call it an "epilogue" given that it runs half as long, at least, as the remainder of the book. Nevertheless it's good basic information that beginners could use to get started growing and eating bugs. Martin identifies a number of vendors for bugs in the book, so you have enough data on that front to get started, but it would be helpful to have an appendix somewhere listing those vendors, what they do and giving a website/email to help you find them. If I would change anything about this book, it would be to expand the travelogue sections. Particularly with Nordic Food Lab - that was absolutely fascinating and I felt we only got a tiny glimpse into a cutting-edge massively-talented group. I found myself much more interested in Martin's culinary adventures overseas and in her interviews with entomophagists, farmers, chefs and others than I was in the general bug advocacy portions of the book. I'd also like to find out more about the bulk-protein industry, which is alluded to but not really explored. The use of bugs as a protein source for a variety of foods and supplements seems like a no-brainer and a way for the bug farming industry to ramp quickly. And the big unanswered question for me - what about the shells? I've eaten crispy Asian shrimp, shells, eyes and all, and the shell is still a problem to chew and get down. Much is made about crickets - I'd love to know how you actually eat those without the shell getting in the way. Is it tasty? Is it not actually that hard? Even if you don't plan to eat bugs, and frankly I don't, "Edible" is a quick and interesting read. I'd highly recommend it for foodies or inquisitive people.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: National Geographic Traveler: Berlin, 2nd Edition; Author: Damien Simonis; Review: I have never been to Berlin, but I hope to go in the next couple of years - therefore, my review is not backed up by ground truth. Nevertheless, this is an excellent guidebook. Like many of its kind, it starts off with some history of the city, followed by a list of attractions organized by neighborhood. Given how large Berlin is and how many things there are to see, the book really helps a visitor make sense of what there is to see and plan ahead for a visit. Frankly, after having read this book I feel like I can finally get my arms around what I want to do in Berlin when I go. This book is more focused on attractions, sights, and so forth than on hotels and restaurants. Frankly, I appreciate that. While some are listed toward the end, the fact is that in the 21st century online hotel reviews are more important than what a book has to say, and restaurants come and go. The "Time Out" books have the restaurant/entertainment niche cornered anyway. This book is also the right size and weight to carry around while out and about. I would highly recommend this book to anyone planning a trip to Berlin.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers (Brewing Elements); Author: John Palmer; Review: I have been homebrewing for 20+ years, and one thing I've taken for granted is that my water is OK for brewing as long as I've filtered out the chlorine/chloramine. In the last couple of years I've started down the road of "add gymsum for IPAs, add calcium chloride for dark beers." However, none of that has been informed by hard data. Palmer and Kaminski provide that hard data. This book is chock full of information, formulas and targets. You will learn multiple approaches for obtaining the best water possible for a given style of beer. I am fortunate to live in an area with very soft natural water. However, even with that I need to make some adjustments for certain styles. Using the knowledge I've obtained from "Water," I am looking forward to brewing even better beer!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ophthalmology at a Glance; Author: Visit Amazon's Jane Olver Page; Review: I am a patent attorney, and much of my work has been in the medical device field. Consequently, I often have a need to know more about medical topics and the human body than most lay people. This is a very useful book that is very accessible to a non-doctor. I can see that it would be useful for medical students or even practicing physicians/nurses/PAs as well. If you need some basic to medium level information about opthamology, this is a great starting point. Recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch); Author: Visit Amazon's Ann Leckie Page; Review: I was excited to download this novel, because based on the description it had everything I liked - high space opera, unique concepts, and big scope. I won't bore you by repeating the plot summary already provided for this book. It sounded like something different. To some extent it was. One of the things that gets a lot of discussion is the gender neutrality of the book, and the use of the term "she" to describe everyone. It's different and interesting. And, given that Breq is a humanoid instantiation of the AI that ran the ship Justice of Toren, one would expect Breq to have a much different view of gender, and to place much less emphasis on it, than biological humans born into one gender or another. However, at some point the novelty wears off. We learn the gender of some characters, but not others. Why? There's no rhyme or reason as to why it's apparently important to know in certain instances but not in other instances. In addition, there is no reason why Breq wouldn't note the gender of another person to him/herself in the same manner that he/she would note the color of the walls, without ascribing any more significance than that to the fact. However, the real flaw in this novel, and the reason why I gave it 2 stars instead of 4, is the pacing. This book is badly paced. Period. Act 1 takes up the first half of this book. And not a lot happens in Act 1. It's talky, and stuff happens, but for no apparent reason, and there is no narrative drive for anyone to do anything. "Languid" might be the most descriptive word for Act 1. Then a lot of stuff happens all at once. So I got excited, but then not a lot else happens for a while. Act 3 is crammed into about 10% of the novel, and then we get one of the least exciting and most anticlimactic "climaxes" I've read for quite some time. Then the novel just ends, at a point where you know the second novel is going to start. Finally, I felt the descriptions of a lot of the places in this novel were lacking. I had a very generic picture in my head for most of the locations, and didn't really feel transported to the exotic locations that they were supposed to be. I understand the SF novel trilogy/series, and I know it's the standard format for these things. But you have to provide some actual ending, instead of just stopping. I felt that was strongly absent here. I might read the second novel; I might not. I'm ambivalent at this point. I really love the creativity of this novel, but more polish and more editing are definitely needed.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ancillary Justice; Author: Ann Leckie; Review: I was excited to download this novel, because based on the description it had everything I liked - high space opera, unique concepts, and big scope. I won't bore you by repeating the plot summary already provided for this book. It sounded like something different. To some extent it was. One of the things that gets a lot of discussion is the gender neutrality of the book, and the use of the term "she" to describe everyone. It's different and interesting. And, given that Breq is a humanoid instantiation of the AI that ran the ship Justice of Toren, one would expect Breq to have a much different view of gender, and to place much less emphasis on it, than biological humans born into one gender or another. However, at some point the novelty wears off. We learn the gender of some characters, but not others. Why? There's no rhyme or reason as to why it's apparently important to know in certain instances but not in other instances. In addition, there is no reason why Breq wouldn't note the gender of another person to him/herself in the same manner that he/she would note the color of the walls, without ascribing any more significance than that to the fact. However, the real flaw in this novel, and the reason why I gave it 2 stars instead of 4, is the pacing. This book is badly paced. Period. Act 1 takes up the first half of this book. And not a lot happens in Act 1. It's talky, and stuff happens, but for no apparent reason, and there is no narrative drive for anyone to do anything. "Languid" might be the most descriptive word for Act 1. Then a lot of stuff happens all at once. So I got excited, but then not a lot else happens for a while. Act 3 is crammed into about 10% of the novel, and then we get one of the least exciting and most anticlimactic "climaxes" I've read for quite some time. Then the novel just ends, at a point where you know the second novel is going to start. Finally, I felt the descriptions of a lot of the places in this novel were lacking. I had a very generic picture in my head for most of the locations, and didn't really feel transported to the exotic locations that they were supposed to be. I understand the SF novel trilogy/series, and I know it's the standard format for these things. But you have to provide some actual ending, instead of just stopping. I felt that was strongly absent here. I might read the second novel; I might not. I'm ambivalent at this point. I really love the creativity of this novel, but more polish and more editing are definitely needed.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Judge of Ages (The Eschaton Sequence); Author: Visit Amazon's John C. Wright Page; Review: Like many readers, I came to John C. Wright from the Golden Age books, which remain by far his best. If you haven't read those, go do so right now. The Count to a Trillion series has been a good read, and is starting to approach the Golden Age in terms of quality. "The Judge of Ages" shouldn't work. In the same manner as "The Empire Strikes Back" is the best Star Wars movie despite the fact that it smashes the playbook on standard screenplay structure, "The Judge of Ages" is talky, is mainly set in a single large room, has its massive action setpiece in the first act, and is laden with exposition in the third act. Nevertheless, we finally get a lot of things placed in context, and the whole thing manages to cohere into a dynamic and interesting whole. The one disappointment I have is that I assumed this would be a trilogy. However, there is clearly at least a fourth book coming - although this one stands on its own and could, if need be, serve as a satisfactory conclusion. This is at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Time, the End (Asleep in 60 Seconds); Author: Visit Amazon's Geoffrey Kloske Page; Review: My daughter and I both love this book. It's one of her favorites. She's 7 and she has enjoyed it for a solid two years since we received it. It's lighthearted and funny, and entertaining for adults and children both. The plot isn't important; a harried father desperately tries to get his child to go to sleep, and cuts more and more words out of each progressive bedtime story in a vain attempt to bring the struggle to an end. Once upon a time there were some pigs. It doesn't matter how many. Highly recommended. Check it out from the library if you want to make sure you and child like it first.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Influx; Author: Visit Amazon's Daniel Suarez Page; Review: "Influx" was OK. That's not bad. It's not deep, but it's there. The conceit is that the federal Bureau of Technology Control corrals geniuses who may upset the status quo with their discoveries. They can cooperate or pay the price. So let me give you an example of the depth of this book. Hero: Hay I thought I was dying but I woke up here??? Hendricks: Yeah, you're not dead. But look at all this cool stuff we have. You need to join us. Hero: No. Hendricks: Kay, I did my best, it's off to high tech jail for you! The military bad guy telegraphs right out of the gate how bad he is immediately thereafter; the narrator might as well have had him twist his mustache and cackle. "Influx" is chock full of deuses (deii?) ex machina, coincidence, and improbable plot twists. I found it to be much more entertaining if I pictured evil Hendriks, the head of the BTC, as Scientology leader David Miscavage, with the Cotton character being Philip Seymour Hoffman and Grady, our hero, as a generic Portland hipster. Still, for all that, it's a decent disposable read that you will forget about entirely 3 days later. For more interesting works regarding a "breakaway civilization" within our own, the interested reader may wish to look into the words of Joseph Farrell or Richard Dolan.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas (Hugo Award Winner - Best Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's John Scalzi Page; Review: Look, you know going into this novel exactly what it is - a book about redshirts in real life. It's also a meta-novel about the relationship between reality and fiction. Most importantly to me, it's pretty entertaining. It starts off a little slow, but by the end of the first act there are some very funny bits, and the comedy doesn't let up from there. If you're writing a satire, it had better be funny, and "Redshirts" succeeds in that regard. I suspect many of the 1-2 star reviews are from hardcore Star Trek fans who have their knickers in a twist that Star Trek is somehow being disrespected. I am a hardcore Star Trek fan and I still thought this was an entertaining novel. It's not great art, but it's perhaps exactly what you need to sustain you through a plane ride. Recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Greatship; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Reed Page; Review: I am not always a big fan of short story collections. However, "The Greatship" is a gigantic read. It's more of a collection of novellas than short stories. Most of them are pretty good. I loved "Marrow," and liked "The Well of Stars," so it was a slam dunk that I would enjoy this. Many characters from those novels - Miocene, Washen, Pamir, Quee Le - turn up in one or more of these stories, and we learn substantially more about at least one of them. The stories are in generally chronological order. If I have a complaint, it's that the final short story, "Hatch", is a post-Well of Stars story that simply ends, rather than finishes, in much the same manner as "The Well of Stars." Given that we know now, in part, what happened to the Greatship after encountering the Polypond, I find it hard to believe we'll get a "Hatch" prequel that fills in the gaps. That makes me sad. What makes me happy is that this is a mostly well-written set of stories that I enjoyed. Read it after the two Greatship novels.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Zero History; Author: Visit Amazon's William Gibson Page; Review: Thankfully Gibson got this out of his system in time to write The Peripheral. No vestiges of SF, cyberpunk, Neuromancer, or creativity remain in this book. It's firmly situated not just in our time, but probably about 5 years in the past. Rather than being about anything in particular, this novel centers on the search for some intentionally obscure manufacturer of clothing. The heroine goes shopping, there are long fetishistic descriptions of clothing, and stuff happens. When the book ends, it's a relief. This is the only William Gibson novel I have ever considered walking away from. I didn't because I was on a plane, and this was also all I had to read. Bad choice. Avoid, unless I suppose if you are a fashion maven, and even then you'd probably be happier with a recent copy of Vogue.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Zero History; Author: Visit Amazon's William Gibson Page; Review: Thankfully Gibson got this out of his system in time to write The Peripheral. No vestiges of SF, cyberpunk, Neuromancer, or creativity remain in this book. It's firmly situated not just in our time, but probably about 5 years in the past. Rather than being about anything in particular, this novel centers on the search for some intentionally obscure manufacturer of clothing. The heroine goes shopping, there are long fetishistic descriptions of clothing, and stuff happens. When the book ends, it's a relief. This is the only William Gibson novel I have ever considered walking away from. I didn't because I was on a plane, and this was also all I had to read. Bad choice. Avoid, unless I suppose if you are a fashion maven, and even then you'd probably be happier with a recent copy of Vogue.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Peripheral; Author: Visit Amazon's William Gibson Page; Review: I am old enough to remember when Gibson burst onto the scene with "Neuromancer," and how much that book changed SF. It even had enough of an impact on society that words like "cyberspace" entered the standard English lexicon. It's impossible to overstate how influential "Neuromancer" was. Its successor, "Count Zero," was even better. Then, in my opinion, I found his books sequentially less and less interesting. By the time Gibson got to "Zero History," which is a novel about a woman shopping for a jacket, no SF aspects remained in his work. I think even Gibson was bored by "Zero History," because "The Peripheral" is a fresh, densely-packed, highly-imaginative work of SF unlike anything you've read before. I hesitate to describe too much of it, because the excitement of seeing this book unfold as you read it would be ruined. Suffice it to say that Chapter 1 shoots you out of a cannon directly into the middle of the narrative; you may need to read it two or three times to figure out exactly what is happening. That's not because of unclear writing; it's because Gibson drops you straight into the future and the plot without any exposition. Personally, I thought it was genius. You won't want to put this down. The ending - which, like Neal Stephenson, is often Gibson's weakest point - is strong. It leaves the door open to future stories in this universe, while still serving as a strong conclusion. I love that, given that a hugely weak point of many SF novels is the fact that they just stop, pending the release of the next novel. Highly recommended. Gibson has rediscovered his mojo, and I am very happy for him, as well as his readers.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Something Coming Through; Author: Paul McAuley; Review: As an initial matter, even though one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, this book has the worst cover of anything I've seen this year. If there were a Bulwer-Lytton award for book covers, "Something Coming Through" would be in top contention. I got a recommendation for this book and with some trepidation downloaded it, thinking it was a self-published novel based on the awful cover. So, my expectations were super low when I started. To my surprise and great pleasure, "Something Coming Through" ended up being a steadily-paced, suspenseful novel that was hard to put down. I won't repeat the plot summary above, other than to say the novel follows two sets of characters on two planets, who eventually come together William Gibson style. There's some police work, some aliens, some near-future speculation, and a McDonalds' drive-through on Mangala. McAuley has put together a universe unlike what we've seen before in SF, and hopefully we'll see some additional books in this setting. This is a relatively quick read. It's at least worth checking out from the library. I plan to seek out other books by the same author.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts--Becoming the Person You Want to Be; Author: Visit Amazon's Marshall Goldsmith Page; Review: Where even to begin with this review? I'll start with something positive. Goldsmith is a smart guy with some valuable things to say. I got a lot out of his previous book "What Got You Here Won't Get You There." I recommend that book highly. "What Got You Here..." lists a number of behaviors and attitudes that aren't helpful in the workplace, even if they might have been useful as an entry level person. If you identify even one of those in yourself, and put some effort into working on that, it pays off a lot. For example, I had a problem with "adding too much value," as Goldsmith delicately put it. Recognizing that, I worked on it, and had very positive results. Goldsmith is a skilled coach and writer with demonstrated effectiveness and I truly believe that. Nevertheless, "Triggers," in contrast to the structured, focused and empowering content of "What Got You Here...", is a confused, disempowering mess that spends its first third telling you why you are powerless to change in the face of your environment. We are caught in a behaviorist nightmare, a planet-sized Skinner box that determines our behavior. Chapter 3 ends with a bald statement that "If we do not create and control our environment, our environment creates and controls us." So we don't have any choices about our own behavior unless we control our environment. But if we are in an environment in the first place (as we all necessarily are), which "creates and controls us", how could we ever formulate a choice to "create and control" our environment in a different way? But then Goldsmith backs off the uber-behaviorism and introduces his AIWATT acronym. Oh, this is after the part of the book where he characterizes pleasure as "counter-productive," but then wonders why it is that high achievers don't ask themselves what they are doing to make themselves happy. Huh? But you just....never mind. AIWATT is how you're supposed to decouple environmental triggers from your responses. But you just spent chapters...never mind. It's not any more effective or any less nonsensical on paper. "Triggers" is even bad at the behaviorist analysis it espouses. Goldsmith expresses dismay that people opposed Bloomberg's attempt to "change the environment" by limiting soda sales, and was amazed and perplexed that people objected to doing something that was good for them. He wouldn't have been so perplexed if he had thought more deeply about the "environment" in question. It's not so much about not being able to buy a large soda, as the looming background presence of a state so powerful and meddlesome that it can't help but interfere in the tiniest decisions in your day. Talk about a limiting and overbearing environment! Goldsmith also conflates that fact that people act differently in different situations with the idea that those different situations are different environments that control us. Really? I thought it was my choice and my learned behavior to behave in one way with the Board of Directors and another way at home. I guess I was wrong and I; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The End of Tsarist Russia: The March to World War I and Revolution; Author: Visit Amazon's Dominic Lieven Page; Review: Dominic Lieven has put together an interesting work about WWI, told from a different perspective than usual - the Russian one. This is not a boring history book that is obsessed with dates and chronologies, but rather a book about the various states involved in the conflict, at the height of the age of imperialism. A striking and interesting thing I didn't know was the extent to which the Russian aristocracy and foreign ministry was opposed to war in general, and in specific was opposed to war after the disastrous 1905 war with Japan that partially led to the first revolution. Indeed, as Lieven points out, "far from being exceptional, the sympathy...for moderate constitutional liberalism was the norm among the upper-class gentlemen who dominated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." We see the seeds of conflicts still playing out 100 years later, with different factions in Russia, the Balkans, and elsewhere expressing different degrees of support for "pan-Slav unity," for their own ends. Ukraine, Armenia, Afghanistan - the same trouble spots are still trouble. Having said that, it's slow going in places, in part because of the focus on people rather than events. But there are times I read this for half an hour and thought, wow, I've only gotten through how much? Still, if you have an interest in this topic, "The End of Tsarist Russia" is well worth seeking out. It provided a different perspective than and something of a counterweight to the first section of Harrison Salisbury's "Black Night, White Snow", which is also worth reading.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Michel Thomas Speak German Advanced: 5-CD Advanced Program (Michel Thomas Series); Author: Michel Thomas; Review: I am a big fan of the basic Michel Thomas course for the German language. It does a fantastic job of getting you up to speed quickly in German basics. The version I have of that was CD based, and as I recall had 8 discs and 2 review discs. The Advanced German course contains some valuable information, almost all centered on verbs and verb tenses. However, it's packed into 4 discs and 1 review disc. As a result, the pacing is completely different than the basic course. I find myself having to stop and repeat tracks over and over, sometimes because there is a nugget of key information is covered so quickly that I need to go back over it to be sure I understand. For me, the way the Michel Thomas method is structured just works; however, the speed of the Advanced German course makes it less useful than the basic course, particularly because the material is more complex.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The WikiLeaks Files: The World According to US Empire; Author: Visit Amazon's WikiLeaks Page; Review: I have the utmost respect for Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, two political prisoners of the American Empire, without whom many of the crimes committed by the Federal Government and its agents never would have been exposed. As Assange pointed out in the introduction to this book, the value of the WikiLeaks repository is in the picture that the entirety paints of the overarching structures of empire and their historical development. There are few bombshells individually. I had been expecting a book that focused on those individual bombshells, though, so to that extent I was somewhat disappointed. Each chapter in the book is written by a different writer experienced in that subject matter. Unfortunately the very first chapter almost torpedoed the entire book for me. With very little reference to the source material, it set out a history of the last 100 years of the Federal Government; the US colonial enterprise post-1898. OK, but none of it was new news, it just went on and on, and I didn't see how it related to Wikileaks. The individual chapters are quite spotty in quality. The best of them include Gareth Porter's chapter on Iran, Phyllis Bennis' chapter on Afghanistan, and Dahr Jamail's chapter on Iraq. There is also a useful chapter that provides a guide for researching the WikiLeaks materials. If you have an interest in the material, this is at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Architect of Aeons: Book Four of the Eschaton Sequence; Author: Visit Amazon's John C. Wright Page; Review: I was about done with this series after the previous book; 3/4 of it described a big battle inside an underground space, followed by a long, long stretch of very clunky ex post facto exposition. In contrast, the "Architect of Aeons" provides a compelling narrative extending over tens of thousands of years. It flows well and does not contain giant boluses of exposition. If you've read these novels before, and you have if you've gotten to #4, the eternal rivalry between Montrose and del Azarchel continues, with bigger stakes, bigger spaces, and longer eras. The only downside is that there is still a fifth book to come in order to wrap this whole thing up. Recommended.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seveneves; Author: Visit Amazon's Neal. Stephenson Page; Review: Neal Stephenson is an excellent novelist. I'd go so far as to say he is one of the best novelists in the US in any genre. A three-star Stephenson novel is better than a five-star novel from almost anyone else. My three-star rating doesn't reflect a lack of reading pleasure, but a recognition of missed opportunity. As a former Space Station engineer, it was fun to see the ISS as a main character in this novel. Seveneves really takes off, after a disaster-movie first third, after the action shifts to the ISS. The characters grow, interesting things happen, and human nature manifests itself in depressingly predictable ways. Those who want power will always seek power regardless of the circumstances. Anyone who has read Stephenson knows that endings aren't his strong suit. A more charitable thing to say would be that Stephenson has a different conception of what an ending should be than I do, and that's fair. However, to me, this book simply stops. There is an event, and it's interesting, but it's not an end. The last third of the novel is just people doing stuff, without much of a plot, and the event that is the "ending" is really the end of act 1 of the last third of the book. I was left with a big "so what" from the last third of the novel. It's imaginative and has potential, but doesn't go anywhere. Similarly, there is another branch of humanity we see from the first 2/3rds of the novel - where did they go? They are not mentioned even in passing. Upon thinking about this novel further, another issue that I had was the matriarchal structure of the Spacers, which was alluded to but never really fleshed out, versus the patriarchal structure of the Diggers, which was more fleshed out. However, the two structures per se never clash; they are brought up but just sit there. If the final third of Seveneves were Act 1 of the sequel, which is how it reads, I would expect that conflict to manifest in Acts 2 and 3, but instead it's just an weirdly unfired Chekhov's Gun. Newcomers to Stephenson's work are advised to start with "Snow Crash," "Cryptonomicon," "The Diamond Age," or "Anathem." Seveneves is an enjoyable outing, but Stephenson has written better. Nevertheless, it's at least worth checking out of the library.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Chasing the Last Laugh: How Mark Twain Escaped Debt and Disgrace with a Round-the-World Comedy Tour; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Zacks Page; Review: Most fans of Mark Twain have at least a passing familiarity with his early career, living and writing in Nevada and California. However, I had never read the story of his later life; this is that story. Twain married a coal heiress and was devoted to her and their children. He continued to be an excellent writer. However, he was a terrible angel investor and venture capitalist. Twain dumped over $5 million (in today's dollars) into an inventor's typesetting machine - a machine that he never got to work satisfactorily. When that company went under, in an era without federal bankruptcy law, his wife insisted as a point of honor that they find a way to pay the creditors in full. To do that, Twain embarked in a year-long world tour. From the accounts in the book, I don't know whether I'd characterize his appearances as standup comedy or as book readings. Either way, I wish I could have seen it firsthand! Twain hated that kind of performance, until he was onstage doing it. He sold out locations around the world and had an opportunity to indulge his love of travel, this time accompanied by his wife and two of his daughters. The travel tales are interesting. The finance/bankruptcy part is also interesting, but gets into a little too much detail at times. However, that is easily skipped over. Tragedy strikes at one point, and Twain attempts to return to venture investing at the end, and it is clear that sometimes the funniest people are simultaneously wrestling tragedy and their inner demons. If you have any interest in Mark Twain's works, this is at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Off-Centered Leadership: The Dogfish Head Guide to Motivation, Collaboration and Smart Growth; Author: Visit Amazon's Sam Calagione Page; Review: I was a bit wary of this book going in. Business books by CEOs tend to fall into the pattern of humblebragging, or outright bragging, and don't always deliver much content beyond self-promotion. However, Sam Calagione's book was really interesting. He pulls no punches on himself, and identifies right out of the gate things that he did wrong solely because he didn't want to listen to anyone else's opinion. While this book is oriented toward the brewing industry, it has great applicability to any startup, particularly founder-run startups. Sam does a great job of candidly discussing the challenges of hyper growth when you are a founder-CEO. These challenges are not unique to brewing. I found this book informative and entertaining. It's at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chasing the Last Laugh; Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Zacks Page; Review: Most fans of Mark Twain have at least a passing familiarity with his early career, living and writing in Nevada and California. However, I had never read the story of his later life; this is that story. Twain married a coal heiress and was devoted to her and their children. He continued to be an excellent writer. However, he was a terrible angel investor and venture capitalist. Twain dumped over $5 million (in today's dollars) into an inventor's typesetting machine - a machine that he never got to work satisfactorily. When that company went under, in an era without federal bankruptcy law, his wife insisted as a point of honor that they find a way to pay the creditors in full. To do that, Twain embarked in a year-long world tour. From the accounts in the book, I don't know whether I'd characterize his appearances as standup comedy or as book readings. Either way, I wish I could have seen it firsthand! Twain hated that kind of performance, until he was onstage doing it. He sold out locations around the world and had an opportunity to indulge his love of travel, this time accompanied by his wife and two of his daughters. The travel tales are interesting. The finance/bankruptcy part is also interesting, but gets into a little too much detail at times. However, that is easily skipped over. Tragedy strikes at one point, and Twain attempts to return to venture investing at the end, and it is clear that sometimes the funniest people are simultaneously wrestling tragedy and their inner demons. If you have any interest in Mark Twain's works, this is at least worth checking out from the library.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fairyland; Author: Visit Amazon's Paul J. McAuley Page; Review: I really enjoyed McAuley's Jackaroo novels. They were creative and interesting. I expected something similar from "Fairyland." Sadly, I was disappointed. "Fairyland" is the tale of a man across three separate periods of time. In some ways, this book is three novellas featuring his tale, put together into one book. On the plus side, there is a lot of creatively here in some respects - the fairies, the dolls, the feys. McAuley doesn't feel the need to explain everything in excruciating detail, allowing the reader to discover things through context. On the minus side, this book tries way too hard to emulate William Gibson, right down to the "computer deck" and mirrorshades. Many of the characters are just unlikeable. And, the fragmentation of this book into three separate parts makes it hard to develop a narrative flow that carries you through. Frankly, I forgot I was in the middle of reading this book a couple of times and forgot to pick it up for a week or so at a time. It's OK, but not McAuley's best. This is best checked out of the library if you are interested.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Madden NFL 08 - Xbox 360; Brand: by
Electronic Arts; Review: I'm an achievement hunter. I once played the Madden NFL 08 demo and it actually gave me a bunch of achievements (usually demos don't do that). At any rate, this was $1.80 used so I figured, why not pick it up and complete the achievements?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Assassin's Creed; Brand: by
Ubisoft; Review: I really enjoy Assassin's Creed. I think this was a good entry in the series with some nice changes. However, UBI Soft released an incredibly buggy game. It was super frustrating at times before they patched it (and they've had to patch it several times). It's probably fine now, but I haven't played a lot of the single player since the last patch (I managed to complete it despite the bugs). My big worry is for the future of the franchise. It's not always a good thing when I company becomes hell bent on delivering a new game in the series every year. It's a profit play and it results in buggy releases.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Halo 4 - Xbox 360 (Standard Game); Brand: by
Microsoft; Review: Do you like Halo? Then you probably already have this game. At any rate, I thought 343 did a good job carrying the torch with this one. The plot is a little confusing at times without finding the extra hidden easter eggs and playing through Spartan Ops, but the game looks great and the gameplay is well done. The multiplayer is also very fun.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes - Xbox 360; Brand: by
WB Games; Review: The Lego games have come a long way. If you or your kids enjoy Lego video games, they won't be disappointed with this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEGO Lord of the Rings - Xbox 360; Brand: by
WB Games; Review: The Lego games have come a long way. If you or your kids enjoy Lego video games, they won't be disappointed with this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Video_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Cedar Manor Hotel and Restaurant; City: Windermere Lake District Cumbria England; Review: We spent a very good weekend here. Cedar Manor is a well run family hotel, service is excellent and the food in the restaurant is worth the visit in its own right. You feel like part of the family. It is also well located for walking or just seeing the sites of the lake district.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Porto Mare Hotel; City: Funchal Madeira Madeira Islands; Review: This is part of a three hotel complex so you have access to all of the facilities across all three, Porto Eden and The Residence being the other two. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble, we stayed in a superior room with a sea view, it was a little dearer but well worth it. Fantastic views, very large room with dressing area, en suite bathroom and balcony. All the rooms have twin beds, safes, TV's, etc. A variety of pools, indoors and out, lovely gardens, restaurants to suit every taste, daily activities for those who want a little extra. Well worth a visit would recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Passage House Hotel; City: Kingsteignton Devon England; Review: Recently spent three nights in the north lodge. The staff were very helpful and responded to all requests with a smile. Food was very good, breakfast cooked to order. Room was large, clean and comfortable. Would stay here again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn London Southwark Tate Modern Hotel; City: London England; Review: We have stayed here a few times now and I would recommend it. The staff are friendly, the rooms are good as is the breakfast. The location is in easy reach of most attractions by tube. Although it is a premier inn and in a big city it has the feel of a more homely hotel. Worth a visit.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mercure Rome Colosseum Centre; City: Rome Lazio; Review: We stayed here for a few days and found it to be a great hotel. Great location along with friendly and helpful staff. The rooms are typical city size but are clean and have everything you need for your stay. I would certainly recommend it as a place to consider if you are staying in Rome.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sunville House; City: Ballycotton County Cork; Review: Just retrained home from 3 nights at Sunville House. The owners Paddy and Anna made us feel very welcome during our stay. The breakfast was a great start to everyday, the room was spacious and contained everything we needed. The price was very competitive too. Recommend a stay if you are looking for accommodation in or near Ballycotton. The pictures ar views from our window.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Royal Oak Hotel; City: Betws y Coed Snowdonia National Park North Wales Wales; Review: A very nice hotel, with friendly staff and caters for all budgets. Breakfast was included in my booking and was good. It's in an ideal location to access Snowdonia and all its attractions. The stable bar next door also offers meals and has a large outside area with lots of atmosphere in the evening.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Inglaterra; City: Havana Ciudad de la Habana Province Cuba; Review: This is the oldest hotel in Cuba and as such is very traditional with original features and does therefore looked 'tired'. Other hotels in the vicinity are more modern so it depends what you're looking for in your hotel. The room we stayed in had four sets of curtains but as it was in the centre of the hotel ..no windows, which wasn't ideal. The food, and we only ate breakfast, was quite poor. Cleanliness wasn't always top priority. Where the rooms where kept clean when going for breakfast one morning the staff changed the table cloth for one dirtier than the one they took off!! There is a roof bar which has live music every night, but most venues do. So where I would right off the hotel I wouldn't grade it four star and although other hotels are more modern they are more expensive so it depends what you are looking for. you pays your money and takes your choice.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blau Varadero Hotel; City: Varadero Matanzas Province Cuba; Review: This is a very nice hotel with good facilities. It is close to a sandy beach and has a range of water sports which are included. There are a range of all inclusive restaurants and two restaurants which are book in advance and depending on your booking maybe included in your booking. A Mexican and an al e carte both of which are very good food with excellent service. Would recommend this hotel. Location wise it is mid way on the peninsular so after early evening going to the marina or other parts requires a taxi. Though there are enough bars, etc shows at the hotel to fill most evening.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Glentower Lower Observatory Guesthouse; City: Fort William Lochaber Scottish Highlands Scotlan; Review: Just returned for a weeks stay at this property and I can't praise them enough. Room was at the front of the property so stunning views of the Loch. The room was also large for two people with en suite and sitting area. Location was ideal both for driving to other places and walking into town in the evening. Staff were very polite and friendly without being over the top. The best way I can describe it was it felt homely. They also were happy to give information about the town or sites in and around Fort William. Breakfast was very good, with plenty of selection both hot and cold. They were happy to mix the menu up to give you what you wanted. I would recommend staying here and if I were to return to Fort William would be a place I would try and book first.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Royal Ship Hotel; City: Dolgellau Snowdonia National Park North Wales Wales; Review: Over a long weekend we visited the Royal Ship on two occasions, an evening and for Sunday lunch. On both occasions we found staff to be very friendly and the food excellent, and good value for money too. If you are in Dolgellau it's worth a visit if it's just for drinks or you are wanting food.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Riverbank Guest House; City: Matlock Derbyshire England; Review: Just stayed for a weekend with friends. Owners are friendly and helpful, nothing was to much trouble. Rooms are all different but all of a hood standard. Breakfasts are very nice snd all cooked fresh on order. The garden is large and runs gown to the River Derwent so a nice place to unwind after a day out before you find somewhere for your evening meal. I would recommend staying here as it is ideally placed for Matlock Town as no where is too far to walk and attractions further afield are all within easy reach too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Premier Inn London Southwark Tate Modern Hotel; City: London England; Review: Stayed here many times and always found it to be a friendly place to stay where staff do their best to look after you. Breakfast is very good and the rooms are clean and big enough for your stay. Location is good as you can easily get to wherever you want to be on the tube and the nearest station is five to ten minutes walk; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ilkeliani Camp; City: Maasai Mara National Reserve Rift Valley Province; Review: Just got back from four nights at the camp which was filled from very early am to late evening in the reserve. The camp was in tents and each had a toilet, wash basin and shower. Little touches like early morning tea/coffee and hot water bottles at night made the difference.yes truest me it is cold at night. The staff where friendly and the food excellent. The guide on our game drive was knowledgable and skilled t getting to the right pro at the right time and getting in the perfect spot for photographs. Would recommend it highly. An experience not to be missed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Whetstone Cutlery 20-10960 Knife Sharpening Stone-Dual Sided 400/1000 Grit Water Stone-Sharpener and Polishing Tool for; Brand: Whetstone Cutlery; Review: Very nice. For the price, this stone does everything I need it to. Came with a small chip on one of the corners but other than that it's exactly as advertised.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Vktech Stainless Steel Flat Chisel Leather Craft Tools Hole Punch Tool Kit DIY; Brand: Vktech; Review: I was concerned that the flat grind would be good for small, wax coated thread. I was wrong- this set is perfect. I'll probably order another; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ASR Outdoor EDC Multi-Function Utility Survival Credit Card Multi Tool 2 Colors; Brand: ASR Outdoor; Review: Out of the 20, 3 of them were all beat up and aren't suitable for even stocking stuffers. I "guess" this worked out because 3 of the plastic sleeves were also damaged. The other 17 are decent, but my real gripe is that these aren't credit card size. Even when in the envelope/sleeve, they're still smaller than a standard card. Instructions are chinese and some of the tools functions are unclear. The one positive is that one fits neatly in the middle pocket on my wallet. If you're looking to buy these as gifts, I'd stay away from this style completely.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Foxelli Headlamp Flashlight - 165 Lumen, 3 x AAA Batteries Operated, Bright White Cree Led + Red; Brand: Foxelli; Review: Excellent so far. Very bright. No problems; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 2PACK(1Pair) 100% Kevlar Arm Sleeves Protection Cut Resistant Knit Sleeve 18-Inch Long with Thumb Slot Helps Prevent Scrapes; Brand: EasyLife185; Review: Got these for pruning roses. They seem really heavy duty. I'm sure they'll work in combination with Kevlar gloves. People complaining about these aren't using them for the right purpose; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cut Resistant Stainless Steel Wire Gloves,Level 5 Protection Safety Works Anti-slash Stab Gloves Long Black 1 Pair; Brand: EasyLife185; Review: Got these for pruning roses. They seem really heavy duty. I'm sure they'll work in combination with Kevlar gloves. People complaining about these aren't using them for the right purpose; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MTECH USA Spring Assist Folding Knife; Brand: MTECH USA; Review: Not too shabby. Seen the bad reviews. I haven't experienced any problems yet. Screws are tight, lock mechanism holds up. only complaint is that the grind it kind of uneven (see video) and the blade is off center when closed; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: CaseCrown Bold Trifold Case (Green) for Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 Inch (Built-in magnet for sleep / wake feature); Brand: CaseCrown; Review: The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is a MOVIE watching monster! The "one star" complaints about the case being upside down for apps, just plain stupid! These folks obviously have seen the IPad cover that holds the device at a modest angle to type and such stuff. THIS cover is designed to hold the Kindle at a steeper angle for MOVIE/BOOK, etc. viewing. IF you bought your KINDLE to be a game-playing ANDROID type device, you miss the primary function of the "HD" part of the KINDLE Fire HD name! I could understand a complaint about an accidental misconfiguration, but this case works EXACTLY as shown in the example. I believe the complaints about "thin" or shoddy construction are false, to try to justify returning an item that is fully functional and accurately described, where the customer had in mind the IPad type case and simply did not pay attention to the pictures! Works as claimed in photos, nice snug tight fit and bottom is held by VELCRO! I have a 10 inch android and I WISH the tab/flap at the bottom had velcro! the big boy slides a bit now and then, this case does NOT. Snug and firm, no slip! Take those 1-2 star reviews and "chuck 'em!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Belkin Play N600 Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router - F7D9302/F7D8302; Brand: Belkin; Review: Item is actually a F7D4302 v1????? (circa 2009?) Nowhere NEAR a F7D9302. The Words: "SCAM"; "FRAUD"; "BAIT AND SWITCH" seem to come to mind for some reason? But the scam seems to come from BELKIN!? The box does have 9302 on it? But it is a 4302. BRIGHT LIGHT! For those needing support try the "chat". They will talk/chat for FREE. Throw down the extra $30 and get a newer model with "twonky" and "norton" built in. Belkin N600 Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router (Latest Generation) $59.55; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: C2G 40019 Optical to Coaxial Digital Audio Converter, TAA Compliant, Black; Brand: C2G; Review: using a mediabridge cable. no troubles. I have seen some reviews where they say after a month or 2 it dies, so i will update as needed; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Insten 3 PORT HDMI SWITCHER SPLITTER SWITCH FOR HDTV 1080P High Speed HDMI Specification; Brand: INSTEN; Review: auto switches to live feed, no external power supply needed. smooth transistion from roku, to blu-ray, to my dish 722 player; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mediabridge Toslink Cable (6 Feet) - Optical Digital Audio Cable; Brand: Mediabridge; Review: i also have the mediabridge micro HDMI to standard HDMI. i have unpluged and replugged it countless times visiting my kids, using a 2012 HD fire. no issuses in signal transmission; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cable Matters USB C to USB C Cable (USB Type C Cable/USB-C; Brand: Cable Matters; Review: Worked for a couple of months. Two and a half tops. Noticed phone didn't charge right for a couple of weeks. Wouldn't really recommend it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Melissa & Doug Wooden Pirate Chest Pretend Play Set; Brand: Melissa & Doug; Review: It broke after 2 days. The back and the lid fell apart. Cool idea. The kids loved it for the 2 days that they had it.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 6" Handheld Brass Telescope with Wooden Box - Pirate Navigation; Brand: INDIA OVERSEAS TRADING CORP; Review: Cool idea but the glass broke after a week of play. I removed the glass piece and now kids are playing with them without the end caps and glass.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Little Live Pets S3 Cleverkeet; Brand: Little Live Pets; Review: It's cool. But I would pay less than 30; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Radio Flyer Wagon Canopy; Brand: Radio Flyer; Review: very large, easy to install very nice; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Creative Motion Bubble Machine; Brand: Creative Motion; Review: horrible le. buying a fog for 20 dollars more. research it; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Lifetime Geometric Dome Climber Jungle Gym; Brand: Lifetime; Review: awesome, kids love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Turbo Deluxe 16 Wand Professional High Output Automatic Bubble Machine Maker. Perfect for Parties, DJ's, Kids or Shows!; Brand: Froggys Fog; Review: Get good quality bubbles and you will love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KidKraft 2-Piece Retro Kitchen, Blue; Brand: KidKraft; Review: Very toxic smelling material. The smell is so overwhelming. Even My husband said this needs to be returned due to the toxic material smell. Its very cute, but it does not seem safe at all. It smells like a strong burning plastic smell. Im calling kidkraft today about it. its very dissapointing. I don't know if its the paint or matierial they used. If i knew how to report products, i would report this. Something is wrong with the material used. we have had this airing out now for 3 days after putting it together.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: PLAYMOBIL Space Shuttle; Brand: PLAYMOBIL; Review: My favorite toy to play with with my son. its awesome; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bucket Toddler Swing with Chains; Brand: Creative Playthings LTD.; Review: To tight, and my 1.5 year old is 26pounds...something is weird about this swing. Yes it looks quality but it is tight; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fisher-Price Imaginext Batbot; Brand: Fisher-Price; Review: BEST GIFT EVER FOR 4 YEAR OLD; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Password Journal; Brand: Mattel; Review: Mt daughter loved it for 2 weeks....untill she admitted to herself that anyonebxanbvoice open it...now its on th book pile; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Num Noms Lipgloss Truck Craft Kit; Brand: Num Noms; Review: Played with twice and this stuff is so gross to get off of handles and knobs.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Rocket Fishing Rod - Ready to Fish Kids Fishing Pole - Shoots a Bobber Instead of Casting; Brand: Goliath Games; Review: Enlarge the image and read warning at bottom of product. Warning, found to contain chemicals that are cancer causing...here son, go fish with this cancer causing fishing rod...Love you; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Schylling Children's Ceramic Tea Set; Brand: Schylling; Review: :) Your paying for the basket. GO to ross. Same product different packaging.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Schylling Ladybug Porcelain Tea Set Basket; Brand: Schylling; Review: :) Your paying for the basket. GO to ross. Same product different packaging.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The First Years Disney Baby Bath Tea Set, Minnie Mouse; Brand: The First Years; Review: Cute tub toy; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Cold Days: A Dresden Files Novel (The Dresden Files); Author: Visit Amazon's Jim Butcher Page; Review: Will I say much? NO. If you're looking at this, it's because you want to know for yourself what happens with harry. Twists and turns and oh heck you just have to read it. Jim Butcher is one of my favorite authors.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How to Poo at Work; Author: Visit Amazon's Mats Page; Review: We got this as a joke for my fiance to put on the back of the toilet at work. Funny book. It's small, but you're getting it for the laughs, so it doesn't really matter.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Bride's Book: An Organizer, Journal, and Keepsake for the Year of the Wedding; Author: Visit Amazon's Marsha Heckman Page; Review: My sister got engaged right before I did. Once I got this book, it was hard not to keep it for myself! It's a great little organizer packed with information. I got myself one shortly thereafter. Both my sister and I love them!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Plan: Shrink your waist. Expand your beauty.; Author: Visit Amazon's Dr. Jennifer Hanes Page; Review: This book talks all about how you're a princess and you should treat your body right, etc. How stress influences weight gain. Stress does influence weight gain and does play an integral factor in weight loss. But all the princess analogies were obnoxious and made the book seem immature.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Riser (The Riser Saga); Author: Visit Amazon's Becca C Smith Page; Review: I didn't realize this was a YA when I bought it, but it was a free download and probably the best free kindle book I've gotten as of yet. Awesome, unique storyline. Really good. I gladly paid for the sequel to this book. It's obviously written for the YA audience, but I still found it quite entertaining.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Divided (Elena Ronen, Private Investigator) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Sights Page; Review: The main reasons this book did not have 5 stars is the lack of descriptive background. I really enjoyed this story, especially the city it was set in (I also live in St. Louis). That being said, there is so much that can be done within this city. So many places to live and things to see... Yet each time they go out, they go back to The Chapel. It's a little disappointing. Broaden horizons a little. And (correct me if I'm wrong), but she never once describes the part of town that her duplex is in. We know Vittorio lives up by the art museum, but where is her duplex? And they don't mention that Samuel's grandfather's "farm" is in Wildwood until after everything goes down. In my opinion (and I've lived here for awhile), Wildwood is yuppy town. It's far out, yes. But it's full of expensive subdivisions and minivans. Notsomuch farms. That area is more like Jefferson or even Franklin county, further out. Also, it seems like interim time is often skipped over. I love the action, but when I read through the book and realized that she went from discovering her power to having it under control in a matter of pages, it just seemed to fast for me. And then suddenly she's had it for a month? More time should be spent developing the interim storyline. She should struggle for a bit more with her power. Make a mistake or two. Have Samuel drop a hint to her about his true nature when he is training her alone. Have her reveal that to Vittorio, maybe they get into a disagreement. Maybe he feels torn between his friend and his love? There should be other stuff going on than just endgame action. I feel like these characters should be developed deeper than they are. We barely know anything about Elena in the first bit except that she loves Vittorio like, immediately. And the fact that this story starts with one completely different story than what it ends with wouldn't be so bad with the transition to the other stories seemed smoother. So overall (to me) it's an AWESOME story idea that could use a little revision. I was entertained, though. I would recommend this book for reading, but I'd also recommend revision.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dark Secrets (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's A M Hudson Page; Review: **spoilers** I'm one of those people that CANNOT stop reading a book after I start it, and this was absolutely excruciating. Apart from having zero to NO plot (I remember getting 61% in and wondering when the plot would start already), it moved INCREDIBLY slow and the storyline was awful. 1. What is with the main character and her whiny need to constantly be validated by a man telling her she is pretty? Seriously. It's so obnoxious! How about a strong, independent female lead that doesn't need a man to feel good about herself? 2. Again...the main character... is constantly flip flopping between two guys. One sentence she loves one guy, the next sentence she loves another. I guess it makes sense for a 17 year old, but it really is annoying. You can't start out a book in a relationship with one man and bring in a 2nd man halfway through. It makes a story disjointed and weak. 3. No parents in their right mind are going to think its appropriate for a 17 year old girl to be engaged to a 21 year old man! A 17 year old girl that doesn't even have the capacity to have a job or go to school on a regular basis is going to get engaged AND married? Seriously? And not even to the guy she started dating in the first half of the book? Seriously? Come on. Ridiculous and unbelievable. 4. The consistent word errors are incredibly frustrating. First, she refers to a group of people who speak french as a "race" of people. Race does not denote the language that you speak. Plenty of people of different races speak french as a native language. Next, she uses the term "disorientated". Really? Disorientated? That's not even a freaking word! Finally, she uses the term antisocial when she means asocial. I'd forgive this except for the fact that she is referring to the main character's stepmother, who is supposedly a psychologist, when using the term. A psychologist should know the correct term here. For that matter, so should an author. 5. The entire storyline as a whole is weak, slow moving, boring... It honestly reads like Twilight fan fiction by someone on Team Jacob who is mad that he didn't end up with Bella. There's the second best friend who's unwittingly in love with, the strawberry scented shampoo, the angsty boy vampire trying to fit in... I kept drawing parallel after parallel throughout the entire book. 6. The formatting of the kindle book was difficult to follow. It would switch scenes and conversations in a blink without so much as a break in the page or a new chapter. It made is really hard to follow what was happening. I did eventually catch on about halfway through the book, but having to backtrack and reread was annoying. The entire book was annoying. I won't be purchasing the 2nd.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Ravage; Author: Visit Amazon's Iain Rob Wright Page; Review: I did not realize that this book was the second part of a storyline until after I had read it. That being said, it read like a standalone novel. I titled this review "pleasantly horrified" because that's how I felt. I did not expect this level of talent from an indie writer. The story is rich in detail and vivid language. The plot is action packed and fast paced without feeling rushed over. I enjoyed the realism, at least to the extent you can get in a zombie book. The author made it believable, especially considering his penchant for killing off characters. But let's be honest; if the zombie apocalypse occurs, not everyone is going to survive it. I found myself clapping my hand over my mouth in surprise/shock, silently screaming for my favorite characters to run, and hoping against hope that they actually get away. I was so caught up in this story that I carried my kindle around everywhere so that anytime I had a spare five minutes, I could knock another page out. To sum it up without too many spoilers: this is a great book at a great price. I can't wait to read more of this author's work.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Living Hunger; Author: Dennis F Larsen; Review: First let me say that I find the subject of this book to be incredibly interesting. The idea of a postapocalyptic world set forth without zombies or any sort of typical "horror" is really unique. That being said, I feel like some improvements could be made regarding the writing itself. First, I found it difficult to gauge the exact setting. Language is modern, so I think modern day. But then we open in Korea, so I think of the Korean War. But they're referencing middle eastern conflicts by implying they're decades past. Eventually, I am able to use to context clues to figure out that the author is creating an entirely new world brought forth from worldwide conflict, including that military situation in Korea (trying not to reveal any spoilers). However, this manner of deduction had me doing a lot of thinking, rereading and speculation. I'd rather just know the setting at the beginning of the book so that I can enjoy the story. Set the scene, then tell the story. My second issue was with the pacing. The story seems to mimic a sort of stop motion movie. You're reading a page and a paragraph later, two years have past and several large changes have occurred. My primary example here is the deaths of Elva's brother and mom. These were some of the first characters we are introduced to in the book. They carry weight in the view of the reader, and there should be more told about their deaths than a half page retrospective. This is just one example that I observed throughout. I also feel like more effort could have been put into fleshing out (no pun intended) the story of the Harvesters. The only time I can think of that the of the Ward KNEW others' were consuming human flesh was the situation(s) with Solomon. I think it's fair to assume that the human reaction would be, "What a nutter; clearly he wasn't right in the head." NOT, "Oh, if he is a cannibal then his entire group/colony must also be cannibals. And we must call them Harvesters. And they'll call themselves Harvesters, also. That way everyone is clear on who we're talking about." It just doesn't quite make sense to me. Please, correct me if I'm wrong or I missed a reading section here. I just feel like the manner in which they were introduced is illogical. Once I read that there were cannibals in the story, I got excited anticipating a build up of mystery bodies, finger pointing, catching someone red handed, something shocking and unexpected. But it was just like, "Oh ok, here are Harvesters and they eat people. That is all". My last concern was with the conflict/resolution within the story. Most (all) great books follow a pattern: introduction, build up, conflict, conflict resolution. This story read to me like a tv show: a series of small conflicts and resolution with no overarching end goal. Apart from surviving in this world and continually skirmishing with Don and the Harvesters, what exactly is going on?; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Food and Exercise Journal: 2014 Happiness Is A Goal; Author: Visit Amazon's Cool Journals Page; Review: I like that this journal is smaller than a regular-sized notebook. It's easy to stash and take with me. On the other hand, I'm not loving the layout. There is NO spot for calorie totals at the end of each meal and NO spot for snacks, either. I don't snack often, but I'm OCD enough to want a very specific spot for it. Instead I have to tack it on at the bottom of another meal. There is also no box to check to remind you to take your vitamin, something that would have been helpful. Overall I'd say it's a basic food journal without any extras. If you only want to record your activity level and meals, this will be enough. If you like being able to record ALL pertinent information (snacks, vitamins, calorie totals, etc.) this might not be for you.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: TOPGREENER TU2154A High Speed USB Charger Outlet, USB Wall Charger, Electrical Outlet with USB, 15A TR Receptacle, Screwless Wall; Brand: TOPGREENER; Review: Like the price of the Receptacle but it came with one of the thermal screws loose you would have to take it apart to put the screw back in place other than that I may have worked fine. I see similar post that stated the same problem. retuned it an purchased another brand.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Leviton IPS02-1LW 300-Watt Incandescent, 150-Watt LED/CFL Occupancy Sensor (Auto ON/Auto OFF), Single Pole, White; Brand: Leviton; Review: It ok need to have the correct ballast on your florescent lights for this to work. This was not stated in the description. Other that that it is well made and should work fine if your florescent like have the correct ballast. If not plan on replacing the florescent lights with ones that have the correct ballast.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sunco Lighting 6 Pack Wall Mount Charger USB Outlet, 15A Tamper Resistant Receptacle, 125VAC, 3.1AMP 5VDC Charging Capability, Duplex; Brand: Sunco Lighting; Review: Would definably not called these warm white when compared to the halogen bulbs they are meant to replace. They are more of a bright white, but this could be because most led bulbs do not show the complete color spectrum unless they are color corrected - have a high CRI (Color Rendering Index). Most LED bulbs drops the red, orange and aqua wavelengths. I added a yellow filter on one as a test (an old reflex camera lenses filter) and it produced a more pleasing tone to my eyes. But this is a very expensive modification. Next I am going to try some yellow contact paper to see if that works, just have to get down to the craft store. The LED Lamps do not have a heat sink on them that I can see. So I am not sure they would be good for and enclosed lamp base. The LED bulb themselves do not produce a lot of heat but the circuitry to reduce the voltage does to light the individual LEDs do produce some heat. I do not expect these LED Lamps to last that long in that application because of this. If I am wrong about this please comment an enlighten me. As far as them being dimmable they are like most LED Lamps that are dimmable the lowest rage is still very bright. So don't expect them to go down to a nice mood level. I found at the lowest setting they are the most pleasing for accent lighting. Thats my review and I hope this will help you in your buying decision if it did or not let me know by using the voting buttons. If you have any other questions about the product please leave a comment and I will do my best to answer in a timely manner.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Keymit C35 LED Candelabra Base Bulb Filament - Dimmable - 2W; Brand: keymit; Review: First thing I need to point out is these bulbs are very small. They are smaller than an appliance bulb. These bulbs are dimmer than the equivalent incandescent bulbs they are meant to replace but they do provide a very nice warm white light. I have to clarify my next statement because of a very good comment made on one of my reviews about LEDs being dimmable. The ability of the LEDs being able to dim is based on the compatibly of the bulbs with the dimmer. If I put these lamps in a ceiling fan (Hunter) with a built in dimmer the bulbs flicker when you dim them. But when used with a high quality dimmer (Lutron LGCL-153PLH-IV) they work just fine and only flicker when dimmed down to a very low light. I wanted to give them a higher rating but once it was pointed out to me about this incompatibility I honestly cannot because this is something the manufacture should highly stress that these bulbs may not even work with some models of the suggested dimmers. I can only recommend these bulbs if you don't need them to dim. For some of my applications these work just fine. I have install these in my refrigerator because I have installed LEDs in a refrigerator before and I have not had a problem. I am also installing them in my garage door opener. I know they are not rated for high vibration or low temperature but time will tell if they hold up. . I will let you know if these fair as well as other LEDs in those applications. I wanted to install them in my Hunter celling fans but being not dimmable in that application I cant use them there. They also work well in my lamps with a 3 level touch dimmer. Thanks for reading my review and If you have any other questions or comments about the product please let me know and I will do my best to answer in a timely manner. If this review help you or not please let me know by using the voting buttons. Disclaimer: I received this product for an honest and unbiased review.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: ALPHA JX Elongated Bidet Toilet Seat, White, Endless Warm Water, Rear and Front Wash, LED Light,Quiet; Brand: ALPHA BIDET; Review: Bidet review I really wanted to like this product. But there are too many defects to overlook. Fist the unit I receive have visible scratches on the lid but it did not look like it was used just mishandle in packaging. This is not a cheap item so I expect it to be in perfect condition when I receive it. But that could have been overlook if the Bidet performed as advertised. I read the few reviews about the Bidet before I purchased it and I am hoping I just got a defective one if not then they all have a different anatomy that my wife and I. For a male the unit work ok but still does not clean very well no matter how long you let it run you still must use toilet paper to do the final cleaning. And no it not that my water pressure is to low in my house. I had to install a pressure regulator to reduce my water pressure when I built my house. I also have to have that unit service yearly per city code and it has a pressure gauge on it and stays at 80 psi which is the ideal water pressure for a residence. The dryer does not work for me or my wife no matter how long you let it run all that happens is if it is on high heat is gets one side of your cheek uncomfortably warm. But this seem to be a common problem with most Bidets because the fan is offset of the center. I think It would work better if there was a fan on both sides of the bidet nozzle. For my wife to clean her lady parts (have to choose my words carefully so the review does not get flagged by Amazon) she have to become a contortionist and bend over for the water to reach the correct area. Installation was easy but the directions were a little off. It states to put the mounting bracket on the toilet fist then slide the Bidet on the mounting bracket. While this will work but it is more cumbersome than just putting the bracket on the Bidet prior to installing the Bidet on the toilet. The one nice touch is the supplied tee connecter goes on the toilet tank and not the water valve and looks like a high quality nickel plated brass. This makes that hook up easy. You must have an electric plug nearby for a neat installation. Fortunately I did because I had plugs installed next to all the toilets when the house was built. The water connection on the Bidet is a very soft plastic which is easy to cross treaded. So you have to be extra careful when you hook up the water supply. A harder plastic or a metal connection would have been preferable. I could not get the buttons on the Bidet to do anything other that turn on the night light which is overly bright and go into different water saving modes. I followed the; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sunco Lighting 6 PACK - UL LISTED - LED A19 Edison Style Filament Light Bulb, 5W, DIMMABLE, 25W; Brand: ; Review: I like these bulbs a lot but to be honest I would only purchase them again if the price comes down. They are dimmable and work well with most of the dimmers in my home except the build in dimmers on my Hunter fans. I have not found any led bulbs yet that will work with these dimmers so my quest continues. I am using Lutron LGCL-153PLH-IV dimmers in most locations and they work well with these. They do flicker with the dimmers my contractor install slightly on the lowest setting and I am not sure what brand those dimmers are. The bulbs provide a nice warm color that almost matches warm white incandescent bulbs. I would like to give these bulbs a higher rating but being dimmable the manufacture need to state what dimmers these bulbs will work with so you can make an informed buying decision Thanks for reading my review and if you have any other questions or comments about the product please let me know and I will do my best to answer in a timely manner. If this review help you or not please let me know by using the voting buttons. Disclaimer: I received this product for an honest and unbiased review.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: (Pack of 2) F13T5/CW 13-Watt T5 Fluorescent Cool White 4100K Super Long Life; Brand: Unique Bulbs; Review: One the bulbs arrive non working it was not broken just would not light up. it was packages ok but there was room for the bulbs to move around in the box and this may have caused the damage (excessive movement of the bulbs in the box). Mu only option was to return both bulbs and reorder and hope for the best.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Lunera GX23 2-Pin Horizontal CFL LED Dimmable Light Bulb, 5W, 580 Lumen, 3000K CCT, Ballast or Line Driven, 4th; Brand: Lunera; Review: Look like a good bulb well made but it did not work for my application if you have a lamp with a Ballast you will have to bypass the ballast to get this bulb to work. was not worth the trouble to me so I sent it back,; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: PEYOU Compatible for Tab E 9.6; Brand: Peyou; Review: Works great! Durable. Fast shipping; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AmazonBasics Lightning to USB A Cable - MFi Certified iPhone Charger - Black, 3-Foot, 2-Pack; Brand: AmazonBasics; Review: Very good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Samsung Galaxy Tab E 9.6"; 16 GB Wifi Tablet (Black) SM-T560NZKUXAR; Brand: Samsung; Review: Good product works good.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: UHURU Rechargeable Bluetooth Wireless Mouse for PC, Mac, Laptop, Android Tablet (Black); Brand: UHURU; Review: Had to send back. Cannot use a mouse on an IPad. This is not disclosed in the ad....should be made known. Was returned and refunded with no issues.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Griffin Technology Griffin Wired Keyboard; Brand: Griffin Technology; Review: Excellent board. Have used it every day and works great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Love in the Balance; Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Jennings Page; Review: I loved the first book written by Regina Jennings "Sixty Acres and a Bride." Molly was introduced to us in that novel and I have to say I didn't think much of her in that first book. However, In "Love in the Balance" You really get to know her in a new light. (You don't have to read her first book to understand this one, but I would recommend reading it anyway, if you like Historical romance.) With out giving to much away, this book has many unexpected turns and twist that keep you wondering what will happen next. I enjoyed the book in many ways. You see how people, who love the Lord, still have choices to make and consequences to face when the decision is made. How our decisions effect not only ourself but others as well. Yet, wether we make the best decision or not God is not finished with us and life is not over. We can still be used to do what God would have us. You will fall in love with Bailey and Molly and probably be mad at both of them at times as well. Learn how sometimes our upbringing effects our outlook on life and people. I really enjoyed the book and can't wait for her next one, I know it will be great too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Most Peculiar Circumstance; Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: I received an advanced copy of "A Most Peculiar Circumstance" from Bethany House for my honest review of this book. I am happy to say it is a wonderful read. I would definitely recommend this book. If you enjoy a spunky heroine, with beauty, intelligence, and the ability to find trouble even if she is not looking for it, you will love meeting Arabella Beckett. She usually always has something to say and is very strong willed, yet there is more to her than most can see. She will keep you laughing, yet make you take a look at how you view others as well. It is a pleasure to watch as she and Theodore Wilder, a man of strong opinion, whom also is more than most people think of him, intertwine in each others lives though out this entire novel. There is humor, suspense, mystery, and great dialogue that will keep you reading and interested till the very end.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Bride for Keeps: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Jagears Page; Review: "A Bride for keeps" is a wonderful, christian, historical, romance novel. I enjoyed the way the characters interacted with each other and both were very strong willed. For some reason I love mail-order-bride type books, it interest me how people actually did that and the many different reasons why someone would become a mail-order-bride, or look for one. This book will keep you reading to see if Everett and Julia can ever get over their past experiences and find a happy, loving marriage. If you enjoy good clean historical romance fiction you will love this book. I look forward to more books by Melissa Jagears.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Made to Last; Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Tagg Page; Review: I won a copy of "Made to Last" by Melissa Tagg. I am happy to write a review and give my honest opinion of the book. While reading about MIranda, Matthew, Blaze, and Robbie I could completely see the movie in the making. I loved the spunk, twist and turns the author uses. I think this is a great novel. You can totally connect with the characters, some you like, some not so much, and some grow on you. You can see how one little "white lie" can snow ball into something so out of control your not sure what to do any more. I enjoyed the surprises that continue throughout the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys spunky, funny, romance novels, even if you don't usually read contemporary ones give this one a try I think it is worth it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Lawman's Holiday Wish (Kirkwood Lake); Author: Visit Amazon's Ruth Logan Herne Page; Review: What a wonderful story. Getting to know Rainey and Luke and the town of Kirkwood Lake. You can see how sometimes we judge others based on past, with out showing God's love and forgiveness. We also can see how we blame ourself for things that are completely out of our control instead of just trusting God to do what we know is best for us, even if we can't see it now. I enjoyed the personalities of both Luke, Rainey and their families. You just feel like you became a part of the whole story. This story grabs you from the beginning and just keeps you interested throughout the whole book. I always love a good, clean, christian romance with something else to learn along the way.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Love Finds You in the City at Christmas (Holiday Two-in-One Edition); Author: Visit Amazon's Anna Schmidt Page; Review: Two heart warming Christmas stories from one generation to another generation. We go from 1947 to present day. Red Kettle Christmas A very heart warming, Christmas story. Two people who come from different past meet on Thanksgiving and God directs their way to find hope, forgiveness and love. You will enjoy getting to know both Mike and Karen as they open up about themselves. You can probably find your self in some of both of their characters. It is always nice to read a good christian book that deals with imperfect people who seek Gods will even in hard times and difficult circumstances, even if that was not the first path taken. I have only read a couple of Ruths books however I have truly enjoyed them both and look forward to reading more. Manhattan Miracle As the family has grown and grandchildren are on the scene we reconnect with the Wolzak family. I always love reading more into a story and here is another part of the story. It played out different in my mind then the writer has written, however she has done a wonderful job and helps us remember the true meaning of Christmas. She keeps you wondering till the last couple of pages. I would recommend this book to anyone who has liked the Love finds you series and Christmas stories.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Marriage By Arrangement; Author: Visit Amazon's Anne Greene Page; Review: This book followed Callin and the Duke of Avondale as they struggle through an arranged marriage. Callin is not sure why at times her husband seems to adore her and at others seems to be ashamed of her. She is constantly wondering what is going on with him, and we are also wondering the same thing. Can the Duke ever come clean with Callin and let him know the demons that haunt him? Can she ever really trust God to give her the desires of her heart. I loved how the author let us see through the eyes of Callin, and at times the Duke, yet kept us in suspense about much till Callin could figure it out as well. I think it was well written and I had a hard time putting it down. I received this book from bookfun.org in return for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Match Made in Texas: A Novella Collection; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Connealy Page; Review: This is a great novella, featuring four authors and four different stories. All the stories start within the same year and same town. I love to see how they all are about different people yet some are woven throughout all four novellas. Each author gives us new insight. We start with A Cowboy Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer,where we meet Neill Archer and Clara. Can two people from two different cutlers and past work things out and help each other in many ways. Can Clara learn to let down her guard and open up her heart to Neill, and can Neill grow up enough to return home? Next we have An Unforeseen Match by Regina Jennings, where we meet Cloyton and Grace. Both dealing with different issues. Grace is loosing her eye sight and is wondering what is going to happen in her life now, while Clayton is hiding from things in his past that he had no control over. Can they forgive and see that God has a plan in all things and learn to move on? Then Carol Cox writes No Match For Love, where Andrew and Lucy learn that sometimes through unexpected circumstances and trials God can give you the desires of your heart, even if you did not know that those desires were there. Lastly, Meeting Her Match by Mary Connealy. We tie the first three novellas together by finding out just who was playing match maker. Yet, when her life is turned upside down can she trust the shy and clumsy Mark with her heart? I received this book from Bethany House for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Plain Murder (A Stone Mill Amish Mystery); Author: Visit Amazon's Emma Miller Page; Review: This is my first time reading one of Emma Millers books. I was not sure what to expect, however I truly enjoyed reading this one, and look forward to reading more by her. Rachel Mast left her Amish upbringing 15 years ago and has returned to her home town. She is not living an Amish life but is running a B&B and has hired Amish to help her out. She struggles between her wanting to return to the Amish ways and wanting to stay "English". When a business man's body is found on her Uncles land, she takes it upon herself to try and prove he is innocent. I love how we follow along with Rachel with out knowing anything she does not. We are in the dark with her until she uncovers many twist and turns in the case. It will keep you guessing to the last chapter. There is also a little spark of romance blooming with her long time friend and police man, Evan. (I would have liked to see more develop there, but maybe in another book); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beneath the Dover Sky (The Danforths of Lancashire); Author: Murray Pura; Review: This is my first book by Murray Pura, but will not be my last. I found it very exciting, page turning, and not predictable. I have not read book one in this series, however, I had no problem keeping up with all that was going on. If I would have read the first one it may have opened up more information for me, however I found it was not necessary. He has much detail and many different family members in this book. They are all faced with many different challenges in life and must rely on God and family to see them through. They do not always get along or agree, yet that is true to life. I think you will find yourself in one or more of the Danforth family members. Sometimes you agree with them and sometimes you want to slap them. This book takes you from war, peace, struggles, heartache, death, love, and much more. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Historical Romance. It is also nice to read something from a man's point of view.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Journey's Embrace (Marshals of Journey Creek); Author: Visit Amazon's Dora Hiers Page; Review: Can two people who have grown up together in an orphanage more like brother and sister discover that their feeling for one another are not all that "brotherly" but much deeper. Sage, a US Marshal, is asked by his best friend to watch over his little sister while he is out of town. However, Delaney has grown up into a beautiful woman in the few years since Sage last saw her. Can he keep her out of danger yet drop his guard on his heart. Can Delaney trust Sage with her heart and allow him to keep her from harm? Can they both trust God with their lives and realize that their past does not have to dictate their future. This story has danger, surprise, suspense, and just enough romance to be a great novel. You will not want to put it down. I received this book from bookfun.org in return for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Amish Boyfriend: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Melody Carlson Page; Review: In this story we see a little different side of being Amish. Through the eyes of a 16 year old "English" girl named Shannon. Shannon has had to grow up fast because of the need to take care of her ailing mom. When she finds out unexpectedly that her mom was born in an Amish family and they are returning so that her family may help Shannon. Shannon feels quite confused. Trying to fit in to the 'Amish' world while being 'English' is not always easy. Then add to the mix a very handsome Amish boy named Ezra and Shannons world gits thrown upside down. Ezra and Shannon move quite quickly into a teen relationship and Shannon feels the need to make decisions. Which will she choose to stay English or turn Amish, and for what reasons? Does she trust God weather she is truly English or Amish? Will her Amish family accept and encourage her no matter her decisions? I found this book to be a very easy read, It is between a 3 and 4 star in my opinion. It is for your teen/young adult audience. I received a copy from the publisher by way of The Book Club Network (bookfun.org) in exchange for an honest review.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: With Autumn's Return: A Novel (Westward Winds) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Amanda Cabot Page; Review: With Autumn's Return is book #3 in the Westward Winds trilogy. I have not had the opportunity to read the first two books in this series and was able to still enjoy this one. I feel like if you read the other two you would have a little more details to some of the characters, however it is not necessary to enjoy the book. With Autumn's Return is about Elizabeth Harding and her journey in finding that being a female doctor in a 'not so small' town is not what she expected. She is constantly feeling as if she is defending herself as a woman doctor. When she meets Jason Nordling, the attorney next door, sparks fly. He has to struggle with some bad decisions, his past, and the fact that a woman doctor is capturing his thoughts. They are not at all what the other expected. This book is full of good dialogue, quick wit, mystery, love and much more. I enjoyed that we are following Elizabeth and Jason, however there are others in the book who fall in love and have problems of their own. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more by Amanda Cabot. I received this book from The Book Club Network ([...]) in exchange for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love's Sweet Beginning: A Novel (Sisters at Heart) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Ann Shorey Page; Review: This is book 3 in the "Sisters at Heart" series. I have not had the opportunity to read the first two book, yet know I would love them. I am sure if you read the first two you would have more insight to some of the characters in this book, however this is also a stand alone title. You do not need to read the first two to enjoy this one. Cassie has been raised a very privileged life, as a true lady should be. Yet after the war and loss of her father she must learn some things she never thought she would need. I loved watching how Cassie grew from a "useless" lady to one with her own opinion and abilities. While she fights with knowing she needs to honor her mother she also needs to follow her heart. Jacob thinks he has all he needs and will not ever marry, however when Cassie walks into his store his life is changed forever. While he also struggles with things in his past. He has to learn to let go and trust God. I loved their dialogue and interactions. I also enjoyed some of the unknown. There are things you only find out when others characters find out all the truth. If you enjoy historical, fiction, romance with a little bit of mystery you will love this book. I was given a copy of this book from [...] (The book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wildwood Creek: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Wingate Page; Review: If you like romance, mystery, History or contemporary this book is for you. You start out learning about Bonnie Rose in 1861, with much uncertainty, then we meet Allie Kirkland in present day. This book has one chapter in the past then two in the present, so if this is something that drives you nuts you will not like it. I however do not mind going back in forth. I liked how we follow both women in some very intertwining ways yet they are also very different. Bonnie has to overcome many obstacles in her young life and we truly don't know all that goes on with her till the very end. Allie also has issues with her past and find out if she can open up her heart and life to love and trust someone. Can both women learn to overcome past obstacles and find true happiness and love? This book is full of paths you would not guess to take place, it keeps you wondering and wanting to keep reading. I was given this book by The Book Club network [...] for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Back to Resolution; Author: Visit Amazon's Rose Dee Page; Review: To be honest I had a hard time giving this a rating. The first few chapters have some mild language that I could have done without. I almost did not finish it. However, I had agreed to read it and therefore kept on. I would warn you it has mild language and give it a pg to pg13 rating. After the first few chapters there is not any foul language and the book turns out to be a good read. I understand the need to let us know about the history of characters and the world they live in I just wish Rose Dee would have used terms like "he yelled obscenities" or "he cursed" or . rather than printing exactly what she wanted them to say. In Back to Resolution we find Bay Anders, who has been raised with anything money can buy. When her mother dies she is left with nothing. She must decide what it is that she truly wants. When she finds out that somewhere out there is her daddy that she would love to meet, she set out to try and find him. When left with no option but to go to Australia we find Bay in some very unusual circumstances. When she reaches the bottom and ask for the Lord to save her, she has to live with many choices to make. She never expected to have to solve a crime nor did she expect Flynn McKenna. Flynn McKenna is a true man's man. He has been hiding out on Resolution island for a couple of years and is content to be a loner. Giving up on the opposite sex, he does not intend to let Bay get to him. He not only has some past experiences that he has to deal with and unload, but he too has a mystery to solve and can he do it in time? Will Bay and Flynn trust God with their lives and their future? I was given this book by book fun.org (The book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Caught in the Middle; Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Jennings Page; Review: Caught in the Middle is the third in the Ladies of Caldwell County series. However, all three books can be stand alone titles. You get a little more detail about each character if you read all the books yet it is not necessary. As with Jennings previous two in the series this one is amazing. I look forward to more from her. In Caught in the Middle we find out what happens with Anne Tillerton. She must overcome many past issues including the fact that she killed her own husband. Anne has turned into a great buffalo hunter (even dresses the part). She never expected to run into a person from her past on a train. Nor could she imagine a young child being left in her care after his parents abandon him. Can she cope with become a mother and the feelings that accompany that when she has never truly felt loved before? And can she learn to trust any man again? Nicholas Lovelace never dreamed he would see his sisters friend Anne again, yet when he encounters her on the train and she saves his life he can't keep her off his mind. She is nothing like the woman he thinks he needs. His career is going just as he would like and she certainly does not fit into his society of influence. Can they both learn to trust God with their lives in the hard times and in the good? Following God is easy when things go your way but when asked for the unthinkable it does not come so easy. If you love Historical Christian Romance you will want to read this. I was given this book for my honest review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Marshal's Ready-Made Family (Love Inspired Historical); Author: Visit Amazon's Sherri Shackelford Page; Review: JoBeth McCoy is very a outspoken, self assured, and not your typical woman in 1881. She never thought any man could love her with her "tomboyish" ways. Therefore she has never had a desire for a family of her own. She never imagined Cora. When Garrrett Cain, Cora's uncle, and handsome lawman, get custody of Cora he needs help. JoBeth always thinks of other first, even if her heart is possibly changing. Can she love a man, even if he never loves her? Garrett Cain never imagined himself married or having children. His past is something he can't forget and is afraid he may just turn up like his dad. He never imagined JoBeth could be all he ever wanted. Will he loose her because of his fear or can he confront it and tell her all his secrets and that he loves her? If you like Historical fiction you will love this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ransom: Legacy of the King's Pirates; Author: Visit Amazon's MaryLu Tyndall Page; Review: This is my first book of MaryLu Tyndall to read, however it will not be my last. So I have not had the opportunity to read the other books in this series, however, it is not necessary to understand what is going on in this book. She Writes an amazing story of adventure, romance, mystery and history. If you have a little bit of pirate in you then you will love this book. The only negative I can say is there are a few words I could have done without but it was not to bad. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure and romance. We meet Juliana, a very stubborn, hardworking, loving and caring person. She is shouldering more responsibility than women are to shoulder. Despite the fact that she can't depend on any of the men in her life, she is finding that she is constantly depending on the infamous Pirate Earl and Lord Munthrope. Can she find it in her to trust in God again and in man? What if the truth is more than she can handle? Pirate Earl and Lord Munthrope are not always what they appear. Can they figure out how to handle the love for Juliana, while holding off Captain Nichols? Can God truly still be there waiting on him to return to him. Is it to late to help the love of his life? I would recommend this book, it is a great read. I was given this book from bookfun.org (the book club) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Minding Molly (The Courtships of Lancaster County) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Leslie Gould Page; Review: Even though this is the third in a series, it is a stand alone book. If you have read the others you would have a little history on some of the sub characters, but its not necessary. Molly has been through a lot since the passing of her father. She is a hard working, stubborn, bossy and controlling girl. When her mother seams ill and wants her to marry one of the neighbor boys to help save the family farm, Molly must decide if that is something she can do. However, when a Horse trainer comes to town from Montana, Leon, Molly is not sure she can marry the neighbor. Can she overcome some insecurities, obey her mother, trust her heart and trust in God to do what is best. You will find yourself in love with some of the characters, frustrated with them and also wondering if they will let pride get in their way. If you like Modern Amish Christian Romance you will love this book. I was given this book from bookfun.org (The book club network) for my honest opinion of this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Promise in Pieces: Quilts of Love Series; Author: Visit Amazon's Emily T. Wierenga Page; Review: We follow the life of Clara, As she reflects with her children and grandchildren about her life as a nurse in the war and her being a midwife after. We also follow as she has to deal with forgiveness (which is sometimes the hardest to do when its yourself), love, Trust and believing in God. It is a great story following the stitches of a truly amazing quilt. It is also a picture of how our lives can intermix with others and create such a wonderful pattern. If you like modern mixed with history you will love this book. I was given this book from bookfun.org (the Book club network) for my honest opinion.(less); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Plots and Pans; Author: Visit Amazon's Kelly Eileen Hake Page; Review: Jessalyn Culpepper is a independent, fun loving, tomboy and all around spunky girl. Who feels shoved out of the family when she is sent abroad for "lady lessons". After years away she finally is able to plot a plan to come home unexpected. In spite of her independent ways and how trouble seems to always find her she is very tender hearted and worried that she will not be loved and accepted back on her family ranch. She never imagined Tucker Carmichael would still be there and turn into the handsome strong opinionated man that he is. Can she trust him not to turn her away like she feels her family has done, or can she come to understand sometimes people do and say things they intend to protect even when you feel it is just plane bossy. Can she also learn to trust God? Tucker Carmichael likes his orders and things done just so. He doesn't like surprise or the unknown. When Jessalyn returns, quite unexpectedly, Will he be able to keep her out of trouble? Can he keep the men from stalking her? And what about how she chooses to dress? Can he find it in his heart to accept her just as she is and understand some of why she is the way she is? I enjoyed this book, it is full of wonderful "spunky" dialogue, searching for God's ways and a few twist. I would recommend this book to whomever like Historical christian romance. I was given this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Unexpected Wedding; Author: Visit Amazon's Carla Rossi Page; Review: Gia has lots to over come from her past. Men have always disappointed her. Can she ever learn to forgive and trust again? She is a fun, matter of fact kind of gal. Gia has a heart to serve God and children. Even when past mistakes threaten to over take her can she see God has a plan even in the pain. Will she let Rocky know how she really feels? Rocky has had to overcome a terrible accident do to some ill placed choices. He has no intention on needing help from anyone, especially the beautiful Gia. Will he be able to be all she needs? Can he show her how he feels without scarring her away. What will happen if all is lost? I enjoyed this book very much. It deals with some hard issues and has wonderful dialogue between characters. I would recommend this book to contemporary romance (which could be true) readers. I was given this book from bookfun.org (The book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Woman of Courage; Author: Visit Amazon's Wanda E. Brunstetter Page; Review: Amanda must face many trials in her life. She knows God is big enough to get her through them all. She is a stubborn God loving courageous young lady. After heartbreak (or so she feels). She must face many more life altering trials. When she meets an intriguing Indian, can she trust him? Can she keep her heart from loving him? She knows God does not want her to be with an unbeliever, will God give her the desires of her heart or change her desires? I enjoyed Amanda in her strong faith even when at times she was not sure she could go on. Buck has never wanted anything to do with God and sees no reason to change his single life. He was only trying to help a white woman who would die without his help. Why does she get under his skin so and keep him thinking on a life with a family? He does things his own way and God has not ever cared one bit for him. Can he ever see how God has directed his life even when evil men do evil things? I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes Christian, Historical, Quaker, Romance fiction. I was given this book for my honest opinion from bookfun.org (The book club network); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pelican Bride: A Novel (Gulf Coast Chronicles) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth White Page; Review: Genevieve is running from her past and things we are not real sure of at first. She feels she has no choice but to become a "Pelican bride" She is strong and has ideas of her own. She not only would like to marry for a least a chance of love but feels she must also protect her sister who has also come to this new world as a pelican bride. Can she keep from having feelings for the "confirmed bachelor" and hold her faith and past a secret? Will she be the undoing of all the hard work going on at the time or does she help keep it all together? Tristan feels he can never love another after the death of his first wife, yet he just can't keep Genevieve out of his mind and path. She seams to always need his help in getting out of trouble. Can he find love again? What secrets is she hiding and can there ever be complete trust and love between them? I found this book a little hard to follow at times, there are a lot of different names to keep up with. This is a time period we usually do not read about, yet I found it interesting. I enjoyed this book, even though I did have trouble keeping people apart at times. I was given this book for my honest opinion from bookfun.org (The book club network).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Beauty So Rare (A Belmont Mansion Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Tamera Alexander Page; Review: This is the 2nd book in the series "A Belmont Mansion", however you do not need to read the first one to understand this one. I have not read book one, yet and had no problem keeping up with what was going on. Eleanor Braddock has faced many hard times. After the war she must sell her family home and move to the Belmont Mansion to live with her very wealthy aunt. She also must place her father in a home to try and help him get better. Eleanor is a very independent, straightforward woman of almost 30. She knows she is not a beautiful woman and now has nothing to offer any husband. She has ideas of her own that don't fit a woman of her social status. She feels she must do things that her Aunt, whom she is a lot alike, wishes because she is now at her mercy. When she feels like God is leading her to start a home for Children and widows, the hands on way in which she desires to do this is not what is expected of someone from her upbringing. Can she ever do what it is she feels God intended for her? Will her father ever recover? And can she ever let herself truly love without fear? Marcus Gottfried has secrets of his own that he does not want anyone in America to discover. He is a very talented architect and schooled in Botany. While he is designing and grafting plants, he never imagined the chemistry that he would find in Eleanor. He is used to woman flocking at him and looking his way, so when she seems to not be affected by him it stirs his interest even further. When they are placed together in many different circumstances the sparks fly. Can he become the man she believes him to be? I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion. I truly enjoyed this book. I love the dialogue and spunk in the novel. I would definitely recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pam (The Women of Valley View); Author: Visit Amazon's Sharon Srock Page; Review: This is the third book in the Woman of Valley View series. I can say you do not have to read the others to understand what is going on in this one, because I have not read the first two yet myself. I feel you many have a deeper understanding of some of the sub characters if you read the previous book, but will have no problem keeping up. Pam can not believe that her 15 year love of her life has become the man he is. After an ugly divorce and deep deep depression she is getting her life back together. Yet she has never really dealt with all of her buried issues. Can she ever truly forgive and deal with things so deeply hidden? Will her family suffer more or can they have a happy ever after? Allan has finally turned his life back to the Lord, yet has many many things to get settled with his ex-wife and family. Can he find the forgiveness he longs for before it is to late? Will his current family be able to deal with it as well? This book deals with many hard issues and a few sub characters that are searching for God and answers. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Sharon Srock. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (The book club Network) for my honest opinion. I would recommend this book to anyone one who enjoys current christian fiction romance.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Visible Threat; Author: Visit Amazon's Janice Cantore Page; Review: Brinna Caruso is an amazing cop with a hunger to catch the criminals, especially those who target children. She has an aggressive attitude and is a very good cop. Even though sometimes her ways go against her superior. She struggles with how can a God who loves us allow bad things to happen to good people. Will she ever be able to understand what God is showing her? Once the case she is working on turns personal can she find a way to save those she loves the most? And will her co-worker be able to get over the loss of his wife and find a relationship with her? This book is action packed with twist and turns in all the right places. It has just enough romance and some hard to deal with issues. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary, fiction (which could be no-fiction), police type books. I won this book in a contest on the authors blog. I was not asked to write a review but count it a privilege and look forward to reading more by Janice cantor.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Raina's Choice: Western Justice - book 3; Author: Visit Amazon's Gilbert Morris Page; Review: This is book three in the Western Justice series, yet it is a stand alone book. You do not need to read the first two to understand anything that happens in this one. However they are also a good read. Raina must overcome some hard circumstances and learn to trust a total stranger, and a man at that. Will life ever seam to get easier for Raina? She has to help keep more than one man alive in all her trials. Will she ever find her father? Ty doesnt seam to ever catch a break. However when all he has left is to trust a complete stranger, He is not sure what all is in store for him. When they make it to Indian Territory and He becomes a Marshal, is that what God wants for him? Ty and Raina must both make life altering choices throughout this book. There is suspense, drama, and surprise through the book. I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to anyone who likes Christian Western Romance Novels. I was given this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Here to Stay; Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Tagg Page; Review: This is book 2 in Where Love Begins series. You can read it without reading book 1, however you have much more understanding of the characters in the book if you read it after book 1, Made to Last, Plus book one is great too. :) Blake Hunziker, whom we know from book 1, has finally come home. Can he overcome guilt and past hurts and find a place for his adventurous heart? Can the town accept him for whom he is and also find peace with him? Blake is torn when he discovers he has feelings for Autumn Kingsley, his own families nemeses, kind of like the Hatfields and McCoys. Can they also overcome past and family history to find true happiness? Or must he learn to live without her? Autumn Kingsley is struggling with the family inn, can she follow her own adventurous dreams or be stuck doing what she feels she must? When Blake Hunziker seams to be everywhere, even helping her at her inn, His family's rival inn, Can she keep her heart from going into forbidden territory? Autumn must decide what her dream is now and realize sometimes that dream may change. Is she too late or will paths open up for her in ways she had no idea she always wanted? I enjoyed this book and love how Melissa Tagg developed her characters and both their personalities. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary Christian Romance Fiction. It is a great read. I was given this book from bookfun.org (The book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forget Me Not; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Cogan Page; Review: Miranda's life has been smooth sailing, she has not really ever had her faith tested, therefore she does not really understand when people loose faith in God. Paul on the other hand has had a very difficult trial in his life and has lost all faith in a loving God. When they meet there is instant chemistry. Life is going great until Miranda's smooth world comes crashing down. Can she be an example of faith for Paul or will this be the final straw for him? Should she tell him her secret or just let him go? Will Paul every learn to trust God again? Karen Cogan takes us on an amazing journey of love, hope, trust and faith. She writes with spunk and the people feel very real. I love the personalities of the characters in her book and would recommend it to anyone who likes Contemporary Christian Romance (that feel real to life) books. I enjoyed this book, it was hard to put down. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fragile Dreams; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Cogan Page; Review: Caroline must keep her plantation going during the civil war. There are many things she must face that she has never faced before. When a Yankee soldier turns up wounded on her southern plantation should she care for him or let him die? Caroline faith has been tried before and failed, Can she find that faith again and learn to trust God in hard times? What will everyone think if she tends to the needs of a Yankee and what if she develops feelings for him? Nate was sure he was a dead man, yet when he awoke a beautiful 'angel' was tending to him. He can see the contempt in her yet she is still compassionate. What will happen when he gets better and when will this war end? If there is to be a chance for them where would they live? Karen Cogan has developed some great characters and some eye opening things in history. I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian Historical fiction romance. I like the personality of the main characters and there are many surprises in store. It is a great quick read. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (The book Club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Until I Found You; Author: Visit Amazon's Victoria Bylin Page; Review: Kate Darby has everything she think she wants, A great career, A loving Grandma and is living in the limelight. When tragedy strikes she must learn to trust in others and God as well. She is unprepared for the twist and turns that she must face. Can she ever trust in a God whom she can not see? What about love, is there such a thing as forever kind of love? She never imagined meeting anyone like Nick Sheridan. Nick is a man once in the same kind of fast lane in life that is now learning to trust in God himself. He never intended to be anyones hero. Yet, he seams to always be helping out the beautiful Kate. Will he loose his faith or will he loose Kate? Victoria Bylin writes with much passion and chemistry. I enjoyed the personalities throughout this book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes Contemporary Romance Christian Fiction. I was given a copy of this book by bookfun.org (The Book Club Network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Firewall (FBI: Houston); Author: Visit Amazon's DiAnn Mills Page; Review: From the first chapter till the end. I loved this book. My first thought was 'this should be a movie'. It's a very action packed, suspenseful, surprising story with a side of romance. Great for both men and women. You won't want to put it down. Taryn Young, a shy, surprising, software developer must prove her innocence in the bombing of an airport. Is there more at stake? For someone with such an high IQ, how can she be duped? Whom should she trust? Is she actually helping or hindering? Agent Grayson Hall needs to get to the bottom of all this before anything else develops. Does he trust his gut when his partner disagrees? Can he keep his head in the game? Who is behind everything? Will he be on time? DiAnn Mills does a great job in developing her characters. I loved the dialogue, action and the theme of this book. I look forward to reading more by her. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone! I was given this book from bookfun.org (The book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Place in His Heart: A Novel (The Southold Chronicles) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Rebecca DeMarino Page; Review: Mary Langton has chosen to marry Barnabas Horton even if she can not get a blessing from her father. She has no idea what is in store for her. She knows she has feelings for Barnabas, yet also understands he has lost the love of his life and is needing a mother for his children. When she learns he plans to leave England for the New World she is not pleased. Can she really leave her family? Will she ever find a place in Barnabas' heart? When trials come can they bloom or will they fall apart. Barnabas Horton is still grieving the loss of his dear wife, Ann. He realizes though he must find someone to help him raise his two small boys, one so much like him and the other like his precious Ann. Their story will take you through many struggles, twists, and different places. Can they ever find a home? I enjoyed reading this book very much. There were times I wanted to slap Barnabas and times I wanted to cry with Mary. You defiantly feel what they are going through. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical Christian fiction. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Full Steam Ahead; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Witemeyer Page; Review: Nicole Renard must prove to herself and her papa that she is just as capable as any man. However, since she is a woman she must find an male heir to take over her ailing fathers business. When things go wrong and her plans change she must find employment to get enough money to find a suitable husband. However when she finds employment with the reclusive scientist, Darius Thornton, she is not expecting the explosive feeling that she is having. How will she ever find a husband that will make a suitable heir and also stir the feeling she is having around this 'unsuitable' man? Darius Thornton needs a male secretary to help him get all his work done, when someone finally answers his ad he is not prepared for the hard- headed, stubborn, opinionated Nicole Renard. What secrets is she hiding behind that beautiful intelligent mind of hers? Can he prove to her he is an suitable heir? Will it be too late? Karen Witemeyer writes with such passion and her characters truly come to life. I love the spunk, twist and turns and life lessons learned throughout the book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes Historical Christian Fiction Romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Child of Mine; Author: Visit Amazon's Beverly Lewis Page; Review: As with any Beverly Lewis book I have read, I love them. Child of Mine is no exception. There are many twist and turns, and it will keep you guessing. This is not your typical book in which from the get go you know where this book is leading, in fact while reading you may change your mind how you want it to end, there are many surprises and you truly don't know what will happen till the end. Jack Livingston is raising his adopted niece, Natalie. With the help of her Amish nanny Laura. Natalie has had many changes in her life and is quite a character. I just love her personality. Can Jack raise Natalie without a mother? Kelly Maines baby was stolen from her home while she was just an infant and she has been searching for her for years. Sometimes to the demise of her own health and wellbeing, also not always being honest. Will she ever find her lost daughter? And if she does what then? This book deals with healing, forgiveness, much laughter, love and more. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian Fiction. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hesitant Heiress (The Everstone Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Dawn Crandall Page; Review: Amaryllis has been through a lot the last few years. After the loss of her mother and the guilt she felt, she has to deal with the absence of her father then his loss and the feeling she is all alone. Once she must face some of the people she dislikes the most, are all her ideas wrong? Has she misjudged many in her past? What is it that continues to draw her to Nathan? He is not the one she needs, he is the son of the man who has been her enemy all along, or is he? Can she ever overcome her opinions and learn the truth? Has her decisions cost her more than she can bear? I have enjoyed reading this book, Dawn Crandall did a great job developing the characters of this book. There are many twist and turns in this book and it is filled with surprises. It kept you interested all along. Sometimes I was not sure I was going to like the ending but that is all the more enjoyable. I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian Historical Romance books. It is a great read. I was given an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Treasured Brides Collection: Three Timeless Romances from a Beloved Author (Love Endures); Author: Visit Amazon's Grace Livingston Hill Page; Review: The Big Blue Soldier - Marilla Chadwick only wants to have a nice dinner for her nephew coming home from the war, when he can not come does she make a mistake when she invites a soldier off the street to come in and eat with her and her lovely young neighbor? Or was this the best decision possible? Mary Amber loves her neighbor, whom she calls Aunt Rilla. She is not excited to greet Marillas nephew back. He has never been a favorite of hers. Yet, when this stranger shows up is he up to no good or can he really be trusted? Lyman Cage feels that no one cares anymore what happens to him, and has nowhere to go and no money to get there. So when this sweet older lady invites him in for supper he figures why not, until he realizes there is a girl at the supper too. Girls are the enemy, so he thinks. Will this be a good idea or not? Found Treasure - There are many different characters we meet in this novel. Two sister in particular, Eleanor and Effie Martin, they are have very different personalities. Will they ever get along? Can God change the heart of one and turn her into a treasure? Can a tomboy find a true balance. There is forgiveness, even when not asked for, love and peace found in this story. The Patch of Blue - Chris Walton, born of wealth and privilege, seems to have everything one could want: loving parents, friends, popularity, money and one more year of collage. When his world comes crashing down will he find the faith and peace his parents have? What good can God have in store when you loose all you think is important? Natalie Halsey, raised with a great Godly mother but is extremely poor, seems to always be happy. Natalie and Chris went to school together but were worlds apart. When their paths continue to cross will she be able to be the light God intended? Can somthing develop between them?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hallowed Halls (Jerry B. Jenkins Select Books); Author: Visit Amazon's Hannah Alexander Page; Review: Dr. Joy Gilbert, is a soft hearted intelligent doctor, whom has a heart that still needs healing. She is not sure if she still has her faith. When she must return home to help her mother she is not expecting to be fired and have a stowaway all in the same day. Then to have to see her ex-fiance again is almost more than she thinks her heart can handle. Dr. Zack is not so sure what to believe anymore. Could he possibly have made the biggest mistake in his life? Will God allow a second chance. When he and Joy must work together to try and save Tressa will they be able to help her and can forgiveness come? This book is full of forgiveness (in different forms), romance, medicine, and humor. I loved the characters in the book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary Christian fiction Romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lady Fugitive; Author: Visit Amazon's Ada Brownell Page; Review: Jenny Parks is running from her uncle, who happens to be the judge. How far does his arm reach? When everywhere she turns people are looking for her, even under her disguise she fears people will find her and turn her in for the reward he is offering. She is determined to make it on her own. She keep running into the handsome peddler, Mister William O'Casey. Will he help her or is he working for her uncle? Can she trust her heart or will it get her into trouble. Who can she turn to and does God still care? William O'Casey just wants to help Jenny, and can't seam to get her off his mind. Yet, he needs to find his brother before its to late. When conflict arrises will he trust God or let his temper get the better of him? Will Jenny every trust him, and how can he protect her? I love the characters throughout this book, some four legged. I enjoyed the dialogue and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Christian Historical fiction Romance. I was given this book from bookfun.org (The book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Twice a Slave (Jerry B. Jenkins Select Books); Author: Visit Amazon's Sammy Tippit Page; Review: Joseph Willis, the son of a white man and a Cherokee woman, must face the hardships of prejudice, difficulty, death, and faith. He is a strong man, with many questions about 'Who he is'. After Joseph comes to know the Lord as his Savior, He still must deal with all the same struggles and with the added one of what does God want for my life? He not only faces prejudices from outsiders but from family and to some aspect his friends. He is a slave to his father, whom loves him, and then a slave on his own land when his father leaves his property to him in his will yet his Uncle, whom has never excepted him, refuses to give him his inheritance. Once he accepts Christ as Savior he also sees himself as a slave to Christ. Will Joseph ever be free? Can he overcome such struggles grief? Will he have what it takes to forgive and not get bitter even when he has done nothing wrong? Can he continue to stand for God and trust him with his whole life and that of his family? There are many thing we can learn from the story of Joseph Willis. This is a great book of fiction written with many facts, I was appalled, excited and moved by many things in this book. I would recommend it to anyone who likes fiction, nonfiction, historical, and just good Christian reading. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (the book club network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Forever Amish: A Novel (Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Kate Lloyd Page; Review: This is the 3rd book in the Legacy of Lancaster, however I feel it is a stand alone. I have not read the previous two books and had no problem following what was going on. I am sure if you read the first two you would have a better understanding of some of the characters in the book, yet it is not necessary. Sally Bingham just needs a break from her life for the weekend. She is not so sure about her fianc and if they should marry or not. She sets out on a weekend just to be alone and meet with a girl who has been e-mailing her. She finds herself in an Amish community. When secrets are unveiled can she forgive those who have lied to her? Can she make peace with God? Will she ever find her mother? And what about this unexpected attraction to an Amish man, Did she ever really love her fianc? Armin King has secrets of his own, well as secret as they can be in an Amish community. Will he be able to forgive those he feels have done him wrong? And what will he do with his attraction to another 'English' girl? Kate Lloyd does a great job with the dialogue in the book, I enjoyed many of the saying used. Her characters seam real and face real issues. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Amish Romance Christian Fiction. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Bride in Store; Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Jagears Page; Review: This is the 2nd (or 3rd, if you count the novella) in the Unexpected Brides series. I would encourage you to read the novella, Love by the Letter, and the book #1, A Bride for Keeps, just because they are great. However, it is not necessary to understand what is going on in this book this is a stand alone book. The first couple will just give you some background on some of the sub characters. Eliza Cantrell has been raised in a general store and has a talent for business. Yet when her father leaves the business to her lazy brother in stead of her she must find a way to own her own store. When she agrees to be a mail-order-bride to a man who needs her dowry to maintain his store, she never imagined the storms and trials that would come her way. Can she find true love? Will she be able to have her dream? Will Stanton has wanted to be a doctor, yet needs funds for schooling. So when he goes into business with his long time friend to save money he is not prepared for the mail-order-bride whom walks into their store, nor the twist and turns his life is about to take. After being jilted by his fianc, will he ever find love again? How can he be taken advantage of and be blinded so easily? This books has great dialogue, and characters. I love the way Melissa Jagears has real life situations in her late 1800's stories and that sometimes life is hard and trying. I look forward to her next book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read historical Christian Romance fiction, especially those, like me, who love mail-order-bride books. I was given a copy of this book by Bethany House for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Match of Wits; Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: This is the 4th book in the Ladies of Distinction series. However it is a stand alone book. I would recommend reading the other 3 just because they are good reads. They will give you some history on some of the sub characters in the story, yet it is not necessary to understand this novel. Agatha Watson is an independent, opinionated, reporter for the New York Tribune. Trouble just seems to follow her where ever she goes. Now that someone wants her dead and she is traveling with a body guard you would think that would help. Yet, when she stumbles upon a childhood friend, she seems to be getting into more trouble and not just the physical kind. Can she keep her heart from getting broken, again? Will they figure out who is trying to kill her before it is too late? Zayne Beckett is just trying to forget his past, yet when he is faced with Agatha again and her relentless need to 'save' him, he just can't seem to not do what she asks. They have always been great friends, yet is that all? I love the way Jan Turano writes with such fun, feisty, and humorous dialogue. I look forward to reading more from her. I would defiantly recommend this book to someone who enjoys reading Historical Christian Romance Fiction, especially if you like a large dose of humor. I was given this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Captured By Love; Author: Visit Amazon's Jody Hedlund Page; Review: This is the 3rd book in the Michigan Brides Collection. I feel it is a stand alone book. I have not read the previous two books and had no problem understanding this one. I will however read them now. Angelique MacKenzie loves her rough life on Michilimackinac Island. Even though she is faced with many struggles, poverty and a cruel stepfather. Will this war ever end? and should she follow her heart or her commitment? Pierre and Jean Durant are brothers who have treated Angelique as a sister their whole life, yet many circumstances have separated them all from each other. Which will win Angelique as a bride? I love the characters, dialogue and surprise throughout this book. It will defiantly keep you reading. I look forward to reading many more by Judy Hedlund. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves Christian historical Romance. It is a fiction story based on facts. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Addiction: In the President's Service Episode Four (Volume 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Ace Collins Page; Review: This is the 4th in the Series, I have not read any of the previous 3 and had no problem picking up on what was going on. I will, however, go back and read the last 3. I would recommend reading them in order, but it is not necessary for understanding. This is a fast paced book filled with action, suspense and surprise. It leaves you wanting more, waiting on his next episode. I enjoyed the writing style and characters in this WWII, secret service episode. They characters are daring and smart. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to read, good christian fiction with suspense, drama, surprise, and the Secret service. I was given a copy from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion. I look forward to reading more by Ace Collins, especially in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Safe Haven (The Peacemakers); Author: Visit Amazon's Anna Schmidt Page; Review: Safe Haven is the 3rd book in The Peacemakers series. I have not read the first two and had no problem following what was going on in this one. I believe if I would have read the first 2 I would have a better understanding of some of the sub characters in this book, yet it is not necessary. This book takes place during WWII, and reviles parts of our history that most people do not know. It is well written and brings different sides and opinions to a tragic part of history. Even though it is fiction it is based on some facts. Suzanne Randolph is a determined journalist. Even though she has had some difficulties and has put her trust and maybe heart in to the wrong person without checking all the facts, she is a good journalist. When given the opportunity to redeem herself will she make the same mistakes or will she get the recognition she seeks? And at what cost? Theo Bridgweter is a farmer from Wisconsin and a devoted Quaker. When his extended family is sent to a refugee camp in Oswego, New York, he goes to see what help he can offer. While taking up the fight to allow them to stay in America after the war, he is faced with decisions about his future. How will these decisions affect his family and his heart? I enjoyed the details, characters and dialogue in this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, christian, historical, WWII, and fiction books. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Comes Home: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Ann H. Gabhart Page; Review: This is the 3rd book in the Rosey Corner series. I have not read the first two and had no trouble keeping up with what was happening. However, I feel that I missed a lot of history and would recommend reading the books in order. Plus if the first two are as good as this one you won't be disappointed. This book followed the life of the Merritt sisters and the lovely town of Rosey Corner, KY. WWII has finally ended and they must face the many changes that follow, some welcoming home husbands while others dealing with loss. They face love, loss, friendships and much more. This is my first book by Ann H Gabhart and will not be my last. I love her characters, their dialogue, and the 'real to life' things that they must face. You feel like a part of the community in her story, there were times I laughed and times I cried and times I wanted to slap a character or two. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes Historical Christian Romance fiction. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Annie's Stories (Ellis Island); Author: Visit Amazon's Cindy Thomson Page; Review: This is the second in the Ellis Island series. Even though I have not read the first one I had no trouble knowing what was happening in this one, however I would suggest that you read them in order. Annie Gallagher has to over come some major problems in her life and also have forgiveness. She is a very self determined girl with a mind of her own. She has been raised by a loving father in a not so traditional way. When she uncovers things from her past can she forgive and trust God or will she do it her own way? Who can she trust in her circle of 'friends'? Will she ever have a family again? There are many other characters throughout this book that too must face challenges and twist and turns in their life. I enjoyed reading this book, You were not quite sure who to trust yourself and there are many surprises throughout it. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Honorable Heir; Author: Visit Amazon's Laurie Alice Eakes Page; Review: Catherine Bisterne returns home surrounded by scandal. She must overcome some past mistakes and try to prove her innocence. She is a regal, loving, strong woman. When another Englishman enters her life, will he be nothing but trouble or can more develop? Will Catherine find the forgiveness she seeks from others and within herself? Tristram Wolfe must prove to his father he is worth being proud of. Yet, when his heart gets involved will he be able to find out who stole the jewels? Can he also find forgiveness and acceptance? I enjoyed the characters in this book, the dialogue and the mystery. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical Christian Romance fiction with a side of mystery. Especially if you enjoy reading about the wealthy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Westward Christmas Brides Collection: 9 Historical Romances Answer the Call of the American West; Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter; Review: One thing I love about books like this is if you only have a few minutes to read you can read one full story (they are only about 50 pages each), Or you can spend more time and read the whole book. Each story is packed with lots of different circumstances and even though they are short, they are full of love, surprise, action and much more. A Christmas Prayer - by Wanda E. Brunstetter A group of pioneers are traveling from New York to California. They each have hardships and trials to overcome. These strangers must help each other during a snow storm. When tensions flare and feeling develop what will happen? Will Cynthia do what she feels is necessary or will God provide a way? Will they loose faith when all looks impossible? Another Christmas Story - by Susan Page Davis Beryl Jenner must face many hardship when left at a trading post by her wagon train. While the Lassens seem like wonderful people, they run a trading post, they cant want extra mouths to feed all winter long. As the winter drags on and feeling develop will Beryl travel east, west or stay where her heart is? The Reluctant Runaway - by Melanie Dobson Lavinia Starr sees no way out of her predicament than to runaway. Even though leaving the comforts of her home, she has no idea where she will go nor how she will support herself, she sees no other option. When plans go wrong what will she do? Can she trust anyone? She is determined to solve her problems without the help of anyone, especially the handsome Isaac Loritz. Will she find out the truth and whom she can truly trust before it is to late? A Stagecoach Christmas - by Cathy Liggett Molly OBrien is excited to head to her new future. Yet when her stagecoach comes into problems what will happen to all her plans, and those traveling with her? Will she ever find someone to love her? Samuel Harden wants to forget all he is leaving behind, yet when he stumbles upon a stagecoach can he turn his back and not help? Will his heart ever heal? God has a way of softening our heart when we least expect it. Forgiving a Family - By Vickie McDonough Beth Ruskin is on her way to a new adventure. She is not sure what to expect when she reaches the Arizona territory. However when tragedy strikes and plans change will she be able to continue on her journey? What about Lizzie? Cade Maddox must face the challenge of raising his young daughter alone. What kind of a life can he offer her and is he the father she needs? Yet when tragedy strikes his small family, will the decisions he makes be the right ones? Can Beth and Cade get their act together before it is to late? Snow Song - by Olivia Newport Belinda Michaels is very upset with her soon to be fiancé, Hayden Fairbanks. When she decides to board a train to; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Carol for Kent: Part 3 of the Song of Suspense Series; Author: Visit Amazon's Hallee Bridgeman Page; Review: This is the third book in the Song of Suspense Series. While I have not read the first two and had no problem keeping up with what was going on I would recommend you read them in order. (plus you will enjoy them all anyway, if the first two are as good as this one). You will also get background information of characters in this novel. Carol Mabry has been raising her daughter for eight years now, assuming Bobby Kent, the childs dad wanted nothing to do with her. When truth finally comes out that Bobby knew nothing of his daughter can forgiveness and healing take place in all the areas that are needed? Carol is an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney is always busy with her work, yet always finds time to be a good mother. This new case has her in the spotlight and makes her wonder if she will ever find Richmond Red. Bobby Kent is a famous Country music star when he unexpectedly comes home and finds he is a father, what will happen with his family? Can he forgive and find love in Carol again? Will he be able to keep her safe? This book is full of surprise, suspense, mystery, romance, friendship and love. If you think you have it figured out, you don't. You will keep intrigued throughout the whole book and not know whom to trust till the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary, Christian, Suspense, Romance. This is my first by Hallee Bridgeman and will not be my last. I enjoyed her descriptions, comedy, and suspense. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slave Again; Author: Visit Amazon's Alana Terry Page; Review: It is hard to say that I "enjoyed" this book, being that it is about Human Trafficking, sex slavery and all that is involved with those. Alana Terry does a great job explaining what takes place without going into too much detail. It is a difficult read knowing that this truly does go on in many places. With that being said I did enjoy reading it. It is very eye opening, especially if you had no idea this kind of thing actually does happen. Mee-Kyong has been through much in her life and must face much more. She feels responsible for Sun, even though they just meet. Is there even a God in such hard times? What has he ever done for me? Juliette and Roger Sterns, are missionaries helping refugees from North Korea in China. We see some struggles that they too must face. Honestly Juliette got on my nerves, however I think there is more to her story than we know. Alana Terry does a tremendous job giving details and personalities to all the many characters in her book. Even the most difficult, you can see their point of view many times. She does a great job in telling a very difficult story. This book is filled with heartache, mystery, surprises and God's love. I was given a copy of this e-book from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Passage: A Novel (Southern Crimes) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Harris Page; Review: This is my first time to read a book by Lisa Harris, and will not be my last. I truly enjoyed her characters, mystery, dialogue and romance. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary Christian police work type romance. Avery is a determined widow, mother and detective. She is passionate about her work, family, God and right. Avery is not sure if her heart and life are ready for a relationship with Jackson, yet her heart and family tell her otherwise. While trying to solve the mystery of the death of two Jane Doe's and finding the mystery of her brothers death too, she is often under pressure. She sometimes must trust and forgive even when it seems impossiable. Jackson has had trails of his own yet knows he is ready to open his heart and life to Avery. While his job as Medical Examiner puts him in close proximity with Avery he knows he wants more.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miracle in a Dry Season; Author: Visit Amazon's Sarah Loudin Thomas Page; Review: Perla Long is trying to escape past decisions that she has made. She and her daughter, Sadie, leaves her town and parents to go live with her aunt and uncle in Wise, West Virginia. Most of the time bad decisions leave us with consequences, some pleasant (and a blessing, like Sadie) and some very hard and trying. Perla finds, as most problems do, they follow her to Wise. People still have a hard time forgiving and it is easier to see the sin of other and not the sin of self. Perla must decide to forgive even when people do her wrong, yet can she forgive herself? Could she deserve happiness after the decisions she has made? Will this town or any town ever accept her? Casewell Phillips finds Perla very attractive, even though he is not interested in getting married especially to someone with a child. When Perla confides in him will he take it well? Casewell goes through much growth and healing himself, however is it to late? Will this town ever see a true miracle (that of forgiveness)? This book is full of forgiveness, love, hard ache, trials and much more. I enjoyed the dialogue, characters and the human nature side of the story. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: With Every Breath; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Camden Page; Review: Kate Norton Livingston is a smart, talented lady. When she is widowed she is left heartbroken, however time has passed and maybe her heart has healed. When she accepts a new and challenging job there are many unexpected things that will happen in her life. Will she be able to open her heart, forget some preconceived ideas and trust God always has a plan or will she allow fear to rule her life? Trevor has many secrets that will unfold throughout this story. When he faces challenges in his work and private life will he be able to pull it all together before it is to late? Why is he so cold and heartless? Can forgiveness take place? I loved the dialogue between Trevor and Kate. Both are very intelligent people who challenge each other. I love the challenge of figuring out who is trying to destroy Trevor. I also love the title considering this book battles the horrible disease of Tuberculosis (which my husband and I, both test positive for and have taken treatment for). I would defiantly recommend this book. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forever With You (Christy & Todd, the Married Years); Author: Visit Amazon's Robin Jones Gunn Page; Review: This is the first time I have read a book by Robin Jones Gunn and I feel I have been left out of the loop. Even though I had no problem keeping up with what was going on with this book, I can see I missed a lot of history in the lives of all the characters. I would recommend reading them in order (starting with the Christy Miller Collection) and growing up with all the characters, however it is not necessary to follow what is happening in this book. Yet if they are all as good as this one is it would be worth reading them all. Christy and Todd are a young happily married couple. They must face many trials as God is stretching their faith in him. It is a time when they truly see what they are made of. Christy and Todd must both deal with the many struggles of a newly married couple, finances and trials. While they both deal with them a little differently we can see how God is leading them and stretching their faith. Will they continue to trust God and do what is right, or will they let these difficult circumstances guide their lives? I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read contemporary christian romance fiction. I will definitely read more by Robin Jones Gunn. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (TBCN) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Playing by Heart; Author: Visit Amazon's Anne Mateer Page; Review: Lula Bowman is doing what she feels makes her happy and knows it makes her daddy proud. Yet when her sister needs her, she puts her dreams on hold and moves back to help her out. While helping out she must find a new job, one she may not like. However when she realizes it involves being a basketball coach too it may be more than she can handle. While trying to balance her 'new life', while helping her sister and her sisters kids, can she also keep her heart from falling for the handsome boys coach and will she ever outlive her nickname? Will God ever reveal what he wishes for her life? Will she ever be able to trust God, herself and have the desires of her heart or is she too late? Chet Vaughn is tired of the girls hovering around him. He just wants to teach, coach and be the son he needs to be. When a new teacher comes to town will she be like the others or will she keep to herself? When trials come his way will he ever be enough for his ma? And when hasty decisions come to light has he lost his chance at true love? I enjoyed this book, the characters and the way each chapter in turn became first person one with Lula and the next with Chet. It gave us insight to both a male and female perspective. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good clean christian historical romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love's Fortune: A Novel (The Ballantyne Legacy) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Frantz Page; Review: This is the 3rd book in The Ballantyne Legacy series. I have not read the first two and had no problem understanding what was happening in this one. I am sure if I read the first two I would have a deeper understanding of some of the sub characters but it is not necessary. This could be a stand alone book. However, I do look forward to reading the first two now. Wren has been raised in Kentucky with very little to do with her wealthy Pennsylvania family. Her father and she have been happy in their small home making violins and music. She has never been interested in the finer things of life, bear foot and wearing stained dresses is enough for her. When her father receives a letter and they leave for Pennsylvania. Wren is not prepared for the drastic change. She has never even imagined a "season" nor is she interested in being in one. When thrown into the world of the 'ton' she is not sure she can live up to the expectations of the Ballantyne name. She must decide to either follow her heart or do her duty. James Sackett is just a devoted Steamship pilot for the Ballantynes' family. He is not prepared to meet Wren nor the feelings he tries to hide from her. When he is summoned to act as her escort during her 'season' will he be able to do her justice and find her the perfect husband, without loosing his heart? While he is being hunted can he keep her safe? I loved the flow of this book, the unexpected twist and turns, the family that may not always be so helpful and the family that means so much. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes good clean christian historical romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Song of Springhill - a love story: an inspirational romance based on historical events; Author: Visit Amazon's Cheryl McKay Page; Review: Hannah Wright is running from something, the only place she knows to go is Springhill, where she was born on the night her father died. She struggles with her anger at God, trust in others and the unconditional love she receives from a family she just met. Hannah feels she must help her family in their time of need by finding employment. Even though no one in town is hiring, she turns to the last place she really wants to be, a place only a man can work, the cole mine. Will she be able to handle the place that took her father? Can she ever really understand why the miners continue to work knowing the risks, and will she be able to surrender her anger and find true love before it is to late? Joshua Winslow never planned for Hannah to show up in his world, especially in his work world. After tragedy strikes will he be able to move on with life? Will he ever be able to truly know Hannah and be patient enough with her that he does not push her away? I loved all the characters in this book, their realness, struggles, faith, love, community and story line are great. Cheryl McKay does an amazing job at putting you in the middle of small town life and the struggles of a mining town. I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone who likes good clean historical (1950's) romance. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Buttermilk Sky; Author: Visit Amazon's Jan Watson Page; Review: Mazy Pelfrey has left her home in the Kentucky mountain for Lexington. She is attending secretarial school and rooming in a boarding house with her classmates. The five girls form quite a group, they study, eat, attend school, and hang out together, even though they are not all from the same background. Mazy has a hard time keeping her thought on things that she should be focused on. She is just not sure what she wants to do with her life. When Loyal Chambers walks into her life she is torn between her feelings for him and the handsome Sheriff Chanis Clay from her sisters small town. How is she to know what to do when she knows Chanis has feelings for her, yet she is also having feelings for Loyal. When secrets come to light will she make the right decision or has her decision been made for her? Chanis Clay has his life planned out. He has a great job, is fixing up the house he plans to raise his family in and already knows the woman he wishes to marry. When things don't seem to go as planned will he be able to let go and let the Lord have his way, even if it is a different path than he so carefully planned? I enjoyed the dialogue, the life lessons and the descriptive way Jan Watson writes. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tried and True (Wild at Heart) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Connealy Page; Review: This is the first in the Wild at Heart series, what a great start. Kylie Wilder is the youngest of three sisters who have been dressing as men to serve in the war and must continue to do so to earn the special homesteading exemptions. Kylie however is tired of living in pants and enjoys being a girl. She misses civilization yet is determined to do her time and let her family then claim her homestead. She never planned for Aaron Masterson to figure out so quickly she was a girl, nor did she expect the feelings he would stir. Land agent Aaron Masterson is just trying to do what is expected till the land rush is over then plans to move further into the wild and start a homestead. When he discovers things are not what they appear, he must do what is right. He never expected to find the prettiest woman he has ever seen fall into his lap. Will he be able to protect her? When things start to happen on Kylie's homestead will they be able to find out who is behind it before it gets to dangerous? I loved the spunky, determined, yet womanly character of Kylie and the chemistry between her and Aaron. This book is filled with great description, spunk and a wonderful story that will keep you interested. There are many twist and turns in the book that keep you guessing. I can't wait to read book 2, Now and Forever. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read good clean christian historical romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hazardous Homecoming (Wings of Danger); Author: Visit Amazon's Dana Mentink Page; Review: Ruby Hudson has lost her best friend and must face the trials of the what ifs. Twenty years later can new evidence help solve the case or will it tear apart her family and possibly cost her her life? When Cooper Stokes reenters her life can she trust him? No matter how far she tries to push him her heart longs for him. Will they be able to figure things out before it tears them apart? Will she be able to find a place in her heart for Cooper and trust God too? Cooper Stokes just wants to check on his brother, Peter. When the new evidence comes to light can he handle his anger enough to try and prove his brothers innocence. But what if Peter is not so innocent, can he handle the truth? When Ruby and Cooper team up there is a lot of chemistry and intrigue. I love the suspense in this book, the dialogue and not knowing the outcome until Ruby and Cooper find it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes good clean Christian contemporary suspense with some romance in the mix. I was given an ARC copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silent Night Standoff (First Responders); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is the first book in the first responders series. Skyler Brennan is a dedicated hostage negotiator. When she becomes a hostage will she be able to keep her calm and negotiate out of this one? She never expected her ex-boyfriend to be around, will she be able to negotiate the roller coster of emotions she must face. When her life is under fire and her heart hangs in the balance will she be able to help her team find the suspect and will her heart hold strong? Logan Hunter is a determined FBI agent out to get a promotion and capturing the bank robbers would land it. He never imagined he would be facing Skyler again. When twist and turns has them together will they find peace and forgiveness? Will it become necessary to choose between his career and love, again? This was my first Susan Sleeman book and will not be my last. It is full of twist and turns, unexpected, surprise, suspense and romance. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes good clean contemporary suspense romance. I enjoyed the fast paced, yet easy going way this book flows. I fell in love with all the characters and look forward to what is in store for them in the books to come. I was given an ARC copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion. To check out more from the first responders series check out her web site susansleeman.com/books/first-responders/ .; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Fruitcake Challenge: Christmas Traditions Series; Author: Dr. Carrie Fancett Pagels; Review: This is book 3 from the Christmas Traditions series, however it is a stand alone book. I have not read book 1 or 2 and had not problem knowing what was going on. I enjoyed this quick read. Jo Christy is the daughter of the owner of a lumber jack company. Since her mother's death she becomes the head cook for the camp. Even though she desires to be anywhere but there, she loves her family and cooking. When a new lumberjack comes to the camp Jo is not so sure what to make of him. He is too good looking for his own good. When he issues a Fruitcake challenge she figures it is a good way to teach him a lesson. Yet will it back fire on her? Tom Jeffries is not sure what to expect as a lumberjack. He needs the money it offers to help support his mother, yet loves teaching. When he spots the beautiful owners daughter his world is turned upside down. What is it God would have of him? This is a good short read. I enjoyed the characters, family and love in this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bound Heart (The Everstone Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Dawn Crandall Page; Review: This is the second book in The Everstone Chronicles. Even if you have not read the first one (The Hesitant Heiress), you will have no problem following what happens in this one. However it will give you insight to the characters in this book, plus it is a great read too. Meredyth Summercourt has no idea what she wants. She feels that because of past decisions her choices are limited. When deeper feelings for her very best friend, Lawry, surprise her, will she know what to do with them? For years she has felt her only salvation is in Vance. When confronted with choices will she allow herself to be forgiven? Will she follow her heart or do what she feels is best? This book is filled with twist and turns, some very surprising. You never know what to expect till the very end. Dawn Crandall does a wonderful job keeping you interested and surprised. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read good christian historical romance fiction. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Temperance's Trial, Episode 1 of the Virtues and Valor Series eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Hallee Bridgeman Page; Review: This is the first novella in the Virtues and Valor Series. They are kind of like episodes so you are left with a cliff hanger, awaiting the next book. While this book if fictional it is written about actual people with accurate history, set in WWII. Marie Gilbert, code named, Temperance, is a wireless decoder undercover. While she must constantly find new places to set up to transmit and decode, she has to always be on her toes and maintain her undercover identity. When a Nazi officer, Oberleutnant Leopold Schafer, stumbles into her life will her identity be uncovered? Is he truly interested in her or does he have ulterior motives? When Temperance is arrested, will she be able to stand under interrogation? And what about Oberleutnant Schafer, is he what he seems? Hallee Bridgeman does a great job of getting your interest and keeping it. This is a quick read that will leave you waiting on the next chapter. I would recommend it, if you enjoy episode type christian historical books. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sidetracked (Jerry B. Jenkins Select Books); Author: Visit Amazon's Brandilyn Collins Page; Review: Delanie Miller has created a great life for herself, even if she must guard and hide her past. After living a rough life, she is thrown back into past memories and surprises when she stumbles upon the body of her dear friend. Can she keep her past a secret and yet not let an innocent boy get thrown into prison? Will she be able to stay true to herself and do the right thing? Will she have to sacrifice herself again? This is the first book by Brandilyn Collins that I have read. It will not be my last. It is full of surprise, mystery, murder, love and forgiveness. It will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good clean christian murder mystery (with a dash of love). I was given an audio copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trails & Targets (Dangerous Darlyns); Author: Visit Amazon's Kelly Eileen Hake Page; Review: This is the first book in the Dangerous Darlyns Series. What a great place to start. Beatrix Darlyn is a strong, loving, determined sharpshooter. She has been mother, sister and friend to her three sisters for a long time. When her family's farm is in danger can she rely on the heart stopping stranger, Greyson Wilder, to help the family. Greyson Wilder never expected to find anyone like Beatrix or her sisters. Can he do what is right and keep his heart untouched? He is a determined, kind hearted, stubborn man who can't help but help. Will he be able to find peace and Gods will for his life, or will his past keep him from it? I enjoyed the personalities of the characters and the unique qualities of the women in this book. I look forward to reading more of the Darlyn sisters. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Defenders: An Anthology (Love Inspired Suspense); Author: Visit Amazon's Debby Giusti Page; Review: Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti Elizabeth Tate has been helping her brother with his two kids. When their life is threatened she must rely on the only man who broke her heart, Nick Fontaine. Can she keep him from breaking her heart again, yet trust him to keep them safe. Nick Fontaine never intended to run into Elizabeth Tate again, let alone have to keep her alive. Can they figure out who is trying to kill them before its to late, and can he keep his feelings in control in the process? Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman Travis Chapman was not expecting to be given this special op. How is he going to protect the woman who broke his heart. Will he be able to solve the mystery, keep her safe and keep his heart from being broken? Claire Reeds life is turned upside down over night. How is she to keep her secrets and allow Travis to be so near. Will she be able to trust God? At what cost is her fear and job taking her? Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey Kelly Walters loves her job at The Family Resource Center. She feels she is helping the families left behind while their dads and husbands are oversees. She never imagined her life could be in danger. Is this just a random thing or is someone out to get her? WhenTyler Rainey seems to always be in the right place at the right time can she keep her heart safe? Tyler Rainey cant wait to get back to active duty in Afghanistan. When he feels Kellys life is in danger can he protect her and his heart at the same time? Will he be able to find who is out to get her before it is to late? I loved all three novellas and would recommend them all, How great they are all in one book. It is a great quick read. Every author does a great job at making you feel you are right there in the mix.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Question of Destiny; Author: Visit Amazon's Anita Higman Page; Review: Lucy OBrien is an opinionated, caring, loving, christian girl. She does the right thing even though her life was put on the line. Because of her doing what is right she is given ten million dollars from a multimillionaire, with no strings attached. Lucy is worried this money will change her in ways she does not wish. Can she accept it and still stay true to God and her self? When, Andrew Whitfield, steps into her life, can she help him see the fun side of life and keep her heart from loving him? Andrew Whitfield, does whatever his multimillionaire boss, Ian Chalmer, ask. When he asked him to keep an eye on Lucy for a few months he is not so sure he wants to do that. She has touched places in his heart he does not want touched. Can he do what his boss says and keep his heart hard? I loved the characters and dialogue throughout this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good clean contemporary christian romance. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Last Family Standing; Author: Jennifer Allee; Review: Monica Stanton's past decisions have caught up with her. When the baby she put up for adoption states on national TV she wants to do a reality TV show with her, She feels she has no choice. Monica and Jessica must face many trials physically and emotionally all while being captured on camera. Can Monica make it through the drama? Will Jessica ever let her guard down? There are many twists and turns throughout this book. I love the dialogue, the characters and details in this book. It is full of choices, forgiveness, friendship and a dash of love. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes good clean contemporary christian fiction.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Most Inconvenient Marriage; Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Jennings Page; Review: Abigail Stuart marries a dying soldier, whom claims to be Jeremiah Calhoun, because she truly has nowhere else to go and he desires someone to take care of his ailing sister, mother and farm. When she arrives she is not sure what to expect, will she be accepted and finally a family to love? When the real Jeremiah Calhoun shows up the fireworks start. Can Abigail keep her word to a dying soldier? What about her heart will she be able to keep it safe as well? She must face many situations with forgiveness, bitterness, bushwhackers and love. Jeremiah Calhoun is finally able to come home to his dear family and his love. When he arrives he never imagined to find a beautiful, hardworking, opinionated woman claiming to be his wife. He is a determined man who likes to have control over everything, yet this challenging woman is determined herself and actually very helpful. Will Jeremiah do what his heart tells him or what he feels honor bound to do? Can he find peace on his beloved mountain? Regina Jennings does an amazing job at drawing you in from the start and keeping you interested throughout the whole book. Warning: you may loose sleep over this one, you won't want to put it down. Her dialogue, story line and descriptions are great. I fell in love with all her characters even the background ones. I have read all of her books and am never disappointed. She is one of my favorite. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, christian romance with spunk. I was given a ARC copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Torn Asunder; Author: Visit Amazon's Alana Terry Page; Review: This book is a sequel to Slave Again, I would encourage you to read it first, however it is not necessary to understanding what takes place in this book. It will however give you a good understanding about people and things talked about in this book. Hannah and Simon have had their training and are now off to take the gospel to a closed North Korea, their homeland. Even though they have been trained together they must go at it alone. Are they truly prepared for what is in store for them? When trials, torment, longing and true persecution come will their faith stay strong? They each start off alone, however when their paths cross can they go their separate ways or do what their heart compels them to do?Is any sacrifice to great for the gospel? This book takes you into the many struggles, hardships, and true persecution many face in other countries simply for the sake of the gospel. Alana Terry does a great job at capturing your interest and explaining some of the most difficult yet true things many christians must face in other counties. You will be captivated and surprised by many of the things that are revealed throughout this novel. It will definitely keep you interested and heart broken. I have read The Beloved Daughter, Slave Again and now Torn Asunder and am a fan of Alana Terry. I recommend all three. This is not the genre I typically read but loved this eye opening, suspenseful, heartfelt and difficult story. I was given an ARC copy of this book from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hawk (The Quiet Professionals); Author: Visit Amazon's Ronie Kendig Page; Review: This is book two in The Quiet Professionals series. I would defiantly recommend you read Raptor 6 (the first book in the series) before reading this one. They are both wonderful books, full of adrenaline pumping action and a side of love. I now can't wait for the third one, Falcon. We are introduced to Hawk in the first book, Raptor 6. As he tries to fight the demons within and control his anger he must also follow orders and protect those who can't protect themselves. When Fekiria Haidary comes back into his life will he be able to keep her secret and protect them? Will his team be able to find out who is tracking them before it is to late? Fekiria Haidary never imagined depending on an American quite so much. As a Muslim she has never been fond of the Americans. Yet when choices she has made lead her into danger who can she trust? I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read contemporary stories about soldiers, mystery, suspense and love. I was given a copy of this book from Bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Long Road Home Romance Collection: Four Romances With an Enduring Pioneer Spirit; Author: Visit Amazon's Judi Ann Ehresman Page; Review: The Long Road Home - Mandy Evanston never expected her married life to turn out like it has. When her beloved husband Ethan leaves to work on the railroad, neither expect the consequences, surprises or outcome of this decision. While Mandy finds unexpected surprises, that are definitely heaven sent, she grows in ways she never expected. Ethan must face consequences of decisions he has made and wonders if there is a place of forgiveness. Can Mandy and Ethan give their lives to God and find the path to each other? This is a lovely story of finding Gods love and forgiveness. On the Wings of Grace - Bess must learn to forgive herself and accept that her past mistakes is her past. While God has truly blessed her and allowed her into the Sheldon family, she for the first time feels home. When tragedy strikes the family will Bess be able to continue to be a part of this wonderful family or is there somewhere else she is to be. When Robert finally makes his intentions known, what will Bess do? Will Bess ever be able to be truly happy again? This is a great story about love, forgiving oneself and not allowing guilt to rule our life. Where Two Agree - Deidre loves living with the Evanston family but continues to have this longing to find her husband. She knows it is not safe for her to return south, so she continues to trust God and his timing. Knowing patience is not always easy she still finds peace in trusting her beloved husband to God and knowing in his timing they will connect. Jeremiah can not believe his good fortune when he was bought by a loving plantation owner. He has longed to earn enough to buy his freedom and that of his wife and child. He is relying on God to keep them safe. He was sold before his child was born and has no idea when or how he will be reunited with his family. This is a great story about Gods timing. The Reluctant immigrant - Frederika Mueller never wanted to leave Germany for Texas. Now she must face bitterness, anger, and many trials. She is not prepared for all that is in store for her. Through her unspeakable trials we watch Federika grow up. She faces many hardships, decisions and even threats. Will she ever get her family to her father and when more than one man try for her heart, whom will she choose? I received this book from book club network (bookfun.org) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Bachelor: A Novel (Plain City Peace); Author: Visit Amazon's Stephanie Reed Page; Review: This is book 2 in the Plain City Peace series. I have not read the first book and could keep up with what was going on in this one, however I would definitely recommend reading the first book (The Bargain) before this one. I feel there would be more meaning in this one with the history of the first. This is definitely a series, you will want the next book out soon to find out what happens. Betsie Troyer is forced to become mother and father to her family farm. When she is also asked to watch an 'English' girl her life is turned upside down. While she knows she should be thankful for Charley and his ever present help and opinion on her farm she can't quit thinking about the 'English' man Michael. Will she be able to find what her heart truly wants or will she do only what is expected even if they clash. Can she convince her parents to return to the Amish life? Betsie must face some hard circumstances, strict people, a loving little girl and hold to the Amish ways. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good clean amish christian fiction (series). I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org (The Book Club Network) for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Promise to Protect: A Novel (Logan Point) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Patricia Bradley Page; Review: This is book 2 of the Logan Point series, however I feel it is a stand alone book. I have read book 1 Shadows of the past and loved it too, yet you do not need to read it to understand what is going on in this book, it will just give you some insight to some sub characters in this book. Ben Logan is trying to do his best to keep Logan Point and its residence safe, he is not prepared for a phone call from his ex-girlfiriend. When she is asking him to help her brother and he fails, can he keep his promise to her brother and protect her? At the same time find out who is messing with his town? Will his heart be able to stay out of the way or will it get crushed, again? Ben also must learn the hard lesson that sometimes it is harder to forgive yourself than to forgive others. Leigh Somerall never planned to move back to Logan Point and the heartache she left behind. Will her secrets be unfolded? Can she too learn to forgive or will bitterness win? When she must depend on the one man she desires to stay as far away from as possible, can she trust her feeling, her son and keep her secret? She is confronted with many choices, yet the most important is if she can forgive herself and others, and weither or not to reveal her beloved secret to those who need to know. I love the adventure, mystery, love and lesson of forgiveness in this book. Patricia Bradley does an amazing job keeping you on your toes and dying to solve the many mysteries throughout this book. If you read book one we get to check in on Taylor too. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good clean christian contemporary mystery and romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wonderful Lonesome (Amish Turns of Time); Author: Visit Amazon's Olivia Newport Page; Review: This is the first in the Amish Turns of Time series, what a great place to start. Abbie Weaver never expected all the hardships of life in Colorado. When her family and 11 other families moved from their Amish towns to start a new settlement in Colorado, they we not expecting such hard times, nor the lack of their church. When Abbie must face decisions that try the core of her faith what decisions will she make? Can she stand even if she must stand alone? When her heart longs for one yet her faith may lead to another, what is God's will? Willem has decided no matter what he will make his farm work, yet he longs for their church. When decisions he makes for his spiritual growth push the one he loves farther away, can he give her up or will he turn from the church that is filling his spirit? Rudy has longed for a wife, family and church. He has stayed in Colorado only for Abbie. Yet what will happen when so many families start to leave the settlement? I enjoyed this book, it is not your typical Amish feel good book. However, if you like to read good, clean, Amish, Christian historical fiction you will love this book. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Petticoat Detective (Undercover Ladies); Author: Visit Amazon's Margaret Brownley Page; Review: This is the first book in the Undercover Ladies series, what a great place to start. This is the first time I have read Margaret Brownley and will not be my last. From the first page till the end you don't want to put the book down. Jenifer Layne, aka Amy Gardner, is an undercover Pinkerton detective. No one ever suspects a woman to work for the Pinkertons. She is placed in a "Parlor House" and faces more challenges than she has ever faced before. While trying to keep her faith strong, yet hidden, she tries to figure out who the Gunnysack Bandit actually is. When Tom Colton enters her room and sparks fly will she be able to figure out whom she can trust before it is to late? Will she ever be able to solve her own personal mystery or will it eat her alive? Can she solve this mystery before she is taken off the case? Tom Colton only wants to find who killed his brother. When he encounters Amy, he is not prepared for his feelings nor can he understand why she is in a "Parlor House". Will he be able to find his brothers killer or will it burry the hope that he was a changed man? What about his feelings for Amy, she is not the woman he should have feelings for. I love the dialogue, mystery, suspense and romance in this novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good clean christian historical romance. I look forward to book 2. This book is full of fun, surprising twist and turns and opens your eyes to how we sometimes judge others before we actually get to know them. I was given a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dandelion Moon: Book 2 of the Hallowed Halls series (Volume 2); Author: Hannah Alexander; Review: This is book 2 of the Hallowed Halls series. Even though you can read this one without reading the first. I would definitely recommend reading the first one "Hallowed Halls", its a great read too. You will have a deeper understand of all the characters and their history, if you read Hallowed Halls first. Myra Maxwell has no idea who she is or where she is, As her dear friends try and help her put her life back together and find her memory her greatest fear is what is suppressing it. Even though she has no idea who she is she still remembers many things from her practice as a Psychiatrist, and her strong faith in God. Will she be able to unlock the secrets or will it get the best of her? Weston Cline has no idea what has happened to Myra and must trust those who he has wronged to help him find her. Will he be able to prove he is a changed man or is forgiveness beyond his reach. He wonders how God could ever love someone like him and why God allows such horrible things to happen. Joy and Zack, whom we met in Hallowed Halls, have struggles of their own. They must truly forgive Weston for all the damage he has done and be the testimony God intended them to be. Is all this stress to much for their relationship or will it grow and blossom? I love the way the way Hannah Alexander details the medical side of things and the many aspects of her novels. This one does not disappoint. The dialogue is great, the characters are deep and have very normal problems, while struggling to live a Christian life. Forgiveness plays a large part of this story and so does being a good Christian example. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good christian contemporary romance.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Brickmaker's Bride (Refined by Love); Author: Visit Amazon's Judith Miller Page; Review: This is the first book in the Refined by love series. Although it does come to its own end, you can see where many more books could be written about the characters within this novel. Ewan McKay is a Scotts-Irish, who has come to America with his Aunt and Uncle in hopes of a better life and a way to be able to bring his three sisters over. He knows the brick making business, yet dealing with his unhappy and controlling aunt and his gambling uncle may be more than he can handle. When decisions are made that are out of his control will his dream of being a partner in the business be over, and will he ever get his sisters to America? Ewan was not prepared for the beautiful daughter of the previous owner, with all the help she has given him, can he keep his heart away, when she is being courted by another. Laura Woodfield loves the Brickyard and all the happy memories she has shared there with her father. She only wants to see it prosper under a new owner. What can she do to help make this transition go smoothly when the new owner and his wife have opinions of their own. Can she keep everyone happy? What about Ewan, He seems so genuine and she knows she has feelings for him, yet she is being courted by a man her mother says is a match for her, especially given her secret. You will find characters in this book you love and some you loathe, some you may come to like and some you never will. There is bitterness, selfishness, disappointment, love and Christian values throughout this novel. I won a copy of this book from Bethany House.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Secret of Pembrooke Park; Author: Visit Amazon's Julie Klassen Page; Review: This is a very thrilling and different read than many others. The suspense, mystery, unknown, drama and romance keep you riveted to this book. Abigail Foster is a very practical loving girl. She feels she does not stand out especially compared to her beautiful sister. When tragedy drives her family to mysterious Pembrooke Park, Abigail is intrigued and surprised by many aspects of the house and its history. Will she ever solve the mystery and find the secret room? Who can she trust? Will she ever win the heart of her first love and childhood friend or does God have other plans for her, in the handsome curate. When secrets finally come to light will it be the end of Pembrooke Park and possibly the lives of others or is it freeing to many involved. I love the dialogue, many personalities (some you will love, some not so much and some you will waver back and forth) and theme of this book. I love that we don't always know what the mysteries are till Abigail learns. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, clean, christian, historical, suspense, mysterious, romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org form my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Masterpiece Marriage: Quilts of Love Series; Author: Visit Amazon's Gina Welborn Page; Review: Mary Varrs loves science and desires to continue her education and work in the field of science. She is on a deadline and must seek help from a neighbor. When she agrees to help Priscilla Dane Osbourne in her quilting circle, so Pricilla will help her, she never imagined meeting the handsome and notorious nephew, Zenus Dane. When they must work together, will they likely kill each other, become great friend or find what neither one thought they wanted, true love. Can Mary meet her deadline in time, or will she be forced to return to Italy? Zenus Dane loves his scheduled life, when flood waters almost cost him his business he must seek the help of his Aunt Pricilla. When he barges into a quilting bee he never imagined how his life would get turned upside down, after he agrees to help his aunt, so she in turn will help him. What will come of his heart. He always thought he knew what he wanted and what he did not. But can Mary Varrs be something he never knew he needed? I really enjoyed this novel. It has some mystery, unique friendships, love and more. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, christian romance. It is set in the 1890's. I was gifted a copy of this book from the author and good reads first reads.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fur Elise; Author: Visit Amazon's PeggySue Wells Page; Review: Elise Eisler has been raised on the island of St. Croix, by her artistic parents. Following their death and the possible ruins of her beloved sympathy house, she decides to rent the cottage (studio) on her property. She never expected to find the occupant welcoming and a wonderful surprise. When feeling stir will she know what is best for her? This island lifestyle is not for everyone, will it fit the personality of the parajumper? After the devastation of Hurricane Hugo will they be able to rebuild? Michael Northington has had enough of the politics in his pararescue career. When he finds this amazing cottage on St. Criox island, he feels this is the break he needs. When faced with the possible loss of life he discovers what is important to him. Will he be able to solve the many mysteries throughout this book, before it takes his life or the life of friends. Why do some of the pieces seam to be intertwined? This is a different sort of romance novel, definitely for men and women, it is full of mystery, suspense, surprise, betrayal, friendship and love. It does contain some mild cursing and drinking. With that being said it is a good read. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Prelude; Author: Visit Amazon's JoAnn Durgin Page; Review: This is the first book I have read by JoAnn Durgin, but will not be my last. This is a Prequel to her Lewis Legacy Series, what a great place to start. Sarah Jordan is a waitress in the same small town she has grown up in. She can't wait to earn enough money to leave town and become a nurse. When her childhood friend, who is six years older returns from service, she is not expecting all these feelings. What will her future hold now. Could Samuel actually see her for more than the 'tomboy' she was? What about her nursing plans. Sarah has a strong will and sometimes her honest opinion gets her in trouble. She is a determined girl who truly wants only what the Lord wills for her life. Captain Samuel Lewis returns home to his small town, with some secrets of his own. He never imagined his 'tomboy' friend to have grown up into such a beautiful lady. When he learns of her plans to leave town can he love her enough to let her go? What is it the Lord would have of him? Can he face his fears and learn to let go? I loved the dialogue, personalities and theme of this book. I definitely look forward to reading more from the Lewis family. You will fall in love with many of the character throughout this book. I look forward to leaning more about this town and its families. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, christian, 1960's, romance books. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Looks that Deceive (MedAir Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Braxton DeGarmo Page; Review: This is book one from the Mid Air Series, what a great place to start. Amy Gibbs is ready to start a new job in combining two things she loves, nursing and flying. She is also trying to get over a broken heart. When tragedy, mystery and crime solving put her back into the life of the one who broke her heart, will she be able to trust her heart and give him a second chance or is the possibility of him hurting her more than she can handle? Can they solve the "LA Rapist" crime before it is to late? Lynch Cully loves his job as a police detective. He has great computer skills, but has he met his match in the "LA Rapist" case. How many more lives must be tortured before they can track this person down? Why do they always seem to be one step behind? When Amy enters his life again will he be able to face the fears that broke her heart the first time? This book is full of suspense, mystery, and a dash of romance. I enjoyed learning about many of the characters throughout this novel and look forward to learning more about them in the next book(s). Warning: Once you read this book you will want to read the next one. It does have a few curse word in it and some material you may not feel appropriate for young readers. It is full of current prejudices, crimes and is very descriptive. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rescued and Remembered (MedAir Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Braxton DeGarmo Page; Review: This is book two of the MedAir Series. I would definitely recommend reading - Looks that Deceive (book one) first. This series is definitely a continuous series. One leads into the next, just as this one leads into book three, The Silenced Shooter. Jusuf, aka Lynch Cully, Is trying to help the woman who saved his life. As the story progresses and he finds she has escaped from a human trafficking ring, can he keep her safe while trying to save others and bring down this group of people? His memory is coming back to him in bits and pieces, when it all comes will he wish he could go back or continue where he is? Amy Gibbs is suffering from PTSD. She is also discovering that Lynch plays a major part of her past and recovery. When Richard Nichols enters her life will they be able to be friends, more than friends or is he not who he appears to be. When things go wrong will she know who to trust? This is a fast moving thriller full of mystery, suspense, human trafficking, and some romance. There are a few curse words in this book and the sins that are involved in human trafficking are present, therefore this book may not be suitable for young readers. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gabriel's Atonement (Land Rush Dreams); Author: Visit Amazon's Vickie McDonough Page; Review: This is the first book in the Land Rush Dreams series, It's a great place to start. Just know then you will definitely want to read the next one. Lara Talbot is struggling to keep her family fed and clothed. Her grandfather, rebellious sister and young son are depending on her. When she learns of the death of her husband she is determined to make the best of it. Her Grandfather plans on running in the land rush but sickness has kept him from signing up. When Lara finally relents to sign him up she signs up herself, never actually intending on riding. When her stubborn personality continually seems to rely on this handsome stranger, Gabe Coulter, she is not sure she can trust her heart to another man, especially another gambler. Gabe Coulter knows his livelihood would not please his dear Godly mothers dream for him, yet this is the only life he knows. When he takes a life, even in self defense, can he make atonement for the wrong he has done? When he actually meets the family of those who suffer because of his career choice, can he truly change his ways. When Lara claims a piece of his heart should he tell her how and why they actually met. This book is full of great dialogue, consequences, surprises, and romance. I look forward to reading book two Joline's Redemption (I as not to fond of her in this book but look forward to watching her change her ways) I can't wait to continue into the lives of the many characters in this book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, christian, historical romance. I was given a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Silenced Shooter (MedAir Series) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Braxton DeGarmo Page; Review: This is book three in the Med Air Series, however it could be read as a stand alone. You will have more understanding of the history of the characters if you read book one - Looks that Deceive and book two - Rescued and Remembered first, yet it is not necessary to keep up with what is going on in this one. We reconnect with many characters from the previous two books especially Amy Gibbs and her decision facing the return of Lynch Cully and her boyfriend Richard Nichols. Will she be able to follow her heart and what about her future? While we also introduced to others like Bradley Graham who is forming a new political party so that we can once again have a God fearing America. While trying to find those responsible for a Christian School Shooting and many other horrible attacks on America. Lynch and Bradley seam to have targets on their back. Just how high up do these orders for these horrible happenings go? Is this all political or does it go much deeper? This book is full of page turning action and drama. From the Author's note at the beginning to the end this is a great book. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Story Keeper (A Carolina Heirlooms Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Wingate Page; Review: Jen Gibbs has started a new job at a publishing house in New York City. When an old manuscript mysteriously lands on her desk, she is drawn to it in ways she can not understand. When this leads her back 'home' can she handle the stubborn Evan, whom she believes to be the author, and face the family she so desperately wants to escape. Will the mystery of this novel ever be solved? Evan Hall has secluded himself as best as he can and wants nothing to do with the media or journalism again. When Jen worms her way into his life is she being honest or is she just another editor willing to do anything for a story. She seems to have a mind of her own and is not afraid to express it. What is she really after? We are also taken back in time to meet Sarra and Rand. Their struggles and hardships take place in the same area Jen and Evan are from. Is this manuscript fiction or nonfiction? Who exactly is the author and will it ever have an ending? I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys good clean contemporary and historical christian romance. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Old Fashioned; Author: Visit Amazon's Rene Gutteridge Page; Review: Clay Walsh has some 'old fashioned' ways in which he is viewing life. His past has not been anything he is proud of. He has lived with some 'unique' rules for his life for the past nine years trying in ways to make up for his past and not reliving it. When Amber Hewson blows into his life can he keep his standards and will he ever be good enough for her? Amber Hewson has learned how to run from her past for years. When Clay intrigues her can she finally find a place to call home, or does history have a way of repeating itself? Clay and Amber both have many lessons to learn. Most importantly forgiveness and God's love. This novel deals with many 'worldly' views and those who many or may not agree with you and your ideas. I was given a copy of this novel by bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Web of Deceit: An Agents Under Fire Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: Kait Knight, an FBI agent, is consumed with promises she has made to her sister. Will she be able to find her brother-in-law, Fenton Rhodes, before someone else must die. How many must pay the price before she can find him? She is very determined and this quest has consumed the last three years of her life. When Sam Murdock enters her life again she gets a glimpse of what might be. Sam Murdock, a Portland police detective, must overcome his past to be truly able to live in the future. He is determined not to let anyone else die on his watch. Yet protecting Kait and hunting down a killer may be more than he can control. Sam and Kait must both deal with their past before there is a possibility of a future, but will Fenton Rhodes end it all before it can get started? This is an amazing novel full of thrilling mystery, suspense, surprise and romance. I would recommend this book anyone who enjoys a good, clean contemporary, FBI type romance. It is definitely hard to put down and keeps you reading way into the night. I look forward to reading more about the characters in this book. I was given a copy of this book from the author and Net Galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orphan Train Belle; Author: Teresa Ives Lilly; Review: This is a very short clean novella. Maribelle has turned 18 and must leave the orphanage. She is unsure of her future, when she is asked to accompany some orphan children on a train to find homes for them she feels she has no choice. Once this job is over she is not sure where she will live. When at the last stop, all the children are adopted she has mixed feeling. Dan needs help with Connie. When he rushes to adopt a child and finds they are all gone he worked a deal with Maribelle. When misunderstanding and feelings arise what will be the outcome? I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Heiress's Courtship (Heartsong Presents); Author: Visit Amazon's Gina Welborn Page; Review: Liberty Judd has no desire to marry whomever her father chooses. She is content to live in Hillsdale, attend college and never return to Chicago and all the pomp that goes with it. However when the one man she can not forget shows up in her town will she be able to forgive him for breaking her heart years ago? Will she be able to keep her heart from breaking again? What is it God is trying to teach her? Gerrett Divine has no problem doing what is expected of him, even if it is to marry someone he does not love. Yet when a train wreck leaves him in the one town that Liberty now lives can he make amends with her? The Liberty she has grown up to be is so much more than what he remembers. While God is working on him what is he feeling for Liberty. I enjoyed the dialogue and difficulties they face in following their heart and honoring their parents. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: After a Fashion; Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: Jen Turano is one of my favorite authors. I love her quick witted, spunky, fun loving and opinionated characters. This is the first book in A Class of Their Own series, what a great place to start. Harriet Peabody only wants to open up a dress shop for the less fortunate. While working as a 'hat girl' she is sent on an errand she never expected. When she is put in a difficult situation and dismissed from her job she is not sure what will become of her. She is not sure what to expect of Mr. Oliver Addleshaw yet feels she has no options but to take him up on his interesting job offer. When things don't go quite as planned will her past catch up with her? and what is best for Oliver? Oliver Addleshaw only wants to increase his fortune. When he is unexpectedly left without a lady to accompany him to some business and social meeting he devises as plan to 'help' Miss. Peabody and his own problems. However when Harriet is around sparks fly, sometimes not just figuratively. He is not sure what to think of his feelings for her and her quirky ways. What is it that will truly make him happy? I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, christian, historical romance with lots of spunk. I love the writing style of Jen Turano, you will not want to put this one down. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ashes in the Wind; Author: Visit Amazon's Peggy Levesque Page; Review: Sara Jennings' life is turned upside down when her husband is murdered and she must go into protective custody. When she is still threatened, she is ready to return 'home' she is tired of living 'someone else's' life. Against the desire of her best friend, Mac, she returns home. When she returns, however, her nightmare just intensifies. Will she be able to prove her husbands innocence? Who is trying to kill her, and for what? Has everyone given up on proving her husband was not a corrupt cop, even her best friend and her Uncle? James MacIntyre has been best friends with Greg Jennings since before he married Sara. It only seemed natural to become her best friend too. When tragedy strikes and he is left to pick up the pieces can he keep her safe? Why does it seem she has become a target? Are these feelings of protection for Sara only friendship or is there more? This is a great novel by Peggy Levesque, I love the suspense, mystery and dash of romance throughout this book. If you enjoy FBI, DEA, mystery thrillers you will enjoy this book. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: From the Start; Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Tagg Page; Review: This is the first in the Walker family series, however there is a prequel (Three Little Words), I would recommend reading it (it's great). However it is not necessary to understand what is going on in this story. I love the style of writing Melissa Tagg has, there is depth, laughter, drama, heartache and God's plan. You will laugh, cry and may even get frustrated with some of the characters. Kate Walker has had her share of heartache. Can she find peace and allow herself to love again? She feels her career needs much improvement yet what is it she is to do. When tragedy strikes her hometown and she decides to return to help out, she is surprised at what she falls into. Can She ever do something meaningful? She has a charismatic fun personality with strong family ties in her hometown, even though all her family do not live there. Colton Greene has had an amazing career as an NFL quarterback till one hasty decision left him no longer able to continue playing. When he goes with his friend to the small town of Maple Valley to help after a tornado, he feels this will be a great place to lay low for a few days, however he is not prepared for what all this town and its people have to offer. Will he be able to uncover his past and learn to move on or is it just more than he can handle. Does God really have a plan for him? You will fall in love with the Walker family, their family loyalty, personalities and their own problems. This book will leave you wanting more, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. I can't wait to read more of this family and the town of Maple Valley. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion. If you like good, clean, contemporary, christian romance you will love this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Captive Imposter (The Everstone Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Dawn Crandall Page; Review: This is the third book in The Everstone Chronicles series. It can be read as a stand alone book, however I would recommend reading them in order for a deeper understanding of all the characters. Plus The Hesitant Heiress (book 1) and The Bound Heart (book 2) are great reads too. Estella Everstone is the youngest of the Everstone children. She is sent into hiding for her safety as Elle Stoneburner. Coming from the extremely wealthy, hiding may not be as easy as it sounds. When she is assigned as a ladies maid and then taken to her favorite hotel, owned by her own father, she is not sure if it is a great blessing or a disaster. When she is introduced to the manager of the hotel, Dexter Blakely, she is not sure what to think of him. However, when she finds herself in trouble with no where else to turn but Dexter, she agrees to be a ladies maid to his sister. Will past collide and will it ever be the right time to reveal her true identity. She can't hide her feelings for Dexter as much as she fears the truth will push him away. Will the truth ever be revealed and if so will he understand? I love the characters, dialogue and mystery in this novel. I have enjoyed getting to know the Everstone family throughout this series (I hope there is more to come). I would recommend this book and its series to anyone who enjoys reading good, christian, historical, christian romance books. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beyond All Dreams; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Camden Page; Review: Anna O'Brien loves her orderly life. She is a map librarian for the Library of Congress. Anna has overcome some hardships and is a stronger person for it, yet she likes being in the background. When Luke Callahan needs her assistance and shows interest in her, she is not willing to jeopardize her job for his flirtations. When mystery and the navy try to shut down every question she has about the ship her father was on, she has no one else to turn to but Luke. Can they solve this mystery and keep their feelings in check? Luke Callahan has finally found a place in politics, despite his upbringing. When Anna suddenly enters his life he is afraid he will never be the same. Can he keep his temper in check or is he doomed to be like his father? Will he be able to prove to Anna his love and truthfulness? When his role in politics changes can he maintain his true honest character or is more required of him? I loved the characters in this novel. Their personalities, problems and dialogue are great. There is enough mystery, romance and history to keep you interested. If you enjoy readying that type of book you will love this one. I was given a copy of this novel by bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Love Letters; Author: Visit Amazon's Beverly Lewis Page; Review: This is not your typical Amish story, nor your typical Amish romance. It revolves around love letters by more than one couple and much more. This novel involves many primary characters you will meet Ellie and Roman Bitner, Jake (Small Jay), Boston, Marlena Wenger, Mammi Janice, Angela Rose and many more. Ellie Bitner has a love for her small handicapped son, Jake (Small Jay). She yearns for his father to accept him and find the same joy she finds in him. Ellie is a self determined submissive woman who also desires a deeper relationship with her husband. When Small Jay makes friends with Boston, no one is sure what to expect, nor the degree their friendship will change their lives. Marlena Wenger plans to leave her area to go help her Mammi Janice after the death of her grandfather. Neither are prepared for the unexpected arrival of little Angela Rose. The ways in which she changes their lives and even Marlena's relationship with her beau is exciting and somewhat unexpected. Angela Rose will change their lives forever. It took me a little while to really get into this book but when I did I truly enjoyed it. Even if you don't typically like Amish books you may enjoy this one, it is very different from the normal. It is written from the perspective of many of the characters in the book. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where Trust Lies (Return to the Canadian West); Author: Visit Amazon's Janette Oke Page; Review: This is the second book in the Return to the Canadian West series. I have not read the first one, Where Courage Calls, and had no problem understanding what was going on in this book. However, I have seen the move on Hallmark Channel of the first one. I would recommend reading it first, yet it is not necessary in following along in this one. It will however give you a better understanding of the history behind some things in this book. Beth Thatcher, has returned home after a year of teaching in a small Canadian town. Before she really has time to unpack she is swept away on a trip with the women of her family, a french guide, Mrs. Montclair and her daughter and their ladies maids. She is determined to make the best of this trip and try to get to know her family better. With letters and phone calls from Jarrick, someone she left in Coal Valley, she is torn about her feelings for him and the many questions her mother keeps asking. When her younger sister, Julie who is full of spunk and spontaneity meets some interesting people onboard ship their encounters keep you on your toes. Who can you actually trust and who is just out for their own desirers? When tragedy strikes will they be able to pull together as a family and let God's will be done no matter the outcome? What of Jarrick and Beth, can they have a future or is this trial just to much for trust? I enjoyed this book, I hope it to will be made into a movie, however usually the book is always better. I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review. If you like good, clean, historical, mystery with a dash or romance you will enjoy this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Harvest of Hope (Song of Blessing) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Lauraine Snelling Page; Review: This is the second book in the Song of Blessing series. I would recommend reading the first one, To Everything a Season, first. I have not read the first one and had a difficult time keeping everyone straight. According to one review there is a family tree on the paperback version which would have helped me I think. I also feel I was missing some of the history of the families, but could still keep the story line straight. I did feel a little lost at times, especially in the first half, but could still enjoy the book. This novel is focused on Miriam Hastings and Trygve Knutson, yet Trygve's family are all major players. This is more than your typical romance. The whole town is facing many changes. They experience growth, more immigrants, some prejudices and trials. You will fall in love with many of the characters in this book and also want to slap a couple of them. To watch the Knutson and Bjorklund Families keep their faith throughout all the trials they face in their daily life is very encouraging. Miriam will learn a lot from these wonderful people. Lauraine Snelling writes with passion and even though the people and town are fictional they really come to life. Their problems trials and victories become very real. I was given a copy of this ebook from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Journey To Forgiveness; Author: Visit Amazon's Laurean Brooks Page; Review: Jenny Hinson must go live with her aunt and find employment so she can help her family survive. Since her father has abandoned them she feels she must provide. Many surprises await her, she has never been to a big city nor lived among electricity. She meets Austin Grant in quite a comical misunderstanding. When she continues to run into him, she can't believe everyone is so drawn to him and can't see him for who he really is (or who she believes him to be). Jenny is a dependent, fun loving, quick witted girl with a past that has left scars. Can she learn to forgive and trust? Austin Grant never expected Jenny Hinson. He is not sure why she will not trust him. He is a fun, independent, mischievous man. Can he help Jenny deal with her past or is it more than their relationship can handle? I love the writing style of Laurean Brooks, the comedy, relationships, depth, spunky characters and real life issues. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, clean, christian, romance. You can feel the pain, sorrow and joy of the characters throughout this novel. I was given a copy of this book from the author and publisher for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: At Bluebonnet Lake: A Novel (Texas Crossroads) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Amanda Cabot Page; Review: This is the first in the Texas Crossroads series, what a great place to start. Advertising executive Kate Sherwood has promised her grandmother, Sally, that she will take her to Rainbows End resort in the Texas Hill Country. She is not prepared for the run down resort. It is not exactly what Sally described nor what it is advertised as. Yet, she has promised her grandmother a month here at this resort so she will make the best of it. When she sees Greg Vange she mistakes him for the handyman. She quickly learns her mistake and that is when the sparks fly. Not only is Kate in for a surprise but so is Sally. Kate must make decisions about her future that she is not sure she is ready to make. What is it that will truly make her happy? Greg Vange is not sure why God has led him to Rainbows End but he knows he is here for a reason. When Kate Sherwood steps into his life he is not sure where it will lead, if anywhere. Greg has some issues he needs to figure out for himself and find exactly where God is leading. The slow paced town is not what either Greg or Kate are used to yet it has a homey feel. I love the lessons learned by both Greg and Kate and I also enjoyed Sally and her chance at love. This is almost like two romance novels in one. I was given a copy of this book from neutrally for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Explosive Alliance (First Responders); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is the second book in the First Responders series. It can be read as a stand alone book, however you will learn more about the personalities of the sub-characters in this novel if you read the first one, Silent Night Standoff, first plus it is a great read too. (susansleeman.com/books/first-responders/) Krista Curry has been running from her past for 4 years. Will she ever be able to trust her heart to another man? When she is thrust into constant protection can she trust these police any better than the ones from 4 years ago. Cash Dixon almost seems to good to be true, what is it he is hiding? Will life continually get into the way or will the truth finally come out and peace finally take root? Cash Dixon feels he can not get involved with anyone till he makes peace with his past. When he is drawn to Krista he is not sure what to make of all the secrets she is hiding. And what about all this evidence. Can he protect her and his heart? Will he ever have peace again? I love the mystery, romance, troubles and lessons learned throughout this novel. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, clean, contemporary, high octane, mystery and Christian Romance. I was given a copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Song; Author: Visit Amazon's Chris Fabry Page; Review: Jed King is struggling to be more than just the son of his famous father. When Rose enters his life things begin to change. Can he be the man he needs to be. When he falls much deeper than he ever dreamed is there a time for forgiveness and redemption. Rose Jordan has her life all figured out, living on her fathers land raising grapes. When Jed King sings his way into her world, will she ever be the same again? Can she learn to lean of God and not others? This was a difficult book to read because you knew the pain and bad decisions were coming. There were times you wanted to cry with them, strangle them and just slap some of them. I found myself wondering why we are sometimes so blinded by deceit, yet the truth of what takes place is so very real. The pain and sorrow come to life in such heart wrenching ways. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good contemporary Christian romantic fiction. I have not seen the movie, yet now look forward to it. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dauntless (Valiant Hearts) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Dina L. Sleiman Page; Review: If you enjoy books like Robyn Hood you will love this book. It is full of excitement, heartache, struggles, faith, and family. It is well written and I enjoyed all the characters in this book. It is the first in the Valiant Hearts series and I look forward to reading more about their lives. Lady Mary Ellison has lost so very much, now feels she is responsible for the children that are now orphaned due decisions her father has made. When she must steal for survival, one does what one must. Can her little band of children stay safe from the king? When her childhood best friend enters her life again, can she truly trust him or is he driven to make a name for himself? Lady Mary must also learn God is always there, even when we can't feel him. Timothy Grey wants to be more than just the 9th child of his father, he has worked and worked to make a name for himself. When he encounters a ghost, his world is turned upside down. Will he be able to do the right thing, and at what cost? I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beneath A Macon Moon; Author: Visit Amazon's Laurean Brooks Page; Review: Jaela Andrews learns some shocking news from her mother, while trying to cope with it she runs away to Macon, never imagining what all God has in store for her in Macon. She is struggling with forgiveness for herself, mother, father, God and so much more. Can she trust anyone anymore? Jaela is a spunky, fun loving, only daughter of a wealthy family. She has never had to sacrifice for anything. When she encounters Eric Larsen, can she understand where he is coming from and will her odd neighbor ever trust her? Eric Larsen has always looked after his mother and siblings. When the fiery Jaela Andrews shows up he is not sure what to think of her. When he is put in a difficult situation will he be able to do what is right and be the man Jaela needs? I love the characters in this book not just Jaela and Eric but all of the characters throughout this book. Laurean Brooks has a great ability of making her characters come to life. This book deals with some real yet difficult problems. You will laugh at times and hurt at times. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, clean, christian contemporary romance. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Falcon (The Quiet Professionals); Author: Visit Amazon's Ronie Kendig Page; Review: This is the 3rd and final book in The Quiet Professionals series. I would definitely recommend reading Raptor 6 and Hawk first. Plus they are a great read as well. If it has been a while since you read the first two there is enough background to jog your memory but I would think you would be a little lost and not understand much of what takes place in this book if you don't start from the beginning. This series is action packed, but things from the first two books do not get revealed till this one. I love the writing style of Kendig, she has a great way of keeping things interesting, factual, and entertaining. This series is for both the romantic and just those into reading about war, soldiers and such. I loved all three books in this series, the characters and the problem that they face. Each person faces different problems in there own way, sometimes forgiving yourself is the hardest one to overcome. Falcon is a dedicated special ops soldier with a past that he can never forget. When Cassandra Walker comes back into his life, will he be able to deal with his anger, hurt and past or will it destroy him? Falcon has a take charge personality yet struggles in ways that some will not understand yet are very real. Cassandra Walker has just wanted to reconnect with Falcon. Has she been hoping for something that is just not meant to be? It seems when she makes a step forward she makes two steps back. Can she prove she is trustworthy or has there just been to many lies? This novel is full of many different characters and some side stories, yet woven together so wonderfully. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, contemporary, yet real life war stories with a dash or two of romance. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unplanned (Kennedy Stern Christian Suspense Novel) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Alana Terry Page; Review: This is the first book in the Kennedy Stern Series, yet if you want a little background on Kennedy read Torn Asunder and Slave Again by Alana Terry first, they are good reads as well. However they are not necessary for this series, they just explain Kennedy's upbringing. Terry has a unique writing style. She is not afraid to dive into some hard circumstances and make you think. This novel is no different. In Unplanned the controversial subject of abortion is woven throughout this entire book. It is definitely a suspenseful, page turner throughout the entire novel. Kennedy Stern has been raised on the mission field of China. She is now stateside attending Harvard and adjusting to life as a 'foreign' American on American soil. When she volunteers to help a pregnancy crisis center she has no idea what to expect. When one phone call changes her life, she just can't get over it nor can she understand all God is doing nor why. When some unusual circumstances start transpiring and suppressions rise will she be able to help this young girl or not. When you think you have this story figured out, surprises arise and mystery surrounds. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary Christian suspenseful fiction. Especially if you enjoy reading some hard to read topics. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hidden Agenda: A Novel (Southern Crimes) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Harris Page; Review: This is the third book in the Southern Crimes Series. Even though you could read this one alone and follow along well, I would recommend reading the first two first. This series focus on one family, therefore the history and background of this family is important in understanding all that is happening. Plus the first two books, Dangerous Passage, and Fatal Exchange are good reads too. Michael Hunt is an undercover cop that has been presumed dead for months. When the tables turn and his identity is revealed the stakes escalate. Will he be able to make it out alive or will his family never realize that he is actually alive? Will his undercover work really make a difference and bring down the cartel or is it all in vane? Olivia Hamilton is a journalest in search of the truth about her father. Yet she is not certain that she is ready to hear it. When difficult circumstances must have her choose between right and wrong will she put her life on the line to do the right thing? This is a fast paced, surprising novel. There are many twist and turns throughout this book. If you enjoy reading contemporary, Christian, cop type romances you will enjoy this novel. I love the Hunt family bond and their relationships throughout this book. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Undercover Bride (Undercover Ladies); Author: Visit Amazon's Margaret Brownley Page; Review: This is a stand alone novel in Margaret Brownly's Undercover Ladies series. I love the spunk she puts behind all the books I have read from her. The women have strong personalities, and a good sense of humor. Maggie Cartwright, AKA Maggie Taylor, is undercover as a Mail order bride. As a Pinkerton detective she has had to play many different role's, however this may be her toughest one yet. She is a strong opinionated detective yet feels a bit under qualified to pull off this job. She has no domestic natural abilities and to take on the job of wife and mother all while trying to solve a crime may be more than she bargained for, especially when the heart may get involved. Garrett Thomas just wants someone to take care of his children. When he meets Maggie he wanders if he has made a huge mistake. Yet the more he gets to know her the more he wonders if this is a good or bad thing. Maggie and Garrett must learn to trust God more than anything else. When Maggie gut tells her one thing and the evidence points to another, which will she believe and will the truth ever be revealed? This book is full of twist, turns, excitement, romance and love. If you enjoy reading good, clean, spunky, historical, detective romance type books this one is for you. I want to thank NetGalley and the author for this book in exchange for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wild West Brides: 3-Book Series from a Bestselling Author; Author: Visit Amazon's Lori Copeland Page; Review: If you enjoy reading a series here is a three in one for you. Men of the Saddle focus on three brothers returning home from war. I personally love stories where the men take the lead role, for some reason this is not usually the case. The peacemaker was my least favorite however I enjoyed this series. The Peacemaker - Wynne Elliot has one thing on her mind, revenge. She cant believe what Cass Claxton has done to her and she will get her revenge. She never expected to wind up being robed and in need of any assistance from any man. Let alone one like Cole. When she discovers who he actually is, she cant wait to get away from him, yet what is it about him that she just cant seem to get over? Wynne is a very determined, selfish woman, to be honest I didn't really care for her much. However the chemistry between her and Cole is great. Cole Claxton can not wait to get home to his mom and her home cooking. The last thing he wants to do is help this stubborn, addlebrained woman. Yet he was raised by a southerner and knows he must do what is necessary. When he discovers exactly what Wynne is up to he must put a stop to it. Can he stop her and keep his feelings for her in tact? Cole is a strong, independent man, Him I liked. I love his straight forward ways. The Drifter - Beau Claxton is still getting over the loss of his wife, even after a year. He finds it hard to move on. When he must rely on others to help him can he repay the kindness to Charity and guard any feelings he may have. When he dares hope for a second chance does God have it in for him? Charity Burk has begged God to send her a man. Since the death of her first husband she has been trying to keep the Kansas farm up and running. But is failing. When Beau is in need of help she has to wonder if this is the man God sent her. Is he ever going to be in any shape to help? Then when an unexpected bundle is dropped in their lap will it help push them together or will rumors tare them apart. Beau and Charity have both been through very difficult circumstances. Both are strong and opinionated. I love the dialogue between the two and the emotional baggage they have. The Maverick - Cass Claxton has built a great life for himself. In fact he is a most sought after bachelor. However when Susanne reenters his life he knows things will never be the same. Will she ever change? Why do they seam to always fight? She is nothing but Trouble, however he is drawn to her. When he is somewhat forced to help her and her nine children can he do it without killing her and without his heart getting involved? Susanne McCord just wants to do what; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dangerous Love; Author: Visit Amazon's Kara Leigh Miller Page; Review: This is my first book from these authors so I was not sure what to expect. It is full of a quick moving romance, mystery, suspense, difficult situations and action. I enjoyed the characters and their dialogue, however there are a few curse words throughout this novel. Alessandra Matthews has no idea what landed her in the hospital, her memory loss is a huge battle for her. She wants to remember her past, at the same time is afraid what she may discover. When Doctor Josh Parker enters her life she wonders if he is to good to be true. Will her past destroy her future? Doctor Josh Parker is trying to forget his past, yet when Alessandra Matthews shows up in his ER he is drawn to her in ways he can't understand. While trying to protect her will he be able to guard his heart or open it up in ways he never thought possible. He has many decisions to make and a past to overcome, while trying to help Alessandra uncover her past. I was given a copy of this book from the authors for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In Good Company; Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: Jen Turano is one of my favorite authors. I love the way her characters come to life. Their spunky, quirky, personalities. The way she mixes humor, romance and drama all together are wonderful. In Good Company is book 2 in A Class of Their Own series. Even though it is a stand alone book you miss a bit of history of the characters if you jump right into this one. Not only that but book one After a Fashion is a great read too. Millie Longfellow found a place in my heart in the first book, After a Fashion. I love her love for words, her unique way of handling children and life. When she finds a last chance of being the one thing she truly loves, being a nanny, will she be able to prove she is the capable nanny she knows she is? Everett is the last person she wanted to work for yet she really has no option, once she meets his 'wards'. Can she be "just the nanny" without getting her hopes and heart involved? Everett Mulberry needs to be able to find a nanny that will stick around, Millie was not it. When left with no option he must rely on this unconventional nanny. When Milly turns his world upside down can he maintain his promises to society or will he be her 'Mr. Darcy'? Can he find the true gentleman inside or will society win? I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading good, clean, historical romance with a lot of spunk and laughter. I was given a copy of this novel from the author and Net Galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Bride at Last; Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Jagears Page; Review: This is the 3rd (or 4th if you count the prequel) in the Unexpected Brides series. Even though this is a stand alone novel, all these books are great and will give you history on most of the characters in this book. So I recommend you read them all. (just saying) Silas Jonesey is just trying to find forgiveness and maybe fix his estranged marriage if he can find Lucy. When he is to late, he is thrown into a mixed up mess. Is he a father? and who is this beautiful Kate Dawson. Will they be able to find out who Anthony's true father is before it is to late? Will Kate ever love him or is her past more than he can deal with? Silas has many past heartaches he must deal with and overcome, he is a determined stubborn man just trying to do the best he can. Kate Dawson only wants what is best for Anthony. She never imagined Silas or the problems he would bring into her life. Is she destined to be on old maid for the rest of her life or is love ever going to be in her future? Kate is a stubborn, energetic loving yet scared girl who too must overcome some of her past to be able to move to her future. I love Melissa Jagears style, she really brings her characters to life. They have fun, spunky personalities, yet they all have their own problems. If you enjoy reading historical, good, clean christian romance you will love this one. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beyond the Ashes: The Golden Gate Chronicles - Book 2; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Barnett Page; Review: This is book 2 in The Golden Gate Chronicles, I have not read the first one and had no trouble understanding what was going on in this book. If you read the first book you will learn more about the sub characters in this book, however it is not necessary to keep up with this one. Ruby Marshall struggles with many fears. Automobiles, weddings, a chance of love again and even trusting God. When she thinks to escape to help her brother she never expected to meet Gerald Larkspur. Will she be able to love again or is this situation more than she can bear? Ruby is a very independent, educated, kindhearted woman. Can she conquer her fears or will fear win out? Gerald Larkspur seems to be fighting time, sickness, the board and even just finding a place of solace. When Ruby enters his life has God finally brought someone he can see as a wife? Yet when circumstances become unclear can he really ask her to expect the unexpected? Gerald is an independent, well educated doctor trying to find a cure for cancer while helping his family and his community. I was given a copy of this novel by the author and net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Together With You; Author: Visit Amazon's Victoria Bylin Page; Review: This novel opened my eyes to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). I have actually heard of this, yet really knew nothing about it. Victoria Bylin really opens your eyes to this disorder and the problems it can cause not only for the child who is suffering but for the entire family and caregivers. Without a proper understanding of this disorder, which could be prevented by the way, would be extremely hard to comprehend and have compassion for. Carly Mason is a strong woman looking for a fresh start and a way to truly forgive herself. She is a preachers daughter who is strong in her faith, yet when put to the test will she really be able to stand in her faith? Carly is well educated in FASD yet because of a trauma in her past she is trying to forget her education and her experiences and start over far from home. When she finds the missing girl from the mall all the signs of FASD glare her in the face. Can she ignore the pleas of her father for help or will she be the blessing he so desperately needs? Ryan Tremaine is struggling connecting with his family. After a terrible mistake he is dealing with the consequences of that mistake, yet can he find forgiveness and ever connect. Ryan is a strong, determined, agnostic whom always has everything in its place. When learning how to cope with his FASD daughter can he ever find someone who understands her? Will Carly be the answer he so desperately needs? With Ryan and Carly working so close together can they find common ground or will their religious differences be enough to keep their feelings at bay? I enjoyed this novel and the way the characters came to life. They are full of problems, conflict, choices and dealing with consequences of past decisions. Victoria Bylin did an excellent job dealing with all the problems this book encompasses and opened my eyes to FASD. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Love Like Ours (Porter Family Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Becky Wade Page; Review: This is the third book in A Porter Family series. I would say it is a stand alone book, because I have not read the first two and had no trouble following along. However, that being said I do think I probably missed some history of the Porter family by coming in on the 3rd book. So now I must go back and read book one and two. :) This is my first book by Becky Wade, that I have read, yet it will not be my last. I enjoyed her writing style. She is not afraid to tackle some tough topics like PTSD. Her characters are very real with problems of their own. Sometimes they handle them correctly and sometimes not so well. There is emotion an understanding in her writing. Jake Porter is suffering from PTSD he is a strong willed, determined horse trainer. He has his own agenda and does not want anyone to get through the wall he has built around himself. When Lyndie James walks back into his life, he is not prepared for the feelings that well up with in him. Will he be able to keep his wall up or will she find a way around it? Lyndie James loves animals and helping others. She has a loving and caring personality. She is also a determined stubborn woman with a plan of her own. When she finds Jake Porter broken and in need of healing, can she help him or is he beyond help? Will she be able to wait on God's timing or will she rush ahead with plans of her own. Lyndie has a strong faith that has been built through a lifetime of trials, yet they have only made her stronger. This book is full or some side stories as well. You will fall in love with all the characters, flaws and all. I look forward to reading more by Becky Wade. I was given a copy of this book from Net Galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taken; Author: Visit Amazon's Dee Henderson Page; Review: Shannon Bliss has finally escaped and has found the one man, Matthew Dane, whom she feels she can trust. She has a mind of her own and a list of things she wants to accomplish on her time schedule. She is willing to release certain facts based on the time frame she has. Will Matthew be willing to accommodate her? Matthew Dane has been down this road before and knows this is why Shannon has chosen him for help. Can he handle going through this again? What all is Shannon hiding and is she coping as well as she acts. Matthew is a retired cop turned private detective. He is very secure role as father and friend. While trying to find the mystery behind Shannon's disappearance and keeping her trust, some unexpected feelings develop. Will they be able to find out who is behind it all or is it just to much to bear. Will Matthew be able to keep Shannon safe until the proper arrest have been made? Dee Henderson has a wonderful way of keeping you on the edge of your seat, while unfolding a suspenseful mystery. I truly enjoyed reading this novel. I love the way her characters are developed and the way they all work together. I was given a copy of this book from Net Galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Perfect Cast; Author: Visit Amazon's T.K. Chapin Page; Review: This is the first book in the Love's Enduring Promise series, what a great place to start. This is a new author for me, so I was not sure what to expect. I liked the way each chapter was told in the perspective of one of three different characters. The title of those chapters will explain who that chapter is about. Some chapters overlap, but give you the perspective of another person. Roy is an elderly grandpa, who is excited about the coming summer with his grandkids. He is praying that he can be the Godly influence they both need in a difficult time in their lives. Roy must face obstacles of his own throughout this book, however his faith stays strong even when pushed to the limits. Jess is a typical strong willed, opinionated coming of age 18 year old. She is angry at her mom and grandpa, yet idolizes her dad. When she is faced to face the facts her wold is rocked. Jess can't imagine living in the country all summer, yet God has plans for her. Jess thinks she has life figured out, yet when pushed to the test will she hold on to Gods best for her or fall apart. Levi is a hard woking farm hand, trying to make it big in Nashville. He does not believe in God yet does not like for people to make fun of religion either. Will Roy be able to answer all his questions? If God is real does he really want what is best for him? This book is full of young love, family love, friendships and heartaches. The problems they face are very real. I enjoyed the way the characters were real. The book does not just center around a love story, but so much more. I was given a copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Found At Harbor Inn, Maine; Author: Teresa Ives Lilly; Review: What a great short story. Teresa Lilly does a great job at developing her characters, their personality and their dialogue. I just love a little laughter and guidance from grandma. Penny Trent owns a quaint little bakery, she has been hurt in the past so is a little skittish when it comes to relationships. When Kyle fumbles his way into her life. She feels he is to good to be true. I love the impression he gives Penny at their first meeting. Kyle London is just trying to help his grandmother. He only wants what is best for her. When Penny is the answer to his plea for help, will she turn out to be much more than that? I was given a copy of this novella from the author for my honest opinion. If you are looking for a good, clean quick romantic read this is a great place to start.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An Angel For Mistletoe (O Little Town); Author: Teresa Ives Lilly; Review: Love that Somerset, Kentucky is mentioned throughout this book, I am from that town, so that was so cool to me. Angelica Cartwright is excited about starting her new life in Somerset, KY. When a stop in Mistletoe leads to an unexpected change in her plans. She is a caring, Godly young lady who does not desire to wed for society sake. When the rough surroundings of Mistletoe grab her attention and so does the handsome Luke Tanner and his charming daughter what plans will she choose? Luke Tanner never intended to find a woman to live in Mistletoe. With his past experiences he sees it is not a place for everyone. Yet when his beautiful daughter prays for an Angel, he wonders if that is just what God has dropped on his doorstep. Could Angelica actually be what they need and would this life appeal to her? I loved the characters in this novel, especially Luke's daughter, Lanie. This is a great quick read. I was given a copy of this novella by the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Pinch of Promise (Taste of Romance) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Maddrey Page; Review: This is book two in the Taste of Romance series. I feel it is a stand alone novel, since I have not read the first one and had no problem following alone. However, I probably messed out on some history of some of the characters in this book and it was such a great book I would suggest reading the first one, A Splash of Substance, anyway. Ben Taylor can't forget a summer love from ten years ago. When he meets his physical therapist, Rebecca Fisher, he is reminded of his love. Could it be that this is the same girl, just using a different name? When the truth is all revealed will Ben finally get the desires of his heart or is there just no hope? Rebecca Fisher is trying her best to hide from her past. When Ben shows up unexpectedly in her life will it be her undoing? She is determined to keep the truth hidden but at what cost? Would Ben ever understand and if so who would he believe? Rebecca must face forgiveness, trust and understanding to be able to really move on with her life. This is a new author for me, so I was not really sure what to expect. Elizabeth Maddrey does a great job developing her characters and you get very involved in their life. I found myself laughing with them and sometimes wanting to slap some since into them. I love her writing style and the humor, romance, issues and friendships throughout this novel. I was given a copy of this book from www.bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Amongst The Flames: A Christian Romance Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's T.K. Chapin Page; Review: This is not your typical romance novel. This book deals with a married couple and is told in the first person, from the mans point of view, which is not the normal. I enjoyed that it was coming from a different angle though. It is about struggles, forgiveness, trusting God and others. Being a mother of boys and a sister of a fireman, I enjoyed the setting and point of view very much. Cole Taylor, a firefighter, Is just your typical fireman. They put their lives on the line all the time. However his hardest battle is when his wife, Megan, decides to leave him. He is not prepared for all the heartache, betrayal, and anger he must face. When he finally puts his trust in God will he be able to become the man he knows he needs to be in-spite of whatever choices and decisions his wife will make? We never really see what Megan is thinking, as I said it is written in first person from Cole's point of view. There were times in the book I wanted to shake them both and times I am not sure I would have handled the situation as it was. That being said it is a great novel on marriage and forgiveness. When life throughs you a curve how will you handle it. Will you come out a better or bitter person. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stealing Jake; Author: Visit Amazon's Pam Hillman Page; Review: Pam Hillman is a new to me author. This is not just your typical romance novel, it is full of so much more. Love, friendship, hardships, mystery, crime and more all intertwined throughout this historical romance. Livy OBrien has tried to run from her past for the last two years. She is a completely different person now that she has accepted Christ as her savior, yet would people ever get understand her past and truly forgive her too? She has an understanding and love for the street children that Sheriffs deputy Jake Russell can not understand. With her determined personality and loyalty to the street children will she have to give up all that she thought impossible when the truth is revealed? Sheriffs deputy Jake Russell has never met anyone like Livy. He is doing his best to keep this town safe yet she is determined to travel to places that he feels are unsafe. When he feels she is hiding something will it be the undoing of what has been blooming? Jake must solve the mystery of all the theft in this town before it all blows up around him. If you enjoy good, clean, christian, historical romance with mystery you will love this one. I was given a copy of this novel from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mind of Her Own; Author: Visit Amazon's Diana Lesire Brandmeyer Page; Review: This is definitely not your typical romance novel. This one focus's on a family, where amnesia, kids, hidden secrets, learning your not perfect and trying to see what is best for you all rolled into one. Louisa Copeland seems to have life all figured out, yet is she really happy? When her world is turned upside down and she can't even remember who she is, she still agrees to go home with this handsome man that thinks she is his wife. Jazz (aka Louisa) is trying to figure out why she can't remember anything. Yet she is not sure she really want to be this plan Louisa everyone claims she is. Will she ever be able to combine the two personalities or will one win out. Collin Copeland only wants his life back to normal, yet the more time he spends with this 'new' wife Jazz, he is falling in love with her too. While trying to help her find her way home he must face reality as to the husband and father he is as well. This is a well written story, there is a lot of confusion for the characters, yet it is completely understandable. I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Collateral Damage (Love Inspired Suspense); Author: Visit Amazon's Hannah Alexander Page; Review: If you are looking for a short suspenseful, mysterious, romance this one is for you. Sarah Russell must face her home town, after the tragic death of her parents, in hopes of keeping her sister/teenage daughter safe. She is not sure how to handle the love and acceptance from her old family friends. While trying to keep on eye on her daughter can she keep her safe and keep her heart from being broken again? Will Nick understand and welcome the news that he is a father? Nick Tyler is struggling with his past and the loss of his mother. When Sarah shows up in his life he realizes he has missed her more than he ever knew. However will he be able to keep her safe in this small town from a person unknown? And what is it about Emma, Sarah's sister, that he can't seem to put together. Was the loss of the Tyler and Russell families an accident or something much more.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Found in the Snow; Author: Teresa Ives Lilly; Review: Shera Logan never expected God to answer her prayers like he did. When she wakes thinking she is in heaven and realizes she is in the cabin of a very handsome man. Shera must learn that not all men are evil and God always has a plan we must just wait on him. Mathew Tucker's life is turned upside down when he stumbles upon a 'snow angel'. When he rescues her and then must release her will his heart ever be the same again? This is a very short story set around Christmas. With love, understanding, forgiveness and some fun all wrapped in one. I was given a copy of this story from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Cowboy for Christmas (Wyoming Legacy); Author: Visit Amazon's Lacy Williams Page; Review: This is book five of the Wyoming Legacy series. I have not read the previous four and had no problem keeping up with what was going on in this novel, however I think I missed the history of the family and there would have been a deeper understanding if I had. Plus if the first four are as good as this one, then read them all. Daisy Richards can't imagine anyone looking at her as a whole person again, even herself. When Ricky White starts helping her is it pity or something else she sees in him. Daisy must overcome many difficulties from physical to emotional. When feelings start to develop can something bloom or will the past be more than she can handle? Ricky White is struggling with forgiving himself and realizing others can too. While trying to become a new person, can he deal with his past? Will Daisy ever see he does not pity her, he only wants to help her and maybe find forgiveness. When feelings develop what, if anything, can come from that.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Everlasting (Brides of Seattle); Author: Visit Amazon's Tracie Peterson Page; Review: This is book 3 in the Brides of Seattle series. It could be read as a stand alone, since I have not read the first two and had no trouble keeping up with what was going on, however I feel I missed out on much of the history behind the characters in this one. So I would recommend you reading the first two, Steadfast Heart and Refining Fire first. Plus if they are as good as this one you will not be disappointed. Abrianna Cunningham is quite the character, She seems to always be getting into trouble. Her heart is in the right place yet she does not always think of the consequences of her actions. She has discover she is in love with her best friend, Wade Ackerman, this is a fear she must also face. While recovering from the Seattle fires she must also fight her hardest battle yet. Will her ,act now think later, personality get her into more trouble than she can get out of? Wade Ackerman knows he is the one for Abrianna. He loves her independent ways and seems to be a balance for her. When circumstances comes and he finds himself unable to help her, will he be able to trust the decisions she is making. What is she trying to do anyway? I love the writing style of Tracie Peterson, the comedy, yet difficult circumstances will keep you reading. Her characters are well developed and have personalities all their own. I also love the way Wad finds to silence Abrianna. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Every Bride Needs a Groom: A Novel (Brides with Style); Author: Visit Amazon's Janice Thompson Page; Review: Janice Thompson is a new to me author. I love her fun writing style. Her ability to grab your interest, make you laugh and feel a part of a town and family. Every Bride Needs A Groom is book one in Brides with Style series. I look forward to reading the others. Katie Fisher is a small town girl that has always dreamed of a wonderful wedding. She knows she will marry the man she has been dating for years. When He decides they need a break the same week she finds she won an amazing wedding dress, what will she do. As she decides to 'face it like a man' and come clean with the bridal shop she is not prepared for all the staff at the shop, especially the handsome pro basketball player, Brady James. Brady James is a pro basketball player and a family man, while recovering from knee surgery he gladly helps his mom in her shop. When Katie Fisher comes in so does all the drama of small town meets big city. When the truth is revealed will he be able to forgive her and maybe open his heart to a new adventure. This novel is full of fun, family, comedy, tradition and spontaneity. If you enjoy contemporary Christian Romance with a dash of laughter you will love this one. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fire and Ice (Wild at Heart); Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Connealy Page; Review: This is book 3 in the Wild at Heart Series. If you have not read the first two; Tried and True, and Now and Forever, you won't get a complete understanding about the history of these amazing women, however you will not be completely lost either. This book will revisit people from the previous ones though. If you like reading a fun, spunky series these are for you. Bailey Wilde, the oldest of the Wilde sisters and only one still single, is determined to never need a man. When Gage Coulter continues to be a thorn in her side will she be able to keep her secret and her valley? Bailey is a stubborn, independent, girl who just wants to be left alone, yet when trouble comes calling she must realize that is not what she can get. When she and Cage finally agree things really get exciting. Can Bailey keep her independence and her heart in tact? Gage Coulter is not so sure what to make of Bailey, when he discovers one of her secrets he is really baffled. Cage is a stubborn, hardworking man who is used to getting his way. When someone is trying to sabotage him and he needs Bailey's help, will he be able to find the culprit before it is to late and will Bailey agree to his most unusual request? When Cage and Bailey spend time together, sparks fly. Will they ever find the love God has in store for them or will their stubborn ways keep them from it. I love the writing style of Mary Connealy. Her characters have their own personalities and problems. You feel you are right in the mix with it all. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Found in Boerne, Texas; Author: Teresa Ives Lilly; Review: A very quick read and even quicker romance. Rachel has been wanting to attend this 'Charles Dickens' event for years, she is so looking forward to it. When her plans to spend the entire weekend alone change she never expected to meet Charlie. Is he to good to be true? When doubt arise can she find a way to help him? Rachel is a small town country girl while Charlie is a big city cowboy. They have an instant connection even when she is so excited to be there and he is not. I was given a copy of this novella from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Streams of Mercy (Song of Blessing); Author: Visit Amazon's Lauraine Snelling Page; Review: This is the third book in the Song of Blessing series. I would recommend reading book one, To Everything a Season, and book two, A Harvest of Hope, first. There are a lot of people throughout this novel and I feel it would be easier to keep them all straight and understand the history of the town of Blessing. If you have not read the previous books you may get lost at times in all the names and families yet you would still understand this beautiful story. There are so many different people and things going on in this novel it is hard to just pick out a few, however this novels focus is on Anji Baard Moen, she is a widow woman who has recently returned home to blessing with her children, and Thomas Devlin, who has been in blessing a couple of years. He is a minister without a church currently. Both are trusting God to lead them in whatever plans he may have for them. When a Quarantine hits the town Anji and Thomas must decide what their true feelings are in spite of the circumstances. This novel brings all the town of Blessing to life, with so much love, family, life, heartache and passion. Lauren Snelling does a great job of keeping multiple story lines going while running them all together. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Photograph; Author: Visit Amazon's Beverly Lewis Page; Review: Eva Esch feels her world is falling apart. When her sister decides to run away, Eva feels it is just to much to bear. She knows God has a plan but what could it be. When being pursued by two wonderful men can she find true love in one or is he actually in love with someone else or the idea of someone else? Jed Stutzman never imagined finding a life changing book with an intriguing picture on his journey. When he stumbles upon the actual girl, she is better than he could have ever imagined. When the truth finally comes to light so much miscommunication may be more than a budding relationship can handle. Will anyone be able to find Eva's sister and bring her back before she is lost for good? This novel is set in the 80's with all the wonderful Amish lifestyle and family devotion that we find with any Beverly Lewis novel. There are twist and turns, forgiveness and love all twisted together to make a great novel. I look forward to another glimpse into the lives of those in this novel, hopefully there will be more. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: High-Caliber Holiday (First Responders); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book three in the First Responders series. Each are a stand alone book, however they all revolve around the same people. So if you enjoy reading a series and catching up a bit on characters from previous novels then read them in order (Silent Night Standoff and Explosive Alliance), plus they are all good. We meet Morgan Thorsby in an intense situation. She comes from a privileged family, yet is trying to make it on her own. When her independence is threatened can she depend on the handsome sniper, Brady Owens? Will she ever be able to stand on her own or does God have other plans for her? Morgan desperately wants to help other and remain independent but Brady has a way of breaking through her defenses. Brady Owens is from the other side of the tracts. He knows he could never be good enough for someone like Morgan, yet he is drawn to her. Will he be able to solve her problems before it is to late? Can he trust God with his plans for his life? Brady is a strong and determined man who has some issues to deal with too. This novel is full of twist and turns and will keep you guessing till the end. There are some things you may figure out and some you may think you have figured out but will not know for sure till you reach the end. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Paralyzed (A Kennedy Stern Christian Suspense Novel) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Alana Terry Page; Review: This is book two in the Kennedy Stern Christian Suspense series. Even though it could be a stand alone, I feel you should read book one, Unplanned, first to have a better understanding of what is going on in this story. Kennedy is a MK from Yanji, attending Harvard university. She has already been through so much in this one semester at school and is now possible going through PTSD. When she find that her nightmare is nowhere near to being over can she rely on God to protect her and will this nightmare ever end? Kennedy is struggling emotionally, physically and physiologically. With so much going on in her life can she keep it together enough to save herself and her friends. Alana Terry has a unique way of tackling some controversial subjects and keeping your mind wondering through her writing. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Every Girl Gets Confused: A Novel (Brides with Style); Author: Visit Amazon's Janice Thompson Page; Review: This is book two in the Brides with Style series. Even though it is a stand alone, I would suggest you reading the first one, Every Bride Needs a Groom, first to get a full understanding of all that is happening in this one. It focuses on the same main characters, and it is a great read too. We continue in the lives of Brady James and Katie Fisher. Katie now lives in Dallas even though her small hometown is not to far away. When Brady learns he must face another knee surgery and therefore his return to pro basketball is in more question than ever, will their relationship be able to handle this season in their life? As Katie deals with understanding Brady and trying to be there for him, will her ex-boyfriend, Casey, be the one to help her through or does he have a different motive? What is life without a little confusion. Katie's large family is a huge part of who she is, they meddle in each others life, and only want what is best for them. Will Brady be able to handle whatever outcome his knee surgery will be or will he push those he loves to far? I love the whole family chemistry in this novel, if you are not from a large family or one that is all in your business and is happy to share their opinion openly, you may have difficulty placing yourself in this book. However, if your family is anything like mine it won't be hard at all. I love the humor, the age gaps, the dialogue between all the characters throughout this novel. It is full of comedy, heartache, and relying on God and family. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Knight's Bride: Chivalry Lives in Six Stories from the Middle Ages; Author: Tracie Peterson; Review: This is six books in one, some are longer than others. If you enjoy reading about knights, friendships and romance these books will keep you entertained. Where Angels Camp - by Dianne Christner - Amelia and Christian have an instant connection. When Amelias dad warns her away from Christian will she honor his wishes or will her desires win? Will Christian ever win over Amelias father, What exactly does he have against him. When Christian finally turns it all over to the Lord will he be able to handle what ever it is God ask of him? A Legend of Mercy - by Pamela Griffin - Ardghal and Breanda have grown up in a unique situation. Being raised in the same castle, yet not being related. They share a unique friendship and love. When jealousy, and secrets are revealed will their love last or are they destined to be apart. The Strangers Kiss - by Yvonne Lehman - This is so much more than your typical love story. Murder, suspense, mystery and more all tangled into one beautifully written story. Jenny must fight for the life and love she wants, yet will she be doomed to marry a man she does not love? When tragedy strikes who can she trust? Will she be able to endure whatever the outcome of these trials? And who is the stranger? Tilden cant believe he has finally found her. Yet is he to late to actually save her? Will she ever understand him? I love the way this story was put together there is much tragedy and suspicion woven throughout this story as well as a large dose of forgiveness and understanding. A Kingdom Divided - by Tracie Peterson - I love the writing style of Tracie Peterson and this one is no disappointment. Arianne wants out of her house, to live without her wicked father. She is scared and relieved to be marrying a complete stranger, but will he be any better? Can she learn to love and trust him? When tragedy strikes the castle is it to late for her happy ever after? Richard cant believe the fear he sees in Ariannes eyes, yet he is a patient man. Will she ever learn to trust and love him? When his castle and all he holds dear is in jeopardy will he be able to be the man God wants him to be and be able to save all he holds dear? This novel is full of mystery, love, tragedy, trust in God and so much more. Alas, My Love - by Tracie Peterson - This is a continuation of A Kingdom Divided. We continue in the life of Richard and Arianne yet focus on Richards brother Tancred. Tancred is a changed man and is now trying to find the true killers of his parents. Upon his arrival he meets a beautiful lady whom seems to look for him everywhere. When love blooms will he ever be able to make her his bride or will tragedy leave them from true happiness? Helena has only loved; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Sentimental Journey Romance Collection: 9 Love Stories from the Memorable 1940s; Author: Dianna Crawford; Review: Nine romance novellas in one book all taking place in the 1940s. I enjoyed all the novellas in this collection. They all have a twist of their own. If you enjoy reading good quick reads that take place around war, you will love this book. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion. Of Immeasurable Worth - by Joan Croston - Ann is living in a difficult day in London. She loves her work at her grandfathers book shop, but knows that war is coming. When Peter makes his way into her heart is he all he says he is or is he hiding something. Will she be willing to take her grandfathers prized possession and herself to safety or will she remain with her grandfather. Peter loves living in London and knows his time is coming to an end. Will he be able to maintain a relationship with Ann or is it destined to fall apart? A Flower Amidst the Ashes - by DiAnn Mills - Margaret is happy to serve her country. She has no intention of finding love till this war is over. She just cant deal with one more loss. When the attractive Andrew comes into the picture can she keep her heart in check? What will it take to prove Gods timing are not always our timing. Andrew has no interest in finding love in the midst of war, yet he cant get Margaret out of his mind. If they could just be friends maybe that is all either of them need, companionship. Yet when feeling continue to develop will there be a chance at love in the midst of war? To Sing Another Day - by Kim Vogel Sawyer - Helen is just trying to get by, taking care of her siblings and surviving is getting to be more than she can handle alone. She feels God has forgotten her and therefore she must make do with her lot in life. When Henry unexpectedly comes into her life, will she be able to find God again? Henry cant explain why he feels like he needs to help the Wolf family. Yet God has laid it upon his heart to do so. Knowing he is treading on dangerous ground he must guard his heart and sometimes his identity to help them. Can God show himself mighty to Helen before her heart is to hard to listen and possibly given to another. A Living Doll - by Cathy Marie Hake - Paul is working on a secret mission and feels he has found a good solution in Rosemary. He knew he was attracted to her but never expected to find love again. Can he keep his secret safe and keep her trust? Rosemary never planned to find love again. She has already lost one husband and never imagined God would provide her someone else. When she starts helping Paul what exactly is he doing? Will God keep him safe or will she loose another love? Filled With Joy - by Kelly; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where Two Rivers Meet; Author: Londa Hayden; Review: This book is written different than most. One chapter is set in the 1700's then the next is set in modern times. The stories unfold in both. This may cause confusion for some, but Londa Hayden does an amazing job keeping you informed. In the 1700's the main characters are two girls who even though one is the masters daughter her best friend is her maidservant. They have been raised together and have a blood sister bond, even though the people of that era do not believe that slaves have any say. Their story is important in the past and in the present. In the 1700's there were many for slavery and some that had the underground railroad and tried to help free them. You will find both types of people in this section of the story. It is full of love, drama, prejudice, difficulties, and forgiveness. In the modern chapters we still focus on two best friends, one is white and one is biracial. Even though the times are now, there is still prejudice. Kate and Nicole have a history assignment that leads them down paths they never thought they would find. When the truth behind their heritage is revealed will everyone be happy about the outcome or will it tear apart a family, friendship and even the town? Then when love finds a way is it more than any of them are willing to overcome? This is full of love, forgiveness, struggles, hatred,and God's power. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mail-order Marriage: 5 Historical Stories of Marriage Arranged by Letters Between Strangers; Author: Mary Davis; Review: If you are looking for five amazing Mail Order Marriage books all in one. This one is for you. For some reason I just love mail order marriage books, they are always full of excitement, uncertainty and romance. Some you will not want to put down. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion. Cindas Surprise - by Mary Davis - Cinda is not sure what to think of the letter she just received. What is expected of her? When she finally decides to go through with her marriage to Lucas will she be able to be the wife he needs? When surprises seam to come at her in all directions will she keep her promise to him? Lucas needs to find Cinda and get home. When some complications arise will he go home empty handed or has God a plan after all. When his secrets reveal themselves is it more than Cinda can handle? When tragedy strikes will Cinda return or is it more than she can handle? This novel is full of surprise, laughter, love, family and forgiveness. His Brothers Bride - by Denise Hunter - Emily is not sure what to do when she learns of her fiancs death. When she agrees to marry his brother Cade she may not be prepared for all that is in store. Will she ever get the desires of her heart? Can all this deceit lead to anything good? When Cades son and even Cade find their way into her heart is it all for nought? Cade is not sure why he asked her to marry him, other than he needs a ma for his boy and a helper on his farm. Will the guilt over having feelings for someone else ever go away? What ever is Emily doing with her time and what secrets is she hiding? Changes of the Heart - by Judith McCoy Miller - Maura is off on quite an adventure. Will Luther be all she hoped for and will he understand her deceit? When Maura finally mets Luther things are not quite what she expected, will she be able to go through will all of this or not? Luther really just wants a good helper, when he meets Maura he is not expecting her secret nor her friend. Will they have a change of heart or not? There are times in this novella you will want to just want to slap some people and tell them to grow up. There is much to learn, going to do and forgiveness to be given. Mail-Order Husband - by DiAnn Mills Lena has no where else to turn other than follow what she believes is Gods leading and put out an advertisement for a Mail-Order Husband. When Gabe steps off the platform he is not what she expected and wonders if she really heard Gods leading. Lena has a strong will and temper of her own. Gabe has never imagined doing anything like this. It is so out of character for him, yet he; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sea Keeper's Daughters (A Carolina Heirlooms Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Wingate Page; Review: I was not sure what to expect from this novel, and Lisa Wingate never disappoints. There is a lot going on from past to present in this novel. Whitney Monroe finds herself on a journey like none other. She is desperately trying to save her restaurant and all those who depend on her. She has a few trust issues, with some reason. Whitney must go back to the Outer Banks and deal with memories, family and secrets. Will she be able to save her restaurant and keep everyone happy, even those she has just met? Can she ever understand and get along with her step dad? When Whitney uncovers some letters she is not sure where they will lead her, yet she is drawn to them. She has some important and hard decisions to make. When everything seams to be falling apart will she ruin everything or will everything work out for the best? This novel is full of history, surprise, forgiveness, understanding, twist, and a dash of romance. We follow Witney through paths she may not wish to uncover but some secrets must be revealed. I was given a copy of this novel from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Calico Spy (Undercover Ladies); Author: Visit Amazon's Margaret Brownley Page; Review: This is book three in the Undercover Ladies series, however they are all stand alone novels. Katie Madison has never felt like she stands out, especially compared to her sister. So being an undercover spy is right up her ally. When she meets the handsome Sheriff, will they be able to work together? It seems she is always hitting a dead end in her quest in finding the murderer. Katie must also discover if she can truly trust a man again or not. Branch Whitman has never thought much of Pinkerton detectives, yet he is more than surprised to find the new Harvey Girl is an undercover spy. Will he truly trust her and work with her or is she just more trouble than she is worth? When the past comes crashing down and secrets come to light will he be able to trust God and do what is right? This novel is full of mystery, suspense, romance and surprises. I love the dialogue between the characters. It is very well written. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lassoed by Marriage Romance Collection: 9 Historical Romances Begin After Saying "I Do"; Author: Visit Amazon's Angela Bell Page; Review: Nine Novellas all in one book. These are all quick, independent reads centering around an unexpected marriage and maybe finding love in the mix. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion. If you enjoy reading short stories that all take place around the late 1800s to early 1900s you will enjoy reading this book. There is love, mystery, romance, surprise and laughter throughout all these novellas. The Substitute Bride - by Angela Bell Elliott never imagined being married to Gwen. When all is unveiled will there be a chance at friendship or even love? Gwen has always felt like an ugly duckling. When she finds herself married will she be doomed to loneliness still? Even among so many wonderful books, Gwen finds a loneliness she never felt possible. Bridal Whispers - by Angie Breidenbach Malia has accomplished much since leaving home. Now she must return home to help her family. Will she loose everything she holds dear or will God change her desires. When Malia finds herself married will she ever find a true marriage? She is a strong willed, spirited woman. What is God trying to teach her? Burton is not sure he can ever get over the loss of his wife. When he finds he must marry again, can they find happiness in just being roommates? He is a determined, hardworking, Godly man. Can he ever find a place in his heart for his new bride before he pushes her away? Mule Dazed - by Lisa Carter I loved the characters and their sparks. Both Brax and Hattie have a lot to learn and I enjoyed watching them ignite each other in more ways than one. Brax has his world just how he wants it. When Hattie comes crashing through it once more he is not real sure what to expect. She has always found trouble and this time it may be more than he can handle. When tempers fly and he finds himself married he cant wait to get it back to normal. Yet is it to late for him and Hattie? Hattie just wants true love. Trouble always seems to find her, even when she is only trying to do what is right. After discovering who the actual Sheriff is, she wonders if God has given her a second chance. Hattie is strong willed, opinionated and not afraid of much. Yet will she loose the only man she ever really loved? She can not be the quiet, calm woman he desires. The Sweetwater Bride - by Mary Connealy Tanner never imagined what he would find just around the bend. Maybe it is the answer to his problems in more ways than one. He comes from a large loving family. When he feels the only help Debba needs is his mas, he may go to strange lengths to see it done. Debba has not needed anyone in a long long time. When Tanner comes riding in she is not sure of all the feelings he is stirring. When she finally meets; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Catch of a Lifetime; Author: Visit Amazon's Candee Fick Page; Review: If you like football and romance you will love this book. It is well written and mixes the two wonderfully. I can see this as a movie, not just for the "girly" movie but the amazing action in the football side too. It is a book for both sexes. Cassie has demons from the past she is trying to escape, yet she lands right in the middle of football. As she is dealing with the past she finds herself liking the players and especially one coach in particular. However will the secrecy be more than she can deal with and will she ever be able to find peace and forgiveness? Coach Reed is trying to make a name for himself. As a rookie coach he does not want to do anything to put his new job in question. When he relies on Cassie more and more and sparks start to fly, what is he to do? There is excitement, romance, surprise, forgiveness and friendship throughout this book. It deals with some very difficult issues and is very real to life. I was given a copy of this novel from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Painter's Daughter; Author: Visit Amazon's Julie Klassen Page; Review: Julie Klassen never disappoints. Her intriguing story, mystery and romance are always well written and exciting. She will keep you up late into the night reading. Sophie never imagined her life would go so wrong. When she finds herself pregnant and without any knowledge where the baby's father is, she wonders what she is to do. When the brother of the father comes to the rescue, in more ways than one, can she trust him? Does she really have a choice? What kind of man is he anyway? Captain Stephen Overtree is tired of constantly looking for and fixing the problem his brother creates. When he runs into a dead end in his search yet finds Sophie in need of rescue, he can only do what he feels is right. Will she ever see him with out fear in her eyes? This story has many twist and turns. Sometimes you wonder what is going to take place next. The story only gets better as the Overtree family face many trials. It is a story of love and forgiveness. Even when we make bad decisions God is in control and can turn our mistakes into a beautiful portrait. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rising Darkness (Finding Sanctuary); Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Mehl Page; Review: This is book three in the Finding Sanctuary series. I have not read the first two books and had no trouble following along in this one, therefore I feel it is a stand alone book. However, I do believe I missed some of the history of the town and some of the people in the town, that may have just made the book that much more interesting. If the first two are as good as this one I would recommend you read them all. This is a new author to me, her writing is suspenseful, romantic and thought provoking. She will keep you guessing as to what to expect next and who is behind all the problems. Sophie Wittenbauer is on the look for a great story so she can further her career. She has many issues she must deal with and learning to trust and believe in God is probably her biggest obstacle. When she runs into Jonathon will her plans all come crashing down and can she keep the memories from her past out of her mind? Jonathon feels like he knows this new comer yet can't place her. Will he be able to help her and keep his heart in tact. Will his past also be more than he can bear. Honestly I was not a huge fan of Sophie but loved Jonathon. Sophie grew on me as the story went on though. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Until the Dawn; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Camden Page; Review: This novel is full of twist, mystery, science, faith, family and romance. Sophie has grown up helping around the Vandermark mansion. even though no Vandermark has been to that mansion in decades. She is in love with the castle and all its beauty and mysteries. Sophie is full of faith and tends to find the good in everyone and everything, despite some difficult times in her own life. Quentin Vandermark is a very gruff scientific atheist. He has only one goal for vandermark's castle, to follow his grandfathers wishes. With his troubled son and an entourage of body guards, he takes the Castle by surprise. Camden takes you on an amazing adventure of finding truth, faith and love. Not every path is easy but all are necessary. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Shock of Night (The Darkwater Saga); Author: Visit Amazon's Patrick W. Carr Page; Review: This is not my normal genre of books, yet I found this one very enjoyable. It is full of mystery, fantasy, murder, some romance and more. If you are not interested in science fiction and fantasy you will probably not enjoy this novel. This is my first novel by Patrick Carr, he has the ability to transform the unknown into a wold all its own. There is blood shed, war, torture, mystery and some unknown throughout this novel. Willet Dura is a loyal reeve to the king, when things go beyond his control he must face many fears and decide what is truly best for him. When he must defend his city, the king and those from the poor district he is torn. He finds that he has a hard time remembering things from his past. When he starts loosing himself to a 'gift' will he ever be able to find the true Willet Dura again. Dura is pushed to the test over and over and is not even sure whom he should trust. You will find yourself swept away and sometimes lost throughout this novella, it is Part one in the Darkwater Saga, there is a Novella (prequel) called By Divine Right. I have not read this, yet it may bring light things to help in understanding this novel. I was given a copy of this novel from bookfun.org for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: With This Ring?: A Novella Collection of Proposals Gone Awry; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Witemeyer Page; Review: I normally prefer novels to novellas, however when four of your favorite authors (Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Mary Connealy and Melissa Jagears) get together to write a novella collection, wow, you know you must read it :) Each author has their own humorous style, with spunk, love and surprise. Sometimes you only have time for a quick read, so a novella is just perfect. The Husband Maneuver - by Karen Witemeyer This is almost two novellas in one, I loved the intro into each chapter from Dead-Eye Dan and the Outlaws of Devils Canyon. Witemeyer always has a fun style of writing. Marietta Hawkins knows what she wants and is willing to do all she can to get it. When she learns her plans must be pushed up will she be able to find the love she wants from the handsome, Daniel Barrett? Daniel is determined to make his own way and try to ignore the man he was, yet can Marietta see him as who he is or does she only see who she thinks he is? Her Dearly Unintended - by Regina Jennings Katie Ellen is trying to prove herself to her family. When disaster strikes can she trust her childhood friend Josiah Huckabee, even when he once hurt her deeper than he is aware? Katie is a determined, opinionated girl, in which everything has its place and it all needs to be in its place. Josiah Huckabee has his own way of doing things. When Katie needs him, will she allow him to help her anyway he can? Even if they drive each other crazy? I loved the humor, misunderstandings, and the romance. Runaway Bride - by Mary Connealy Carrie Halsey is not sure exactly what she wants, but knows it is not the life her father has planned out for her. When she is forced to runaway, she is not sure exactly what to expect. Big John Conroy is not sure what he has gotten himself into. When on the long trail he has feelings he has never experienced, he is not sure what to do with them. Carrie and John must make many decisions that will not only impact their lives but possibly the people all around them. Connealy always keeps suspense, laughter and love throughout her novels and this novella does not disappoint. Engaging the Competition - by Melissa Jaggers Charlotte Andrews is a determined, tomboy who only wants what is best for her family. When she has finally found the only way to be of any help will Harrison Gray mess up all her plans? Harrison Gray is a structured, well educated teacher. When he is forced to help his childhood friend is there more at stake than he realizes? I loved the banter between Charlotte and Harrison and their near kiss and then their not so romantic first kiss. Will they ever agree on what is worth fighting for and what is not? I loved all four novellas, each author has their own style and humor. If you enjoy good quick reads you will; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Playing the Part; Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: Jen Turano never disappoints, she is one of my favorite authors. I love her quick whit, mystery, outlandish circumstances and all the personality of each and every character, you never know what is going to happen. I always look forward to her next novel. Playing the Part is part three in A Class of Their Own series, even though you can read it as a stand alone, I would not want to miss one of them so you might as well start at the beginning with After a Fashion then move to book two, In Good Company. That way you get to know each character better and fall in love with them all. Lucetta Plum is a beautiful and amazing actress. She has made quite a name for herself, yet she really is not the damsel in destress that she portrays on the stage. She is a very intelligent, opinionated, self assured woman. When she finds herself in need of protection she is not sure how to handle not being in charge and when she meets the dashing Bram Haverstein she is not sure what to think. They meet under unusual circumstances which seems to follow them everywhere. Bram Haverstein is a unique individual himself. He harbors many secrets, yet is he a true gentleman or is there more to him than meets the eye. When Lucetta stumbles into his life will it ever be the same again, and what is with all the mysteries taking place at his castle. You will find yourself laughing, shaking your head and wondering who and what are behind many things throughout this novel. I must warn you that you may stay up late reading, because you don't want to put it down. I love that Jen Turano brings the characters from the first two novels in this series back into this one, for I fell in love with them too. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Web of Shadows: Agents Under Fire; Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book two in the Agents Under Fire series. However, it is also a stand alone book. You will get to know most of the characters in the first book, Web of Deceit, plus it is a great read too, so I would suggest you read it first, but it is not necessary. Susan Sleeman always does a great job at keeping your interest, keeping the mystery and suspense plus all the romance thrown into one great novel. Her characters are well defined and their dialogue is great. I love all the different personality types and how they all add dimension to the story. FBI agent Nina Brandt is a very dedicated, planned out agent. She has some fears of her own and loves her job. Even though it is with the FBI being an agent dealing with computer issues she is usually in a safe environment. When she is faced with the one man she never expected to see again, Navy SEAL Quinn Stone, will she be able to put her hurt behind her and rely on him again? Will they be able to solve this mystery before it is to late for Nina and others she loves. Navy SEAL Quinn Stone is an adrenaline junkie. When he is called home to help his little brother, he knows there is only one person he can turn too, yet is it asking to much? Quinn must learn what he truly desires and face some fears he never thought possible. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Cowboy's Bride Collection: 9 Historical Romances Form on Old West Ranches; Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Page Davis Page; Review: Nine novellas in one book, all dealing with Cowboys, need we say more? Each author has their own style and each novella is filled with romance. If you enjoy reading short stories about cowboys you will love this collection. I was given a copy of this book from netgally for my honest opinion. The Cowboy Poet - by Susan Page Davis Rilla lives on the ranch with her parents, she has come home from finishing school to help take care of her mother. While she takes care of her parents she tries to find the time to write poetry, and keep an eye on the handsome Bat. Bat does not know what has come over him. He loves how Rilla can put her thoughts on paper and tries to do some of his own. When he must make some difficult choices will he do what is easy or stand tall and do what is right? For a Song - by Susanne Dietze Lilly has lost all hope in God, when she hears of a way to get free from her current situation, she is really given no choice but to go. What will her new employer think and will he really just allow her to sing? Jackson never expected his Aunt to show up with two surprises. Yet he now feels responsible for them. He is a determined cowboy, yet Lilly keeps getting under his skin. I loved the misunderstandings, learning to trust God and the romance in this novella. Crazy about Cait - by Nancy J. Farrier Cait can not believe her father has hired Jonas to help train the horses. First, she is an amazing trainer and second, Jonas, really??? Jonas cant wait to show Cait he is a changed man, but will she ever be able to forgive him and learn to trust him? This novella is full of good humor, hard work, learning how to work together and forgiveness. Loves Sweet Storm - By Miralee Ferrell Addie is on her way to a new life. When a storm throws her into some very difficult situations. Addie is not sure what to do when she must help the handsome Grant back to recovery. Will she ever make it to Mr. Tolliver? Grant is not sure who this angel is helping him recover but when he awakens and realized she is not an actual angel will their worlds ever be the same? Addie is unlike any woman he has ever met, yet he must do what is right by her. This novella is full of heartache, misunderstanding, forgiveness, doing what is right and humor. The Reformed Cowboy - by Darlene Franklin Millie is trying to bring culture to the many cowboys in her town. She is also excited to meet the man she has been corresponding with for about an year. When one cowboy spikes her interest it is fair to the man she has been writing? Wes cant wait to meet Millie, however when he sees her for the first time he is blown away by her beauty yet; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flirtation Walk; Author: Visit Amazon's Siri Mitchell Page; Review: This book is written in the first person alternating chapters between Lucinda and Seth. This is a story of overcoming past, living with our choices and finding forgiveness along the way. Lucinda is trying to start a new life for herself. She is not sure what to think of this new home and their love for God. Lucinda wonders if it is to late for her. When a huge surprise must force her to decide on truth or not, will she be able to make the correct choice? And at what cost will her decision be? Seth has been at the top of his class for a long time. While maintaining his gentleman qualities and the respect of his fellow soldiers. When his sister is in need of him, he will stop at nothing to help her. But can he live with the consequences of his choices?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Preacher's Lady (Sugar Maple Hearts); Author: Visit Amazon's Lori Copeland Page; Review: Elly has had her heart broken possibly beyond repair. She is determined to put her past behind her and look to her future. Elly has a hard time forgiving and understanding a God who can be so unloving. When Elly is faced with her most painful heartache will she be able to make the best decisions? Bo has lived with his share of regrets, has he hurt the love of his life beyond healing? Now that he has turned his life back over to God will his past continue to be a weight or will true forgiveness come? This book is about love, family, forgiveness, wrong choices and God's timing. It has a great story line, even if you want to shake some of the characters once in a while. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deadlock (FBI: Houston); Author: Visit Amazon's DiAnn Mills Page; Review: This is the third book in the FBI: Houston series, however it is a stand alone novel. I have read the first book, Firewall (loved it by the way), but actually did not realize this was in the same series. The characters are mentioned but I really did not make the connection till I started writing this review. If you enjoy FBI, murder and suspense you will enjoy this novel. The romance in this book is woven in but there is not much detail there. I enjoyed both Special Agent Bethany Sanchez and Special Agent Thatcher Graves personalities, yet there were times in the book I was a little lost on who was doing the speaking. I wish the romance was a bit more prevalent, but it is mentioned. Bethany is a by the books kind of agent, with some serious family issues. She is nervous about her first time in this new devision of the FBI and more so about her handsome partner. Their personalities and style are so different, she wonders if this partnership will even work. Thatcher is determined to find this killer before he strikes again. When he must help his new partner learn the ropes of her new role will she be a hinderance or a help? Will they ever see eye to eye on this case, and what is she hiding? There are many twist and turns in this novel, I did not actually see how this one was going to end. I enjoyed the suspense and crime solving, I just wish there was a little more romance. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Stronghold; Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Carter Page; Review: To be honest this book was hard to rate, It is not the typical Christian Romance novel. In fact some of the content may not be suitable for all ages and people. This novel deals with kidnaping of young girls, rape, murder, cutting and the after effects of them all, some things are given very detailed information. There is a lot about the American Indian culture and Mexican cartel as well. That being said this is a christian romance novel woven throughout all the drama and American Indian culture. It is not easy reading, in fact I was lost during the first part of this book. It does all come to light before the end of the book, but it is a bit confusing. There is surprise, mystery, heartache, secrets, forgiveness and love throughout this novel. Pilar To-Clanny has been through much in her life, while trying to solve a crime with the least expected man she ever expected to see again, she must learn to face her past to be able to embrace her future. Pilar is a very determined, strong willed Apache woman filled with heartache and secrets. She has been through more than anyone should have to face but will she have to endure more just to save the ones she loves? FBI Special Agent Alex Torres must come face to face with his past and help solve a crime all while trying to keep the one he loves the most safe. Will Pilar ever be able to forgive him and will he be the testimony that she needs or will his faith be tested more than he can endure. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: You're the One That I Want (Christiansen Family); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan May Warren Page; Review: This is a first time author for me and I was not disappointed. I will be reading more from Susan May Warren. This is the sixth book in the Christiansen Family series, yet it is a stand alone novel. As I stated this is my first book by her so I have not read any of the previous books in this series and had no trouble keeping up. Warren does an amazing job describing things and keeping you informed with whom everyone is and how they are related. My only negative comment is that I started, apparently, at the end of this series and not with book one. I fell in love with the Christiansen family and now need to go back and read the other five. Maybe I will read them backwards just for fun, (just kidding). I enjoyed the family drama, the true feelings that were hidden and shared. The fact that families are not perfect and yet God is always in control and has something for us to learn. This novel is about love, forgiveness, having faith in God, waiting on Gods timing and second chances. Owen Christiansen has had a rough go of it for some time now. He is finally trying to get his life back together yet will it all end before it really begins. Owen must face many obstacles in his life even learning that God can use imperfect people. Elise Scotty McFlynn has lived life as 'just one of the guys', can she actually be 'girly' too? Scotty must learn what it is like to be loved by a messy loving family. Will she be able to see God's love in this family and maybe find herself in the mix? I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Protecting Her Daughter (Wrangler's Corner); Author: Visit Amazon's Lynette Eason Page; Review: Wow, what a great read from start to finish. This is the third book in the Wrangler's Corner series, however I feel it is a stand alone novel. This is my first in the series and I had no trouble keeping up with what was going on, now I want to go back and read book one and two. Lynette Eason does a great job at grabbing your interest from chapter one and keeping it through the end. This book is full of love, family, community, suspense and mystery. Zoe is only trying to protect her daughter from whomever is trying to kidnap or possibly kill them. When it seems she can't stay ahead of whomever is behind all this, will she be able to trust the town of Wrangler Corner or is she just putting these kind people in danger. Will she be safer to run or stay and fight. Aaron can't keep the beautiful single mother off his mind, even though he knows he is setting himself up for heartache. Will he be able to keep her safe or is this danger just to close. Can he keep his distance and heart in tact or has he lost it to her already. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Reluctant Duchess (Ladies of the Manor); Author: Visit Amazon's Roseanna M. White Page; Review: This is book two in the Ladies of the Manor series, however it is a stand alone book. I have not read book one and had no problems following along. I now, however would like to go back and read book one, if it is as good as this one. This novel does contain situations which may not be suitable for all ages, the author does a great job at keeping what happens 'clean', yet rape still takes place. Roseanne White does a great job at coping with such a tragedy and the trials and circumstances in which this type of tragedy brings, However the situation is still there. Rowena Kinnaird is struggling with understanding what true love actually looks like. She must overcome much from her past experiences to see how love actually exists. When she feels she is backed into a corner will she grow stronger for it or hid in the shadows. Brice Myerston (whom I fell in love with by the way) is a charming Duke. When he feels God leading him to do something he just does as he feels God would have him. Yet is God asking to much from him? Will he and Rowena ever make a connection or will she ask more of him than he can give? This novel is full of mystery, romance, overcoming obstacles, forgiveness and Trusting God. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Like Never Before; Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Tagg Page; Review: This is book two, well three if you count the prequel, in the Walker Family series. Even though this is a stand alone book, you might as well start at the beginning and fall in love with the whole Walker family and the town of Maple Valley. Check out the authors website at [...] for more information. I love Melissa Taggs style of writing, the way she developed her characters, their personalities, heartache and dialogue. You really feel a part of the whole town and family. Each person has their own way of handling problems and their own share of problems, just like our everyday life. I also love the sparks that fly between Amelia and Logan, their banter and their friendship. Amelia Bentley is determined to save the local paper no matter what. Yet when she is faced with possibly failing in that fight will she be willing to fight for love? Amelia has a past she still needs to deal with and forgiveness and healing to take place but maybe there is still hope for her. Logan Walker is on the verge of being exactly where he wants to be professionally, yet at what cost to his family? Logan must also learn to deal with forgiveness, healing and realizing he may not be a perfect dad but he can do the best he can. Logan is home in two different worlds, which one is the best for him and his daughter? I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Want Ad Wedding (Cowboy Creek); Author: Visit Amazon's Cheryl St.John Page; Review: This is the first book in the Cowboy Creek collection. It will leave you wanting to learn so much more about the characters in this book. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Even though I feel they will all be stand alone novels, the beginning is a great place to start. Cheryl St. John does a great job developing her characters and dialogue. Daniel Gardner is a leader among this newly developed town. He is a handsome, wealthy, loving and caring man. When the last person he expected to see arrives on the 'bride' train, he only wants what is best for her. Will he ever be enough or is what is best be someone else. Leah is trying to find a new start and feels she is out of options except to answer the call for a bride train. When she arrives and finds her two best friends from childhood she is overwhelmed with joy. Will she continue to make poor choices or will she finally be able to open her heart and have a happy marriage. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Secondhand Cowboy (Hometown Romance); Author: Visit Amazon's Lacy Williams Page; Review: Iris Tatum is a loving, caring woman with some family issues and a broken heart. When Callum Stewart comes crashing back into her life will she be able to forgive him and be the friend he needs or is there more at stake. While faced with making a very difficult decision will she be able to make the right one no matter how difficult. Callum Stewart is a handsome, determined cowboy. He never planned on returning to this town nor did he plan on seeing Iris. When it seems he must depend on her help will he be able to keep his secrets or is the past destined to repeat itself. This novella is full of love, forgiveness, heartache and family. Lacy Williams does a great job developing her characters and keeping them real. I was given a copy of this novella from the publisher for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: If I Run (If I Run Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Terri Blackstock Page; Review: This is the first book in the If I Run series, what a great place to start. This is a new to me author, Terri Blackstock, she grabs my interest from chapter one. She starts you off in the middle of a bloody scene and it is full of mystery, suspense, a couple of different intertwining stories and so much more. The Chapters are written in the first person alternating between Casey Cox and Dylan Roberts. You will love it all the way to the cliff hanger ending, where you are only hoping book two is already out. Casey Cox finds herself on the run. Trying to stay ahead of the police. She is one smart, determined woman. Dylan Roberts is trying to find a place to fit in. When he is hired to find the killer of a childhood friend he struggles with weather he is looking for a murderer or a victim. Honestly I loved Dylan from the beginning and respected Casey. I can't wait till the next book in this series comes out. If you do not like cliff-hanger type books then buy this one and wait to read it till the entire series is out. I was given a copy of this novel from the suspense zone for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Burning Proof (Cold Case Justice); Author: Visit Amazon's Janice Cantore Page; Review: This is book two in the Cold Case Justice series. I have not read book one, Drawing fire, and had no problem keeping up with what was going on in this book, however I probably missed out on not only some good reading but a lot of background. I say that because this book ends in some respects where I can see book three picking up. Janice Cantore does a great job at developing her characters and her descriptions. Her chapters are written from different characters throughout the novel and it takes a sentence or two to figure out who some chapters are about. There is a lot going on in this novel and I would not call it an 'easy' read, you do need to be paying attention. Detective Abby Hart is a determined police detective, yet when her world gets rocked is she destined for something else or is police work still in her blood. She must come to grips with her past, present and future. PI Luke Murphy, who I love by the way, is also mixed up in Abby's past. Will he be able to help Abby and keep his feelings in check? He specializes in cold case files and loves his job and family. This novel is full of suspense, mystery and some fun and exciting police work. I can't wait to read book three. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Firefly Summer (Hometown Romance); Author: Visit Amazon's Kathleen Y'Barbo Page; Review: This is the first book in the Pies, Books and Jesus series. Kathleen Y'Barbo does a great job of grabbing your attention from the get go and holding it all the way through. Her characters are very real and face some extremely difficult situations. Both Sessa and Trey have to deal with forgiveness, grief and trusting God. I love Sessa's small town, if you have never lived in one you may find it hard to believe that this is exactly what small town life is like. Tessa has a very loving mom and town. She is a loving, caring person just trying to get by. She is not expecting to possibly find love along the way. I fell in love with Trey along the way too. He has much to overcome and things he needs to work through. Will he find the peace he seeks and maybe someone special? I was given a copy of this novella from the publishers for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Enchanted Encounters Get Your Kiss on Route 66 (Get Your Kicks on Route 66); Author: Teresa Ives Lilly; Review: This is a good, quick, and easy read. If you are looking for a quick fun read filled with God's changing grace and love you will enjoy this novella. I enjoyed the exchange between Violet and Lee, Lee has a lot to teach Violet if she will just listen. Violet Beauchamp is a spoiled rich girl who comes face to face with how she sees others. She is not exactly fond of what she finds out. Will this lowly hotel clerk help her find true peace and happiness or is he just making fun of her? I was given a copy of this novella from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Emergency Response (First Responders); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book Four in the First Responders series. Each are a stand alone books, however they all revolve around the same people. So if you enjoy reading a series and catching up on characters from previous novels then read them in order (Silent Night Standoff, Explosive Alliance, and High-Caliber Holiday), plus they are all good suspenseful reads. For more information on the First Responders series check out susansleeman.com/books/first-responders/ I love the writing style of Susan Sleeman, her mystery, suspense, character development, drama and romance are all woven together in such an amazing way. Usually there are practical lessons to learn along the way too. You will fall in love with the entire FRS family, especially if you have read the whole series. Each individual comes from their own circumstances with their own baggage. Darcie Stephens, a member of the FRS team, finds herself in the throws of running for her life. She must trust the one man she is trying to keep at an arms length. Darcie is a determined private woman. She has been through more in her life than most, yet she keeps it as hidden as she can. However she must face her past to find a future, if she can survive those who are trying to kill her. Noah Lockhart has demons of his own he is trying to overcome, yet when Darcie is in need of his protection will he be able to protect her and keep his feelings in check? Noah is a good detective why can he not find who is behind this problem with Darcie? Will they ever catch a break? I was given an ARC copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Her One and Only; Author: Visit Amazon's Becky Wade Page; Review: This is book four in the Porter Family series. It is a stand alone novel, however if you love a good series this is a good one. I have not read the first two yet but know I would love them and it gives you more insight to the Porter family (which I love by the way) and the trials that they have faced. Becky Wade does a great job at developing her character, keeping them real and appealing. Dru Porter is a determined, independent woman. She has a job most people feel belong to a man, but she is good at it. When she is trying to get her job back on track will this job be more than she can deal with or does God have bigger plans for her. Gray Fowler has overcome much in his past to become the NFL star he is today. When he is told he needs body guards he is not sure he agrees, especially when one of them looks like a model. Gray is an amazing football player and women fall over him all the time, yet this new 'bodyguard' seems to dislike him. Will she open his eyes and heart in more than ways than he thought possible. This novel is full of romance, humor, forgiveness, suspense, mystery and much more. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Web of Secrets: Agents Under Fire, Book 3; Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book three in the Agents Under Fire series, even though they are all stand alone books it is a great series all the way through and you get a little history about the characters throughout the series. Susan Sleeman does a great job at getting your interest from the beginning and keeping it all the way through her suspense, mystery, FBI type books. Her characters face very real problems and the task force is very realistic. This novel may contain material not for every age group, however Sleeman does a great job at describing a gruesome scene and letting you know what happens with out getting to graphic. FBI agent Becca Lange has a mind of her own, and likes doing things her own way. When she must work with Connor again will the sparks continue to fly or will she be able to stay aloof and professional. She has secrets of her own and when they come back to haunt her will she be able to solve this crime or is it more than she can handle. PPD detective Connor Warren knows he has feelings for Becca, but she has made it clear they are to remain professional. He is a free spirit where she is organized and distant. Can her get past her defenses before her past drags her down. If you enjoy reading good, clean, FBI, mystery, suspense books with a dash of romance you will love this novel. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Serving With Love (Finding Love the Harvey Girl Way) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Cynthia Hickey Page; Review: Katie is just trying to stay hidden in plain sight, while trying to find evidence to prove her innocence. She is a determined, dependent woman who is not looking for love. But hen the handsome ranger continues to show up is he investigating her os is he truly interested in her. Ward s a handsome Texas Ranger just needing a place to heal. When he bumps into the beautiful Katie he wonders if she is just shy or is she hiding something. Will he be ever uncover the truth and if he does will his heart be able to take it? This novel is full of family, trust, love, mystery and suspense. I was given a copy of this novel from the publisher for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Murder Comes by Mail (The Hidden Springs Mysteries); Author: A. H. Gabhart; Review: This is book two in The Hidden Springs Mysteries series, however it is a stand alone book. I have not read book one and had no problem keeping up with what was going on in this book. Gabhart does a great job in describing a scene and its people. She will keep you guessing, with just enough laughter, mystery and a dash of romance. Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane is a handsome, well loved deputy. When he rescues a man from jumping off the bridge he wonders if he should have let him jump. When the murder seems to always be one step ahead of Michael will he ever be able to find this man before more people must die, especially when it gets personal. I was given a copy of this novel from the suspense zone and the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All Summer Long: A San Francisco Romance (Follow Your Heart); Author: Visit Amazon's Melody Carlson Page; Review: I would actually give this a 3.5 star. This is book two in the Follow your Heart series. I have not read book one and had no problem following along with book two. Tia D'Amico is looking forward to helping her aunt transform a yacht into a diner cruse. She is a marvelous chief. The last person she expected to see was Leo Parker. Leo has become an even more handsome man than a teen. Leo Parker never imagined Tia to come back into his life, let alone on this particular day. This novel is full of friendship, love, laughter and frustration. Will Tia and Leo ever get together or are they destined to be friends. You will fall in love with some of the characters in this novel and some your not quit sure what to think. If you enjoy reading an easy contemporary romance you will like this book. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In a Killer's Sights (Smoky Mountain Secrets); Author: Visit Amazon's Sandra Robbins Page; Review: This is the first book in the Smoky Mountain Secrets series, what a great place to start. This book is full of forgiveness, love, secrets, mystery and romance. Gwen stumbles upon a scene she was never supposed to see. When she begins running for her life she never expected to find help in her ex husband. Will she be able to keep her secret and trust Dean again? Can he really be a changed man? Dean can't believe how God has answered his prayers, he can only pray God will show Gwen how much he is a changed man. Will he be able to keep her safe or is he destined to watch her walk away again. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: From This Moment; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Camden Page; Review: Elizabeth Camden does a great job writing historical christian fiction romance novels and this one fits the bill. She keeps her characters interesting, quick witted, intelligent, and real. This novel is full of mystery, suspense, and romance. Stella West is a character in and of herself. She is quick witted, not afraid to share her opinion, determined and loyal. She sometimes storms into a situation without thinking about the consequences. While she is trying to solve the mysterious death of her beloved sister she must keep her focus on her task and off the handsome Romulus White. Romulus White is a self proclaimed flirt and bachelor for at least another eight years. When the acclaimed artist Stella West is in his town could this be the answer he has been seeking. Will she finally agree to work for him? Romulus is not prepared for the help she is asking of him nor the consequences which follow. I was given a copy of this book from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Other Will Do; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Witemeyer Page; Review: Karen Witemeyer has a fun writing style. She brings her people to life and gives them real feelings and good dialogue. She has a feisty writing style in which she puts into her characters. Emma Chandler is a determined, loyal, soft hearted, independent woman. When she is facing an unknown enemy she must rely on the only man she can ever remember trusting. When Malachi returns to help her will she be able to say goodbye again? Will they ever find who is targeting her town or must they leave. Malachi Shaw comes from a rough lifestyle. The only family he has ever really had is now being threatened. Will he be able to find the problems before more people get hurt. Will he be able to tell Emma goodbye or will he save her in time. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sarah's Surrender (Land Rush Dreams); Author: Visit Amazon's Vickie McDonough Page; Review: This is book three in the land rush dreams series. Even though they are all stand alone books you will enjoy reading them all in order. It gives you history on all the main characters in this novel. Sarah is determined to have a home of her own and be independent. Once all her dreams come true will it be all she hoped it was or is there more she is missing? When tragedy continues to fall will she be able to stand tall and find her true feelings or question everything? Luke is a handsome cowboy who wants more than friendship with Sarah. But will she ever truly love him or is it time to move on? This novel is full of surprise, hardship, family in all kids of forms, love, forgiveness and more. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stand-In Rancher Daddy (Lone Star Cowboy League: The Founding Years); Author: Visit Amazon's Renee Ryan Page; Review: This is the first book in the Lone Star Cowboy League series, what a great place to start. I look forward to learning more about the lives of those we are introduced to in this novel. It is full of love, forgiveness, difficulties, faith, mystery and cowboys. CJ Thorn is a handsome determined cowboy who has been thrown into fatherhood over night. Thankful for the help of the beautiful Molly Langley, CJ knows his heart is in trouble. When sparks fly and troubles come from so many different directions will CJ ever find Molly's secret and show her his love? Molly is determined to keep her secret hidden. While she is struggling to live with her secret, her love for CJ's four year old nieces and for the man himself may be her biggest struggle still. She is a stubborn, loving, christian woman who only wants to help. Will she be able to face the future she seems is her only option or will she be able to see Gods hand in her future instead. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trusting the Cowboy (Big Sky Cowboys); Author: Visit Amazon's Carolyne Aarsen Page; Review: This is book two in the Big Sky Cowboys series, I feel it is a stand alone book, because I have not read book one and had no problem following along. Lauren has an issue trusting men, and with good reason. She is trying to start over and finally put herself first. When she must stay in her fathers ranch for two months before deciding what to do with it she is not expecting Vic and his possible claim to the ranch. Vic is a charming, caring cowboy trying to make amends. He is instantly attracted to Lauren but knows they are not a match and she holds the key to his future. Sparks fly between vic and Lauren. Vic needs to find forgiveness and Lauren needs to learn to trust. Will they both follow Gods leading and also find love. I was given an ARC copy of the book from the publisher and Net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An Elegant Façade (Hawthorne House); Author: Visit Amazon's Kristi Ann Hunter Page; Review: This is book two in the Hawthorne House series, even though it is a stand alone book you will miss the history of characters if you do not read the first one, The Noble Masquerade, first. However you will enjoy this one if you do not read them in order. Lady Georgina has some secrets she wants to remain that way, she feels she must find a suitable husband before her secret is out. When the handsome, Colin McRae, seems to always help her out is he going to be her down fall or will he be her salvation? There are a couple of different stories going on at the same time throughout this novel, which is probably caring out people you meet in the first book. The author does a great job developing her characters and their dialogue. I loved the many exchanges between Georgina and Colin. They both have secrets of their own and at times you are not sure what to think of them. I was given an ARC copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Marionette (An Agent Ko Spy Thriller) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's A. J. Terry Page; Review: This is book one in the Agent Ko Spy Thriller series. It is a great place to start. It will give you the background of the main character, Agent Ko. This novel has somewhat of an open ending where book two, Simulation, will pick up. If you do not like books like that than you will probably not like this one, however if that kind of spy, thriller series is up your alley than check out this book. You could also buy them as they come out and wait to read them all together if that is more your style. Ko is put into training like she has never experienced. She is taken from her home to training camp. She must push herself harder than ever before. When she is given her first assignment will she be able to fulfill it? I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest review.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Silent Sabotage (First Responders); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book five in the First Responders series, it is a stand a lone novel though. The books all focus around the First Responders team in Organ so you will miss a little history if you jump right into this novel however you will be able to read and enjoy it with no problem. Susan Sleeman always does an amazing job at grabbing your attention from the beginning and keeping it. I love her writing style, the way she develops her characters and the mystery and suspense that are always a part of her writing. This novel held a special place in my heart because Emily Graves is taking care of her aunt whom has alzheimer's. Besides dealing with all that surrounds alzheimer's Emily must learn to trust God even when running for her life. She struggles with trusting men so when the handsome Archer Reed comes into her life will she ever really be able to trust him or is he going to be just like all the other men she has met. I was given a copy of this novel from the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where Hope Prevails (Return to the Canadian West); Author: Visit Amazon's Janette Oke Page; Review: This is book three in Return to the Canadian West series, it is a stand alone book, however I feel you will miss much of the history of the characters if you jump right into this novel. This is not your typical romance type book, even though romance is woven throughout this novel it is not the main focus. This novel focus' mainly on Elizabeth Thatcher and dealing with the many different surprises throughout her life. She is a determined well educated woman with opinions of her own. She must learn to see the good in others, forgiveness and trust. Elizabeth must learn concepts that we all can learn from. When faced with an uncertain future and an opinionated teacher she must really learn God is in control. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Artisan's Wife (Refined by Love); Author: Visit Amazon's Judith Miller Page; Review: This is book three in the Refined by Love series. It is a stand alone book, however you will miss some of the history of the McKay family if you jump right into this one. I have only read book one and now three and love the series yet feel they are all stand alone books. Ainslee McKay is a determined woman who normally just likes it in the shadows of her sister, however when she is forced to step out of her comfort zone she may discover she is stronger than she gives herself credit. Levi Judson has put his life up in the air to help take care of his family. When his hunt for a job reveals new owners he is not sure what to expect. Yet this new owner may be exactly what he needs, in more ways than one. This book is full of hardworking, loving people who face real problems and family. The romance is a sweet story woven among other issues in this book. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Heart Most Certain (Teaville Moral Society); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Jagears Page; Review: This is book one in the Teaville Moral Society series, what a great place to start. Melissa Jagears has a great writing style, her characters come to life and you feel you are present in their ups and downs. She has spunk in her writing and you usually find yourself laughing and sometimes angry at the antics of some of her characters. I look forward to hearing more from the people of Teaville. Lydia King is a determined, good hearted woman, who only wants to ease the suffering of her mother. When Lydia questions her actual reasons for her actions will she be able to face the truth and live with the consequences of whatever decisions she makes. Nicholas Lowe is a unique character. I don't want to give to much away so I will let you decide his character traits. He and Lydia face some situations that will make you wonder how you would actually respond yourself. Nicholas is willing to allow people to think whatever they want about him, but is he willing to truly open his heart for a chance at love? I was given a ARC copy of this novel from net galley and the author for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deadly Encounter (FBI Task Force); Author: Visit Amazon's DiAnn Mills Page; Review: This is book one in the FBI Task Force series. If you enjoy reading FBI type mysteries you will enjoy this read, and what a great place to start in the first book. DiAnn Mills does a good job developing her characters and their dialogue. This novel is not as much a suspense as a mystery with love, family and forgiveness all mixed together. It is not as fast paced as some mystery/crime solving books yet this time line is probably more realistic. We are faced with domestic terrorism and so much more. I don't want to give away too many of the twist and turns this novel takes in uncovering the true mystery of a homicide. Stacy Broussard is a determined veterinarian. She has a heart of gold and wants to serve others. Her neighborhood is not the best area but she is determined to make the most out of it. When she stumbles upon a dead body she has no idea what is in store for her. The handsome FBI agent rubs her wrong but she must rely on him more than she desires. Alex LaBlanc is just trying to do his job, he will not be distracted by another beautiful face. But when more things go wrong is he destined to repeat a past mistake or is this case different? I was given an ARC copy of this novel from the Suspense Zone for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wolf Creek Wife (Love Inspired Historical); Author: Visit Amazon's Penny Richards Page; Review: This is book five in the wolf creek series, it is a stand alone book, however I did feel like I missed a lot of the history of the characters and probably some great books by just jumping into this one. Yet you will not have a problem if this is the first one you read, at least I didn't . :) This is a new to me author, and I fell in love with her writing style instantly. She does an amazing job making you feel like you are right there. She develops her character well with real feelings and problems. I love Christian Historical Romance and look forward to reading more from her, especially from Wolf Creek, since this is my first. Blythe Granville is a complex character, she finds herself in a quandary even though she has only done what any christian should. She has a past that she is trying to overcome and a future that is uncertain. Will the handsome, Will Slade be the answer to her prayers or will her life be more complicated and expose her to more gossip. Will Slade too has a past he is trying to overcome. When Blythe has come to his rescue will he ever be able to trust women and will she ever be able to trust men again or are they doomed to destruction. Will is a strong willed and determined man, but is there a tender side to him as well? I was given an ARC copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Secrets and Lies (Rookie K-9 Unit); Author: Visit Amazon's Shirlee McCoy Page; Review: This is book 5 in the Rookie K-9 Unit series, however I believe it is a stand alone book. This is the first in the series that I have read and I had no problem keeping up. There is probably history with some of the background characters that I missed but nothing to keep me enjoying this novel. If you enjoy police, K-9 type novels you will enjoy this one. It is full of murder, mystery, suspense, and romance. Ariel Martin is a sweet loving teacher who is trying to start over, yet is her past catching up with her or is it something completely different. When she is forced to spend time with the handsome K-9 officer will she find that she can trust men and maybe it will be possible to find true love? Tristan McKeller does not have time for romance. He is a loving brother and dedicated police officer. While trying to find the balance in his life with all the murders and things going on in his small town, he is not sure what to think of his feelings for the beautiful teacher. Will he be able to solve the mysteries surrounding her before it is to late, and is there a chance at a future for them? I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Until I Love Again (The St. Lawrence County Amish); Author: Visit Amazon's Jerry S. Eicher Page; Review: If you enjoy Amish novels, this one will not disappoint. Jerry Eicher does a great job developing her characters and keeping them real. You really are not sure at times how you want this one to go, nor are you sure which direction it will take. Susanna is a determined, loving, caring woman who loves her family but is not sure what she really wants. She has many choices to make throughout this novel which will not only affect her life but the lives of those she loves and those in her community. I was given an ARC copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wish; Author: Visit Amazon's Beverly Lewis Page; Review: This is a beautifully written story. It is not your typical Amish Romance. There is romance in this novel, yet it is not the main focus. This book focuses more on friendship, choices and realizing things may not always be like we think. Beverly Lewis always does her homework and writes very accurately in the Amish culture and develops her characters well. Leona Speicher is a caring Amish girl who has always wanted a sister and maybe parents who were a little different than her own. When Gloria and her family move to town she feels her prayers have been answered. Yet their lives take totally different paths than they ever dreamed possible. Will Leona be able to bring her friend back to the people, or are their to many convinces in the English world to return plain? I loved the relationship between many of the characters in this novel. Leona and Gloria both have lessons to learn throughout this novel and you are not really sure exactly how it will end. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading 'Amish' type books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Love Transformed (Sapphire Brides); Author: Visit Amazon's Tracie Peterson Page; Review: This is book three in Sapphire Brides series, however I feel it is a stand alone novel. I have not read the first two and had no trouble understanding what was going on. I truly enjoyed this book. Tracie Peterson always does a good job at developing her characters, their personalities and their dialogue. This one does not disappoint. It is full of surprise, mystery, heartache, family, romance and overcoming your past. There are times when you will laugh, times you want to slap some of the characters yourself and times you may want to just hug them. Clara Vesper has to make some difficult decisions for herself and her two children. When her overbearing, determined mother tries to interfere with her life, again, will she be able to stand up to her regardless of the consequences. Clara must learn to trust God even when it feels like your life is falling apart. Curtis Billingham never expected to see Clara again, so he is thrown off guard when she walks into his room. Will he be able to fully recover, inside and out or is he to stubborn to understand true forgiveness. I was given an ARC copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Lady Unrivaled (Ladies of the Manor); Author: Visit Amazon's Roseanna M. White Page; Review: This is book three in the Ladies of the Manor series. It is a stand alone book, however I would recommend reading book one, The Lost Heiress, and book two, The Reluctant Duchess first to fully understand all that is going on. Plus they are great reads as well. Roseanne White does a great job developing her characters, giving them their own unique personalities and problems. There is mystery, romance, suspense, family, trusting God and so much more. Lady Ella Myerston is a determined, happy, optimistic, opinionated person, whom tends to get lost often. She is only trying to protect her family, not planning on possibly finding love in the process. Will she be able to protect her family and all they hold dear without getting hurt? Lord Cayton is a more complex man. Will he ever be able to forgive himself and possibly find love in the process or will his past be his undoing? I loved the dialogue between Ella and Cayton, their clashing personalities and so much more. There are times you will laugh, cry and maybe want to shake some of the characters throughout this novel. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love's Faithful Promise (Courage to Dream); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Anne Mason Page; Review: This is book three in the Courage to Dream series, however I feel it is a stand alone book. I have not read book one or two and had no problem keeping up with what was going on. I do feel like I probably missed some history on the O'Leary family, and probably some good books as well, but it is not necessary to understand this novel. Susan Anne Mason does a great job developing her characters, their history and putting you right in their time period. You feel you have been surrounded by the O'Leary family and their loved ones. Deirdre O'Leary is only trying to help her mother recover, even if it means she must give up a dream or maybe even just put it on hold for a while. When this determined, high spirited woman clashes with Dr. Matthew Clayborne, one of the only doctors that can possibly help her mother, is Deirdre prepared for his down trodden attitude? Dr. Matthew Clyborne is a committed doctor, yet when Deirdre rushes into his life, he is not quite prepared for all that will follow. Will Matthew find the help he needs for his daughter only to loose her? This novel is almost two in one. I loved the intertwining of not only Deirde and Matthew but of Conner and Jo. This novel is packed with love, family, living with past choices, moving on and so much more. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: One Thursday Morning: Inspirational Christian Romance (Diamond Lake Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's T.K. Chapin Page; Review: This is book one of the Diamond Lake Series. I look forward to reading more from these characters in the future. The story is well written with suspense, romance, drama and healing. I hope we continue to hear more about Serenah and Charlie. This book is a christian romance, there may be a little more passion in it for some, but it is a clean read. Serenah has found herself in a very difficult situation, when she feels she has no choice but to start over will she fully heal and find happiness in another life. Yet when her past comes to haunt her what will await her future. Serenah must face the truth of her past to be able to fully grasp her future. I enjoy the writing style of T.K. Chapin and they way he brings his characters to life. He deals with a very difficult subject in this novel, but one that is more prevalent than we may wish. I was given a copy of this book for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pointe and Shoot; Author: Visit Amazon's Alison Stone Page; Review: This is a 'new to me' author. Alison Stone does a good job in developing her characters and describing her surroundings. I enjoyed the mystery and romance woven in this novel. This is not an on the edge of your seat suspense yet it is full of mystery and some suspense. Jayne Murphy is a loving daughter who has put her dreams on the back burner to care for her mother, who has Alzheimer's. When a dear friend dies, she doesn't feel like it is an accident. Will she be able to find what actually happened or is she putting her life and those she loves in danger? Officer Danny Nolan is a by the book kind of guy. With a past that connects himself to the Murphy family will he be able to forgive himself and be the help Jayne needs or was the accident, just that? This novel is full of mystery, dance, family, forgiveness and much more. I look forward to reading more from this author. You may or may not solve the mystery before it is revealed and you may guess more than one ending. It will keep you reading to the very end. I was given a copy of this novel from the suspense zone for my honest opinion.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: From This Day Forward (Song of Blessing); Author: Visit Amazon's Lauraine Snelling Page; Review: This is book four in the Song of Blessing series, it can be read as a stand alone book, however I feel you will be a bit lost. There are a lot of characters in this book and it can get a little confusing if you do not know the history of their families and can keep them all straight. The entire series is a great series so I would recommend reading them all in order. Lauraine Snelling does a great job at weaving so many different families, story lines and history all wrapped in one series. Each character has issues of their own they must deal with the consequences of choices they make. If you have read the entire series it is great to catch up with many of the characters from previous novels. The main focus of this novel is Deborah and Toby. Deborah has loved him forever, yet is it time to move on. Toby is a little harder to figure out, it was fun to watch him struggle, grow and decide what it is he actually wants.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Rails to Love Romance Collection: 9 Historical Love Stories Set Along the Transcontinental Railroad; Author: Visit Amazon's Diana Lesire Brandmeyer Page; Review: The Rails to Love Collection is nine novellas all taking place in or around a train. They each have their own twist, style and romance. If you enjoy reading good clean historical romance novellas I think you will enjoy this one. Outlaw on the Pueblo Excursion by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer Mary is not looking for love but adventure. Despite what her father wishes she has ideas of her own. When she finds she must rely on the handsome Wyatt for rescue will he be the adventure she is looking for after all. Wyatt is not seeking love, he is seeking a good story. Yet when he is drawn to Mary and must rescue her from danger is there a chance for both? The Depot Bride by Amanda Cabot Eugenia has a love for photography even if that is not a job for women. When she is pressured to marry a man she does not love will her passion for photography lead her to the love of her life? Mason did not know what to expect in this new job he has accepted, however the beautiful bosses daughter was never a part of the package. Will he be able to do his job, keep her safe and keep his heart whole? Last Stop, Cordelia by Lisa Carter I loved getting to know Cordelia and Neil in this exciting novella. Cordelia is a determined reporter, who tends to find trouble from time to time. Neil is not looking forward to having her around. He is a stubborn Irishman. I love their dialogue and banter throughout this novella. I could see this novella in becoming a series. Loved meeting many of the Irish men in this novella. Train to Eden by Ramona K. Cecil John has no idea what to expect when an injured woman falls into his life. Will history repeat itself or can he prove himself. John has no idea were this beautiful woman came from nor if she is guilty or innocent. I loved the unknown throughout this novella. Love on the Rails by Lynn A. Coleman Is a mail order bride the answer to Jeffery and Tildas problems or is there just no way to make such a marriage work. Jeffery has a lot to learn about marriage, and Tilda wonders what she has gotten herself into. Will the past tear them apart or will they learn what love actually is? The Honeymoon Express by Susanne Dietze This is a fun story full of surprise, Nash and and Ellen have no idea what to expect when they join a Honeymoon train. But between possible outlaws, a kidnapping and romance what will bloom. Just for Lucy by Kim Vogel Sawyer Amelia never imagined what would happen when she stepped off the train to deposit her charge. Amelia is a kind, loving, strong-willed woman who is not afraid of much expect allowing Lucy to be raised by unloving people. What will God have for Lucy and Amelia? My Soul Waits by Connie Stevens Rosemary and Jeremy both struggle to honor their fathers. When; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Christmas Secret: Will an 1880 Christmas Eve Wedding Be Cancelled by Revelations in an Old Diary?; Author: Visit Amazon's Wanda E. Brunstetter Page; Review: This is a good quick read. Wanda E. Brunstetter always does a good job keeping your interest and developing her characters. If you enjoy reading Christmas time romance novellas you will enjoy this novella.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sheriff's Christmas Twins (Smoky Mountain Matches); Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Kirst Page; Review: Actually 4.5 stars. This is part of the Smoky Mountain Matches series, this is a stand alone book, However if the rest of the books are as good as this one, I look forward to reading them all. I fell in love with the whole town. Sheriff Shane Timmons is a strong, opinionated, loving yet hurting man. He can't seem to put his past behind him. He likes to keep to hisself. However when the past come to town will he be able to keep his distance or is there more going on than he can distance himself from. Allison Ashworth has had her heart set on Shane for years, yet for some reason he remains distant. When her life is in for a major change will Shane finally be a part of that change or will she be able to put him in her past and move on. Allison is a loving, determined woman herself. I really enjoyed getting to know Shane, Allison and the whole town of Gatlinburg. The author does a great job at detail, dialogue and sticky situations. If you enjoy reading good, clean, christian, historical romance books you will love this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Identity Unknown (Northern Border Patrol); Author: Visit Amazon's Terri Reed Page; Review: This is book 5 in the Northern Border Patrol series, however I feel it is a stand alone book. I have not read any other books in this series and had no trouble keeping up with what was going on. I would now like to go back and read them all though if they are all as good as this one. I am sure there is background on many of the sub characters in this book, in the previous ones. This book is full of mystery, suspense, drama, romance, gun fights, car chases and much much more. It is well written, with great descriptions and dialogue. The characters are well developed and real to life. Audrey Martin is out to prove herself, when a handsome 'John Doe' washes up on the shores of her quiet town, he brings much mystery snd challenges with him. Audrey has a rocky past with men and is not sure she is ready to trust another yet this man is sneaking past all her defenses. Nathanial, aka 'John Doe', has no memory of his past. It seams like he is constantly fighting for his life. When the beautiful and determined Audrey is always protecting him, will he ever regain his memory before his past catches up with him and possibly puts an end to his life, as well as the life of the beautiful deputies. The sparks fly in this novel. If you like police/special forces type mystery, suspense novels you will love this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Waves of Mercy; Author: Lynn Austin; Review: This is not your typical historical romance novel. It is full of so much more. There are actually a few different stories going on at the same time, however the author does an amazing job and pulling them all together. You are not wondering whom is speaking nor which time period you are dealing with. In this novel we are in 1897 and at times up to fifty years earlier. Yet it all flows so smoothly and coincides together perfectly. Geesje de Jonge tells us of her past while living in 1897, she has faced so many heartache and times of a lack of faith yet God pulls her through even when she is not sure she believes anymore. Her story is very inspiring and heart felt. Anna Nicholson is struggling for answers to many questions. She just doesn't know where she fits in, and want answers to spiritual questions. She is seeking God and his will in her life. She is not expecting all she will uncover. There are many different characters in this novel that carry many different personalities, history, struggles and heartache. You will learn a lot from more than one character. How people handle the same circumstances in many different ways and how God is always faithful even when we doubt him. I enjoyed this novel, however I would like to have continued with Anna's story. Maybe that will be book two.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cowboy Creek Christmas: An Anthology; Author: Visit Amazon's Cheryl St.John Page; Review: This is two novellas that are stand alone novellas, yet I love the Cowboy creek series and would encourage you to read them all, Want Ad Wedding, Special Delivery Baby and Bride by Arrangement. You will fall in love with all those in Cowboy Creek. Mistletoe Reunion - We meet the determined and sometimes a little awkward, Dr. Marlys Boyd. Her methods are not always typical yet her heart is in the right place. When she comes to Cowboy Creek to start her practice she is not expecting to run into a man from her past. Is God leading her in a direction she is totally unprepared for or is there another choice? Sam Mason is a father and writer. He is trying to build a relationship with his young son and start a new life in Cowboy Creek. When the one woman who hurt his pride and heart enters his life again, can he become friends only? I loved the story of Marlys and Sam. Their history, determination, friendship and wanting Gods will. With all its twist and turns this is a great read. Mistletoe Bride - Colton has been introduced to us in previous Cowboy Creek books, however this somewhat recluse, moose of a man, becomes front and center when he meets Beatrix. When Colton decides to do the right thing, can he forgive his past and truly have a future? Beatrix has found herself in desperate need of a rescue. When the rough and very masculine man may be her only hope will they find a happy ever after? This novella is full of forgiving yourself, living with your consequences, trusting God and so much more. I love the town of Cowboy Creek and enjoy every visit I have made there in the entire series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shielding His Christmas Witness (Callahan Confidential); Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Scott Page; Review: Actually 4.5 stars. This is book one in the Callahan Confidential Series, what a great place to start. I was excited to learn this was a series because I fell in love with the Callahan family. This author does a great job at grabbing your attention and keeping it throughout the entire novel. Marc Callahan is a dedicated FBI agent. When he fears someone on his team is a mole he must take extreme measures to keep his star witness safe. Kari Danville is a talented artist with a great memory. When she is running for her life she must decide to trust Marc. Both Marc and Kari have a past they need to overcome to be able to move forward. This novel is full of Suspense, Drama, Mystery and Romance. It is a well written, stand alone book, even though it is part of a series. It will keep you guessing. I look forward to reading more from this author and this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Death in the Mind's Eye; Author: Visit Amazon's Rick Acker Page; Review: This is a new to me author. He does an amazing job at keeping you interested and has many twist and turns throughout his book. If you enjoy suspenseful books I feel you will like this one. It also has psychology and legal issues woven throughout this entire novel. I will admit I was a little lost at the very beginning but it cleared up pretty quickly. I like all three main characters in this novel and at times liked one more than another. The chapters are short and usually from the point of view of the different characters, yet you understand which character each chapter is from. Mike Webster is an amazing and good looking lawyer, he does not loose a case. When he is asked to take on this case for Jo he is not so sure it is for him. This is not his normal type of case. Yet he is drawn to Jo and this case in ways he really can't describe. The machine The Mind's Eye is very interesting. I can see where it is very helpful and where it could also be used to take advantage of others. This is not my typical genre yet I look forward to reading more from this author. I could totally see this as a movie.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Convenient Christmas Wedding (Frontier Bachelors); Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Scott Page; Review: This is book 5 in the Frontier Bachelors series. I have not read any of the previous books and had no trouble keeping up with this one, so I will say it is a stand alone book. However if the first four are as good as this one I now need to go back and read them all. I know there is history with this town and the Wallin family. Simon Wallin is a cynical, hardworking, opinionated man. He is not looking for romance, he just wants what is best for his family. When the somewhat corky Nora Underhill hatches a plan that will help him and his family he is not sure what to think. Their relationship takes some twist, turns and misunderstandings but it is fun to watch them figure it all out. Nora feels Simon is her only hope of standing up to her brother. Will he accept her proposal and if so will everything work out as she has planned. Nora has a heart of gold but finds herself in a tight situation. The entire Wallin family is fun, loving and has personalities all their own. I love how they stick together and stick their nose into each others business.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Margo (Finding Home); Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: Jen Turano is one of my all time favorites, I love her writing style and this one does not disappoint. This novel is full of fun, mystery, danger, Amish, family, laughter, tragedy and so much more. It will keep you interested from the beginning to the end. You will find yourself laughing out loud and maybe even a little anxious at times too. It is book one in the Finding Home Series and I look forward to reading book two. Margo Hartman has everything she could ever imagine, except maybe some time off. When she decides to run away and hide she is not expecting all that is in store for her in this quirky Amish town in Ohio, However she has unexpectedly been stranded in for a time. Brock More is a handsome and determined man. He is not sure what to think of Margo when he first meets her and feels she is hiding something, which he has secrets of his own as well. Brock and Margo must find ways to uncover the truth in this town with out drawing unwanted attention to themselves.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Christmas Conspiracy (First Responders); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book six in the First Responders series, even though they are all stand alone books, it is a great series. Each novel focuses on one of the six elite first responders, it is fun to reconnect with those you learned to love in the previous First Responders series, yet it is not necessary to understand what is going on in this book. Jake Marsh takes an upfront role in this novel. He is the team leader for this special group of first responders. When he answers one of his calls he is not expecting the overprotective feelings that Rachael brings out in him. Will he be able to keep his feelings as bay while trying to solve this mystery? Rachael has secrets of her own and when she is running for her life will she be able to face the past or is it bound to haunt her forever. This book is full of mystery, suspense, love, romance, commitment and much more. I love the writing style of Sleeman, her books never disappoint. She grabs your attention from the beginning and keeps you guessing all the way to the end.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Catching Heat (Cold Case Justice); Author: Visit Amazon's Janice Cantore Page; Review: This is book three in the Cold Case Justice series. This is a great series and even though you can read them as possible stand alone books, you will miss a lot and may be a little lost in this novel, if it is your first. Plus now that it is all wrapped up what a great series to grab all three and read. Start with Drawing Fire, Burning Proof then Catching Heat. Janice Cantore does a great job at developing her characters and her descriptions. Her chapters are written from different characters throughout the novel and it takes a sentence or two to figure out who some chapters are about. There is a lot going on in this novel and I would not call it an 'easy' read, you do need to be paying attention. Detective Abby Hart is a police detective on a special cold case squad. When a cold case takes her close to where she may be able to find information on her parents murder. Will it consume her, lead her into more trouble or finally be the answer to so many questions. This novel is full of suspense, mystery, romance and much more. I enjoy reading books by Cantore and look forward to many more.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: His Substitute Wife (Stand-In Brides); Author: Visit Amazon's Dorothy Clark Page; Review: Audrey Prescott can not believe what she is about to offer her sisters fianc. When things progress will she be able to keep her secret, help him with his store and be happy with their arrangement. Blake Latherop's world is about to be turned upside down. Audrey is not at all what he expected. Will he be able to come up with a plan for everyone to be happy? Clark does a good job in her character description and their dialogue. I loved the spunky yet venerable personality of Audrey. I enjoyed the whole town and look forward to reading more from there. If you enjoy mail oder bride type books you will like this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: For the Record; Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Jennings Page; Review: This is book three in the Ozark Mountain series. It is a stand alone book, but you will enjoy the entire series. Jennings does a great job at making you feel a part of the town. She has a spunk to her writing style and it is full of laughter, mystery, romance and much more. The dashing deputy Joel Pucket has no idea what to expect in Missouri. Having to leave his beloved Texas, for secrets of his own, will this be the second chance he is seeking or will he ever be accepted in this quirky town. Betsy Huckabee is always looking for a story. When the handsome deputy comes to town will this be the inspiration she needs to launch her journalistic career? I enjoyed the sparks that fly between Betsy and Joel. The challenges they face, individually, together and as a town.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Sky Showdown (Love Inspired Suspense); Author: Visit Amazon's Sharon Dunn Page; Review: 3.5 stars This book is a little hard to review. There is a lot going on to the point of being a little unrealistic, yet you so want to see how it ends. Heather and Zane come from two different worlds yet are forced to rely and trust on one another in a way they never planned for. They must face many difficult and life threatening situations. While they try to survive and do what is right all while being persuade by a forest of boys and men out on a hunt.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Conspiracy of Silence (The Tox Files); Author: Visit Amazon's Ronie Kendig Page; Review: This is book one in The Tox Files, however you must read the prequel, The Warrior's Seal, to completely understand and not be lost from the get go. This is not an easy read, you will need to focus on what is going on and will probably still get a bit lost, but it will all start making more sense eventually. I fell in love with all the main characters in this novel and look forward to reading more from this series. It is full of action, suspense, mystery, history and some romance. Kendig always does a great job at grabbing your interest from the beginning and keeping it till the end, while still keeping you hanging in their for the next one in the series. This is not my favorite of Kendig but it is still a good read, and I look forward to reading the next novel in this series. Cole 'Tox' Russell is a complex man. He has a past that he must deal with and an uncertain future. Tox has much to deal with in this novel, with family, associates, a plague, and assassins. Each man on his team has a personality all their own and I look forward to getting to know them all better.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Only Witness (Callahan Confidential); Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Scott Page; Review: This is book two in the Callahan Confidential series, even though it is a stand alone book, book one is great too (Shielding His Christmas Witness). Each book focuses on a family member in the Callahan family, you don't have to read book one to understand anything from book two, but those in book one are in book two as well. I look forward to reading more from this exciting, loving family. Paige Olson and her young daughter Abby are on the run from the get go. This book opens in a very exciting way and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. Paige wants what is best for her daughter Abby, yet is also so worried about her safety physically, mentally and emotionally. When the handsome detective Miles Callahan comes to the rescue will he be able to keep them safe or is she just endangering them all? Miles Callahan is trying to solve the homicide of his college friend. When shots are fired he is in the middle of a whirlwind. Can he keep Paige and her daughter safe and find who killed is friend? Paige and Abby stir feelings in Miles that he thought were long buried. This book is full of mystery, suspense, romance and more. I can't wait to read more from the Callahan family.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Courting the Cowboy (Cowboys of Cedar Ridge); Author: Visit Amazon's Carolyne Aarsen Page; Review: Ella is struggling finding inspiration for her career in the art world. She is struggling with many secrets of her past. When she does not find the solidarity she is seeking but a loud, loving family instead is this the answer to many unasked questions or is it more than her heart can take? Cord is confused by his new neighbor. not certain why she feels the way she seems to about his kids. Will he be able to find out Ella's secrets and help her or is it more than he will be willing to go through. This was a well written and enjoyable book, however I felt the ending was rushed. It may be the author was limited on the number of words though. I do look forward to reading more from this author.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: An Uncommon Courtship (Hawthorne House); Author: Visit Amazon's Kristi Ann Hunter Page; Review: This is book 3 in the Hawthorne House series, I have not read the first two books and had no problem keeping up with this one. I now want to go back and read the entire series. I fell in love with the entire Hawthorne family and look forward to reading more about this loving family. This novel does have content that may not be appropriate for all ages, even though the author does an amazing job at not being to detailed, I would not be comfortable recommending it to my teenager. The book is well written and full of fun, laughter, sadness, romance and more. Lady Adelaide Bell is used to being in the background. She is a beautiful somewhat shy lady, yet with opinions of her own as well. She finds herself married to a handsome stranger and wonders if she will ever be truly loved. Lord Trent Hawthorne has always dreamed of being married for love, so when he finds himself married to a complete stranger is he doomed to a loveless marriage. Adelaide and Trent must muddle through an uncommon courtship, marriage and many other obstacles that lay among the ton. I loved their many different struggles, their uncertainty and their true compatibility. I look forward to reading more of this family.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Note Yet Unsung (A Belmont Mansion Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Tamera Alexander Page; Review: This is book three in the Belmont Mansion series, however it is a stand alone novel. There are characters in the first two books that we see in this one, yet they are not in the forefront of this novel. Rebekah Carrington has a mind of her own and talent most men would be envious of, yet because she is a woman will she ever be able to preform on stage? Rebekah is determined and strong willed, when she continually buts head with Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb, will there be more accomplished together or apart? Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb is trying to make a mark on the world through his music. Will Rebekah be a blessing or a curse? Tate and Rebekah both have a past they want to remain private, yet sometimes your past must be confronted before the present can truly be lived. Their love of music and the sparks that fly between them is great. Tamera Alexander always does such a great job at keeping your interest, writing her dialogue, developing her characters and throwing in just enough laughter and romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Long Time Gone (The Cimarron Legacy); Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Connealy Page; Review: This is book two in The Cimarron Legacy series, however it is a stand alone book. I have not read book one and had no issues keeping up, I did feel like I probably missed out on some history and another great book though. Mary Connealy always does such a great job at keeping your interest, the sparks that fly between characters and their spunky personalities. She is one of my favorite authors. Justin Boden, the handsome cowboy, and his family are in a pile of mystery. Trying to find out who is trying to kill them and why. When Angie DuPree is needed to help watch over Justin's brother will more develop than he had ever dreamed. Angie DuPree is not sure she is cut out to be of any help to the Boden family. She is trying to learn to stand on her own. When trouble strikes this loving family will she be able to help them or is she just in the way. I love the personalities of all the Boden family and Angie. Mary Connealy does a great job with their dialogue and keeping you wanting more. I look forward to the next book in this series. This book is full of suspense, mystery, romance, faith and family.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Her Baby's Protector: An Anthology (Love Inspired Suspense); Author: Visit Amazon's Margaret Daley Page; Review: Saved by the Lawman - Kate Forster loves her son and her job. When she finds herself and son in danger will the handsome lawman, Chase Walker, be able to find who is after them and keep them safe. Kate and Chase both have sorrow to overcome, but their connection is breaking down walls neither realized they had. This novella is full of mystery, some suspense and love. Saved by the Seal - Bree Hatfield is determined to find out exactly what happened to her friends, when her life and the life of their daughter are threatened. She finds herself in the company of her handsome ex-boyfriend, Clint Reed. Can Clint keep her safe, find who is responsible for trying to silence Bree and keep his feelings for her where he wants them. Sleemans books are always full of mystery, suspense, twist and turns and of course romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Temporary Family (Prairie Courtships); Author: Visit Amazon's Sherri Shackelford Page; Review: Tilly Hargreaves has a fun, spunky personality. When she is in charge of her sisters kids, she feels like she will never live up to her sisters expectation (as usual). When she is put into a life or death situation she must depend on the standoffish, yet handsome station manager. Nolan West is fine in an abandoned town, yet when he is put to the test he will protect Tilly and her nieces at any cost. Nolan and Tilly must work together, despite their complete opposite personalities. This novel is full of excitement, mystery, suspense and more. I enjoyed getting to know both Nolan and Tilly better. They each have much to learn about themselves and each other, all while trying to keep a group of outlaws at bay. If you like mystery, suspense, historical romance books you will enjoy this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mistaken Identity (Mission: Rescue); Author: Visit Amazon's Shirlee McCoy Page; Review: This is book seven in the Mission Rescue series, I believe it is a stand a lone book for I had no problem understanding what was going on. I did, however, think this was a part of a series before I looked to be sure just by the way it was written. Now I want to go back and read the entire series. I fell in love with all the characters in this book and want to read their own story. Shirlee McCoy does a great job at putting you right in the middle of the lives of those involved. You understand their feelings, emotion and struggles. You feel like a part of the group. I loved Trinity Miller, she is a fun, spunky, smart girl who is trying to help out a dear friend. She just happens to find herself in more trouble than usual. When she is mistaken for someone she is not. Will she be able to stay alive and help her friend or are they both just to complicated to figure out. Mason Gains is a character all to himself. There is more to him than most people realize. When Trinity is mistaken for his girlfriend, he must wonder her true motive for being on his property. Is she an innocent bystander or does she have alerter motives. The attraction, dialogue and circumstances Mason and Trinity find themselves in are great. I look forward to reading more from this author. She is a great suspense, mystery and of course romance writer.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Behind the Scenes (Apart From the Crowd); Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: Jen Turano is one of my favorite authors, this is book one from Apart from the Crowd series and I can not wait for more. Turano always has so much spunk, drama, mystery and of course romance in her books. Twist, turn and laughter. I love how she develops her characters and keeps you wanting to know more about all the characters, which makes a great series. Miss Permilia Griswold is a fun, outgoing, wealthy woman that does not quit fit into the high society, which she does not really care either way. When she becomes aware of a death threat to a new 'friend' will she be able to keep him safe and find herself too? Mr. Asher Rutherford is a handsome, wealthy store owner, who fits in nicely with the ton. When he finds Permillia fascinating and intriguing will he know how to handle everything that is thrown at him all at once, while keeping her safe? Not only did I fall in love with Permilia and Asher but with their good friends and a couple of odd sisters. I look forward to reading the next book in this series and learning more about this community.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Chapel Car Bride; Author: Visit Amazon's Judith Miller Page; Review: Actually 3.5 - 4.0 stars I have read other Judith Miller stories that I enjoy more than this one. It was not my favorite but is was not to bad either. The plot does tend to drag a bit, yet I wanted to find out how it would end in the long run. Hope Irvine is the chapel car preachers daughter. She has a love for the Lord and a willingness to serve him in some difficult circumstances. She tends to think the best of all even to a fault. Luke Hughes is a rugged mine worker who too loves the Lord and feels a desire to preach. When he finds he has feelings for Hope will it ever work out or are there just to many differences. Kirby Finch, the mine owners son, also plays an important part in this novel. Will he ever truly change his ways or is he just to far gone?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Stolen Heart (Cimarron Creek Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Amanda Cabot Page; Review: This is book one in the Cimarron Creek Trilogy, what a great place to start. I love the authors style and how she develops her characters. I was thrilled to learn this was a start of the series, for I wanted to learn more about some of the characters in her story. Lydia Crawford, a yankee, finds herself at the mercy of southerns when she gets to Cimarron Creek, Texas and things are not what she expects. She is a determined, beautiful woman with nowhere else to go. Lydia must learn to trust men, especially when many strange things are happening in their nice little town. Travis Whitfield, the handsome sheriff, must find all the clues to the many different mysteries and twist and turns taking place in his town and in his life. He is not expecting the beautiful Lydia Crawford to completely change his way of thinking. I loved the many different personalities in this novel and all the mysteries, romance, family, forgiveness and friendships that are in it. I look forward to reading more from this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Love So True (Teaville Moral Society); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Jagears Page; Review: This is book two (three if you count the novella, Engaging the Competition) of the Teaville Moral Society. Book one is A Heart Most Certain. I loved reconnecting with some characters from past books, however this is a stand alone novel as well. I do look forward to more in this series. Evelyn Wisely is a kind loving woman with secrets that keep her pushing men away. When David Kingsman, a handsome stranger, pushes through her defenses can he be a friend and only a friend? I enjoyed the mystery behind Evelyn, and David learning to stand on his own. Their common goal, even if David does not realize it was his goal, leads them on an exciting journey to finding joy and happiness even when all seams lost. Melissa Jagears is a great christian romance writer, I always look forward to her new books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: True to You (A Bradford Sisters Romance); Author: Visit Amazon's Becky Wade Page; Review: 4.5 stars actually. There is a prequel to this series, The Bradford Series called Then Came You. However it is not necessary to read to understand anything going on in this novel. This is actually the first in the series and I look forward to reading them all. I fell in love with all three sisters, Willow, Britt and of course Nora. Nora is a fun character to get to know. She is used to being in the background and is ok in that situation. She loves helping people. When the handsome Navy Seal needs her help is there more to discover than his ancestry? Nora is not what John Lawson expected. He is a strong, handsome, caring well known Navy Seal. When secrets reveal things he may not understand, can he trust God to always know what is best? I love the relationship Nora has with her sisters. They each have their own unique personalities and qualities, When John comes into the picture I instantly fell in love with him. This book is full of love, friendships, some mystery, forgiveness and more. I can not wait for the next one to come out, I already know who I would like to see a lot more of in the next book. I loved all the characters in this one and look forward to learning more about each one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Then Came You: A Bradford Sisters Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's Becky Wade Page; Review: Totally different style of writing than normal, yet I enjoyed it for a change. I feel it is a great novella/prequel leading up to the Bradford Sisters series. I look forward to reading the all the books in this series and am glad I read this one so I know the history of the Bradford family. Garner Bradford has made some unwise discussions in his life and must learn to not only live with those consequences but embrace them as well. He must learn to trust God and forgive himself. Kathleen Burke is an independent woman out to prove herself. She comes from a loving, yet somewhat overwhelming family. When she second guesses what freedom truly is, will she find happiness and contentment? This novella is written in the from of letters, phone calls, messages, and journal entries. It was well written and kept me interested.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deep Extraction (FBI Task Force); Author: Visit Amazon's DiAnn Mills Page; Review: This is book two in the FBI Task Force series, however it is a stand alone book. If you enjoy FBI type, suspenseful, mysterious with a dash of romance you will love this book. DiAnn Mills has a great way of developing her character and keeping your interest while adding mystery, suspense and drama all in one. There are many twist and turns in this novel and will keep you guessing. Tori Templeton is more than just a beautiful face, she has a heart of gold and loves her job as an FBI agent. When tragedy strikes her best friend will she be able to put aside her feelings and solve the murder no matter what may come? When tasked to work with the handsome US Marshal will they be able to solve all the crimes that seems to be tied together while staying alive. This would make a great movie. I look forward to reading more from this series. I loved the chemistry between Tori and Cole.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Mistake: A Novel (White Knights); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: 4.5 Stars, this is book one in The White Knights series. I look forward to reading more in this series. Sleeman does an amazing job at writing suspenseful, FBI type, romance books. She incorporates so much in her novels and yet you feel like this could be happening right next door. I love the entire White Knight group, they are a special devision of the FBI. I can't wait to get into the lives of all the characters in this novel. You are first introduced to Tara Parrish, as she is in need of the White Knights. When she stumbles upon explosives and believes she may know 'The Lone Wolf bomber'. Will she be able to find the help she needs before it is too late? Tara must decide the best way to keep herself alive yet help solve this case and keep herself from heartache. Agent Cal Riggins (sigh worthy) is who answers the call on 'The Lone Wolf bomber' hotline. When he feels this call is on the up and up will he make it in time to save Tara. When Tara and Cal meet sparks fly in more ways than one. Will he be able to keep Tara safe and overcome some obstacles in his past as well? This book is full of suspense, mystery, romance, friendship and more. I love the writing style of Sleeman and always look forward to reading anything she writes.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hidden Legacy (Love Inspired Suspense); Author: Visit Amazon's Lynn Huggins Blackburn Page; Review: This book is full of mystery, suspense, romance, family and so much more. I am not sure if it is part of a series or not, It seems it would be a great one if not. I fell in love with most of the characters and want to know their history and future. If you enjoy police/FBI type books you will love this one. Caroline Harrison is excited about the upcoming adoption of Henry, yet when it seems someone is trying to kill them she must rely on the only man who has ever broken her heart. Will thy be able to stay alive and possibly have a future? Jason Drake is a handsome detective with history he would like to forget. When Caroline is in need of protection will history repeat itself or is their more in store for them, if they can stay alive. Trying to figure out who is behind this mystery and hoping Caroline and Jason will get together makes this so much more than a christian romance. I loved all the suspense that was in this novel too and look forward to reading more from this author.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Deception (Defenders of Justice); Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Mehl Page; Review: This is book two in the Defenders of Justice Series, however it is a stand alone book. This novel is full of mystery, murder, suspense and a dash of romance. If you like FBI/Marshal mysteries you will enjoy this one. There is more than one scene taking place and it jumps from one place to another quickly, however you catch on pretty quick and it all comes together eventually. There are many twist and turns, some things you may not figure out before it is actually revealed. Kate O'Brien is just trying to forget the past and move toward the future, but that does not seem to be possible. Tony DuLuca want to protect Kate and keep his feelings for her professional. When his "easy" task to escort her back to St. Louse turns into anything but "easy" will they be able to survive, find a killer and have a chance at love?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Trusting Grace: A Novel (Virtues and Vices of the Old West); Author: Visit Amazon's Maggie Brendan Page; Review: This is book three in the Virtues and Vices of the Old West series, however I will say it is a stand alone book, because I have not read the previous two and was just fine, I did wonder if it was part of a series though. Grace Bidwell is a loving, caring widow, trying to keep her farm afloat while taking care of her father. When she hires the handsome stranger, Robert Frasier, to help out at the farm, she never imagines what God has in store for her. Robert Frasier has been hurt by women in his past, so he has a hard time trusting Grace. When a family is thrust upon him he only sees deception and deceit. When Grace hires him, she may be the answer to more than he dreamed possible. This novel is full of some heartache, problems, family, forgiveness and romance. There are a few twist and turns in this novel and I wonder if there will be another book to follow.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Story: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Kingsbury Page; Review: I fell in love with Karen Kingsbury books just as I fell in love with the Baxter family. If you have not yet read any of her books about the Baxter family, you can start here and be just fine, her books fill you in on any part you may have missed in previous books. However if you are like myself and have read most, if not all of this series of books about the Baxter family here is another great one. There are over twenty, (yes, twenty) books around the Baxter family. some may wonder how anyone can write so many books about one family and they not get boring, well read this series and you will see. You will fall in love with the entire family even their family friends. You will laugh, cry and maybe find yourself in one or more of the characters in one of these books. This book takes you to the very beginning, to a love story about the Baxter family parents. There is heartache, struggles, finding God and so much more. Kingsbury has a unique style, each chapter may be from a different characters perspective and in this book some are even taking you back into the past. There are typically more than one main focus throughout the book, but as a reader you are not lost. I love the way her characters are flawed, they are very much life like. I am so glad to hear more from the Baxter family and hope there are more to come.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Tailor-Made Husband (Texas Grooms (Love Inspired Historical)); Author: Visit Amazon's Winnie Griggs Page; Review: This is book nine in the Texas Grooms series, however it is a stand alone book, This is the first in this series, that I have read and had no problem knowing what was going on. I did wonder if this was a part of a series and was hoping that it was, because it had a lot of fun and interesting characters in which I look forward to going back and hearing their love story. Hazel Andrews is a self made woman. She must make some difficult decisions with her heart and with her career. Will the open window in her life be the one to take or is it just that, an open window. Sheriff Ward Gleason is determined to be the best sheriff he can be, even if he must choose between his career and his life. When an unexpected gift is thrown into his lap, what is best for this new adventure. I enjoyed getting to know the town of Turnabout, TX and look forward to hearing more from this town. If you like historical, western christian romance I think you will enjoy this book and series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Second-Chance Cowboy (Cowboys of Cedar Ridge); Author: Visit Amazon's Carolyne Aarsen Page; Review: This is book two in the Cowboys of Cedar Ridge series. It is a stand alone book, however book one does take place first and is a great read as well. Book one is Courting the Cowboy, you do not have to read it to follow this book but they are both great reads and I look forward to to reading more from this series. Morgan Walsh, a handsome cowboy, trying to connect with his son and start a new job. Tabitha Rennie, is just trying to get her life back on track. When Morgan needs her help will their past repeat or is there more to it than they realize. I enjoyed the characters in this novel and the family, love, forgiveness and romance in this contemporary, christian romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Protective Measures (True North Bodyguards); Author: Visit Amazon's Maggie K. Black Page; Review: This is book three in the True North Bodyguards series. However it is a stand alone book, I am sure I missed some history of some of the characters by not reading book one and two, but had no problem keeping up. This book is full of mystery, suspense and romance. There are many twist and turns in this book and it will keep you guessing. Navy commander Leo Darius, is a handsome determined man. When his daughters lives are threatened he must hire a team of bodyguards, yet continue on the mission assigned to him. When one of the bodyguards is the beautiful and mysterious Zoe Dean, will they be able to find out who is behind all these threats and finish the mission while keeping the girls and their hearts safe?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heart on the Line; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Witemeyer Page; Review: This is book two in the Ladies of Harper's Station series, three if you count the 1.5 book. I have not read any in the series and had no trouble keeping up with what was going on. I am sure, however, I did miss some history on some of the characters mentioned in this novel and if they are as good as this one, some good stories as well. I love how you get two stories in one with this novel. Karen has a spunky writing style and keeps you interested throughout the entire novel. I love the town on Harper's Station and all its quirky residence. Getting to know Grace Mallory and Amos Bledsoe in this novel. They have common interest but is it enough to start a relationship beyond the wire? When Grace is in trouble, Amos is hoping to be the one to rescue her. This novel is full of romance, mystery, and so much more.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Engagement Charade (Smoky Mountain Matches); Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Kirst Page; Review: This is book 11 in the Smoky Mountain Matches series, however I feel it is also a stand alone book. I have only read one or two previous books in this series and had no problem keeping up with this novel. I do feel there is some history of some of the characters I may have missed, but it would just have been fun to reconnect with them not something that is a must to understand this book. I fell in love with Ellie Jameson, she has a fun personality even if her past is not full of happiness. Ellie must learn to stand on her own and face her fears to find true happiness. Alexander Copeland, took a little longer for me to warm up to, but he can not resist the joy Ellie bestows on everyone, even if he is a bit grumpy and a recluse. Alexander is willing to do just about anything to protect Ellie, even pretend to be her fianc. Will he be able to protect Ellie and his heart too. I enjoyed the friendship, love, romance and suspense found in this book and look forward to reading more from this author.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wedded for the Baby (Stand-In Brides); Author: Visit Amazon's Dorothy Clark Page; Review: This is book two in the Stand-In Brides series, however it is a stand alone book. You do reconnect with people from the first book but it is not necessary to read to enjoy this one. Katherine Fleming is a loving, caring woman who just happens to be in the right spot at the right time to help a dear mother in need. When she makes promises to the dying woman she never dreams where her life will take her. Trace Warren is a little harder to read, while just trying to keep his business and home he agrees to a in-name only marriage to a woman he has never met. When things go topsy turvy he does the only thing he feels he can to save what he has built. But will this turn of events be to his best interest? I loved the sparks, communication and sometimes lack thereof between Trace and Katherine. Both have past that they need to overcome to finally find the peace God has in store for them.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Plain Retribution (Amish Country Justice); Author: Visit Amazon's Dana R. Lynn Page; Review: This is book two in the Amish Country Justice series, however it is a stand alone book. I am sure I missed some history of some of the sub characters yet it did not make this novel hard to keep up with. This novel is full of mystery, suspense, and romance. It is not your typical Amish type novel. Even though, Rebecca Miller, grew up Amish, she has chosen the English world. The Amish do appear and play a role in this book but it is not the primary focus. Rebecca Miller is a beautiful, kind hearted, deaf woman. She is just trying to forget a horrible past experience in her life and move on. Yet, is her past trying to catch up with her or is this new threat totally unrelated. Miles Olsen is a handsome detective whom happens to know sign language and has helped Rebecca in her past. Will he be able to overcome some of his own fears and solve the threat against Rebecca before more harm comes to her?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cardiac Event; Author: Richard Mabry MD; Review: This is my first time reading a book by this author, and it will not be my last. He has a great understanding of the medical field and it is apparent in his writing. I love the suspense, mystery and touch of romance you find in this novel. There are many things going on in this book and he will keep you guessing. There is not only a lot of medical aspects to this book but you are also in the police department while they are trying to solve the crimes taking place in their town. There are many characters in this book all with their own personalities. Mabry does a great job with his dialogue, and just making you feel a part of this community. I fell in love with Dr. Kirk Martin, He is facing many struggles in this novel. While trying to keep his practice a float and not be any more of a suspect in the death of a fellow doctor, in which he has had many problems with in the past. While is girlfriend wants him to be careful for he may be the next target on this mystery killers list.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Soldier's Secret Child (Rescue River); Author: Visit Amazon's Lee Tobin McClain Page; Review: This is a great contemporary romance. Full of twist and turns, hurt, friendship, betrayal, love, family, forgiveness and so much more. This is in the Rescue River series yet is a stand alone book. I loved the way the author allows you to feel both Vito D'Angelo and Lacey McPherson feelings and thoughts. Vito is only trying to keep a promise to a dying friend, yet it may be the only thing that can actually keep him from finding true happiness. Lacey is a strong, fun widow trying to help out anyway she can. When her childhood friend comes to town and needs a place to stay she opens her home but will she also open her heart? I fell in love with many of the characters in Rescue River and look forward to reading more from this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Double Exposure (The Justice Agency); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book one in The Justice Agency series, so what a great place to start. I love the entire Justice family and look forward to reading more in this series. This book is full of mystery, suspense, twist and turns and of course romance. Jennie Buchanan has a heart of gold but a hard time forgiving herself and moving beyond a rough past and some difficult decisions. When she must rely on the one man who once held her heart will she be able to continue to help her charity, stay alive and keep her secret and her heart safe? I fell in love with the handsome ex-FBI agent, Ethan Justice. He must protect the one woman whom he took over a year to get over. I loved the family bond between his siblings and their unique work force. I look forward to learning more about this fun, loving, hard working family.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dead Wrong (The Justice Agency); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book two in the Justice Agency Series, I love the entire Justice family and would encourage you to read them all, and in order, however they are all stand alone books. Susan Sleeman has a great writing style, in which she keeps you intrigued, interested and always guessing. She does her homework and research very well. I love the chemistry between the two main characters and the entire Justice family. Kat Justice has some issue to deal with from her past. Yet when her college friend is murdered and she is now on the run for her life, she does not want to endanger the ones she loves, even if they may be the best to help her. When her old "crush" comes to the rescue will she be able to keep her family safe, while trusting this handsome man? Mitch Elliot is a handsome police detective, even though he is drawn to Kat he knows he can not bear the loss of another love. So while trying to keep her safe he must also safeguard his heart. Both Kat and Mitch have issues they must take care of, mainly their worry and lack of trust in God. I enjoyed how Sleeman allowed each character to have the same issue with worry yet each with their own unique worries and ways to deal with them. I love this suspense series and look forward to reading more from the Justice family. This series will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crisis Shot (The Line of Duty); Author: Visit Amazon's Janice Cantore Page; Review: This is book one in The Line of Duty series, so what a great place to start. If you like contemporary police suspense type books you will like this one. The book starts out very emotional yet very real. Janice Cantore does an amazing job at putting you in the mind and heart of the police. Part one of the book is really just some background to part two, but both are great. Tess ORourke is a beautiful, determined police woman who is great at her job, but sometimes that may not be enough in the eyes of others. Tess must prove herself in a small town while trying to find a killer and so much more. I feel we will find a little more romance in some of the next few books in this series and look forward to how that all plays out. I can't wait to see what is in store for the town of Rogue's Hollow.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mail-Order Marriage Promise (Frontier Bachelors); Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Scott Page; Review: This is book six in the Frontier Bachelors series. This is a stand alone book, however you will miss some history of the background characters. I have only read one other book in this series and had no problem keeping up with this book, but now I want to go start at the beginning and fall in love with all the characters in this book, especially the Wallin family. John Wallin is such a humble, hard working man, yet he does not feel like he is husband material. So when his sister surprises him with a mail order bride he is not sure what to do with her. Dottie Tyrrel has nowhere to go, she will do whatever it takes to protect her baby, even if it is marriage with no love. She is afraid to come clean with the Wallin family, especially John, because she does not feel she will measure up to them. When she comes face to face with her past will she be able to trust John enough with her secret and maybe her heart too?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Way Out (The Justice Agency); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book three in The Justice Agency series, It is a stand alone book, however they are all amazing. They do go in order and you will miss some of the history of some of the characters if you jump in the middle but nothing that is necessary to understand what is going on in this novel. I love the suspense, romance, heartache, dialogue, and so much more that are always present in one of Sleeman's books. The Justice Agency series all revolve around an amazing family, the Justice family. This book focuses on Cole Justice. He has had a lot to deal with in his past and must come to grips with his past if he is to have a chance at happiness. When Cole must protect Alyssa and her kids will his past help him to succeed or be his undoing? Alyssa Wells is a determined mother of a set of twins. When she is in the wrong place at the wrong time will she loose her family? Alyssa must learn to trust a man she just met and uncover a past that may or may not end as she hopes.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thread of Suspicion (The Justice Agency); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book four in the Justice Agency Series, however it is a stand alone book. All the books do go in order and focus on one of the members of the Justice family, yet you do not have to read them all to follow along. However you will miss out on some good books and the history of this family. I love all the suspense, mystery, romance, family and so much more in each of Sleemans books. It is obvious that she does her homework. If you like FBI/Police/Private investigator suspense books you will love this one. This books follows Dani, the youngest of the Justice family. She is trying to prove herself to her family. When the stakes run high and she is forced to rely on them and her handsome client will she be able to overcome her fears and trust on Gods timing? Luke Baldwin is a former SEAL so his overbearing attitude is a lot for Dani to take in. Yet will he be able to overcome his own fears and past experiences and be the man Dani needs, or will he be to late? I look forward to book five yet hate to see this series come to an end as well. This book is a true page turner, even if you can figure out the ending it is still a great read, if you are one that can't figure out the ending then you will be in for a surprise.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Tide (The Justice Agency); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book five in the Justice Agency series, even though it is a stand alone book, the entire series is a great read and will give you history on the Justice family. Sleeman is an excellent suspense writer. Her stories are always well written and would make great movies. Her characters are well thought out and usually have issues they are dealing with, which make them seem real. This book focuses on Derrick Justice, he is the last single family member of the Justice family. When he is forced to help the only true love he has ever known and overcome his personal issues with commitment. Will he be able to resolve his issues, solve the mystery all before it is to late? Gina Evans had no where else to turn, she doe not really want to rely on Derrick but feels she has no other option. This novel is full of suspense, mystery, family and of course romance. Once again if you like FBI/PI type romance books you will love this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deadly Proof (Atlanta Justice); Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Dylan Page; Review: This is book one of the Atlanta Justice series. I look forward to reading more in this series, if they are as good as this one. This is a fast paced mystery full of legal issues, friendship, romance and more. Kate Sullivan is a good hearted woman just trying to find justice for those who have suffered. When she is placed in the biggest role in her carrier against a huge pharmaceutical company she is determined to find justice for her clients, no matter what. Kate must rely on the handsome PI for more than just background issues. When her life is in jeopardy, will she back out or get stronger. Former Army Ranger, Landon James, is now the handsome PI. When Kate starts to take down so many walls he has built will he rise to the challenge or is his past more than he can overcome. I loved the mystery and suspense in this book. The dialogue is well written and the characters are well developed. I look forward to reading more from this group of people.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Christmas Amnesia (Callahan Confidential); Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Scott Page; Review: This is book three in the Callahan Confidential series, however it is a stand alone book. I have read all three and would encourage you to do the same for they are all great books. They all focus on the Callahan family, yet you do not have to read the first two to be able to understand anything in this one. They are all written in order yet each is a stand alone book as well. Laura Scott does a great job of grabbing your attention and keeping it throughout her books. This book is full of mystery, suspense, romance and more. This novel focuses on Madison Callahan. She is the only sister to five brothers and is a strong and determined woman. Maddy is an ADA on a very important trial. When her life is threatened she must learn to lean on the one man she has a problem forgiving. Noah Sinclair, the handsome police man, can not believe it is Maddy who was attacked and has lost her memory. When he must step in and protect her will he fail her as he thinks he has others or will he be in danger of more than just his heart?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Inconvenient Beauty (Hawthorne House); Author: Kristi Hunter; Review: This is book four in the Hawthorne House series, even though it is a stand alone book you will miss a lot of the history behind many of the characters in this book if you only read this one. You can read it as a stand alone though and not really get lost in the book, yet there are a lot of different characters in this book that you will meet in the previous books that will help you keep everyone straight. I fell in love with the Hawthorne family from the first book I read in this series. So I was excited to finally read one dedicated to the handsome Duke. Griffith, Duke of Riverton, is a unique character with an organized life so when he finally decides it is time to seek a wife he plans to do so in an organized fashion. Miss Isabella Breckenridge is a beauty beyond measure. When she agrees to a plan to help her family will it be more than she can go through with? Isabella is a beautiful, fun loving girl with a huge heart. But when guilt collides with the heart will she do the right thing? I love all the books I have read in this series and hated to see it come to an end. Kristi Ann Hunter does a great job at developing her characters and describing the scene so that you feel a part of the story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All This Time (Walker Family) (Volume 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Tagg Page; Review: This is book four in the Walker family series, however it is a stand a lone book. Yet the entire series is amazing and you will fall in love with the Walker family, so I recommend you read the series. Raegan Walker is a unique character. She is full of surprises and some hidden secrets. When Bear suddenly appears in her life again will it be a dream come true or another heart break? I fell in love with Bear McKinley in the first book I met him in and he is still a heart stopper. I love his personality and mannerisms. When his past and his future collide will he be able to overcome some of his fears and embrace them or is he destine to punish himself for life? This book is full of surprises, some mystery, the amazing love of the Walker family (even with their "real life" problems), Romance and so much more. I love the writing style of Melissa Tagg, she seams to have a heartache, compassion, humor and more throughout all her novels.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Montana Bride by Christmas (Big Sky Country); Author: Visit Amazon's Linda Ford Page; Review: This is book four in the Montana Cowboys series, however it is a stand alone book. I have not read any in this series and had no problem keeping up with what was going on. Annie Marshall is a loving, caring, determined girl who is afraid to truly love again. Hugh Arness is a caring father who wants what is best for his troubled son, but Hugh feels unlovable. This book is full of misunderstanding, healing, and learning to love and trust. I enjoyed how the author developed her characters and their ups and downs.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Brides of Montana: 3-in-1 Historical Romance (50 States of Love); Author: Kelly Eileen Hake; Review: This is a three in one novel. -A Time to Plant - Delaha is excited to finally being reconnected to her fianc, Dustin. But will it be the reunion she is expecting? There were many times in this novella that I wanted to shake some since in Dustin. You can really see the difference in men and women and how they think and express their love. -A Time to Keep - This novella is a continuation of a Time to Plant, just years later and still a stand a lone book. Rosalind loves her town and family but also loves adventure. When she finds out the train is coming to town will it become a prison to her or maybe bring all the adventure she can imagine. Ewan never imagined finding a place to settle and a loving family to do it with. Yet will he find the strength to stay and support the family or is it best to leave? -A Time to Laugh- This stand a lone novella is part of the Montana Brides series. Nessa is a fun loving, independent girl who has always only wanted the love of her childhood friend, Isaac. Between some twist and turns and some misunderstanding will Nessa ever get her desire or does God have someone else in mind for her? I love it when a series is all together in one book. Learning about generations of families is fun, watching them grow and struggle and find happiness is always fun too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crown of Souls (The Tox Files); Author: Visit Amazon's Ronie Kendig Page; Review: This is actually book three in the Tox Files series, if you count the prequel. I would suggest reading them all and in order to understand everything that goes on in each book. Warrior's Seal, Conspiracy of Silence then this one Crown of Souls. The entire series focus on a group of soldiers with their leader being "Tox" Cole Russell. Each character has their own personality type and really play a very important role in their missions. Ronnie Kendig always does such a great job at keeping the suspense, action and drama all at the forefront. I love books about our special forces, military, police force and such. This series also has a touch of romance in it as well. Kendig always does a great job at grabbing your interest from the beginning and keeping it till the end, while still keeping you hanging in there for the next one in the series. Cole is a complex man with many secrets which he feels honor bound to keep. When the enemy seems one step ahead of him the entire way, he is dealing with one thing after another. Will Cole be able to forgive and realize his past is just that a past?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Too Far Down (The Cimarron Legacy); Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Connealy Page; Review: This is book three (four if you count the prequel) in the Cimarron Legacy series. I have only read book two and now three and had no problem keeping up with what was going on, however I do believe I missed out on a lot of history and some good reading. Even though it is a stand alone book, Connealy gives you a lot of history in review so you do not necessarily need to read all the books to keep up, I think you will enjoy them all. This book focuses on Cole Boden, the eldest of the Boden children. When the mines are in trouble and someone is killing, they must band together and find the killer or killers before one of them is next. Mary Connealy has a fun, spunky way of writing. You really get to know her characters and what they are thinking. She weaves laughter, mystery, suspense and so much more into her novels. If you enjoy reading about good looking cowboys, romance, humor and action you will enjoy this novel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mail-Order Christmas Baby (Montana Courtships); Author: Visit Amazon's Sherri Shackelford Page; Review: This is book one in the Montana Courtships series, so what a great place to start. If you like marriage of convenience type books you will love this one. It is not your typical mail-order type book, for this one involves a baby and not wife or groom on the train. There is humor, love, friendship, mystery and more in this novel, I look forward to reading more from this series. Sterling Blackwell is a handsome rancher living in this small town, when he finds his name on a birth certificate along with the pretty school teacher he is not sure what to think. Sterling and Heather must find common ground and make some serious decisions. Heather O'Connor has never really felt loved or pretty. When Gracie is claimed to be her child an overwhelming love surrounds her. But will she be able to face all the gossip this small town has to give?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Christmas on the Run (Mission: Rescue); Author: Visit Amazon's Shirlee McCoy Page; Review: This is book 8 in the Mission: Rescue series, however it is a stand alone book. You will probably notice it is written in a way that could be part of a series yet you do not have to read any of the previous books to keep up and understand what is happening in this one. This novel is full of mystery, suspense, love, and romance. McCoy does an excellent job at grabbing and keeping your attention. There are a few twist and turns and her dialogue is written wonderfully. You feel a part of the action. Carly Kelley has found herself in need of help, since she has taken care of herself and her son for so many years she is not sure how to get the help she needs, nor how to respond to it. When she feels she must rely on the only person that is somewhat family, will she be able to let him keep her and her young son safe? Dallas Morgan, which I fell in love with by the way, is struggling with physical and emotional healing. When he realizes who Carly and her son are will he be able to heal and help? Dallas and Carly must learn to trust one another and stay one step ahead of the enemy.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blind Spot (Chesapeake Valor); Author: Visit Amazon's Dani Pettrey Page; Review: This would be a great movie! This is book 3 in the Chesapeake Valor series, even though it is a somewhat stand a lone book you will miss a lot of the history and understanding by just jumping in with this one. Plus the entire series is amazing. So start with Cold Shot, then Still Life (the entire series just makes for better reading and understanding if read in order). If you are not one to like books that lead into another you may not like this one. But if you love Suspense, Mystery, handsome detective/marshals/PI etc... type books you will love this one. I fell in love with Declan Gray, and Griff, from book one and I love how all the characters are involved in the entire series. This novel focus is on Declan and Tanner. Their hunt for justice and maybe love. I hated the book coming to an end, yet can't wait of the next one to come out. Dani Pettrey always does a great job at keeping your interest with just enough action, drama, mystery, humor and romance.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Dangerous Legacy; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Camden Page; Review: This is book one in the Empire State series, and I look forward to reading more from this series. This book has some laughter, mystery, loyalty, frustration, personal growth, history and of course romance. Sir Colin Beckwith, is a handsome and frustrating man. There were times I wanted to just shake some since into him, however I think given the time period he acted exactly as he should have. I loved his personality, determination and the way Camden just made him an imperfect hero type character in this novel. Lucy Drake, is a unique lady. She is pretty, hardworking, and determined woman. Who is trying to finally make right the on going family feud, sometimes at any cost it seems. I love her relationship with her brother and also the sparks and laughter she and Colin share.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out of the Ordinary (Apart From the Crowd); Author: Visit Amazon's Jen Turano Page; Review: 4.5 Stars I love the writing style of Jen Turano, she has so much spunk, sparks and laughter in her novels. I fell in love with the characters in the first novel in this series, Behind the Scenes, I was so excited to finally be able to catch up with those characters again. Even though this is book two in the Apart From the Crowd series, it is a stand alone book. You will miss some history in many of the characters and they refer to things that happened in book one, yet you do not have to read it to love this one. I would recommend it though because after all it is a great book also. The focus of book two is on the beautiful, yet quirky wallflower, Gertrude Cadwalader. Her character is so full of life, she is quick witted and loving. I love the relationship she has with her employer, who has a unique personality of her own. We also learn more from the handsome, uniquely dressed, Harrison Sinclair. He is a little oblivious to his good looks and charm, he has never really sought after romance. When his friendship with Gertrude puts a little twist on his thinking, all the fun begins. I always look forward to Turano's books and can't wait for the next one in this series to come out.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Secrets (McKade Law); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book one in the McKade Law series, what a great place to start. Sleeman always does such a great job at grabbing your interest and keeping it throughout the novel. Her characters are well developed and her plot well thought out. If you enjoy FBI/police type suspense books you will love this one. Gavin McKade, is the handsome FBI agent. He has some issues he must deal with and coming home brings all those issues to the surface. Will he be able to keep Lexie safe while keeping his distance? Will he be able to heal and grow in the process too? Lexie Grant is the beautiful and caring woman who is in need or protection, but is there more at stake than her safety? She too has some family issues and trust issues she must deal with. I love how Lexi and Gavin both must face separate yet somewhat the same issues and trust in God. There is drama, suspense, mystery, family, twist and turns, love and romance all wound up in this novel. I look forward to reading more in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Rancher's Christmas Bride (Bluebonnet Springs); Author: Visit Amazon's Brenda Minton Page; Review: This is book two in the Bluebonnet Springs series, however I feel it is a stand alone book. I have not read book one and had no problem following what was happening. I do feel that the history of one of the sub characters in this book was the main character in book one but it played no part in any confusion. Alex Palermo, is a handsome cowboy, with a past he would so love to forget. He knows he is not husband material, so when a bride is in need of rescue it may be more than he can fathom. Alex has such a good heart, but sometime getting over circumstances beyond your control can weigh heavy on your soul. Marissa Walker, is a beautiful woman with some family issues of her own. When she is rescued by a handsome cowboy, will she regret allowing him into her life or is he exactly what she needs? Marissa is trying to connect with her cranky grandpa. I love the chemistry between Marissa her grandfather and Alex. This book is full of family, forgiveness, learning to trust God and of course romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Calico and Cowboys Romance Collection: 8 Novellas from the Old West Celebrate the Lighthearted Side of Love; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Connealy Page; Review: The Calico and Cowboys and Romance Collection by Mary Connealy This is eight romance novellas all in one book. Connealy has a spunky, fun writing style. Many of these novellas are related in one way or another, which make for fun reading. -The Advent Bride - A story about a school teacher, widowed father and hurting son. There is really not a lot of detail in the romance department in this novella, but it is full of misunderstanding, love, learning with a touch of romance. -A Bride Rides Herd We find a beautiful woman, Betsy, in need of some help. Matt is only open to helping her on the ranch. There is much to be done on a ranch with three busy little girls, and no cowhands. There is humor, laughter and romance in this novella. -His Surprise Family This is a mail order bride type book. When Meg neglects to tell the whole truth and Si uncovers it will their marriage be doomed before it really begins. This novella is full of getting to know each other, hard times, family and romance. Homestead on the Range - I love the chemistry between Elle and Colin in this novella, Sometimes when the children out number the adults things get interesting real quick. Sophies Other Daughter This was a fun novella full of surprises, some mystery, and of course romance. I loved the sparks between Laura and Ike. Their families have unique characters as well that make for some fun reading. The Sweetwater Bride This is a fun novella with some interesting animals involved. This novella takes place before His Surprise Family. Debba is a unique lady with some unusual behavior, Tanner really only wants what is best for her even if his ways are a little unusual. Texas Tea This novella brings a couple families we have already met in this collection together. Luke is a free spirited man, Libby is content with her lot in life. Even though they have grown up as cousins, (which truly they are not) the years have come and gone and the attraction is there. When Luke must prove himself to Libby will he win her trust along with her heart? Hope for Christmas This is a modern day novella in this series, yet with some of the same descendants from earlier novellas. This one is one of my favorite in this collection. It is full of some surprise, family, love, and more.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Christmas Ranch Rescue (Wrangler's Corner); Author: Visit Amazon's Lynette Eason Page; Review: This is book five in the Wrangler's Corner series, I would say it is a stand alone book because it is the first in the series for me and I had no problem keeping up. Knowing it was in a series though I am sure I missed some history in some of the characters, but not enough to make a difference. This book is full of mystery, suspense, romance and more. I enjoyed the writing style of Lynette Eason and the way she developed her characters. Becca Price is having a run of some bad luck. When she is suspected of running drugs will she be able to find the truth before her ranch fails? Nathan Williams can not believe he has agreed to spy on Becca, yet when her life is in the balance he is willing to do whatever to try to keep her safe. I loved the chemistry between Becca and Nathan. There is more going on than one might think.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: His Frontier Christmas Family (Frontier Bachelors); Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Scott Page; Review: This is book seven in the Frontier Bachelors series. It is a stand alone book, yet you will miss some of the history in the Wallin family. It is not necessary to read them all to understand this one but the few I have read in this series are great books. Callie Wallin has had enough with people panning for gold, when she must trust the handsome ex panner will it really be out of his blood? Levi Wallin must learn to forgive himself to truly find happiness. When Callie and her family are thrust upon him there is much to learn. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holding the Fort (The Fort Reno Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Regina Jennings Page; Review: This is book one in the Fort Reno series, so what a perfect place to start. I love the writing style of Regina Jennings. There is always laughter, love, heartache, history and drama in her books and this one fits her style. Louisa Bell never really wanted the job she was forced into, even though she is great at it. When she must find another place to live and maybe help her brother she is not sure what to expect at the Fort. Louisa is a beautiful, loving woman with some struggles of her own. She must learn to trust in God and seek the truth regardless of the outcome. Major Daniel Adams has many sides to him, while he is a take charge kind of major he has a loving caring side as well. When his daughters need a governess he is not expecting anyone like Louisa. I love the chemistry and dialogue between Daniel and Louisa, also her relationship with his daughters and her brother as well. I look forward to reading more in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cold Truth: (Cold Harbor Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book two in the Cold Harbor series. It is a stand alone book, however you get to know the entire Blackwell Tactical team better by reading them all. Cooper Ashcroft, Coop, is a handsome complicated man, He likes to keep his feelings all inside, yet when Kiera Underwood becomes a suspect/target he finds himself confused. Kiera is not sure what to make of Coop, but when she must rely on him to help find her brother, she is not sure she is up for the emotional rollercoaster this will bring. I always love books by Susan Sleeman. They are full of suspense, mystery, twist and turns, friendship and of course some romance. Her characters are always well thought out and I love their dialogue. The ups, downs, twist and turns are always a fun read. I look forward to book three in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mountain Refuge (Love Inspired Suspense); Author: Visit Amazon's Sarah Varland Page; Review: I hope this is the start of a series. There is really nothing that says it is part of a series but Summer does have three siblings which would make for a great series, just saying. This book is full of mystery, suspense and romance. I love the setting, plot and dialogue in this book. Summer Dawson is an athletic, beautiful woman with problems from her past and now someone is trying to kill her. Clay Hitchock is a former cop who is trying to start a new, what better place than Alaska. When he finds he must protect the beautiful sister of one of his friends he may be in for more than he bargained for. Clay and Summer find themselves in danger on so many levels. I love the sparks that fly between them.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Shot: A Novel (White Knights); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: Love the mystery, suspense and surprises found in this book. This is book two in the White Knights series. Even though it is a stand alone book, you miss some of the information on sub characters if you jump right into this one, but you can. Rick Cannon is a tough former (if there really is such a thing) Marine. He is part of the elite White Knights crew. He likes to keep his personal life to himself and hide any feelings he may have from everyone, even if that mean he does not have many close friends. Oliva Dobbs is a loving psychologist, even though she has issues with her family she must deal with, she is a great psychologist. When she suddenly becomes a suspect/target to a crime Rick must protect her, interrogate her and try not to fall in love with her. If you enjoy FBI type suspenseful mysteries with added romance you will love this book. Sleeman is one of my favorite suspense romance writers.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: High Treason (FBI Task Force); Author: Visit Amazon's DiAnn Mills Page; Review: This is book three in the FBI Task Force series, however they are all stand alone novels. If you enjoy reading FBI type, suspense, mystery type books you will like this one. It will keep you guessing. DiAnn Mills knows how to develop her characters and make them seem real. This novel is full of international issues, friendship, loyalty and so much more. Some of the characters are a little hard to figure out, yet it adds to the mystery. Kord and Monica have a fire and ice type connection that only gets better and better. When faced with international problems they must work together and put aside other issues to find who is out hunting the Prince.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Honor-Bound Lawman (Love Inspired Historical); Author: Visit Amazon's Danica Favorite Page; Review: I hope this is a series, I would love to learn more from Lena, just saying. Owen Hamilton is a handsome daddy of two precious twin girls. When his friend and lawman asks him to help he feels bound to do so, no matter what he truly would like to do. When he must protect the beautiful Laura Booth he is not sure he is really up to this. Laura Booth has been in the protective custody of Owen before, yet she feels she does not really know him. Will she be able to abide by his wishes again and keep her heart safe? Owen and Laura both must learn to let go of the past and trust in the future if there is ever to be a future for them. I love the chemistry in this novel, it is full of action, some suspense and romance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shattered Lullaby (Callahan Confidential); Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Scott Page; Review: This is book 4 in the Callahan Confidential series. I have read all the books in this series and love them all, however if this is your first book to read in this series you will have no problem keeping up. Matt Callahan is a handsome police K-9 officer. When Lacy Germaine is in desperate need of his help, he does all he can to keep her safe no matter what odds may be against her. Lacy can't believe how her life is turned upside down. Will she be able to put aside her trust issues and trust this handsome K-9 cop, even though she knows not all police can be trusted. I loved the action, suspense, mystery and romance in this book. The Callahan family have a great love and loyalty to each other. I look forward to hearing more from this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Out of the Ashes (The Heart of Alaska); Author: Tracie Peterson; Review: This is book two in The Heart of Alaska series, however it is a stand alone book. This is the first one in the series I have read and had no trouble understanding what was going on, yet I did wonder if it was part of a series, it just really reads like one. This book is written different than most. Yes, it centers on two main characters, yet there are many characters who play important parts in this book. Which probably help when developing a strong series. You really learn about a lot of different people all working or staying at the Curry Hotel in Alaska. Each chapter may be written with a different characters perspective, yet you know exactly whom is speaking and or thinking. The author does a great job at her descriptions, dialogue, history and plot. There is a lot going on in this hotel. You will find heartache, forgiveness, finding God, sickness, romance and much more. I look forward to reading more from this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Plain Jeopardy (Love Inspired Suspense); Author: Visit Amazon's Alison Stone Page; Review: This book is full of suspense, mystery, Amish, English, and of course romance. It is written in the present with great dialogue, descriptions, and much more. Grace Miller is a reporter working on recovering and reporting in this quaint town. When her life may be in jeopardy will she be able to keep working on her stories or will it be enough to cause her to give up? Conner Gates is the handsome police captain, when he comes to the rescue of Grace will he be able to keep personal matters personal or will it interfere with his work? I enjoyed reading this novel and look forward to reading more from this author.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Chance at Forever (Teaville Moral Society); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Jagears Page; Review: This is book three (four if you count the novella) in the Teaville Moral Society series. All books are a stand alone book. You do connect with characters from the previous books in this one, however you do not have to read them to understand what is going on in this one. Mercy McClain is a unique woman, she loves the Lord and the orphan children of Teaville, however when her tormentor from her childhood returns to Teaville will she be able to accept him as a changed man or is he still the bully she knew years ago? Aaron Firebrook has a lot to prove. When he returns to the town that he was a bully in for so many years does he have a chance to prove he has changed or is he destined to fail? I love the fire between Mercy and Aaron. The way Jagears tells a story with such deeper meaning is great. Aaron is a known bully, there is no excuses for him being a bully, yet you do see through his eyes that a lot of bullies are that way for a reason no one may be aware of, it may actually be a cry for help. Sometimes forgiveness is hard to give and receive.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Troubled Waters (Montana Rescue); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan May Warren Page; Review: This is book four of the Montana Rescue series, I have only read the prequel and this one and had no issues keeping up on what was going on. It is a series though and written like one, you will have some unfinished things to look forward to in the next book. I do feel I probably missed out on some important information in the series but still enjoyed this read. Ian Shaw is a handsome, wealthy man. He is a take charge kind of guy. So when things fall apart and he truly only has God to turn to, you wonder if he actually will. Sierra Rose is a very organized, beautiful woman. When put to a challenge she meets it head on. Yet she must rely on more than her own strength to face the storms ahead. This book is full of mystery, suspense and since it is a series some question get answered from previous book, which I would assume left you with a little cliff hanger at the end of those books. I look forward to reading more from this series, and maybe going back to read those I missed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Keturah (The Sugar Baron's Daughters); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa T. Bergren Page; Review: This is book one in the Sugar Baron's Daughters series. I look forward to reading more from this family. The author does a great job at developing her characters and keeping you interested in what is going on. I can see where this is a series, each book probably being somewhat of a stand alone, however you will miss out on lots of history if you do not start at the beginning. This book is full of history, family, learning, going against the grain, forgiveness and of course some romance. I loved how through every location the Banning sisters find themselves in there is excitement, determination and so much more. This book focus' primarily on the eldest Banning sister, Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson, She is a wounded, determined lady. She must make a go of a failing Sugar can plantation to survive and be of any help to her sisters. She does not feel she needs to be under the authority of any man, regardless of what the customs dictate.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Song Unheard (Shadows Over England); Author: Visit Amazon's Roseanna M. White Page; Review: This is book two in the Shadows Over England series. I have not read book one and had no problem jumping right into this one so I would say it is a stand alone book. However, I did wonder if it was part of a series and can totally see how it is, so you may miss some history but nothing that will keep you from enjoying this novel. Willa Forsythe is a unique lady with a unique past as well. I love her spunk and personality, even though she must learn to overcome her past. Willa finds herself in more trouble than she anticipated and can't help but wonder who is pulling all the strings. Lukas De Wilde is a handsome man who may start to regret some of his life choices. When Willa is introduced to him, he is drawn to her in a way no-one has been before. Yet Lukas must also search for his mom and sister and keep them safe. This book is full of history, mystery, suspicion, romance and more. I enjoyed the sparks that fly between Willa and Lukas and I love Willa's entire family. I look forward to reading more from this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In Places Hidden (Golden Gate Secrets); Author: Visit Amazon's Tracie Peterson Page; Review: This is book one in the Golden Gate Secrets series, what a great place to start. I love the writing style of Tracie Peterson and this one does not disappoint. I look forward to reading more from those in this book. Camriann Coulter, Camri, is a determined, well educated woman. When she must leave all she knows behind to help find her brother she realizes many things about herself. Patrick Murdock is the handsome, irishman who may know something about Camri's missing brother. I love the sparks between Camera and Patrick. The other characters in this story each have much to offer to the story lines to come. I look forward to catching up and see what lies ahead. This book is full of mystery, friendship, romance and more. Even though part of this story is solved there is more to solve in the next book or two.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Accidental Guardian (High Sierra Sweethearts); Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Connealy Page; Review: This is book one in the High Sierra Sweethearts series, I look forward to reading more in this series. Mary Connealy has a fun writing style, I always enjoy reading her novels. Deborah Harkness has been under the authority of Men all her life, she can't wait to start her own life, being her own boss. When she rescues her sister and two small children from a massacre, Deborah must trust Trace, to be a good honest man. Trace Riley has been on his own for years, however when he rides upon two women and children he will do whatever he can to protect them, even if it turns his world upside down. I love the awkwardness between Trace and Deborah and the sparks that fly between them as well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blind Betrayal (Defenders of Justice); Author: Visit Amazon's Nancy Mehl Page; Review: This is book three in the Defenders of Justice series, however I believe it is a stand alone book. This book is well written and will keep your interest all the way through. U.S. Marshal Casey Sloane is a beautiful, dependable, Marshal who knows how to do her job. When a routine job turns into anything but, she must find strength she did not even know she had and put some of her past behind her. While trying to keep a witness safe Casey and her partner must keep their cool, deliver a witness and stay alive. If you like FBI/Police type, modern, suspenseful romance you will like this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Road Home; Author: Visit Amazon's Beverly Lewis Page; Review: Lewis is one of my favorite Amish novel writers. She does another great job in this one. If you like to read Amish type books, you will like this one. As in all of Beverly Lewis books, you meet lots of different people and get involved in their lives as well. Lena Rose Schwartz is the eldest of 10 children. When she finds she must leave all she knows, even family, Will she be able to see all God has for her even in her trials. Lena is a sweet, loving, caring sister who only wants to keep her family together.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mission to Protect (Military K-9 Unit); Author: Visit Amazon's Terri Reed Page; Review: This is book one in the Military K-9 Unit, so what a great place to start. This book is full of mystery, suspense, sparks, surprises, romance and more. If you like books to come to a complete ending, you will not be happy with this one, however if you can hang in there for the next book you will love it. This book ties up some loose ends but not all. Staff Sergeant Felicity Monroe loves her job working with the K-9 unit, however her handsome boss, Master Sergeant Westley James, can certainly get on her nerves. When the Red Rose killer makes her a target, Westley must protect her at all cost. I love the sparks that fly between Felicity and Westley, they both have things they need to work though, but their chemistry is great. I look forward to reading more in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Austen in Austin, Volume 1; Author: Visit Amazon's Gina Welborn Page; Review: To first make a confession, I have not read any of Jane Austins books (hard to believe, I know). So I was thrilled to be able to read these stories. I loved each story, They all come from stories by Jane Austin and are full of sparks, Romance and more. If I loved you Less by Gina Welborn (based on Emma) I fell in love with both Emmeline and Noah. I love their friendship, the way the think they are completely honest with each other and the sparks that fly between them. Refinements by Anita Mae Draper (based on Sense and Sensibility) Marion has a lost to learn about herself and men in general. I enjoyed watching try to figure of which man is truly a gentleman. One Word from you by Susanne Dietze (based on Pride and Prejudice)- Eliza finds herself in an uncomfortable situation. Apparently she must marry for money. However, that is not what she wants. Will wants anything but a fortune hunter. Their sparks are great. They have lots of misunderstanding, pride and prejudices to overcome. Alarmingly Charming by Debra E Marvin (based on Northanger Abbey) Kathryn is not used to any man paying attention to her. So when there are two suiters she is not sure what to do. Are they both genuine?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cold Case: (Cold Harbor Book 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Sleeman Page; Review: This is book four in the Cold Harbor series. It is a stand alone book, however you will miss history of some of the background characters, and you will miss some pretty good books as well. The series will focus on the Blackwell Tactical team. This novel focus' on the beautiful cyber expert Eryn Calloway. When she finds herself in the need of protection she must learn to let the handsome detective Trey Sawyer protect her without letting her heart get involved. Susan Sleeman always does such an amazing job with her novels, you can tell she does her research. There is just enough suspense, mystery, romance and of course the right amount of detective work. I look forward to the next book in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Orphan's Wish; Author: Visit Amazon's Melanie Dickerson Page; Review: 3.5 Stars This is part of the Hagenheim book #8 series, however it is the first I have read in the series and I feel it is a stand alone book. I was not entirely sure what to expect from this novel. However I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, I guess it is a spin off of Aladdin. However, if you were to change the names I'm not sure everyone would make the connection. If you love Aladdin you will love it, if you are not a fan of Aladdin you will still enjoy this book, I think. Aladdin and Lady Kirstyn are front and center in this book. I love their friendship from the beginning. There are twist, turns and mystery in this novel. I look forward to reading more from Melanie Dickerson.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dead Drift (Chesapeake Valor); Author: Visit Amazon's Dani Pettrey Page; Review: This is book four in the Chesapeake Valor series, even though it is a somewhat stand a lone book you will miss a lot of the history and understanding by just jumping in with this one. Plus the entire series is amazing. So start with book one (the entire series just makes for better reading and understanding if read in order). If you are not one to like books that lead into another you may not like this series, (however now that we are in book four you don't have to wait for the next one to come out). But if you love Suspense, Mystery, handsome detective/marshals/PI etc... type books you will love this one. The entire series would make a great four part movie or mini series, just saying. I fell in love with all the characters in this series from book one and love how they all play such important rolls throughout the series. Dead Drift will focus on the illusive Luke Gallagher, who went missing seven years ago, leaving behind all his friends and the love of his life, Kate Maxwell. Kate has never believed he was dead and has loved him and been mad at him all at the same time. When Luke must join his long time friends and the women he has never stopped loving, there is excitement, suspense, romance and so much more. I love the writing style of Dani Pettrey and this novel does not disappoint.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: The Mists of Avalon; Brand: Anjelica Huston; Review: I'd have given this four stars, because I enjoyed the atmosphere and costumes even though there are times the dialog and acting are jarringly modern. And things like, why are the Celts worshipping Diana instead of a Celtic goddess? But I can't render a final opinion because: I've received two defective DVDs in a row and have not been able to finish the film. Both DVDs have started off OK. But stop one for a short viewing break and my DVD player has never been able to read it again. My player is fairly new and plays all other DVDs just fine so . . . I think there is a problem with this run. Sure, I can get a refund, but it doesn't look like I'll ever finish the film.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Gilbert & Sullivan: Broadway Theatre Archive; Brand: Kevin Kline; Review: The world needs good DVDs of all the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. This is not one of them. The sound quality is very poor, rendering the singing much thinner than it probably was in reality. The photography is in general overexposed, and does things like cast strange pink and blue lights all over white garments. Or maybe that was the stage lighting ... but I've seen far better recordings of stage productions. I'd advise waiting for a really good "Pirates of Penzance" DVD to come out.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Feast of All Saints; Brand: Peter Gallagher; Review: OK, I admit I'm 100% white, as far as I know. But this film came off like a long lecture about how it's wrong to treat people unequally because they belong to a different racial group. I agree with that sentiment entirely--but as a story, it just wasn't interesting. It could have been very powerful, but it's a yawner. Although most of the actors are very good-looking, their delivery is wooden, and the dialog they are given is wooden, and plotwise it looks like they exist only to jump into bed with each other. I can see how people of color might be glad to see "themselves" represented in a film; just as I as a woman am glad to see literature and films that focus on women's viewpoints and concerns for a change. But other than that, I was so bored I couldn't even bring myself to watch the second half.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Masterpiece Theatre: Elizabeth I - The Virgin Queen; Brand: Anne-Marie Duff; Review: I know it has a lot of drama and all. But this is not a film for viewers who don't want to hear a Queen Mary with a strong New York accent, see a bunch of people playing Elizabethan roles with decidedly modern movements and speech patterns, and hear rock-y modern music in the background.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: House of Eliott - Series Three; Brand: Louise Lombard; Review: On viewing Series 3, I was struck by how well the producers targeted all three series to the late 20th-century-middle-class-working-woman-viewer. The House of Elliott is all about work problems: Establishing a career with insufficient formal credentials, working in a man's world, finding out who you can trust in business, working with people you dislike who are nonetheless valuable contributors to the business, supervising people who dislike each other, being hit on by male coworkers and business associates, juggling your demanding career with the often conflicting demands of a husband's or boyfriend's, juggling motherhood and work, and dealing creatively with work emergencies. In Series 3, lower-class working conditions, and socialism as a potential solution, are major new themes. There is also more emphasis on the demands of motherhood (Bea and Tilly have babies) and on previously minor characters, especially on the home lives of House of Elliott employees. The pace is frenetic compared to the first two series, with lots of multiple plot lines and quick shifts back and forth between them, unnecessarily dramatic camera angles, dropped situations, and overall too much going on. All the characters make major life and in some cases personality shifts. Tilly becomes clinically depressed. Bea's new boyfriend Daniel rapidly evolves from an arrogant, callous, resentful, self-centered, exploitative jerk (he's even a gigolo) to a sensitive, caring guy who makes major sacrifices for Evie. Evie's rejected boyfriend Miles apparently turns from being a sweet, caring, sensitive, generous guy to a shark trying to take over the House of Elliott. Is this really a science fiction series where their brains got swapped in the night? Every single one of the plots ends up as a cliffhanger. Will Tilly and Norm become employed again? Will Agnes leave the House of Elliott to become a full-time music hall singer? Will Jack succeed in his new career as a socialist politician, and will Bea be able to cope with being a politician's wife? Will Donald be happy with all the sacrifices he has made for Bea? Will Miles end up running the House of Elliott? And many more . . . but most of all, will the new rift between Bea and Evie (who throughout this show have always been closer to each other than to any husband or boyfriend) ever heal? Stay tuned for Series 4: Except, as far as I can tell, there wasn't one. Nonetheless, fans of Series 1 and 2 will certainly want to watch Series 3. Oh, and the clothes are great.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Deadwood: Season 2; Brand: Timothy Olyphant; Review: I've never seen "Deadwood" on TV, but I just watched Seasons 1 and 2 of the DVDs back to back. Season 1 is better, because it gives a much stronger sense of moral ambiguity. In Season 1, Al Swearengen is a brutal villain whose frequent response to problems is to have the person causing them killed and fed to a local butcher's pigs; or at least badly beaten up. But he occasionally does fine things for the wrong reasons. Like organizing (and paying handsomely for) a run for vaccine and an isolation tent to save Deadwood from a severe smallpox epidemic--because it would be bad for Swearengen's business. In Season 2, Swearengen is more like a corporate executive--power hungry, manipulative, but with a soft inner side that causes him to do some very nice things that don't benefit him at all. And, when he becomes bedridden from three serious physical problems at once (which seems excessive), everyone in the Gem, including his most brutal lackeys, the lame woman he habitually insults, the whores he beats up, etc., hang around misty-eyed for a long time (as far as the viewer is concerned) tearfully hoping for and promoting his recovery, while telling each other what a sweet guy he is. Overall Season 2 slips into sentimentality, and into some obvious attempts to manipulate viewer emotions. There are a two episodes with a prolonged and tedious focus on a cute little boy, only to kill him off and have a pathetic funeral. Meanwhile, the Season 2 murders of three women by a Jack-the-Ripper counterpart, a fraternal murder for gain, a near-fatal shooting, and the deaths of a number of Chinese, go by like all the murders in Season 1--that is to say, just business as usual in Deadwood. Why is a child's death worth the better part of two episodes, and all the adult deaths are pretty much passed over? The last episode, which frantically sets up several new story lines, apparently to hook viewers for Season 3, is too transparent. It is clear you are watching a TV show, and the feeling of being "in" Deadwood is lost. Likewise, the sudden discovery/revelation of a secret passage between the Gem Saloon and the newspaper office is just too much. Season 2 isn't bad, but it has definitely lost some of its edge compared to Season 1. It does have the same beautiful visuals as Season 1, and it's hard not to be curious about the stories of compelling characters (even if the characters have been changed somewhat). I hope Season 3 (which I will watch when it comes out on DVD) gets back on track.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Edgar Allan Poe: Tales of Mystery & Imagination; Brand: Christopher Lee; Review: I expected these short films (about half an hour each) to be cheesy productions, but I was really rather charmed. The Croation/South African production team did a pretty good job, with, I suspect, the filming being done in Croatia. The buildings are real, not film sets, and quite nice. Many of the costumes (which are not wonderful, but they are adequate) are for the post-Poe Victorian and Edwardian eras. Since Poe's original stories are grounded in the human soul, rather than any particular time or place, this works quite well. As the written stories are not particularly plot-oriented, or at least depend more on emotion than plot, a few plot "holes" have been filled in, to the overall benefit of the series. This is still, BTW, horror of atmosphere rather than blood and gore, which is fine with me.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Byron; Brand: Jonny Lee Miller; Review: This is not a biography of Byron's life, or any kind of documentary. It is a very powerful portrayal of Byron's personality and, possibly, of how life felt to him. Although some details are incorrect and there are important omissions (notably, Byron's stay at the Villa Diodati with the Shelley menage), it is a noteworthy film.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Country Matters; Brand: Ian McKellan; Review: Despite the term "heartwarming" in the descriptive copy on the back of the "Country Matters" DVD case, most of the episodes are reminiscent of Thomas Hardy. They are slow, brooding, and mostly focus on rural life as it really was for the poorer classes: Isolated locations; dark, dirty cottages; bare economic survival; few acquaintances; poor verbal communication; and extremely limited options in life. In most episodes, the central character is offered one chance at a better life, usually economic improvement and/or love and/or escape from a bad family. And usually, fails to get it due to either poor choices or bad luck, and then is made to realize how dreary things will be for the rest of his or her life. It's a good series, but don't watch more than one or two episodes in an evening if you want cheerful dreams. The rural locations are beautiful, the costumes are pretty good, the acting is excellent, in short the production values of this series are high. Except--and it's a big except--for the music. British folk music would have accented the series extremely well. Instead, the music for every single episode consists of a little-varied, much-repeated, rinky-dinky, incongruously upbeat, rather electronic tune which, if memory serves, is also the theme for the BBC "Lovejoy" detective series. If BBC couldn't shell out enough for decent music at the time the series was filmed, they ought to have done it before issuing this DVD.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: British TV Victorian Collection; Brand: Beau Bridges; Review: I'd already bought and seen "The Four Feathers" and "Lady Audley's Secret." The first is not bad, the second is excellent. What I really bought this DVD for was the two films I had not yet seen: "The Cater Street Hangman" and "Poldark." If you take the "Cater Street Hangman" as melodrama with a modern socially concious twist, it's a gripping film: Taut, suspenseful, and fairly mystifying till the end (I guessed the killer's identity fairly early on, but many viewers may not). The production values are excellent. "Poldark" is another story, a historical with a very thin connnection to reality, complete with many problems such as the young lady who always rides bareback--even the lower classes used saddles. The worst problem, though, is that this "Poldark" is so very much part of some series not given elsewhere, that not only are most plot lines entirely unresolved, but it ends right in the middle of a scene!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Separate Tables VHS; Brand: Rita Hayworth; Review: Some peculiar overtones in this film I'll let you read about the plot in other reviews. Suffice it to say, although overtly this is a sweet film about lonely people finding each other, it has some decidedly peculiar overtones. It belongs to a type of drama popular in the mid 20th century, which I personally call "group therapy." A group of relatives or friends--in this case the inhabitants of a residence hotel--has a status quo which hides their most secret feelings, acts, and incidents in their pasts. A catalyst occurs--in this case the arrival of a stranger (to all the residents but her ex-husband). Everyone reveals their secrets (voluntarily or not), and then enters into tears, recriminations, accusations, etc. By the end of the drama there is a new status quo--one that is not guaranteed to solve any of the characters' problems, but which enables life to go on. But the most peculiar aspect of this film is the assumption that males are so hormonally driven that women owe them sexual satisfaction. Before the drama begins, one man's wife's sexual denials have led him to assault and a stint in a mental hospital (plus she divorced him). Her "selfishness" in not wanting to spoil her figure by having children (she is a successful fashion model) is castigated, and she has to show up at the hotel and repeatedly plead to resume their relationship, and this time, she has to agree to . . . well, you know. Early in the drama, another man's lack of a partner leads him to grope strangers in a movie theatre, which in turn lands him in jail. He is rewarded with a shy, younger, more upper-class woman he's always liked, but never had the courage to approach. And sexual satisfaction is not all the film says males are entitled to--they're entitled to children, too. Another couple consists of a medical student who is perpetually exhausted by his incessant study of anatomy either in books, or on the girlfriend who keeps dragging him into bed. But that's not enough for him; he proposes marriage a couple of times a day. The girlfriend loves him, but is not sure she wants to be tied down by marriage. At the end _she_ has to agree to marry him and furthermore, have numerous children. Meanwhile, a very nice woman (much nicer than the ex-wife) who is engaged to the first man, is completely left out in the cold when his ex-wife shows up. She wants him, but the ex-wife is much more beautiful and desirable, so she has to be generous and gracious. The filmmakers certainly aren't worried about the urges of any _females_ landing them in a mental hospital or jail.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nightwatching (Rembrandt's J'Accuse) (La Ronde de nuit) [Region 2]; Brand: Jodhi May; Review: This is not a biopic about Rembrandt, it is not a historical drama, and it's not a thriller. It's pretentious, talky, stagey, and continually "See, we're ever, ever so modern and much, much too clever to make a movie that's anything like the boring old 17th century where they just were not as trendy as we are." If you like real historical dramas, give this one a miss.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Wuthering Heights (1967); Brand: Ian McShane; Review: I've probably seen every film and TV version of "Wuthering Heights" (in addition to having read the book several times). When I ordered this DVD I wondered if it would really add anything to my collection. The answer is yes. The actors manage to pull off the most difficult task for this story: Making the characters sympathetic. Considering that faithful family servant Ellen is the only voice of normalcy and stability in a nest of emotionally driven and self-centered people, most of them obsessed with revenge, self-destruction, and/or death, that's a feat. (The four episodes are titled "The First Revenge," "The Second Revenge," etc.) Angela Scoular as Cathy Earnshaw comes across as wayward but often enchanting--in many films Cathy is just a, ahem, female dog. A young Ian McShane plays Heathcliff. He has the same deep (but somewhat less gravelly) voice as in "Deadwood," the same semi-scarcastic, semi-Shakespearean delivery--and having not yet acquired jowels, he's broodingly handsome. The 1960s black-and-white format seems a bit primitive today, but it some ways it adds power. The climate looks cold and wet, the fields look stony, the scarce trees look blasted. The Wuthering Heights farmhouse looks drafty, dirty, and crudely furnished. Food looks unappetizing; it consists largely of porridge and tea. This cheerless atmosphere is greatly aided by a soundtrack of constantly whistling wind, for both indoor and outdoor scenes. I was literally so cold that I turned the heat up to watch this series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Darwin's Darkest Hour; Brand: Henry Ian Cusick; Review: "Darwin's Darkest Hour" is visually gorgeous, whether it's the many scenes in Darwin's upper-middle-class British home or the nature shots that are sometimes interspersed with them. It's also intellectual, consisting almost entirely of Darwin carefully explaining his theories to his wife Emma and his children. Never mind that in real life Emma had probably heard them all many times: The goal of this film is clearly to educate the viewer. I was hoping to learn something, because I'm an adult who does not work in the hard sciences and who has not heard Darwin's theories explained in detail since high school. It turned out that I've remembered all the material in the film, and have considered it part of the basic stuff that "everyone knows." The film lacks real drama; it ends with Darwin receiving a copy of his just-published _The Origin of Species_, and does not enter the controversy that followed publication. Therefore, it was a overall a bit of a disappointment to me. BUT, I think this would be a fantastic movie to show to high school kids, and younger kids with good vocabularies, to explain Darwin's principles of evolution to them. And, since theories of evolution have also evolved since Darwin, this movie inspired me to start reading Stephen Jay Gould's books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lark Rise To Candleford - Series 3 Region Free; Brand: ; Review: OK, I continue to watch the series, but: It's become transparently a soap opera, constantly working hard to jerk as many tears and "aaaaaawwwwwws" from the audience as possible. In every episode, there is a conflict presented between family members, or between other people, or the community of Lark Rise versus that of Candleford. And each and every episode is very predictably resolved with warm hugs and wise utterances all around. Many of the wise utterances come straight from the modern therapist's office; ones like "This isn't about you, it's about me." However, some of the scriptwriters are channeling Dickens; one of them actually lifted the scene in Great Expectations where the convict threatens Pip to get him to bring food, including only a minor rewrite of Dickens' dialog. Someone's usually in deep trouble or dying or something, and everyone (including, by inference, the viewers), hangs around and weeps for extended periods. Even more than in previous series, the work of different scriptwriters renders the episodes discontinuous. In Series 2, Alf acquired a girlfriend, with a sentimental burying of old grudges between Lark Rise and some other hamlet never before mentioned. Now the girlfriend is gone, with no explanation--and so is the other hamlet. In one Series 3 episode, Twister somehow acquires the object of his dreams: A still. Even though it must have cost a lot of money by his standards, and furthermore, would be a source of urgently needed income or at least free booze, the still vanishes after that one episode, with no explanation. For awhile all this is made acceptable by pretty good acting, folk songs, and the golden glow on the fields (they must have used a yellow filter). But after awhile it becomes too treacly, and after that it becomes ridiculous. In other words, watch only one episode, or at the most two, per evening. One tidbit of info: The series theme music is a Polish folk dance.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Glorious 39 [Region 2]; Brand: Romola Garai; Review: I expected this to be a historical movie about the British movement to appease Germany just before World War 2, with a murder mystery thrown in. However, its purpose is to be a horror movie--which is why the plot doesn't make sense. Viewers are forced to continually watch a sensitive, beautiful, likeable young woman increasingly betrayed by almost everyone she loves, plus people she barely knows. She's lied to, humiliated, imprisoned, starved, terrorized, and is forced to watch her friends brutally murdered or discover their corpses. If you empathize with her, and it's hard not to, it feels like being psychologically tortured yourself. Why put yourself through this experience? The only things this movie has in its favor are beautiful settings and costumes, and you can see those in plenty of other movies and TV series.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: THE ADMIRAL (DVD + CD) - with ENGLISH subtitles; Brand: Andrei Kravchuk; Review: Don't expect "Admiral" to clarify the extremely complex political situation of this period. Either you know it already and can fit the film into its context, or you don't, in which case focus on the romance. Of which there are some peculiar aspects: Kolchak never smiles at his mistress (the passion appears almost one-sided) and to the end, they continue to address each other using the name/patronymic convention instead of first names. (And there's not the faintest hint of sex.) However, the movie is still a sweeping epic of a kind to satisfy fans of "Doctor Zhivago." It seems to have been very carefully filmed, with lavish settings, reasonably good costumes, and moderately good acting. Momentous historical events, even if imperfectly explained, transform it from a B-movie into a B-plus. The technical quality of my version of the DVD was excellent (except for a few English subtitles laid right over Russian ones, toward the end, but I can live with that).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kids Are All Right, the; Brand: ; Review: The film begins by establishing the relationships among an unconventional family: a lesbian couple and the son and daughter they have had with the aid of sperm donated by a stranger. The lesbian couple come across as rigid, judgmental, perfectionist in terms of their own and their kids' achievements, and quarrelsome between themselves. "Intimate" conversations between each other, and between them and the kids, sound like they're right out of the therapist's office or a self-help book. The older child, the daughter, has just turned 18. She and her brother agree to contact their biological father for the first time (they couldn't do it earlier because they were both under 18). The father turns out to be warm, easygoing, generous, and creative. He's established a successful restaurant, despite having dropped out of college. He's still single, and although initially confused, soon comes to love the idea of having kids. He spends quality time with them, gives them good advice on their troubles, shoots hoops with the boy, and so on. He also gives one of the mothers her first job as a landscaper, fixing up his large but chaotic garden area. She's thrilled, and soon they find themselves attracted to each other. He also graciously puts up with the other member of the couple constantly insulting him. And if this had been a French movie, the father would have stayed in this family's lives, and the problem with his having a fling with one of the mothers would have resolved itself in a positive way. Instead, the highly unpleasant set of "American values" the family represents is upheld only by throwing this guy out of their lives so they can all continue without having to really grow or change. The father is bewildered, hurt . . . after all, the kids contacted him, they asked him for advice on their lives, he fell in love with one of the women and she seemed to reciprocate--and then, a door is triumphantly slammed in his face and he's told that if he wants a family, he should go create his own. I really didn't like the message in this movie.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Bletchley Circle NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 United Kingdom; Brand: Julie Graham; Review: I was especially interested in The Bletchley Circle because my mother was a code breaker for the US counterpart. Unlike the British protagonists, who for security reasons are required to tell everyone (even their husbands) that they did only "clerical work" during the war, my mother was allowed to state her occupation, although without many details. She did convey to me the intellectual challenges, the excitement, the camaraderie, and the feeling of making a valuable contribution that pervaded the large room where the code breakers worked long hours, just as in this movie. Like the protagonist Susan, my mother was extremely good at anagrams, crosswords, and other puzzles, but complained that the vast majority of those published were not hard enough. She also loved to read murder mysteries. However, my mother returned to her academic career, whereas Susan has dutifully become a housewife. By 1952, Susan loves her husband and her two small children, she does her best, but she's bored. She becomes obsessed with a serial killer whose murders of young women are regularly reported in the newspapers. She tries to determine the killer's schedule, his geographic patterns as he moves around the country, his modus operandi, and his motives. The police have arrested a different man every time, and she's sure those suspects were framed by the real killer. Susan cannot solve the mystery alone, so she recruits her three closest colleagues from Bletchley: Millie, Lucy, and Jean. Jean's strength is research (she's now a librarian), Lucy has an eidetic memory, and Millie is tough and slightly shady, meaning she buys and sells things, including handguns, on the black market. In some ways this is a typical thriller. The women discover the killer's identity, but are frustrated by Scotland Yard's refusal to listen to female amateurs. Susan takes the lead, becoming the most visible person in the group. As she gets closer to the killer, he gets closer to her, menacing not only Susan but her family. Considering that Susan is not only brilliant but normally sensible, her at times reckless behavior seems improbable. However, the killer is the most challenging intellectual opponent Susan has had for seven years. The conflict between her role as female and housewife, versus her independence and her intellectual needs, is underscored by her husband's periodic commands to stop what she's doing "whatever it is." I don't know whether the team of female detectives will return for a second season, but I certainly hope so. My mother would have loved this series too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Titanic: Blood & Steel; Brand: Kevin Zegers; Review: Titanic: Blood and Steel will probably be eclipsed by more conventional Titanic movies that focus on the disaster. It's really a very intelligent drama, focusing not so much on the sheer process of ship building as on labor negotiations, class tensions, religious discrimination, feminism, idealism, and politics. (Where else will you find heartwarming slogans like "We're going to take engineering back from the accountants!") The characters often debate politics, ethics, and engineering; you may or may not like this sort of thing; I did. The vocabulary is refreshingly sophisticated. The series shows what is apparently a real ship being built in a real shipyard, with lots of gritty industrial shots. Belfast is convincingly cobblestoned and dirty (I was reminded of Pittsburgh, in its steel and coal days). I was, therefore, disappointed by the lack of realism in other areas. Criticisms in Wikipedia include things like the purported Titanic being built on the slip where in reality the Olympic was built. Most viewers won't know that or care. But most *will* know that the Titanic was not bigger than its sister ship the Olympic, that the "unsinkable" marketing slogan was not generated by an engineer (who would have had more sense), and some other blatant errors. Even more important, for a movie that focuses on social change, this one is appallingly ignorant of early 20th-century society. Women did not commonly have sex before marriage and whether they did or not, their goal was marriage and they did their best to guide the man towards it, not have an endless on-off relationship like several in this movie. Tycoons did not disinherit an only child/daughter who refused to marry the supremely stupid son of a wealthy man. (Why would anyone want a stupid son-in-law to inherit and manage his vast, complicated, multimillion business empire? And another wealthy groom could always be found.) People did not constantly say "huh" and "yeah" and "have a nice day." And my pet peeve--why are movies now referring to the ship as "Titanic," as if it were a person, instead of "the Titanic"? Plotwise, this is not exactly a soap opera. It's not divided into story segments that fit neatly into episodes. The drama goes on as if this were a twelve-hour movie (which is how I watched the DVD, on six successive evenings). Most stories drag a bit while the numerous major characters waffle about important life decisions--this series would have worked better as ten episodes. In the last two, the characters finally make up their minds and definitively plan their futures. The movie makers definitely rose in my estimation here, because for most characters this means sailing on the Titanic, whether in first class or third class. They're seen off with tearful hugs, but everyone is full of optimism for a brighter future. And that's it. You don't see the ship sink, and there's no text epilog. Aside from one or two real historical characters, you'll never know who was and was not saved.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Movies_and_TV |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Crisis Four; Author: Visit Amazon's Andy McNab Page; Review: Andy McNab is a former British Special Operations Agent who has written both fact and fiction. Nick Stone, McNab's alter ego of sorts, is sent to track down fellow counter terrorist agent and former lover Sarah Greenwood who is in the U.S. and may have gone to the other side. He goes to a redneck supply store and a WalMart to stock up for a night of recon and spots Sarah and an Arab looking dude coming out of a lakeside retreat the next day. I trust that McNab didn't do everything Nick Stone does, but his SAS Elite and most decorated Brit soldier background make Nick the most credible of the current genre of super agents. The human side of Nick the assassin, who is totally competent in the field yet so easily manipulated, and McNab's descriptions of the mundane details of surveillance and pursuit make Nick seem real. British slang and lingo unfamiliar to the reader create a crystal clear picture when spoken by Nick. On page 160 he's ordered to kill Sarah. Twenty-five pages later he's dragging her through the Carolina woods dodging choppers (helis), dogs and automatic weapons. The flaws in the plot match the flaws in Nick and balance out to a huge leg up on Ludlum, Clancy, Follett et al. It's also kind of cool that the title doesn't come into play until page 345. "Crisis Four" is one of four command posts in the White House where the good guys and the bad guys will ultimately sort out.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Kill Artist; Author: Visit Amazon's Daniel Silva Page; Review: Daniel Silva's story is set amid the Palestinian-Israeli conflict where patriots on both sides become zealots driven by the unspeakable inhumanities they suffered. Gabriel Allon, a crack Israeli agent and world class art restorer, comes out of retirement to nail Tariq, the Palestinian terrorist who killed Gabriel's wife and son years before. Ari Shamron, his cold Machiavellian mentor who is running the super secret operation, offers up Jacqueline de la Quoi, born Sarah Halevy and granddaughter of Jews executed in the Holocaust. Gabriel recruits Jacqueline to seduce Yosef, Tariq's contact. She's madly in love with Gabriel, guilty about the death of his family and accepts the assignment so she can get close to him. Tariq realizes she's and agent and plots a suicide mission that will draw all the players in. Jacqueline becomes Tariq's traveling companion, and the end game begins. The action moves through Montreal to the US where Arafat and the Israeli Prime Minister are in town for a breakthrough in the peace process. CIA guy Adrian Carter, sleazy President Beckwith and former Ambassador / Senator Douglas Cannon from "The Marching Season" all have bit parts. Tariq disguised as a waiter delivering Arafat's prized honey is armed and alone in a room with him. Read on to find out who shoots whom and what Shamron was really up to. The control guy in a Silva novel always has ulterior motives, though Shamron's duplicity is nothing compared to Sir Basil Boothby in "The Unlikely Spy." All in all, I think this was Silva's best.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tishomingo Blues; Author: Visit Amazon's Elmore Leonard Page; Review: I love this kind of Elmore Leonard. He's a master at creating great characters with a little bad boy or girl in all, and he blends them together in a Mississippi backdrop. What could be a preposterous scene at the reenactment of the Battle of Brice's Cross Roads becomes not only plausible but perfectly natural when told by Dutch. Dennis Lenahan the daredevil diver signs on for two shows a day at Billy Darwin's Tishomingo Lodge and Casino. Charlie Hoke the ex-pitcher who had a cup of coffee with the Tigers and appeared in the '84 Series is Billy's pitboss, runs a "let me see your arm" sideshow and calls Dennis's 80 foot spectacular dives, always with a baseball analogy. Two guys shoot Floyd the setup man Charlie hired, and Dennis sees it all from his 80 foot perch. Robert Taylor also saw the hit. He's a hip black Detroit version of Chili Palmer whose great granddaddy was lynched by an ancestor of Mr. Kirkbride (maybe), the guy building the immobile mobile home parks that populate the area. Add in Vernice, once Charlie's "girlfriend" now Dennis's landlord and more, Arlen Novis the ex-deputy, ex-con now Dixie Mafia guy and CIB investigator Jerry Rau, and the plot begins to take shape. Robert is down from Detroit with Jerry (Caesare Germano Mularoni) to move in on the lucrative drug business of Novis and Kirkbride. Each side plans to use the reenactment to lure the other into the woods to finish them off. A lot of great set up, but cutting to the chase... Fish, Arlen's triggerman shoots Eugene's dog. Jacked on shine and ready for the battle, they shoot each other. Their buddy Newton the racist with the tobacco stained beard sees it all. "Jesus Christ." Then Kirkbride shoots Arlen, just like Robert figured it would happen. "Jesus Christ." In the final clean up, Hector and Tonto, a couple of Robert's boys from Detroit.... well, there's still enough left so I won't spoil the climax. One line from Arlen's widow Loretta captures the essence of Dennis. "God you're a daredevil and your're fun. You aren't the least bit stuck on yourself." How will the good guy Dennis get out of the life of crime his buddy Robert is offering? Or will he? I loved it, doubt the movie will be anywhere near as good and hope there's a sequel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Basket Case (Father Dowling); Author: Ralph M. McInerny; Review: I chose the audio book version for this one, and Hiaasen's voice is no match for his pen. A better reader would have made a difference. Jimmy Stomarti, a.k.a. Jimmy Stoma of the Slut Puppies, a 39-year-old bad boy rock star who has been clean for nine years dies in a diving accident. Florida obit writer and fan Jack Tagger sets out to tell his story, first interviewing Jimmy's 22-year-old wife Cleo Rio who is more into her budding career than the role of a grieving widow. The aging owner of Jack's paper who sold out to a chain, the head of which demoted Jack to the obit page for embarrassing him in a meeting, insists that Jack be prepared to write the mother of all obituaries when he goes. (He's been at death's door for years and may out live them all.) Jack agrees only if he can spend a week investigating Jimmy's death which we all know will turn out to be a murder. Widow Cleo is getting it on with Jay Burns the keyboard guy and Lorieal the record producer, and they're all franticly looking for the track to Jimmy's unpublished comeback album. The action is implausible but funny (of course, it's Hiaasen), but the premise as to what happened and why is off the wall. I love Hiaasen, but this one only gets 4 stars, barely.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 1st to Die (Women's Murder Club); Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: Patterson sets a great pace with 3-4 page chapters. Lindsay Boxer, a homicide detective battling a form of leukemia, Cindy the cub reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle and Claire the black Medical Examiner bond together in pursuit of a viscous murderer preying on newlyweds. Chris Raleigh, headquarters liaison cop assigned to partner with Lindsay, becomes her confidant and lover. ... The second twist is a little much, but all in all I rate it among Patterson's best. Can't wait for "2nd Chance".; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tepper Isn't Going Out: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Calvin Trillin Page; Review: Trillin just nails this character. I live not in NYC but outside of it, and I confess to spending time on the logistics of parking and a strong preference for a spot on the street vs. a garage. Heck, you've even got to do it in the suburbs now. The part about using up every second of time on a meter took a little getting used to, but why not. New York isn't all the rat race pace of getting from here to there. And as we get on in years, why not enjoy the solitude of sitting in the car reading the paper? Parking meters are a lot cheaper than hotels, even cheaper than buying a drink and nursing it for a half hour or so. I loved Frank Ducavelli. He takes us back to before 9/11 when Rudy wasn't the kinder gentler man he later became. Wasn't it Maureen Dowd who dubbed him "Hizzonor the Hall Monitor"? I'm surprised he didn't think to make pedestrians hail cabs from the sidewalk, and I guarantee you he won't think this book is funny. If you live in New York or drive into the City often, buy this book and leave it in your car. If you're parked and waiting for someone or if you've got a little extra time on the meter, take it out and read a chapter or two. Who knows what might happen next.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gunman's Rhapsody; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert B. Parker Page; Review: Great story! I had trouble with the chronology leading up to the 1881 shootout and agree with the critics that the somewhat random Chronicles from the day of the battle detract from the story. But Parker more than makes up for this by puting a Spenser-like taciturn toughness around Wyatt and building the solid relatonship among the five brothers and between Wyatt and Josie Marcus. The politics of Tombstone are believable with the devious but effective Johnny Behan a real character, not just the stereotypical power broker of Western lore. It's better than a Spenser story because the character is constrained by historical fact and not cast in the often outrageous extremes of a Parker plot. Parker's Earp can get along with anyone, even the ranchers / rustlers like Johnny Ringo, part of a group who are Southern, ranchers and Democrat as opposed to ex-Union and town folk like the Earps. Is the final showdown in March 1882 real? Wyatt has killed Curley Bill, and Behan shows up with a posse and a warrant. While everyone pretends Wyatt's not there, Ringo stares him down and asks if he killed Curley Bill. "I did" "Always knew it would turn out like this. Now I'm going to have to kill you." "If you can." Later Wyatt finds Ringo drunk sitting under a tree. Too noble to have it out with a drunk, he walks away, then turns and fires when he hears the draw at his back. An interesting postscript: Wyatt and Josie move on to LA where Wyatt dies at age 80 in 1929. Josie and Virgil's wife Allie live into the 1940s.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pursuit: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Thomas Perry Page; Review: My first by Thomas Perry. Great pace and suspense, but the killing and Spy vs. Spy pursuit scenes take reality completely out of the picture (and a ridiculous typo on page 155 takes the proofreaders down a peg as well). Thirteen people are killed in a Louisville restaurant. Ex-cop now law professor Dan Milliken believes Bobby Cushner was the target. Bobby's wealthy father wants Milliken to find the killer. Reluctantly, he calls Roy Prescott, a mysterious manhunter who operates on the edge. They profile the killer right away - James Varney a twenty-something reject who first killed a cranky aunt at age 11. Varney's provoked to call his pursuer Prescott on p. 34 (really?), and the chase is on. The first two rounds go to Varney who flies to LA and kills two cops. The rest of the way Prescott, who's pushing 60 by the way but seems to have superhuman stamina, has Varney dead to rights a bunch of times, but Varney manages a series of impossible escapes. In the end there are 25 or so corpses strewn from coast to coast. Two "final" showdowns cap a sequence of great action scenes, but truthfully they'd fit more in a comic book than a novel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Lions of Lucerne; Author: Visit Amazon's Brad Thor Page; Review: I thought Brad Thor was a pen name, but he thanks his parents who are named Thor so I guess it's real. Scot Horvath, super skier, Navy Seal now bodyguard to President Rutledge will soon be suspected of engineering the President's disappearance. This could be a Stephen Hunter plot (who didn't write a blurb for the book jacket) or Vince Flynn (who did), but it's way short of anything they've turned out. The first half sets up the chase. Gerhard Miner mobilizes the Lions of Lucerne to take out Rutledge's Secret Service detail and kidnap him off the slopes at Deer Valley. Scot saves the President's daughter and fights the bureaucracy (including a corrupt FBI agent, of course) with his own investigation. Evil Senators Snyder and Rolander who are in the pocket of fat cat Fawcett set up the snatch. Sen. Snyder's penchant for killing his studly 20-something boy toys backfires when one gets away and finds Scot, a friend of his old boyfriend's sister. Scot tells the story to his mentor the Secret Service Director who unfortunately is one of the bad guys. Bring on the hitmen. Scot escapes in some pretty good action shootouts and gets to Switzerland. Halftime. Scot goes to Jackie an old skiiing pal who happens to be a friend of Claudia Mueller the Swiss investigator who is after Miner in another case. Claudia was on the scene when the hit team arrived, Scot thought she was after him, but with Jackie to broker a truce they team up for the final chase. One can't count the impossible escapes, and does the President really believe he's being held captive in the desert when he's in a cave in the Swiss Alps? I can't believe I bought it, let alone finished it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Full Court Press; Author: Visit Amazon's Mike Lupica Page; Review: Lupica's got a great ear for the banter of the game and the City. He needed every bit of it to penetrate the blanket of intense namedropping, a syncophantic suck-up to Imus (Mo Jiggy in an Imus ranch hat) and overreaching for similes and metaphors (how does Earthwind snort the GNP of a city, Mike, and what is a "Gulfstream ex"?). I had it at 4 stars most of the way, but the last third really bogged down. Eddie Holtz, jock with a blown out knee now scouting for the NY Knights (how many times has that set up been used?) discovers Dee Girard at a charity game in Monaco. She's the ultra cool 32-year-old daughter NY playground legend Cecil "Cool Daddy" Cody and the beautiful Swedish dancer Cool Daddy hooked up with in the late 60s. Eddie thinks she's as good as any point guard in the NBA, and Knights owner Michael De la Cruz sees headlines and ticket sales. Some great characters: Knights Coach Bobby Carlino is a blatant composite of Rick Pitino and PJ Carlessimo complete with a bad boy player shoving his whistle down his throat when the coach lets his team rough Dee up. Eddie brings in Mo Jiggy, rap star turned sports agent from "Bump and Run", and the partnership of two super bright street-smart kids from the hood is born. The last 40% or so isn't really a plot but a bunch of games, name dropping and trivia (like the female AAU phenom from the 50s who drops in on Dee in Minneapolis). The real story of Cool Daddy comes out. So what if he's more of a hustler than a hoopster, but bringing him back from the dead was a little much. It had some great dialogue, fun characters but a little too much junk in between to make it a top tier story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: A Murder of Honor; Author: Robert Andrews; Review: Frank Kearney and Jose Phelps two veteran D.C. detectives have been buddies since their first day on the force more than twenty years ago. They're assigned a "no win" case, the murder of activist priest Fr. O'Brien, victim of and apparent drive-by shooting. When they discover a bunch of gay literature in the good father's quarters and $500,000 in cash in his closet, the case take on a different smell. A red Beemer turns up in an auto compactor with one body in the trunk and a second on top of the car, decapitated. The headless one would be Henry, a guard for Jarvis Security, run by ex-cop Solomon Jarvis. Henry made $15 / hour, drove a 500 SL and was killed by two shots from a 22 similar to the one that killed Fr. O'Brien. Frank and Jose tie it all to control of the drug trade in a hot corner of Washington. A Marion Berry-like Malcolm Burridge raises hell, chief of homicide Randolph Emerson slithers around trying to look good and DC City Treasurer Simmons tells a sleazy investigative reporter that Fr. O'Brien could have been an embezzler. Frank Kearney's belief in Fr. O'B is punctuated by the author's reference to Ray Donovan's lament after being falsely accused. The plot builds to three made for TV-like action shootouts, the last of which occurs when Frank and Jose run a scam that pits the two bad guys against each other. The good guys win in the end, of course, and with a surprisingly satisfying avenging act. I liked it a lot!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cleopatra Gold; Author: Visit Amazon's William J. Caunitz Page; Review: Alejandro Monahan is the son of a NY cop and Mexican Indian mother. The old man "retired" to raise his family in the Baja and was killed by drug lords tied to the title drug. Alejandro is now a sexy club singer and also Chilebean, a deep cover agent with the NYPD looking to avenge his father's death. Ther characters are great: Che-Che, Roberto Barrios and Pizzaro on the drug side; Too Tall Paulie, Sal Elia and Joey the G-man for the cops. You're never sure who's the real boss is or where the line between undercover agents and the drug business is drawn. Amidst a lot of action Alejandro convinces Che-Che he can guarantee safe importation of heroine using a military guided parachute technology. With 100 pages to go, the shipment has landed and the multiple Cleopatra lines develop: the drug, the queen and a woman whose father called her that. I had it at five stars until the end, which was just too Hollywood and dropped it down to four. A lousy ending, but an otherwise great cop / druggie story.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mistaken Identity; Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Scottoline Page; Review: Judy Carrier, a blonde law review member of Bennie Rosato's all woman law firm, takes the case of Pigeon Tony Lucia, a 79-year-old South Philly guy who killed his life long enemy Angelo Coluzzi. Unfortunately, everything is overdone, especially Judy's independent investigations in the face of Coluzzi family reprisals. A cast of ethnic characters, Tony Two Feet, Tony from down the block, friend Mary DiNunzio's parents and Coluzzi's gofer Fat Jimmy Belloo and his ex-wife Maureen, add some spice to the story. The trial is ridiculous with some obvious miscues by either author or reader (I'm reviewing the unabridged audio version) on what objecton was waged by whom. Judy out maneuvers an obnoxious prosecutor, but Pigeon Tony insists on speaking his piece and things get complicated. In the end Judy and Tony's hunk of a grandson Frank resume the romance that started on the case, but Lisa Scottoline will have to find someone else to buy the sequel.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Associate; Author: Visit Amazon's Phillip Margolin Page; Review: Title character Daniel Ames was abused and abandoned as a kid, is now a workaholic naive sad sack around whom Margolin builds his story. Manipulative associate Susan Webster sweet talks Danny into reviewing five boxes of discovery for the Geller Pharmaceutical deposition to begin at 8AM the next day. Their drug Insufort, prescribed for pregnant women is alleged to cause birth defects. When plaintiff's lawyer Aaron Flynn discovers a damning memo from Dr. Sergey Kaidanov in the files Danny reviewed, all hell breaks loose. Danny is fired by the hard-nosed Arthur Briggs of Reed, Briggs et. al., then called to meet him at an isolated cabin where Briggs is murdered and Danny is charged. Meanwhile ex-cop and current investigator Kate Ross teams up with Danny to discover the murder and torch job at a Geller research facility no one knew about. The body they thought was Kaidanov was actually a lawyer from Arizona. Kate goes to Desert Grove, AZ where used car king Martin Alvarez tells her a story of kidnappings and murders seven years earlier. This will all soon tie together. Kate brings in Amanda Jaffe from "Wild Justice" to defend Danny. She gets bail for him just before he's to be wiped out by the skinheads in his lockup. Kaidanov, who's escaped certain assassination twice so far, meets Danny in a graveyard and tells him the study was a phony. Oops, this time the sniper gets him. There are all kinds of head fakes about who's guilty of what. Despite Daniel the wimp and more killing than WW III, Margolin holds your interest with a symmetrical web that ties it all together. I liked it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Tailor of Panama; Author: Visit Amazon's John le Carr Page; Review: Harry Pendel of Pendel and Braithwaite, formerly of Savile Row now of Panama city is at heart a good guy but not the tailor to royalty he purports to be. Andrew Osnard, a fat lothario and adaptable rogue from a declining upper-crust family, was bounced from Eton and joined "the spys" realizing that his options to make big money respectably were limited. Harry, a Cockney ex-con and illegitimate son of a Jewish con-man and his Irish maid, was sprung from an orphanage by his Uncle Bernie who both used him to torch his garment business and looked after him as a youth. Though the pedigree of his firm is bogus, Harry is the top tailor in Panama with access to everyone who's anyone and is married to Louisa, the statuesque daughter of the respected assistant to the incorruptible head of the Canal Commission. Osnard can't get a banker, businessman or reporter to be his "listening post" in Panama and convinces his boss Scotty Luxmore, the spook who bungled the Falkland Islands War, that Harry's their man. Harry needs the money and signs on. The Brits are looking to uncover a huge Japanese conspiracy to take over Panama, and Harry will tell them anything he thinks they want to hear, most of which he just makes up. A series of misadventures, some funny some tragic, precipitate an American invasion. The Brits all leave in varying degrees of affluence or disfavor, and Harry walks off into the night. I would have preferred a different ending, but loved the story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Typhoon and Other Tales (Oxford World's Classics); Author: Visit Amazon's Joseph Conrad Page; Review: Great narration on the audio book captures the British and Scottish dialects, but it's so smooth that it's easy to be lulled into dreamland. I had to go back to the excerpts on Amazon and replay parts of the tape to catch the true impact of Conrad's words. Captain Mac Whirr, a short, fat, dull but dependable seaman, commands the Nan-Shan for a Siamese merchant firm. He writes twelve letter a year to his uncaring wife and has two children who barely know him. During typhoon season in the China Sea Jukes the first mate tells the Captain to change course to avoid the looming storm, but Mac Whirr will think of nothing but forging straight ahead. The Captain and Jukes as well as Solomon Rout the chief engineer (Long Sol, Old Sol or father Rout to his shipmates and Solomon Sez to his wife who quotes pearls of wisdom from his letters to anyone who'll listen) and the Bosun are at the center of the crisis that follows. During a storm like no other the actions of everyman are almost predetermined by their biases, intrenched beliefs and in some cases ability to react. In six short chapters Conrad develops a great story of how different men behave in a fight for survival. The tale of the last leg is told in pieces from letters home. The Captain's letter is barely read by his wife who has no idea what happened. Solomon's is sentimental and cherished by his beloved. Jukes reveals the most. Unsurprisingly we find that Captain Mac Whirr wasn't so dumb after all. It would probably be better read than listened to and deserves at least four stars for the classic it is.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Tin Collectors; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen J. Cannell Page; Review: This story gets way too much into police procedures and jargon, and the timelines and details are all screwed up. LAPD Sgt. Shane Scully kills his ex-partner Ray "Steel Tooth" Molar, a super sleaze who is canonized by his fellow cops. Molar was beating his wife, who is also Shane's ex-girlfriend, with a billy club when Shane intervened. There's a "Johnny Dangerously" play ball scene in the Chief's office as a highly political, corrupt process is about to steamroll the befudled Shane. Ex-cop Demarco Saint, now a tattooed, pony tailed, earring wearing, beer guzzling old pedophile living in a shack in Santa Monica, reappears to defend Shane. Sheets, and ex-cop as bad as Molar is head of security for a mega bucks developer who's running hooker parties and blackmailing the Long Beach City Council to turn over the old Navy Yard to his company. Everyone from the Mayor through the Deputy Chief seems to be railroading Shane. His house is machine-gunned and he's kidnapped by helicopter form a movie shoot. Impetuous and vulnerable, the character has potential, but the endless chapters of impossible situations, each chapter titled in a phrase of cop jargon, make this a comic book. That holds true right to the end where after some pretty good shoot 'em up stuff, Alexa and Shane go from Bonnie and Clyde to national heroes. I'll pass on his new one.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Up Country; Author: Visit Amazon's Nelson DeMille Page; Review: It's right up there with "The Lion's Game" as the best of DeMille. Paul Brenner is back, more like John Corey than his former self in "The General's Daughter". His ex-boss Karl Hellmann lures him out of retirement to go back to Nam and investigate a 30-year-old murder. Karl tells Paul a US Captain shot a US Lieutenant and that a VC soldier saw it. Paul has every reason to walk away, but then there'd be no story. There's a lot of ink about Viet Nam today, but the critics who say it drags the story down miss the point. The contrast between then and now and how Brenner discovers and reacts to it are at the heart of the book. The real reason for Brenner's "mission", when it comes, provides the second half of a great one-two punch. Susan Weber is a bit of a stretch, too cool and too perfect, but by the end of Book III she's even more intriguing, the Viet Nam stuff still works for me and there are still 400 pages to go. Col. Mang the Vietnamese intelligence guy who is not a fan of Brenner reappears near the end of Book V, and some real heated in-your-face exchanges follow. When Paul and Susan find Tran Van Vinh, a duty roster among Vinh's souvenirs shows Paul who the killer was 30 years ago, and a great end game begins. 100 pages to go and Paul and Susan are in Hanoi aggravating Mang more than ever, a sure bet to be heading for the torture room until Paul tells Mang that they'll be missed at the Ambassador's VIP reception. Mang now realizes who the murderer was, too. In a great twist, his and Brenner's interests are aligned, and Brenner tells him, "You have the evidence and you have Tran Van Vinh. But be careful. You have a tiger by the tail." All in all it's as good as "The Lion's Game" but with the same reservation, the ending. It's abrupt leaving the reader to think about a whole bunch of more interesting scenarios. But hey, after 700 pages, I guess he had to wrap it up somehow.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Final Deduction: Nero Wolfe Mystery; Author: Visit Amazon's Rex Stout Page; Review: This was my first stab at Nero Wolfe the towering 285lb detective who works out of his West 35th Street brownstone with sidekick and narrator Archie Goodwin, a man gifted with total recall of all he hears, sees or reads. Circa 1961 Althea Vail, widow of super rich Harold Tedder, gets a $500,000 ransom demand for Jimmy her dashing second husband, twelve years her junior. Wolfe interviews Althea's striking and tight-lipped secretary Dinah Utley whom he believes typed the ransom note. Dinah's dead before the next dawn. Wolfe is arrogant, overbearing and unapologetic about how little he has to actually do for his outrageous fees. Both he and Archie are keenly insightful, precise and direct in anything they say though not particularly forthcoming. So they don't tell the police about the kidnapping, their suspicions of Dinah or how it ties to her death until the proscribed time two days later. In the intirim Jimmy is found dead in the Howard F. Tedder library under a bronze statue of Ben Franklin. Noel Tedder Althea's son comes to Wolfe to recover the ransom money. Wolfe accepts his proposal and declares the murderer is one of those in the library with Jimmy - Althea, her children, her brother or her lawyer. The story then follows a path that only the genius Wolfe can foresee until the murderer is finally exposed. Enjoy the nostalgia of an Underwood with multiple carbons instead of Microsoft Word and postal zones not zip codes, but don't expect anything logical or realistic in the plot. Michael Prichard, audio book reader, projects the bulk and arrogance of Wolfe in a delightful narration. This was an entertaining story to listen to, though I suspect it would have been somewhat tedious to read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Jazz Bird: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Craig Holden Page; Review: Fascinating! I never heard of George Remus the bootlegging king of Cincinnati who made millions in the mid-twenties when he was as big as Al Capone. Though Fitzgerald denied it, many believe Remus was the model for Gatsby. Remus' wife Imogene was not the young socialite Holden portrays but a 35-year-old secretary who dumped her first husband for him. History says she teamed up with "Untouchable" Frank Dodge, and the two of them siphoned off his fortune while George was doing time. The murder, how Charlie Taft handled the trial and the result are said to be spot on, though Holden creates his own details and the characters are more of his mold than history's. Because Imogene is unabashedly like Daisy Buchannan the story feels more like a knock off of Fitzgerald than biographical fiction. George kills Imogene in "rush hour" (was there such a thing in 1927?) and takes a cab to the police station. After one night in a cold cell he's treated to VIP digs by the sheriff who tells George his two boys went to college on money from his business. He will defend himself telling the press he's not crazy but all the while acting like he is. His co-counsel Elston first gets George's chauffeur Babe to recount the statement that the prosecution beat out of him, then parades a bunch of people who describe how both Imogene and Dodge were driving George to his erratic behavior. Holden's version is that Imogene only hooked up with Dodge to benefit Remus, but that story line is off base. It might have worked in a different kind of novel, but it creates an unpalatable smorgasbord in this one. I gave it 4 stars because it was woth listening to (I did the audio tape version), but using a real life event to prop up an outrageous story line offended me, particularly when Imogene and her "love story" were bogus given the facts that are known about the murder.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Carter Beats the Devil; Author: Glen Gold; Review: Glen David Gold takes the character of Carter the Great, a real magician from the Houdini era, weaves in President Warren G. Harding and Philo Farnsworth the inventor of television to create a wonderful story of deception with stunts we know can't be real but really want to believe... Flashback to 1910 when 22-year-old Charles Carter IV, accepted at Yale, rebelliously heads for vaudeville as a coin and card man. On tour with the arrogant headliner Mysterioso, Carter upstages him at the San Francisco Orpheum and gets fired. Then his career is launched when Houdini exposes Mysterioso... and takes Carter under his wing... All kinds of people are trying to disrupt Carter's life including Secret Service Agents...leading to an exciting finale full of surprises. This was a great story to listen to on tape. Both author Gold and reader Tucci deserve 5 stars.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Roscoe; Author: Visit Amazon's William Kennedy Page; Review: Roscoe's a man without a life of his own. He's the well educated prominent son of a three time Albany mayor but always in the background, second fiddle to Patsy and Elisha but their go-to guy when things need doing and a secondary interest in the life of each major female character. At first I loved the story. Three boyhood friends from the turn of the century are Albany's local power brokers at the end of WWII. Patsy McCall who came up the hard way and Elisha Fitzgibbon, Yale grad and grandson of a wealthy industrialist, use their control of just about everything corrupt to support the Democratic machine. On VJ Day Roscoe Conway tells them he wants to retire. Then Elisha kills himself, and there's no way out for Roscoe. Kennedy takes the reader back and forth through their lifetimes together. Roscoe's brother O.B. now police chief, O.B.'s partner Mac, lobbyist Cutie LaRue and Joe the WWI hero now State Senator provide fuel and maintenance for Patsy's machine. The women are as complex as the men. Elisha's wife Veronica, her sister Pamela who was married to Roscoe for a week, Mac's girls Gladys and Pina, Hattie the landlord and Mame the madam fit nicely into Kennedy's mosaic. And speaking of complex, wait 'til you get into the relationship between Patsy and his brother Bindy or O.B. and his partner Mac. The story goes off tempo along the way when Kennedy creates scenes that are too outrageous to keep his characters real. In a chapter entitled "Negotiable Love" Patsy wants to raid a brothel to put Bindy in jail as payback for a scam he pulled. It's a chapter of depravity, deceit and corruption, which in the end is all twisted by Roscoe to political gain. Was it supposed to be shocking, funny or what? It definitely wasn't real. That weakness aside, I couldn't wait to get back to the story to find out where it would take me, often surprised and uncomfortable but not disappointed. If there's a message here I suppose it's that the sins of Roscoe and his pals place them beyond redemption, Roscoe will be damned to live alone with them forever and his penance will be to allow Elisha and Veronica's son Alex to become a politician of a new generation.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Darkness More Than Night (Harry Bosch); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Connelly Page; Review: Michael Connelly brings back Terry McCaleb from "Blood Work", retired after a heart transplant, to help Detective Jaye Winston profile the murderer of Edward Gunn who killed a prostitue six years before in "The Last Coyote". Harry Bosch investigated the case, Gunn was never prosecuted, and we know from the prologue that Harry visited him in the drunk tank the night before he was killed. A plastic owl on a bookcase looking down on the murder scene points McCaleb to a Renaissance symbol for punishing evil that was also a prominent part of the artwork of Hieronymous Bosch, Harry's namesake. He and Jaye find a bird repellent business that sells the owls and shipped one to Gunn under the name of van Aiken, Bosch the artist's other name. Harry, in the meantime, is the key witness at the murder trial of David Storey, a b-movie producer accused of strangling his sex partners and making it look like suicide. McEvoy, the reporter from "The Poet" who is covering the trial with an O.J. like army of reporters, gets a tip that Harry's under investigation for the Gunn murders. There's a lot of great action and, as always, people who suspect Harry, but he stays on the trail, which eventually goes to ex-cop Rudy Tafero, now a P.I. and the bail bondsman who sprung Gunn the night he was killed. The action moves pretty quickly to a Perry Mason-like twist in a packed courtroom. (Storey's lawyer was named just for the line Connelly has Bosch mutter when the bargain is struck, "that's all Fowkkes"). Of course, even after there is at least one more twist to come. I think this was Connelly's best and particularly liked the way he brought old characters into his plot. Unlike "The Last Precinct" which Cornwell dragged into boredom trying to tie old characters to a new story, Connelly made it an art form. Whether or not you knew the old story line or character, the reintroduction played smoothly, often giving a Connelly fan the opportunity to anticipate what bullet from Harry's past would appear next.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silent Joe; Author: Jefferson Parker; Review: Parker acknowledges he was inspired by Jonathan Lethem and "Silent Joe" has the good feel of "Motherless Brooklyn". Parker's version of Lionel Essrog is Joe Trona whose father splashed him with acid at age nine months. Orange County political heavyweight Will Trona and his wife Mary Ann adopt five-year-old Joe. At age twenty-four Joe is as tough as nails, ugly as sin, nice as can be, man of his word, deputy sheriff, county jail guard and man Friday for his adoptive father. Will takes Joe on a mission of mercy to pick up eleven-year-old Savannah who was either kidnapped by her brother Alex or is fleeing their evil father, billionaire developer Jack Blazak. Five Cobra Kings attack them and Will is killed. The supporting cast is great. Blazak and Carl Rupaski, the corrupt Transportation Authority chief, want to sell an unproftable toll road back to the county. Reverend Daniel Alter is a big time TV evangelist who's been caught with the ex-maid now light hooker who is later beaten up and run over by a Chevy Suburban. Bo Warren, the Semper Fi security guy in a red and white '63 Vette, works for Rev. Dan and Blazak and is on the fringe of everything selazy. Radio babe June Dauer gets it on with Joe introducing wild and romantic interests into his otherwise celibate life. Add in the Vietnamese gangbangers, accused cop killer Sammy Nguyen, his girlfriend Bernadette Lee and John Gaylen the Cobra Kings leader and Parker has a great assortment to build a story around. Joe figures out how these lives weave together and the story builds to a great conclusion. In the end we get a bitter-sweet view of Charlotte Wample, Joe's biological mother. What ever else she was, she must have had what Will Trona called "TUT", that unknown thing that makes certain women irresistable. Great characters and a great story!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Time to Hunt; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen Hunter Page; Review: Donny Fenn, an all-American boy and Marine with a Bronze Star, is coerced by the Navy snoops to spy on Eddie Crowe in the spring of '71. Eddie, a priviledged PFC in Donny's "body squad", hands out with charismatic Trig Carter and a bunch of Peaceniks with suspected ties to the Weather Underground. When Donny refuses to testify against him, the dirtball snoop sends him back to the Land of Bad Things where Bob Lee (Bob the Nailer) Swagger, lifer on his third tour, recruits him to be his spotter. They're a sniper team working out of "Dodge City", and in a great action sequence they hold off a North Vietnamese battalion that's about to overrun a stranded unit in the battle of AnLoc. Just as he makes the reader sympathetic to the anti-war side in the beginning, Hunter can also make you embrace the napalm attack that allows the Hueys to rescue Bob Lee and Donny from almost certain death. On his last day in Nam and on a mission he was not supposed to go on, Donny is killed by the Russian sniper Solaratov. Bob Lee married Donny's widow Julie in the 90s, overcame a battle with booze and now lives with Julie and their daughter on a ranch in Arizona. More than a quarter century later Solaratov comes after them there. Bob Lee finds Bonson, the Navy snoop who sent Donny back to Nam, now Deputy Director of the CIA. He presses him for the Russian connection and also figures that Trig Carter was murdered, but by whom and why? When Bob lee finally puts all the pieces together, there's some great action including a HALO into the Idaho mountains and a trek though snow in the dark to save his family. This is right up there with "Point of Impact" as one of Hunter's best. If you like audiobooks, Beau Bridges is a great Bob the Nailer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Right As Rain: A Derek Strange Novel (Derek Strange Novels); Author: George P. Pelecanos; Review: With Elmore Leonard, Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane writing blurbs on the book jacket, you know this guy can write a crime story with great characters and dialogue. It's set on the streets of D.C., different from what you see on Brokaw and Rather. Derek Strange, a retired black cop, is asked by Chris Wilson's mother to clear her son's name. He was a black off duty cop with a gun standing over a white guy when he was shot and killed by Terry Quinn, a white off duty cop. Derek and Terry become buddies. The story reels in redneck Earl Boone and his dumb son Ray (Critter), a couple of dope smugglers, a few Colombians and Cherokee Coleman, a local hoopster of some note, good point guard but not good enough for the big time, who runs the drug operation. When you cut to the chase, Terry's old partner Eugene Franklin was a bad guy and Chris Wilson was onto him. Strange figures things out, of course, there's some great action and the kind of not quite tied together ending that Pelecanos presents so well. The Metro Police don't know exactly what happened, but they have enough to give Chris Wilson the posthumous recognition he deserved. Derek and Terry go back to their separate day to day lives, but they'll be back in "Hell to Pay". I thought both stories were great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hell to Pay: A Derek Strange Novel (Derek Strange Novels); Author: George P. Pelecanos; Review: P.I. Derek strange is back with Janine and her son Lionel as well as Terry Quinn from "Right As Rain" who is helping him coach Pee Wee football and doing some investigating on the side. It opens with bad guy Garfield "Death" Potter at a pit bull fight (he's so bad he later shoots the losing dog) browbeating a guy to tell him where to find Lorenze Wilder who owes him $100. Strange appears when he meets Susan Tracy and Karen Bagley, two ex-cops now running a detective agency that finds runaways and helps hookers. Tracy and Bagley hire Quinn to track down a 14-year-old runaway who is controlled by pimp Worldwide Wilson. Terry screws up the snatch, Susan bails him out and they become a hot item in the aftermath. On a parallel story line, Potter and co. kill Lorenze and his nephew Joe on their way home from Pee Wee football practice. Lorenze's sister has been raising Joe on her own, never telling him who his father is. He's a force that will figure into the rest of the story. Though 2/3 of D.C. homicides go unsolved, ther are enough clues and enough interest to get Joe Wilder's killers. Strange gets to Potter before the cops do. At the same time Terry is going after Worldwide who beat up Stella the working girl who tipped them to the runaway. The two parallel showdowns are a stretch, but Pelecanos has a great way of letting justice be done. In the end the reader knows what happened to whom and is still left to speculate how Pelecanos expects the criminal justic system to clean things up. Enough loose ends for a sequel? I hope so! Pelecanos never disappoints.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Man with the Getaway Face: A Parker Novel (Parker Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Richard Stark Page; Review: Donald Westlake writes of Dortmunder, a bumbling petty criminal it's really hard to like. Then as Richard Stark he gives us Parker, a much more competent crook who will kill when he has to, and surprisingly or not, a much more likeable character. It was written in 1963 when the mob was "The Outfit", Exxon was still Esso and you took the ferry to Brooklyn, not the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Parker gets a new face from Dr. Adler, a plastic surgeon in Nebraska who was a pre 50s Commie, then goes back to New Jersey for an armored car heist. Skim and Elma, Skim's overbearing waitress girlfriend, set up the heist, develop an unworkable plan that Parker fixes and set up a doublecross that Parker anticipates. All would be fine except Dr. Adler has been killed, and a guy named Stubbs is sent to find the killer. The interaction between Parker and Stubbs and their search for a swindler named Wallenbaugh, now Wells, take up the rest of the story. Parker's reasons for getting to Wells and going back to Nebraska to square things come from logic only his mind could concoct, but it makes for a fun adventure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shadow Warriors (Study in Command); Author: Tom Clancy; Review: This is a brief history of the Special Forces from 1944 when the legendary Aaron Bank started a unit at the direction of Wild Bill Donovan. I was struck by the range of opinions by Amazon reviewers with military backgrounds. I suspect both extremes are valid in that: 1. Carl Stiner is a legitimate American hero, and 2. The book omits or glosses over some things he didn't want to get into. Here are a few points that peaked my interest along the way: 1. Special Forces was viewed early on as a renegade organization not fully trusted by the military establishment. Their early efforts were hampered by both inexperience and constraints in the chain of command. 2. JFK was a big early supporter. He visited the new group at Ft. Bragg in October '61 where troops wore green berets in publicly for the first time. Bill Yarborough was in charge of shaping a force that Kennedy believed would deal with warefare as it would become. 3. Stiner was a great trainer and team builder, but would he have followed the same path if he came out of West Point? He joined the Army from ROTC at Tennessee Tech in 1958, was sent to Special Forces at Bragg in '64, saw heavy action as a Major in the First Brigade in Viet Nam in '67-68 and made General in early 1980 4. Stiner and Schwarzkopf were both 4 star generals in Desert Storm with the latter, obviously, more senior in command. Stiner believes Schwarzkopf held a bias against Special Operations not uncommon among traditional military men, and one key special operation was approved only after Cheney overrode Powell's reservations about the plan. Stiner left this reader with the impression that more extensive use of Special Operations in '91 might have produced a more complete solution in Iraq. This is not in-depth history, for sure, but a very interesting and credible read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flinch; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Ferrigno Page; Review: Ferrigno writes great dialogue and shoot 'em up action scenes with the sleazy side of Southern California as backdrop. Despite a sibling rivalry that is uncomfortable in its extreme, this is a great story. Flinch is the game Jimmy Gage and his older brother Jonathan played as kids, each pushing the other to a point that would make him flinch. Jimmy creates a national sensation when he gets a box of broken eggs claiming to connect six unrelated murders and writes about it for "Slap" magazine. Soon the story is dismissed as a hoax with only Detective Jane Holt still believing there is an "Eggman killer" on the loose. Jimmy follows a rock band to Europe, gets tossed in jail for three months and finds that his girlfriend Olivia married brother Jonathan the day before he got out to return home. Jimmy believes Jonathan is the Eggman killer, and one ongoing game of high stakes Flinch runs between them throughout the book. The interlocking stories work well. Jimmy avenges the death of cop Desmond Terrill's son killed by Lee Macklin, a real bad guy who runs drugs, a nightspot and a wrestling business of sorts with Great White, the classic monster muscle guy as his bodyguard. A rival group consisting of weightlifting Spanish chick Pilar and her lackey Blaine, wrestling's Robo-Surfer, fill out the cast of weird people. There are some terrific action scenes with Great White - wait 'til you get to the one where he takes on the Chechens or his final showdown with Jimmy. The ending is, well, interesting ... enough said. A very different but very enjoyable story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mystic River; Author: Visit Amazon's Dennis Lehane Page; Review: Dennis Lehane captures the dark side of life in and around Boston and writes dialogue as well as anyone. The thread of child abuse that runs through everything I've read by him is discomforting, but he still creates a great story. This one begins with a flashback to when Jimmy, Sean and Dave were 11 years old. Two guys posing as cops hassled them for fighting and took Dave away in their car. Twenty-five years later Jimmy's daughter Kate is murdered the night before her wedding. Sean's a State Cop, and he and his partner Whitey are called to the scene. Dave, now married but probably affected by that boyhood incident, is the reader's immediate suspect. The cops banter about evidence, pieces that may or may not make sense. Dave's squarely in the picture with big holes in his story, but will they tie him to Kate's murder? Jimmy's life becomes central to the story which unfolds during Sean and Whitey's investigation. The characters really come to life, and there are many twists and turns on the path toward conclusion. Very well done!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Separation of Power (A Mitch Rapp Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Vince Flynn Page; Review: Where was Mitch Rapp when we really needed him. He saved President Robert Hayes from terrorists in a prior novel, saves Mossad operative and ex-lover Donatella Rahn from assassins in this one and then takes time out to go after a nuke Saddam is hiding under a hospital in Baghdad. If that's not enough, he comes home to squeeze Mossad chief Ben Friedman who's working behind the scenes with some bad U.S. politicians. The only weak part of the story is news babe girlfriend Anna Reilly. She can hold up Air Force One because she's habitually late, dominate a press conference with inane questions of President Hayes who likes her, then throw a hissy fit when Mitch brings a wounded Donatella back to their hotel room in Milan after a hair-raising escape from the Mossad assassins. The political backdrop is that former CIA Director Stansfield is dead, his protege Irene Kennedy will be nominated to replace him and Republican Senator Clark promises Democratic President Hayes he will support her. Publicly Clark is all smiles, but behind the scenes he uses the demagogue Representative Albert Rudin to try and torpedo the nomination. There's a lot of great action and enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. It builds to an exciting and very satisfying ending. Vince Flynn's best!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 2nd Chance; Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: What I assume is the 2nd of what will become Patterson's "Number Books" again presents a story in quick paced 2-4 page chapters you can breeze right through. Most of it is wallpaper for the story, except that every fifth chapter or so Patterson lays out a piece of the mystery or one of the key characters, and you better pay attention. A San Francisco psycho has killed a young black girl and an older black women, both related to police officers. Soon (actually, in Chapter 43) he will strike closer to home. Lindsay Boxer and her unofficial team of investigators have tied the killings to Chimera, the worst of California's prison gangs. In a Hannibal Lecter-like scene Lindsay is taken to see Chimera leader Weiscz who is "in the Pool" in Pelican Bay and comes away thinking a cop or ex-cop may be their man. Then Patterson introduces dirty ex-cop Frank Coombs, and I started paying attention to every page. Things heat up the rest of the way with great action and more than a few surprises. I thought "1st to Die" was great but liked this one better. The main players and the pace were the same, but "2nd Chance" had one less twist at the end making for a smoother finale.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hollowpoint; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Reuland Page; Review: If the left scale is the lighter side of crime fiction (Leonard, Hiaasen, Shames) and the right is darker (Lehane, TJ Parker, Pelecanos), Rob Reuland is on the right edge. It's not a lot of violence that puts him there but the bleak, decadent, self-pitying nature of his leading man, Brooklyn Asst. D.A. Andrew (Gio pronounced "Joe") Giobberti. Fourteen-year-old Kayla Harris is shot with a hollowpoint bullet, Giobberti has the case and the obvious suspect Lamar Lamb ("LL") may not be the guy. Gio is either too hardened or too ambivalent to believe in LL's innocence. His assistant Stacey Sharpe is one year out of law school, throws off some Ally McBeal mannerisms but will never shake her working class roots, and is more concerned with getting at the truth than Gio is. This book is not about the case but the characters. At 38 Gio is both a little too old for the life he lives and at the same time too young to have given up as he has. After the death of his five-year-old daughter a year earlier, Gio has been hopping in and out of bars and beds in a Brooklyn sketched in black and white. Stacey, whether it's because her father committed suicide when she was seventeen or something else, seems ready and willing to jump in the sack with whomever. Gio is a convenient if not compatible partner. When Reuland tells the story in language taken from the Brooklyn surroundings, it works well. All too often, however, he brushes in words that are too flowery for the scene or has Giobberti talk about golf or make an improbable literary reference, and it loses somethng. Two morality plays toward the end weigh heavy, particularly using Kayla's half-sister Utopia as the voice for one, waxing in a sixteen-year-old's voice of the 'hood, which just doesn't ring true. Toward the end I decided I would let my final rating ride on the last chapter which, unfortunately, I thought was overwritten and overreaching, again taking characters out of the roles they had played to deliver a message that was more than the story needed. So I gave it 3 stars not 4, but I wanted to like it more.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Diamond Dogs: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Alan Watt Page; Review: I found "Diamond Dogs" scrolling through Amazon reviews, impressed with the many thoughtful well-written raves. Sorry, I see it a little differently. The setting is well crafted. Carmen NV is a town where most parents are struggling to make a buck off of Vegas. Fathers who work the casinos by night watch their kids sports practices by day, few on their first marriages, family commitments limited by the impermanent nature of their worlds. Neil Garvin's father Chester is the heavy-drinking town sheriff whose facade of authority hides just another misfit. Neil tells the story of the boy he ran over, his inability to come to grips with what he did and how his father instinctively used his position and experience to cover it up. Telling the whole story through a 17-year-old's eyes, however, doesn't really work. Watt is terrific at capturing the frustrations of Neil's adolescence, life without the mother who left them and dealing with an unreliable father whose hold on his life is greater than he understands. But the story demands more, and Watt sees it. When he describes things of a broader, more adult perspective in Neil's voice, it takes on an artificial almost pompous tone. Chester's character flaws run too deep, even for Carmen NV. The father /son night in Las Vegas and showdown that follows set up an ending that is neither surprising nor satisfying. Watt is a talented writer, and I wish he made this a more credible story.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Stone Monkey; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeffery Deaver Page; Review: In the real world a ship ran aground off Long Island a few years ago leaving it's cargo of illegal Chinese immigrants wandering the grounds of multi-million dollar homes in the Hamptons. The next day the wags of Wall Street contended that half of them were already driving cabs in Manhattan. "The Stone Monkey" feels like Jeffrey Deaver took that picture and blew it up into his latest forensic thriller, probably laughing all the way to the bank. Along the way he expects the reader to accept that: -it makes sense to run a smuggling ship from China to NY with a total of 20-30 "piglets" (Deaver's term for the human cargo), -his villain "The Ghost" has the money, connections and mobility to easily outmaneuver the NYPD, FBI and INS, -most of the piglets were resourceful enough to escape certain death when the ship blew up (If they were that good, why were they on it to begin with?), -Rhyme and Sachs, simply by looking at nine photos of footprints from the crime scene, can figure out most of what happened to create the crisis at hand. There is one bright spot in the story, a suspicious loner among the piglets called Sonny Li. When Sonny finally meets up with Lincoln Rhyme, the story takes a sharp turn with a great new character in the game. In the end there are at least four head fakes as to who The Ghost really is and what he was up to. The interaction between Rhyme and Sachs, which I have enjoyed in prior Deaver novels, is just plain annoying in this one. Maybe if Deaver let Sonny Li rise above the supporting role he wrote for him in this story, it would have made for a more satisfying conclusion. This one didn't work.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Widow's Walk: A Spenser Novel (Spenser Mysteries); Author: Visit Amazon's Robert B. Parker Page; Review: Anytime Joe Mantegna narrates the audio version of a Robert B. Parker or Elmore Leonard novel, I'll buy it. His cliped delivery of Spenser's "I said, she said" lines and compact descriptions of the world around him brings the story to life and, perhaps, touches up many of the flaws some critics have noted. (Warning: Joe does not pronounce Louisberg, Newberry or Houghton the way a Bostonian would.) Signs of an aging relationship are gracefully woven into "Widow's Walk" with Pearl the Wonderdog nearly deaf and Susan and Spenser sparring about who will make the final visit to the vet when the time comes. Three times Spenser points out that he and Susan have been together for twenty-five years (with one timeout along the way). In the end, however, it's the same old Spenser still punching people out and spurning an array of long legged, short skirted young women who can't resist the allure of a man who by now must be twice their age. Brahmin Nathan Smith is dead, and his sexy, dumb 30-year-old wife Mary is charged with the murder. Her lawyer Rita Fiore, a sexy redhead by the way, hires Spenser to help build her defense, and he begins to pick away at the Oz-like curtain that surrounds life with the Smiths. The plot unfolds like one big game of virtual musical chairs. Every two chapters or so a fringe character is either killed off or explained away in one of Spenser's terse recaps of what has happened so far. In the end Spenser is literally chasing his villain around a parked Buick in the middle of the night in a lightning storm. Great literature it's not, but four stars to both Parker and Mantegna for making six hours in the car seem a lot shorter.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Murder of Promise; Author: Robert Andrews; Review: Andrews writes great crime fiction. The many comparisons to George Pelecanos are valid. Each has written about murders in D.C. with a pair of black / white investigators from very different backgrounds at the center of the action, and each ends those novels with an act of imperfect justice that the reader understands but the rest of the world will not know. Mary Keegan, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter for the Post who is writing a novel about two powerful fathers and their sons, is murdered. Franklin Delano Kearney and Josephus Phelps, two fifty something homicide lieutenants who have worked together twenty plus years and premiered in Andrews' prior "a murder of" novel, start shaking things up. Andrews also treats us to a realistic view of Frank and Jose's personal lives. Frank's relationship with his father Tom, a retired judge whose health is starting to fail and who's not shy about expressing his views about how Washington really works, is a subtle overlay to Mary Keegan's work in progress which is always hanging in the background. Are the murders connected? Is there a serial killer loose? A third gruesome killing that fits the pattern points to the latter, and things heat up. Two of the three victims used a smallish Internet Service Provider in Maryland run by three pretty weird guys. All of the ISP clients had access to a virtual computer game involving a hunt for the Holy Grail. Hunter Elliot a.k.a. Orion, the computer geek who helped shape the finale of "A Murder of Honor", discovers a sophisticated eavesdropping program on those two victims' computers. A lot of solid police work spiced with some high tech stuff sets up the end game. The chase scene, unfortunately, is absurd, and when the killer is finally caught, you should see one huge hole still left in the story. Damien Halligan, Mary Keegan's mysterious brother, reappears and hands Frank the missing link, and a second climax unfolds. I give it 4 stars not 5 because it's not quite as tight as "A Murder of Honor", but it's definitely worth putting on your list if you like the genre.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: City of Bones; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Connelly Page; Review: Michael Connelly may be the Jerry Seinfeld of crime fiction. He builds his stories with pieces of the nothings of everyday life. When Harry Bosch bungles the switch from call waiting, Lt. Grace Billets, who's been his boss since "Angel's Flight", finally finds out that he and Jerry Edger call her Bullets. Watch sergeant Mankiewicz tells Bosch to use his wiles as in Wile E. Coyote to move the bones case along and knows that the best donuts in his squad room come from Bob's in the Farmer's Market. Bosch fans will also appreciate how smoothly Connelly intorduces another love interest to the series while an old one remains on the scene. Teresa Corazon, a soul mate and casual sex partner of Harry way back in "The Black Ice" is now the publicity hungry Medical Examiner who takes a camera crew to document everything she investigates. She's become almost as much of a bumbling nemesis as Harvey "98" Pounds used to be. Julia Brasher, a rookie cop in her mid-thirties, former lawyer from a family of successful lawyers, is Harry's current squeeze. When the old bones of an abused young boy are found in a shallow grave, the reader should recognize from the outset that technology and good policework will enable the cops to I.D. the victim pretty quickly. The early part of the story isn't about what the investigation uncovers but rather the unintended consequences of events it sets in motion. Deputy Chief Irving is still around, always ready to deep six the truth and Harry's investigation if it will make his department look better. He's more than outlived his usefulness as the poster boy for evil bureaucrats, but where would Harry be without him to rebel against? Once the bones are identified and Harry starts to resurrect the dirty secrets of the family de la Croix, the story goes back to a Connellly whodunit - one where Harry may be the only one who really cares about the truth. The pace and path to the solution are typical Connelly, exceptionally well done. As to the ending, if you've read the jacket or another review you already know that it's different. The question is, when the old tunnel rat finally does see the light at the end, is it a door to a new beginning or the dreaded oncoming train? I'm hoping for the door out and a whole new series of Harry Bosch stories.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bird's-Eye View; Author: Visit Amazon's J. F. Freedman Page; Review: Fritz Tullis is a belligerent pot smoking lothario now pushing forty who somehow evolved out of a smart athletic golden boy with a Ph.d. from Yale. He is, or was before he was fired, a well-liked college professor who presumably has book smarts but as much common sense as Ollie the lost whooping crane, which has more depth as a character than Fritz. Freedman goes on to make his villain an evil arms dealer in diplomat's clothing and names him Roach. Is he playing with his readers, or does he think these people seem real. Fritz's amateurish investigation of the murder he saw takes him into pitfall after pitfall, almost like the old Saturday serials where the audience wants to scream, "no, don't go there." Take the visit to his college buddy Buster who's now a big time Washington lawyer. "Can I trust Buster?" Come on! In the end Freedman needs to use a bad guy with a gun standing over Fritz and his babe to explain how everything ties together. It wouldn't flow from the story any other way, and Fritz certainly wasn't going to figure it out. Like its leading man, this story is all promise and zero substance.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Murder on the Trans-Siberian Express: A Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Stuart M. Kaminsky Page; Review: I'm new to Kaminsky, so all the Russian named characters living in a different world made the early going slow. By Book II, however, I was up to speed and turned onto the pace of three overlapping plots: 1. Porfiry Rostnikov, the seasoned Moscow cop with a plastic leg, along with Sasha Tkach is on a mission on the title train in a compartment with a couple of Americans, an intriguing female agent and Pavel Cherkasov, Russia's answer to Henny Youngman. Igor (the Yak) Yaklovev is Rostnikov's Machiavellian boss. He thrives running a police department in a society that acknowledges law enforcement but has no clearly accepted laws and has his own reasons for sending them on the assignment. 2. Rostnikov's son Iosef and partner Elena are chasing Inna, a psycho whose answer to a father's lack of attention is to plunge a kitchen knife into Moscow commuters who remind her of him. 3. Emil Karpo another hardened police vet and his more mystical junior partner Zelach are looking for the missing lead singer in a skinhead rock band. The Naked Cossack, whose real name is Misha Lovski, is the son of a Rupert Murdoch like Moscow media mogul rebelling against his father's life. The investigations weave through each chapter moving toward independent but simultaneous conclusions. The drama of the chase or who did what to whom, however, is the sideshow. The real story is about how Kaminsky's characters react to what happens around them, both on and off the job. In the end it's not about justice but rather Rostnikov and the Yak manipulating each other to preserve what passes for order in their chaotic worlds. Even if you can't remember their names or identify with their lifestyles, you'll know what makes Kaminsky's characters tick and empathize with the way each plays the hand life has dealt.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Water; Author: Visit Amazon's T. Jefferson Parker Page; Review: It started slow, probably because: 1. My only other Parker experience was "Silent Joe", an excellent and very different book. 2. I just finished "City of Bones", and Harry Bosch is a more interesting homicide detective than Merci Rayburn could ever be. She just asks questions that build the story, gets answers and moves on. When Harry Bosch conducts an interview, we get a complete picture of what's happening around him picking up all kinds of nuances in the answers. We know Archie didn't kill Gwen and the idea that this simple young couple hit it big with a biomed stock makes for a shaky piece of the story's foundation. The hospital scenes are also tedious with Archie first at death's door hearing Gwen's voice from the other world then, before you know it, answering Merci's annoying questions. There's more reason to look for a huge bearded man with size sixteen shoes than to arrest Archie, but when reporter Gary Brice gets Archie on tape waving a gun at him, the sheriff decides to bring him in. Archie takes off to find Gwen's killers with her ghostly voice whispering in his ear at every critical turn. The chase reaches its bizarre conclusion, then Merci's partner Paul Zamora, Gwen's sister Pricilla and Merci's son Tim from an affair in a prior novel jump in for an almost random wrap-up on all the aspects of Merci's life. I will try Parker again, but no more Merci Rayburn stories.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Midnight Runner; Author: Visit Amazon's Jack Higgins Page; Review: Higgins' Sean Dillon novels are written to be read by Patrick Macnee. Yes, he's older than dirt and he does overdramatize the delivery, but Macnee sounds like he's truly enjoying himself, the energy in his voice usually masking his age. From his bombastic rasps of authority to the gruff whispers of discovery, he brings perfect pitch and accent to the cast of characters. Daniel Quinn, a former Special Forces NCO in Viet Nam, former US Senator and scion of a wealthy Boston Irish family, is a new Higgins action hero. Of course Quinn will hook up with Dillon whose mischief is more bizarre than ever - playing Cole Porter on the piano one minute, throwing down Bushmill's with Lady Kate the next then pulling out his Walther to shoot off the earlobe of a thug dumb enough to assault him and the Salters as they leave Harry's new restaurant. The forces of evil are lined up with Kate Rashid, Countess of Loch Dhu and the surviving head of the billionaire Anglo-Arab clan. She is bankrolling terrorists around the world and is prepared to destroy the world economy to avenge the death of her mother and three brothers in "Edge of Danger". A couple of unnecessary deaths and two all too conveniently recorded conversations set up the end game, typical Higgins action with Dillon and Billy Salter vs. Lady Kate and her cousin Rupert Dauncy, the point man in her plans for revenge. Though I did enjoy it, the series is approaching the point where Higgins should put the Brigadier (now General Ferguson) in the Daimler and drive him to an old age home dropping Dillon at an AA meeting along the way. At times it felt more like a bunch of old guys in a bar swapping war stories than the old Higgins action stories. Sean to Billy, "Saving the free world. Why does it always have to be us?" Then, "I'll have a Bushmill's." As I listened to Macnee and visualized Dillon and Quinn in their super hero roles, I had the random thought that Ron Howard should remake "Cocoon" as an action thriller.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mortal Prey; Author: Visit Amazon's John Sandford Page; Review: At the end of "Certain Prey" three years ago, Clara Rinker took a shot at Lucas Davenport, missed and called him on the phone to chat about it. You knew then there'd be a sequel, and it's as good as the first - even better. "Mortal Prey" begins in Cancun when sniper Izzy Cohen fires at Clara killing her lover Paulo Mejia and their unborn child, wounding her. Determined to settle the score, Clara takes off before Paulo's powerful family finds out she was the real target and the St. Louis mob realizes she's still alive. Her hit list includes four "businessmen" led by Nanny Dichter, pioneer of the St. Louis cocaine business, and John Ross who got Clara started as a contract killer and is still one nasty guy. The first hit comes quickly with a lot of little arrows that will point to Clara when the cops, the Feds and Ross start following them, but she'll always be a step or two ahead. The FBI is holding her younger brother Gene on a trumped up drug charge, so Clara calls Lucas to lay down the ground rules. The lively if unrealistic banter between maverick lawman and outlaw sets the tone for the chase to come. Ten pages later Sandford repeats the conversation as Davenport heard it, capturing the gut level connection between them while their two minds work at warp speed toward opposite ends. There's a steady flow of great action with Lucas and his unofficial partner ex-cop Mickey Andreno working the streets and Agents Mallard, Malone and the rest of the FBI providing high tech back up and firepower. Through page 350 the story follows a somewhat structured outline, moving from one showdown to the next. Then Sandford gives us three quick closing chapters. He provides a sufficient degree of closure to this saga but leaves enough loose ends and surviving old and new characters that I would bet on, hope for, future St. Louis based / Rinker related Prey stories. One thought for Sandford's next effort: Certain Easy Rules of the Mind in the Eyes of a Secret Chosen Mortal turn Silent in the Sudden Shadow of the Winter Night. Translated: The Prey series has been great, but don't let the 90s Lucas wear us down. Keep the stories coming, but trade in the Porsche.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Wailing Wind; Author: Visit Amazon's Tony Hillerman Page; Review: In a Hillerman novel the Navajo embody a serene kind of patience where people never interrupt, hear everything that is said and wait as long as it takes for the whole story to be told. They accept as proven facts religious teachings and traditions that outsiders might consider frivolous superstitions. Add in a Tribal Police Force that combines dedication, logic and training with these deep rooted principles, and you get a group of investigators who always get to the bottom of things, usually making task oriented modern counterparts like the FBI look pompous and ineffective along the way. Officer Bernadette Manuelito discovers a body in an abandoned pickup truck, and there's probably a connection to a five-year-old homicide and the search for a lost gold mine. Sgt. Jim Chee, whom Bernie sees as friend, potential boyfriend and arrogant boss all at the same time, wants to shield her from embarrassment when she mishandles a piece of evidence at the crime scene. Chee's old boss, the "legendary" retired Lt. Joe Leaphorn who's always hanging around when something happens, solves that problem and begins his own investigation of the interlocking mysteries. Hillerman's characters grow naturally from story to story. Watch the relationship between Bernie and Chee evolve and see how Leaphorn faces the realities of retirement but is still sharp enough to earn most of the respect he formerly commanded. As always Hillerman maintains a consistent pace throughout. His craftsmanship and George Guidall's expert reading of the audiobook comfortably bring the audience in sync with the tempo and direction of the Navajo investigators. When the puzzle finally is solved, we realize that all the pieces were on the table from the beginning. The picture that emerges, however, like the characters that put it together, incorporates subtleties we didn't expect to see. A more logical response to a wailing wind five years earlier, for example, would have prevented a tragic and unnecessary death, and we never will know what the old shaman James Peshlakai said, did or did not do. This is my fourth Hillerman novel. While I've enjoyed them all, I would call "The Wailing Wind" the most satisfying.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Phantom of Manhattan; Author: Visit Amazon's Frederick Forsyth Page; Review: Forsyth, supposedly with Andrew Lloyd-Webber's collaboration, imagines what would have happened if the Phantom of the Opera escaped to New York in the late 1800s becomming rich and powerful. A deathbed letter from Antoinette Giry, the woman who sprung a sixteen-year-old Erik Mullheim from a freak show and sheltered him in the Paris Opera House, reveals that he sired a son in his one night with Christine Daae, now one of two top divas in Europe. Christine comes to New York in 1906 to open the new Manhattan Opera House secretly bankrolled by Erik. Fast forward to 1940 when a reporter who became part of the story in 1906 is now telling a Columbia Journalism School class what happened and how it ended setting up a corny but well delivered finale. Note the sharp contrast between the handful of Amazon reviews of the audio version vs. the close to 100 reviews that panned the book. The use of a dozen professional narrators, many once well known actors, adds considerable energy to the different segments of the story and made the audiobook work. When I saw it on a [stores] discount table, I had no idea what I was buying. It definitely was worth the shot.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sunset in St. Tropez (Danielle Steel); Author: Visit Amazon's Danielle Steel Page; Review: "Sunset" is a pre-senior rite of passage written with a pre-teen sophistication. The language is fuzzy was he (he was, she was, it was dominating the sentence structure) and the narrative plodding with scenes being continually rehashed as every character has to hear about just about everything that happens. Very sober problems of death, infidelity, illness and life's other crises and surprises are crammed into a two-week trip to France. In the audiobook it took three tapes to get to the guts of the story where two catty wives totally misjudge widower Robert's movie star guest. He, a sophisticted 63-year-old judge by day, is of course way too naive to see what's going on around him. It's not the worst 2002 summer novel, "The Beach House" and "The Mighty Johns" make it look good, but hardly worth the time or money.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Mighty Johns: A Novella by David Baldacci and Other Stories by Superstar Authors; Author: Visit Amazon's David Baldacci Page; Review: This must be the summer of the spaced out best selling author. First there was "The Beach House", James Patterson's preposterous tale of vigilante justice against a super rich sleaze-ball. Then we get Baldacci's even more absurd story about brainy college jock Tor North looking in a maze of tunnels beneath the college stadium for a legendary running back who disappeared 40 years before. The premise, the investigtion and particularly the conclusion are ..., sorry I'm lost for the adjective that expresses the inanity of this story. Two follow on short stories, one a morality play about a murder and a soccer game that took place at the outset of WWI and the second by Brad Meltzer that draws on the classic MIT pranks at Harvard-Yale games, were actually pretty good. WARNING! The unabridged audiobook captures every word of Baldacci's ridiculous novella but omits the stories by the likes of Lehane and Lupica that I gather were part of the book. Don't expect them if you try the audio version.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sunset in St. Tropez; Author: Danielle Steel; Review: "Sunset" is a pre-senior rite of passage written with a pre-teen sophistication. The language is fuzzy was he (he was, she was, it was dominating the sentence structure) and the narrative plodding with scenes being continually rehashed as every character has to hear about just about everything that happens. Very sober problems of death, infidelity, illness and life's other crises and surprises are crammed into a two-week trip to France. In the audiobook it took three tapes to get to the guts of the story where two catty wives totally misjudge widower Robert's movie star guest. He, a sophisticted 63-year-old judge by day, is of course way too naive to see what's going on around him. It's not the worst 2002 summer novel, "The Beach House" and "The Mighty Johns" make it look good, but hardly worth the time or money.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bitterroot; Author: Visit Amazon's James Lee Burke Page; Review: Burke's eye sees details few of us would ever notice, and he finds words that will make you feel that you're looking at a photograph of what he just saw. His characters come to life shaped by descriptions that are both sharp and flowing and always on the mark. I still like the Dave Robicheaux stories better (not wild about Billy Bob Holland in "Heartwood"), but "Bitterroot" proves that Burke can build a winner around either character. Burke develops more than a dozen characters well enough for his audience to feel what each is about. While the characters themselves seem real, their collective baggage and violent tendencies do take the story down a peg. Think about how the following characters might interact in a story, then discover how Burke weaves their lives together when they converge in the Bitterroot Valley: Billy Bob Holland, lawyer from Deaf Smith, Texas now in Montana to help his friend Doc Voss. Billy Bob frequently talks with the ghost of L.Q. Navarro, the partner he accidentally killed when they were both Texas Rangers, L.Q.'s voice often warning him of peril ahead. Son Lucas and investigator Temple Carroll from prior novels show up about halfway through this one. Doc Voss, a quiet, brainy boy from Deaf Smith who was a Navy Seal in Nam and is now a single father in Montana with strong environmentalist beliefs. Lamar Ellison, an ex-con scum of the earth biker who's working undercover for the ATF. Wyatt Dixon, a psycho rodeo clown just out of prison who's not afraid of anything. Terry Witherspoon, a kid from NC who's great with a knife, was Wyatt's punk in prison and is still under his spell. Carl Hinkle, a white supremacist who supports and manipulates Ellison, Dixon and the like. Some ATF and FBI types looking for a group behind Oklahoma City whom they will nail at any cost. Sue Lynn Big Medicine, the Indian girl with a dark past who is being squeezed by the ATF on an overblown robbery charge. Cleo Lonnigan, cold hearted sharpshooting widow of an investment guy who was working with the mob and got their son killed. Nicki Molinari, the Arizona mob guy with a branch in Montana who loves baseball and peppers his victims with balls from his pitching machine rather than break their legs with a bat. Xavier Girard the big time author writing a book about Nicki and his actress wife Holly who grew up with Nicki and is still openly intimate with him. Finally Sheriff J.T. Cain, who is often hostile to Billy Bob and Doc but may be the only other fair-minded man in the Valley. Net, net - I love the way Burke writes and the characters he creates, but there's just a little too much evil and depravity in the plot to give it 5 stars.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Some Buried Caesar; Author: Visit Amazon's Rex Stout Page; Review: I'm not sure I'd tale the time to sit down to read Stout's old classics, but Michael Prichard's audiobook narration captures both Archie Goodwin and his rotund boss in a way that makes a long summer car trip seem a lot shorter. Tom Pratt, who owns a bunch of fast food restaurants circa 1938, buys Hickory Caesar Grindon, a champion sire of prized Guernsey cows, for $45,000. The Osgoods, Fred and his children Clyde and Nancy, old money riding out the Great Depression on thousands of family owned acres around Crowfield, NY, want to stop the sale to Pratt who intends to barbecue Caesar. Pratt's niece Carolyn tells Archie of a vamp named Lily Rowan, who destroyed Clyde Osgood and has her brother Jimmy in mind for her next conquest. Lily, a precocious presumably promiscuous fixture in future stories, is fascinated by Archie, her "Escamillo" whom she is meeting for the first time. Clyde is found dead in the pasture with Hickory Caesar standing over him. Wolfe's only there because Archie ran his car into a ditch on the way to an orchid exposition, but he decides to stay on to prove the bull didn't kill Clyde. He finds a letter telling of a debt owed to Bronson, a mysterious man of questionable character who came to Crowfield with Clyde. The next day Bronson is found dead in a barn stall with a pitchfork through his chest, a stall Archie was in the day before. Police Captain Barrow believes Archie is holding out, which he is, arrests him as a material witness to murder and throws him in the county jail. A fun sidebar develops when Archie meets Basil, a con man who's mastered a game with three spoons and a pea. Basil shows Archie how to get things done in the lockup, and within a day Archie is organizing the inmates in the Crowfield County Prisoner's Union. Wolfe appears in DA Waddell's office in his "customary unhurried waddle" and browbeats him to release Archie with the notion that he needs him to solve the crimes the DA and Capt. Barrow cannot. They do, of course, and the solution seems so obvious once Wolfe ties together all the facts he saw that others missed. Isn't that what Nero Wolfe is all about?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Rabbit; Author: Visit Amazon's Tom Clancy Page; Review: My rule of thumb is to buy the audio version of any of the recent genre of Clancy novel, abridged if it's more than 500 pages. The typos and most of the technobabble get edited out, and there's usually a good story underneath. This one gets a passing grade, barely. We all remember the Pope was shot in the early 80s, recovered, and knew that Bulgarians were involved, maybe with the support of the Russians. Clancy takes those facts and elaborates freely on them with most of his old storytelling grace. Who knows, maybe most of it is true! In the end there are a few things to beware of: -the audiobook editor cuts out a lot of noise, but seems in love with the phrase "get out of Dodge" which appears at least four times, once by train; -the narrator does a lousy job with accents and has virtually no tonal changes, so it's kind of bland following the dialogue and almost painful listening to the Russian characters; -Tom's political and religious views come through loud and clear with Soviet life all bad and the American way all good, but you've gotta love Jack Ryan anyway; -the ending is like walking out a door, trying to go back because you forgot something the finding it was locked and bolted as soon as you shut it. It was no "Hunt for Red October" but one of many lesser ships that seems to have thrived in its wake.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bud, Sweat, And Tees: Hootie, Martha, and the Masters of the Universe; Author: Visit Amazon's Alan Shipnuck Page; Review: If this story had been a successful novel, the sequel might be about Rich Beem holding off Tiger Woods to win the 2002 PGA. Ironically, that scenario, one a novelist would have to stretch to create, provide the catalyst that's got everyone buing this book. Be glad it happened and join the crowd! The true story of Beem and Caddie Steve Duplantis is better than any sports novel I've ever read. I particularly enjoyed the 36 page chapter in the middle of the book describing Beem's rookie win in the '99 Kemper Open and the role Duplantis played on the final day. Shipnuck makes you feel the same butteflies and tension Rich must have felt, Pepto Bismol or no. Both pro and caddie are immature, insecure and more compulsive than dedicated. When you hear about the influence Beem's father had on him then hear his Dad whine about the ingratitude and shortcomings of his son, you will certainly understand some of the baggage Rich carries and respect his accomplishments if not the road he took to get there. It's not surprising that John Daly befriended Beem in his rookie year and will be interesting to see how similar or different their careers turn out to be.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fatal Voyage (Temperance Brennan Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Kathy Reichs Page; Review: Billed as a forensic investigator like Kay Scarpetta, Temperance Brennan is more like a Lisa Scottoline attorney running her own naive and amateurish investigations, being stifled unfairly at every turn before the ultimate "Eureka!!" A plane goes down over the North Carolina Smokey Mountains killing 80 or more, most of whom are young college students. After the preliminary forensic stuff, the reader is led to ponder three possibilities: -a bomb by people trying to take out a mob witness on the plane; -a switch by the mobster and his guard whose bodies have not been found; -a missile fired by a religious fanatic or some right wing groups that populate the hills. Tempe also discovers a bone that doesn't appear to be from a crash victim and some heavy-duty people are trying to discredit her and throw her off the case. Many convenient plot setters are pretty lame, like Tempe dropping in on Peter from whom she's been separated two years, getting it on with him then agreeing to dog sit the mutt he's taken in. The mutt turns out to be a bone sniffing champ. And the way Reichs abandons the original plot to get to the ultimate one is almost offensive, but I must admit she held my attention trying to figure out where she would ultimately take the story. In the end, however, it was a let down. So much more could have been done to run down the cult Tempe uncovered, but instead Reichs created an absurd capture and escape sequence to provide the climax. Too bad, it started out better than that.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mission Compromised; Author: Visit Amazon's Oliver L North Page; Review: Ten days before the Iran Contra scandal broke in late 1986, an investment banker in Paris, a businessman in Portugal and a priest in Poland are all assassinated in professional hits made to look like accidents. Each worked for and ex-CIA guy named Goode. Eight years later, fourteen months after the disaster in Mogadishu, Marine Maj. Peter Newman is made Special Projects Officer for the White House National Security Council, a job vacant since Oliver North was forced to resign it. The turbo arrogant NSC head, nicknamed Java the Hut, tells Peter his assignment will be to avenge the deaths in Somalia, one of which was Peter's younger brother. To this point I thought this was shaping up to be an exciting, credible action thriller. Wrong! -The plot premise is off the wall with the UN sanctioning an international assassination team to take out the elite of international terrorists, the US providing leaders for the team and allowing them to report to an ex KGB heavyweight who now happens to be the #2 guy at the UN. -North self-servingly writes himself into the story as hero and role model for Peter who remids us how unfair it was that Ollie took the rap for a critical assignment he had orders to carry out. -The thread of one dimensional religious conviction from all the good characters who surround Peter is insulting. Even the Iraqi who helps Peter get out after his mission goes bad is a sixth generation Christian with a message from God that brought him to the rescue. -The bad guys are as powerful and as sinister as you can imagine, way over the top. When Peter's mission to take out Saddam and Osama is compromised, some pretty good action and intrigue follows. When North uses the story as a platform to deliver his religious and moral message, it fails.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: From a Buick 8; Author: Visit Amazon's Stephen King Page; Review: Stephen King is a great storyteller. When he creates a character like Ned Wilcox, you can feel the depth of pain and emotion in a teenager trying to cope with the sudden loss of his father. Then he uses the same extraordinary writing talent to present us with a 1954 Buick Roadmaster that's not a car but a machine from another dimension. You know it can't be real, but when the three state cops from Troop D start to dissect the bat-like think that comes out of the Buick's trunk, your stomach muscles will tighten as if it was actually happening. King also evokes great memories for a child of the 50s. A dog named Mister Dillon, the old sarge named Shoendienst, Arkey the big Swede who sounds just like Lawrence Welk and the Buick 8 itself take you right back to the Eisenhower era even though the story starts in 1979. When Brian the low life torments his arresting officer with an insult from their high school days, the chant of "Fat Eddie Jack You Boys" will stick in your head for days. In contrast to "Hearts in Atlantis", however, the Buick 8 isn't quite as interesting as the 50s non-cars that came for Ted Brautigan. This story spends a lot more time on the car than the lives of those affected by it, slowing it down a bit in the middle. When Sandy Dearborn, "the new sarge", is sitting in an old diner, looking at the countertop jukebox selector and listening to obscure rock 'n roll tunes like Johnny Ace's "Pledging My Love", he tells us that "life in Statler PA bears Christly little resemblance to the Hallmark Hall of Fame." Right, but did we need the supernatural Buick parked in Shed B for twenty-two years to reach that conclusion? Probably not, but King still makes you glad you came along for the ride.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shrink Rap; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert B. Parker Page; Review: I sat across the table from my alter ego, pen in hand ready to write a review of "Shrink Rap". "I'm afraid Parker's losing it," I said. "Don't you like Sunny Randall?" he said. "Sunny's great," I said. "Then what?" he said. "His books are all the same," I said. Plot, pace, dialogue - just plug in Spenser, Jesse Stone or Sunny, add a dog and a murder or two." "Richie's a great character," he said. "Yeah, and so are Susan and Hawk," I said. "He's the two of them rolled together. You know, the steadying love interest from a different background and the 'I'll take care of it, just don't ask how' guy all in one." "I think the gay friend Spike is more like Hawk," he said. "Wait a minute. Isn't Spike the dog and Milo the gay friend?" I said. "Different writer. He comes out next month," he said. "Oh yeah," I said. "All in all I guess "Shrink Rap" was a pretty good story."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: December 6: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Martin Cruz Smith Page; Review: The story is set in Tokyo on December 6, 1941. Harry Niles owns the Happy Paris saloon in the Asakusa district, a nightless city where sheltered libidos roam unfettered. Harry learned to adapt early in life growing up as the gaifin son of American missionaries in post WWI Japan. In flashbacks we see how much Harry will take and improvise to avoid submitting when his boyhood "friends" make him the target of their samurai games. The same friends are in his life on December 6th": Hajimai, a soldier about to ship out and Gen, an aide to Admiral Yamomoto who recognizes and uses the talents of Harry the businessman. They are hooked up with Col. Ishigami, a sadistic veteran of the rape of Nanking who is particularly good at beheading people with his saber. While trying to wrap things up over the weekend and make the Monday morning clipper flight to Hong Kong, Harry will confirm his suspicions that Pearl Harbor is to be attacked. Again through flashbacks we learn how powerbrokers on both sides of the coming conflict know Harry and why he knows things they would like to know. His relationship with Michiko, the part Communist part geisha "Record Girl" who tends the Happy Paris jukebox, and efforts to stay out from under Ishigami's sword are part of a pace that keeps you excited and surprised by what happens next. The ending is jst plain phenomenal. Smith puts his hero in a box he'll never get out of. Then ... I'll say no more except that you'll want to experience the finale for yourself. P.S. Smith has created his best ever character in Harry Niles, and John Slattery (narrator of the audiobook) captures Harry's personality perfectly with a comfortable, believable delivery of the con man's lines combined with unobtrusive yet distinct voices and accents that set Harry apart from the rest of the cast. I hope there's a movie and Slattery gets the part.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Who's Sorry Now: The True Story of a Stand-up Guy; Author: Visit Amazon's Joe Pantoliano Page; Review: I was lured by the bait of his Ralphie persona, the Imus interview and a good excerpt on Amazon, but the life of an insecure little fat kid is not charming. Mommy was a gangster's daughter who browbeat her poor husband and was ready to cheat anyone including her young son. Some of the "Cousin" Florie stories were ok, like hijacking the Seagram's truck from the Hoboken ferry, but a book? Fuggedaboutit!; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Wild Pitch; Author: Visit Amazon's Mike Lupica Page; Review: "Wild Pitch" is definitely Lupica's best sports novel. It starts a little slowly, but when Showtime Charlie Stoddard the 40-year-old comeback kid finally gets his start with the Red Sox, the story kicks into high gear. A whole array of colorful characters project Lupica's view of the game and those around it. Mo Jiggy, the gangsta rapper from "Bump and Run" who became a big time agent in "Full Court Press", is back for a cameo. The main voice of irreverence, however belongs to Pooty Shaw, the hard hitting catcher whose baseball millions have attracted an endless string of beautiful girlfriends with attitude. We also get to meet Booker Impala Washington, the limo driver who's really the brains behind the new Red Sox owner. The main story revolves around Charlie and his inscrutable trainer Chang, which will remind you a lot of Kevin Costner and Cheech Marin in "Tin Cup". As it builds to a close, you will realize that there's not enough time for a real sappy storybook ending. Lupica finds the perfect touch to wrap it up. There are a few bumps along the way. Lupica seems to insert a brand name on every other page giving you the feeling that you're watching those rotating ads in the ballpark, spinning at warp speed. There's a little too much baseball trivia, like three solid pages on the history of the left field wall at Fenway. The references to Elaine's and T.J. Tucker's make it read like a Dan Jenkins knock off at times, and the word games around the Grace MacKenzie character - Amazing Grace, goodnight Gracie, Grace under pressure - are a little too cutsie. All in though, it was a five star read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Murder Book (Alex Delaware); Author: Visit Amazon's Jonathan Kellerman Page; Review: A book of old crime scene photos is delivered to Dr. Alex Delaware. He shows it to his good friend Milo Sturgis who freaks when he sees page 43, photos from an unsolved homicide he worked as a rookie. Flashbacks to Milo's early life: grew up in Gary, masters from Indiana U., stint as a medic in Nam, discovers his homosewuality and struggles as an LAPD rookie. He becomes a savvy, tenacious cop who knows when something is out of whack and digs to find out why, but he'll always live outside of the in crowd enduring their subtle slurs. Kellerman is at his best when he finds the words that reflect Milo's perceptive eye and hardened attitude as he describes the array of characters he's up against. As a rookie cop Milo was partnered with Pierce Schwinn, a hard-core reprobate but solid detective. When the mutilated body of Janie Ingalls was discovered twenty years before, Milo started probing into a kids party at a mansion in Bel Air and got hauled in by two arrogant IAD guys, one of whom was John G. Broussard now the despised Chief of Police. Pierce abruptly retired, Milo was transferred to West LA and the Ingalls case was never pursued. Alex and Milo pursue the cold case, and the plot gets more than a little convoluted. It's a real stretch to find so many people who have perfect recall of twenty-year-old events when confronted by Milo and/or Alex. At one point Milo tails a guy who hassled him earlier and discovers its Craig Bosc, a fast track LAPD detective who now works for Chief Broussard. Their confrontation literally made me think I was listening to a Harry Bosch story for a while. While you know the two different paths Milo and Alex are following will ultimately converge, the way they connect is beyond plausibility. Ironically, their efforts to solve the Ingalls case uncovers or precipitates a dozen or more deaths, none of which are investigated as homicides. Despite a few "turn off your brain" plot twists, "The Murder Book" was fast paced, well written and superbly delivered by audiobook reader John Rubenstein.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Way to Treat a First Lady; Author: Visit Amazon's Christopher Buckley Page; Review: Despite dumping her fiancee for a Georgetown hunk who wanted to be President, riding roughshod on the White House staff, occasionally throwing things at her philandering husband and harboring serious political ambitions of her own, Elizabeth Tyler MacMann is a delightful, likeable character. So is her former fiancee and big-time lawyer Boyce "Shameless" Baylor who is defending her of charges she "assassinated" her husband with a Paul Revere spittoon. The other stereotypical defense guru Alan Crudman and assorted thinly veiled media-type characters are right-on. Yes, reality is off the table, so don't get hung up on the conduct of the trial, Beth's sudden decision to testify, the subsequent reversal of fortunes and the fact that both sides are continually calling on the testimony of the other side's witnesses. Enjoy how Buckley uses this preposterous backdrop to weave in a laugh out loud sequence of events lampooning just about everything inside the Beltway. In desperation "Shameless" pulls out all stops to get his client now lover off, and Felicio the Peruvian terrorist and Wiley P. Sinclair a widely despised Chinese spy on the run come in to set the stage for the finale. Logical? No way, but a whale of a lot of fun.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mary, Mary; Author: Visit Amazon's James Patterson Page; Review: Sgt. Ellis Cooper is sentenced to death for the brutal murders of three women at Ft. Bragg. We know up front that three middle aged psychopaths, Army Rangers trained as assassins in Viet Nam, were the killers, but why? John Sampson calls on his lifelong friend Dr. Alex Cross to try and prove Cooper's innocence with only three weeks to go to the execution. There's more than enough reason for objective observers to suspect a frame-up, but the authorities and military close ranks around the verdict. Patterson accomplishes a lot in a short time. With staccato-like chapters he keeps the suspense moving perfectly and still has time for Alex to develop a passionate cross country romance, for Sampson to fall for the widow of a convicted victim and to deal with the domestic crises of Nana Momma and Damon. By Book III we suspect there's some serious evil behind the killers, but still not a clue as to who and why. At one point I started to think the plot was maybe a little too gruesome, repetitive and unrealistic. Then Patterson throws in two death row prisoners who have not been executed - Tran Van Lo a Vietnamese veteran of action in the An Lao Valley and Kyle Craig, an FBI agent turned murderer whom Alex nailed in a previous novel. They figure to be part of the finale, but how? Find out in Book V which is as suspenseful as anything Patterson has ever done.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? : How I Turned Around IBM; Author: Louis Gerstner; Review: Not only can Lou Gerstner run a business, he also writes a credible, well-crafted account of what he did. Despite many ex-IBM reviewers who despise him and a certain amount of ego that has to show through in a book like this, it feels like Lou had the analytic skills, strategic vision and ability to execute that made him the right guy at the right time for a very tough job. That said, he lost some credibility with me in his chapter on "The System". Lou shows his distaste for government regulation then proposes an income tax revision that would tax away short term profits, a classic example of suggesting the system be micro managed with narrowly based regulation at a time when simplification and true reform are vital. And in case you didn't pick up his contempt for investment bankers earlier, this is the chapter where he really lets them have it. Ironically just after the book came out he signed on as the part-time Chairman of the Carlyle Group. Which leads to the strongest impression the book left on me: Lou's true success will be measured by history that still has to be written. Mr. Gerstner will now sit on top of a company that lives off of a military-industrial behemoth that's bigger than ever forty plus years after Ike warned us of it. If he can do big things to make that system work for the greater good, he'll be a hero of the 21st Century. If, however, he is just renting out his Rolodex, "Elephants" could turn out to be another on the long list entitled, "buy the book, short the author."; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: PREY.; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael. Crichton Page; Review: It's 2009 and Jack Forman, software whiz at Media Tronics, is fired the day after he tells his lawyer about the corruption at the company. Pretty much blackballed in Silicon Valley, Jack functions as a stay at home dad while his wife Julia pursues a high-powered career in venture capital working on the Xymos deal. Xymos bills itself as the world leader in molecular manufacturing and is marketing its ability to create nanoparticles that can be injected into the bloodstream and project images of everything they pass through in the human body. This is all in the first twenty-two pages. For the next hunderd pages or so the story bogs down, weaving together the tension in Jack and Julia's marriage with a lot of scientific backdrop for the climax to come. Then the action shifts to the Xymos plant in the Nevada desert where the nanoparticles are being produced. Jack is brought out to fix some software that Media Tronics created for Xymos and discovers that the nanoparticles have taken on a life of their own. From here on you can just imagine the special effects in the movie that will ultimately be made. Jack goes from one impossible situation to the next in his effort to save the world from the evils of a scientific miracle gone awry. Enjoy the action for what it is, but don't get too hung up on Crichton's message that advances in computer and biotechnology may converge to precipitate the end of the world.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: When the Women Come Out to Dance: Stories; Author: Visit Amazon's Elmore Leonard Page; Review: Though tired plot thread weave through most of the nine stories (e.g. avenging abusive men, dumb redneck badguys and showdowns complete with deadlines to get out of town), the combination of familiar old characters cast in new settings and a few brand new heroes cut from similar cloth makes a great package. A hilarious prequel to 'Tishomingo Blues' shows how Chickasaw Charlie Hoke got Billy Darwin to hire him as a greeter and side show for his new casino. Raylan Givens the cowboy marshal from 'Pronto' is back now going after a bunch of neo Nazi skinheads including Boyd, an old high school buddy who worked in the Harlan County coal mines with him years before. Raylan is as tough as Wyatt Earp's legend and as cool as Chili Palmer. With a sexy lady named Ava in the middle Boyd tells Raylan he'll do to him what Raylan did to the Italian mob guy at the end of 'Pronto'. Of course, Raylan's still standing at the end. Karen Sisco's back and better than ever. An arrogant FBI guy tells her the new boyfriend Carl she just got it on with has been robbing banks. She doesn't want to believe it, but when Karen finds out what's going on Carl doesn't stand a chance. George Clooney can play Carl in the movie, but this Karen is way too cool for J Lo. A black Spanish American War veteran named Bo Catlett is getting guff from a bigoted redneck whose brother was killed in the war. I missed the connection to the character of the same name in 'Get Shorty', though there has to be one. After a few historical corrections as to how good the RoughRiders really were, it builds to a showdown where Bo points his saber at the redneck inviting him to go for his gun. On top of all this Leonard saves the best for last with the story of Ben Webster, fourth generation of family that owns an Oklahoma ranch. Ben is an ex rodeo cowboy now Hollywood stuntman back in Oklahoma to check on things. His senile caretaker leased part of the property to a life long criminal white trash father and his two sons. It sets up one final showdown with the Leonard hero, his new love interest and the dumber than dirt badguys. Ther's nothing new about a Leonard bad guy going off a balcony or a stuntman diving off a roof into the hotel pool, but it still adds life to the story and evokes memories of prior Dutch classics. I hope there's more of Ben Webster in Leonard's future. One word of caution about the audiobook: Taye Diggs is absolutely the worst in a long line who have read Elmore Leonard books. He actually makes Chickasaw Charlie and Karen Sisco sound like black street dudes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hornet Flight; Author: Visit Amazon's Ken Follett Page; Review: I've forgotten more about 'Eye of the Needle' than I remember, but that thriller built around Die Nedel and Lucy Rose the lonely wife on Storm Island towers above Follett's current tale that centers on an island radar station in occupied Denmark. 'Hornet Flight' features eighteen-year-old Harald Olufsen, his Jewish friend Tick, Tick's adventurous twin sister Karen and Harald's brother Arnie a grounded Danish pilot engaged to Hermia Mount. Hermia is a British MI 6 analyst working with Digby Hoare, Churchill's assistant whose brother was shot down by the Luftwaffe. Whatever of whoever Frea is, it's the key to the Germans' uncanny anticipation of RAF assaults. Every member of the cast will have a role in unraveling the mystery with Peter Flemming, a detestable duty-conscious Danish policeman obsessed with pleasing the Nazi authorities, single minded in his determination to expose them all as spies. Parts of the story are based on fact, and I do believe in the tremendous courage that very ordinary people must have shown when faced with Nazi occupation and sycophantic sympathizers. In his effort to depict that, however, Follett creates a story that feels like an old movie serial leaving the audience hanging as the heroes face insurmountable obstacles at the end of every segment. The escape scene in the Hornet Moth is laugh out loud ludicrous. Then whiz kid Harald instantly figures out what the best British scientific and military minds never considered. Enough! When one part World War II adventure story and one part tale of unsung heroes get wrapped together in a series of comic book action scenes, even Follett's mastery with words can't save the day.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind; Author: Visit Amazon's Chuck Barris Page; Review: A guy creative enough to make the Dating Game and the Gong Show work and have six contorversial game shows going on the networks at once could certainly dream up the exciting second life of a CIA contract assassin. As he traveled the world in his Hollywood role, maybe he even looked for mysterious deaths that happened where he was and wrote his story into the world around him. Has anybody checked the dates and events he chronicles? The book actually demonstrates part of why his TV shows worked. Without the story of his secret life as an assassin, it would have been deadly boring. Add something totally outrageous to the mix, and it not only holds your attention but provides a contrast to his Hollywood life that actually makes the story interesting. The self-effacing account of his prolonged fifteen minutes as a TV sensation, which is probably on the mark, contrasted with his portrayal of a contract killer with a KGB contract on his head, makes for an entertaining, off the wall story. It's also interesting that it took twenty years to get Barris's story on film. A lot of it, like his high profile assignment in Paris, escape from the KGB and debriefing scene with Jim Byrd on a bench in Central Park, read like a screenplay. We'll see how it plays out when the movie is released.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Arraignment (Paul Madriani Novels); Author: Visit Amazon's Steve Martini Page; Review: Paul Madriani's old buddy Nick Rush, a criminal lawyer who cleans up client messes at a prestigious San Diego law firm, asks him to talk with Gerald Metz a questionable character involved in something in Mexico. Paul tells Nick he wants no part of Metz then Nick and Metz are gunned down on the steps of the San Diego courthouse. They were there to appear at Metz's arraignment, the book's only connection to its title. A hottie named Dana was Nick's trophy wife, but his firm's $2 million key man policy still has first wife Maggie's name on it. A little legal maneuvering, supported by power broker Adam Tolt who has all kinds of devious motives for Paul to succeed, and Madriani negotiates a payoff where everyone comes out ahead. Now the quest to find out what Nick was really up to begins in earnest. To this point the plot was unfolding at a great pace and the dialogue crisp. Tolt was pulling all kinds of strings and Madriani was scoring points despite the master manipulator. But then the setting moves south of the border, and the story goes south as well. Soon we have Madriani dodging magazines of automatic fire from an ultra light plane then tricking the pilot into an extraordinary mishap. Herman a 300lb black bodyguard is also on hand for some super human feats, and a trail of bodies strings from California to Cancun. The author gives you enough to suspect who the real bad guys are and ties all his extraneous characters into the finale, but the web that holds them is a real stretch and doesn't flow from the plot. Good, but not your best Martini.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Scavenger Hunt: A novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Ferrigno Page; Review: Jimmy Gage is back from 'Flinch' still digging up dirt for SLAP magazine. His boss Nino Napitano, a high powered guy who thrives on life at the fringes of propriety, stages a high profile scavenger hunt where the winning team must return with a major Oscar. Jimmy, his hustling computer geek friend Rollo and the Monelli twins meet the challenge after connecting with Garrett Walsh, a flash in the pan director who won two Oscars seven years before. Walsh now lives in a trailer, just out of prison after serving out his plea bargain deal for the rape / murder of fifteen-year-old Heather Grimm. A more subtle connection to the title emerges as Ferrigno writes the rest of the story. In his quest to find out what really happened to Garrett Walsh, Jimmy seems to be on a scavenger hunt of his own finding an array of fascinating bit part players, most only in the picture for one chapter. Characters like: the Monelli twins: bimbos with brains, maybe; the Butcher: a one-on-one basketball maniac; Cheri: an aspiring actress who defines the outer limits of self-absorbion; Trunk: an ex-vice cop dying of cancer who is perfectly out of place on a posh golf course; the man in a wheelchair and Serena the maid whose lives center around a flea bag motel. Just as he is a master at providing a pigeon's eye view of the undercarriage of life in Southern California, Ferrigno also creates tension that will jolt his reader to a new level of awareness. Wait until you read the last three words of Chapter 19. Though I hated the ending, I love the way Ferrigno writes and still give 'Scavenger Hunt' a solid five stars. Everything else more than made up for it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mortal Allies; Author: Visit Amazon's Brian Haig Page; Review: Katherine Carlson, a turbo charged attorney whose crusade is defending gays in the military, asks for her old law school rival JAG Major Sean Drummond as co-counsel on a high profile case that threatens the US alliance with South Korea. Captain Thomas Whitehall, a seemingly straight arrow officer, was found in bed with the corpse of his young lover, the South Korean Defense Minister's son. Whitehall is charged with rape and murder, and anti-American protests rock the Korean Peninsula. As in 'Secret Sanction', Sean and his no nonsense investigator Imelda Peppercorn must work through a wall of brass obstacles to get at the truth. This task is complicated by the belligerent and manipulative ways of lead counsel Katherine but helped by the CIA station chief who's actually a good guy, a rarity in this type of novel. The Koreans have been running something a lot like Nelson DeMille's 'Charm School', and a local police chief is one of its graduates. Sean gets beaten up and shot at a few too many times, but he comes up with the clues that the CIA need to conclude that the kid's murder was part of a North Korean plot to change the balance of power in the world. The set up is tedious and the plot incredulous, but the action and final showdown make up for it. John Rubinstein, a superb narrator of action adventure stories, really brings Sean Drummond to life and is a big part of what makes the audiobook version work. I'm ready to move on to 'Kingmaker'.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sons of Fortune (Archer, Jeffrey); Author: Visit Amazon's Jeffrey Archer Page; Review: Imagine a ridiculous separated at birth beginning, a bunch of coincidental stuff between preppies at Hotchkiss and Taft, young men totally out of place as youth in the late sixties and more anachronisms than any nitpicker could possibly count. Now you can skip the first 200 pages. After Taft Nick Cartwright, the birth parents' son, goes to UConn, becomes a hero in Viet Nam then a successful currency trader. Fletcher Davenport, the silver spoon parents' son, goes to Yale, Yale Law and a big time NY law firm. The story does generate a modicum of interest when both young men start families, hit some bumps in the road and find their second careers. Nat becomes COO of a struggling bank owned by a family friend. Fletcher follows in his father-in-law's footsteps to the Connecticut State Senate. All the while Ralph Elliot, a totally despicable character who has connived to succeed at the expense of both Nat and Fletcher since prep school days, lurks in the background. Now a new plot twist as ridiculous as separated at birth: Nat and Fletcher run against each other for governor. This leads to a violent death, an improbable legal alliance and a ridiculous Perry Mason moment in a Connecticut Courtroom. One more climactic incident triggers the inevitable search of birth records and DNA tests. When the thrilling conclusion centers around a recount of the hand ballots in Madison CT, 10,000 registered voters average age 63, you get a pretty good idea how lame this story was.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fat Ollie's Book: A Novel of the 87th Precinct; Author: Visit Amazon's Ed McBain Page; Review: There's nothing likeable about Fat Ollie Weeks. Hilarious, yes, but not likeable. His eye and ear for the world around him produce well-crafted observations from those of your everyday equal opportunity bigot to his very special contempt for female crime writers and Amazon reviewers. From police work to eating to casual conversation, Fat Ollie doesn't have a clue what a misfit he is. Ollie has written a 36-page novel, complete with repetitious dialogue and grammatical redundancies. The book's hero, actually heroine, is Olivia Wesley Watts a svelte, attractive redheaded detective who becomes trapped in a basement while on the trail of a gang trafficking in conflict diamonds. Ollie pursues Emilio (Emmy) Herrera, an addicted transvestite prostitute who stole his prized manuscript. At the same time Emmy is looking for Olivia, convinced she is real and the key to the biggest payday of his miserable life. As multiple investigations unfold and McBain's fiction intersects with Ollie's, McBain decides to show us Fat Ollie's sensitive side. Even though he prefers blondes and can't understand his attraction to a Puerto Rican, Ollie asks the sexy young Officer Patricia Gomez to go dancing. Officer Gomez thinks Ollie eats to compensate for other pain in his life. Incredibly, she seems to enjoy his company. Fear not, Ollie has not lost his lecherous weakness for blondes, which will come back to bite him in a predictable but funny scene in a bar that Emmy is known to frequent. All in all, "Fat Ollie's Book" is a very funny story - good, not great. It gets an extra star from me because of Ron McLarty, narrator of the audiobook. When McLarty is Fat Ollie, he sounds just as crass as you imagine the character to be. When he's Detective Oliver Wendell Weeks reading his debut novel, McLarty projects the author's misplaced confidence in his nonsensical work in a perfect grade school monotone.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Kingmaker; Author: Visit Amazon's Brian Haig Page; Review: Brigadier General Thomas Morrison is not only arrogant and "pathologically ambitious", he cheats on his wife Mary who is today's version of Grace Kelly. Mary was also Sean Drummond's college lover and has a high level CIA job. So when her jerk of a husband is accused of spying for the Russians, all evidence points to his guilt and Mary wants Drummond to defend him, it may not make sense but you know sparks will fly. Drummond needs a Russian speaking co-counsel and finds Katrina Mazorski, the 29-year-old daughter of Chechen and Russian parents who is smart, stunning and still into body piercing. Katrina and ex-sergeant Imelda Pepperfield, Sean's regular investigator, team up to provide the appropriate balance to Sean's incessant wiseguy banter. Mary's father Homer Steele and political operator Milton Martin are both early candidates for Daddy Warbucks. Martin is depicted as an Assistant Secretary of State in the years when Clinton was President but roomed with the future President as an undergraduate at Yale when George W. was there. Go figure. When General Jerk worked for Martin, he cultivated Alexi Arbatov, the #2 man in Russia's SIA, as a US resource. Sean goes to Russia to chat with Arbatov and the action begins. Sean and Katrina survive three professional assassination attempts, one where Sean takes out a knife-wielding killer with his Bic pen, which he calmly wipes off and puts back in his pocket. Despite these ridiculous made for the movie scenes, Haig lets his readers poonder various ways the story might play out keeping good guys and bad jumbled together right to the end. When the "Kingmaker" is ultimately found out, however, he decides to explain all to Sean in a sequence that's even more unrealistic than the action scenes. In the final climax Sean gets beaten up a few more times, of course, but this time Haig actually comes up with a plot line that will shut his hero's smart mouth up for a while. Sean Drummond is a great character and this is the third time Haig has build an entertaining action story around him. The ending, however, was a little weak. As every powerful and Machiavellian faction, good and bad, scrambles to cover its tracks, there's no reasonable way Sean Drummond should ever survive or resurface - except, of course, to be around for the 4th installment of Haig's series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rough Draft; Author: Visit Amazon's James W. Hall Page; Review: To suggest that Hall's 'Rough Draft' is in a class with Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen is like comparing Mickey Mouse to Ernest Hemingway. None of the characters seem real, and a few would be better suited to a science fiction story. Hal the antisocial homicidal maniac with almost supernatural powers to blend in and kill with his bare hands and Stevie the 11-year-old genius who can manipulate the FBI's computer system have no roots in reality. To please an egomaniacal senator whose daughter Hal killed, super ambitious FBI agent Helen Shane sets up an elaborate scam to trap Hal using heroine Hannah Keller as bait. The detestable Shane misses obvious opportunities to nail Hal while Hannah unrealistically gets sucked into the plan endangering her fragile son Randall along the way. Agent Frank Sheffield, torn between Shane's directives and his feelings for Hannah, has enough backbone to challenge Helen and the senator but will straight out lie to Hannah when she starts to figure things out. On top of an incredulous plot, Hall also builds in awkward gimmicks like the fact that Hannah's name and Frank's kayak are palindromes, which ties to the coded messages that Hannah's been getting. When the character named Misty hijacked the boat named Margaritaville, it seemed an apt metaphor for the lack of symmetry to this story.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Dante Club: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Matthew Pearl Page; Review: The city of Boston is shocked and its police force stumped by the murder of two prominent citizens in 1865. Through forensic analysis and knowledge he shares with Henry Wadwsorth Longfellow and James Russell Lowell, two of the few Americans who have read Dante, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes realizes the victims died in the macabre manner of sinners in "Inferno". Incredibly, Matthew Pearl has crafted a novel that brings Dante to life along with three men who today are portraits hung on Harvard's walls and names on its buildings. In 1865 Holmes, Longfellow and Lowell were prominent members of the Harvard community at odds with Augustus Manning, the omnipotent head of the Harvard Corporation. As Pearl launches the three scholars on a mission to solve the bizarre chain of murders, their conversations portray a formality appropriate to the times and their stature, yet their manner and actions are more believable than what you'll read in a lot of modern crime fiction. Pearl also uses his fiction to provide a quick primer on Dante's life and works. You might want to read his introduction to Longfellow's translation of "Inferno" (it's in the excerpt that appears on Amazon.com) to discover how Longfellow became preoccupied with Dante in the early 1860s. There really was a Dante Club, a group of friends who gathered at Longfellow's house most Wednesdays to read and critique a canto or two. On top of this historical and literary backdrop, Pearl builds an intriguing plot that takes the scholars and his readers through all strata of post Civil War Boston and Cambridge. The end result is an exceptionally well-crafted mystery accompanied by an interesting peek into the lives of Dante, Longfellow and the academic elite of the late 19th century - an ambitious first novel that lives up to its promise.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unknown Man #89; Author: Visit Amazon's Elmore Leonard Page; Review: Written in the '70s, "Unknown Man" established a template that has endured into the new century: super cool male lead, troubled but likeable damsel in distress and a couple of black guys with baggage. Jack Ryan, Detroit process server with a street smart, easy going manner that lets him rise above the ugliness of his business, is a character from whom Rayland Givens and Chili Palmer will naturally evolve. Jay Wilt, one of Jack's sleazier clients, hires him to find Robert Leary, Jr. with a last known Detroit address from 1941. Robert is not at all what the early description suggests, and Jack is not the only one looking for him. A hardened street dude named Virgil took the rap for a robbery he and "Bobby" committed, and he's determined to het his money or get even. Along the way Jack finds Lee, a hopelessly drunk bar fly. Jack is a recovering alcoholic who has slipped more than once. When he reaches out to pull Lee out of the gutter, the darkness and reality of what they both are going through contrast with the otherwise too cool to be true plot, but it doesn't weigh the story down. Lee cleans up just fine becoming Denise. Jack is saving her, falling for her and either hiding her from or finding her for the man from New Orleans who wants to share Robert Leary's lost inheritance with her. The story builds to a climax of unusual alliances, great street action and an Elmore Leonard good guy facing off with a bad guy who might be just as cool under pressure. You won't guess the ending, you don't need to - but if you're an Elmore Leonard fan, you won't be surprised by it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Vanished Man (A Lincoln Rhyme novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Jeffery Deaver Page; Review: Misdirection is a fundamental part of all of Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme stories. Through forensic wizardry Rhyme and Sachs brilliantly zero in on the right line of investigation, pursue it, then inevitably get hit with a plot twist from left field. So to build an entire story around a homicidal illusionist whose talents of misdirection are a central theme of the story kind of puts Deaver's plotting techniques out in the open for the reader to see. It also enables him to weave a more complex web of head fakes and suspense filled surprises. Though the acts of the Conjurer, his escapes, characters who come back from the dead and things you think happened that didn't are all totally outrageous, Rhyme is up against a criminal from whom we would expect no less. The combination makes "The Vanished Man" work.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hunt for Bin Laden: Task Force Dagger; Author: Visit Amazon's Robin Moore Page; Review: Stand up and salute Lt. Col. Dave Miller who made the case that a small Special Ops force could move fast and decisively in Afghanistan, Col. John Mulholland who organized and ran Task Force Dagger and a couple of hundred superbly trained, dedicated fighting men who accomplished what armies before them could not. They are the real heroes of this story. Moore's book describes America's quick, decisive response to 9/11, but it raises at least four points that are deeply disturbing eighteen months later: 1. How much is the military establishment's discomfort with Special Operations costing us in the War on Terrorism? Clearly, the plan that succeeded in Afghanistan did not come through the mainstream chain of command. True, Moore does not give General Tommy Franks an opportunity to counter the barrage of shots he takes at him, but when Franks took an active role in Operation Anaconda, we heard assessments quite different from the "unqualified and absolute success" Franks claimed it to be. With hundreds of thousands of our troops poised to liberate Iraq, I sincerely hope the value of Special Operations has been fully thought through and integrated into our country's current plan. 2. In Afghanistan in the fall of '01 Irani and Pakistani support for al-Qaida was more obvious and more immediate than that of Iraq. The ISI seemed to open Pakistan's borders to get its al-Qaida and Taliban partisans home. Iran swooped into Herat to offer arms and support for the new Afghans in charge. Are we still working effectively to lay the foundation of a structure that will deal with the axis of evil that is still there, or are we moving on too soon? When a Green Beret security detail saved Hamid Karzai from assassination and the new commanding general ordered them to shave their beards and get back in uniform because the looked sloppy on CNN, you wonder if we've got the right follow-up plan in place. 3. I won't go into the details of the uprising at Qala-i-Jangi and the murder of "Mike" Spann except to say that it's a story much more horrible than the one you remember from news clips. 4. If Moore is even close about the way wounded veterans of Dagger and Anaconda and the families of servicemen killed are being treated, our country should be ashamed. I'm surprised that there has been no public outcry about the injustices sighted in pages 319-22. Reviews of the book and comments picked up on the talk shows are like nobody has read that part. America raised billions for the victims of the 9/11 attacks. Is that spirit now dead? Moore has written an inspiring, emotional account of our first battle in the War on Terrorism. I only hope that eighteen months from now I'll be reviewing an author's equally inspiring account of success in the phase we seem about to enter in that War.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Derailed; Author: Visit Amazon's James Siegel Page; Review: 'Derailed' starts with a high school teacher from Bennington, Vt. who spends two nights a week teaching English to inmates at Attica offering some poignant insights into the insensitivity and realities of our criminal justice system. Soon he is reading a story submitted by an inmate that starts with a flirtation on a commuter train and progresses to the complete collapse of ad man Charles Schine's life. The jump from Attica to the LIRR makes no sense, even less so when the narrator tells us that it is his story. The linear progression of Charles' story, the brutality of it and his spineless stupidity made me uncomfortable, to the point where I put 'Derailed' down in disgust more than once. I confess to picking it up again to see when Charles was going to snap out of it and how the teacher in Attica, the ad man from Long Island and the criminal characters in what started as a prisoner's writings were all going to tie together. Very weakly, it turns out. As he does with the character of Charles, Siegel successfully forced me to look at things I really didn't want to see. That earns him a few stars for writing technique, but he loses them with the end result. It really is a ridiculous story.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Back Story (Spenser Mystery); Author: Visit Amazon's Robert B. Parker Page; Review: It's always a pleasure to hear Joe Mantegna read what Robert B. Parker writes. His flat delivery of the "I said, he said" dialogue along with distinctive accents and inflections for Spenser's supporting cast produce an almost melodic presentation. Spenser and friends continue to age gracefully, projecting the wisdom and perspective of those not too far from cashing their first Social Security checks. True, their libidos are at least a decade younger than they are, and when it comes to dealing with the bad guys, of course Spenser and Hawk are still in their prime. There's no neo political correctness either. Ethnic stereotypes are fair game when describing any character, and Parker has a gift for crafting observations that are irreverent, but fair and in no way offensive. The story unfolds with great dialogue and pace as we become reacquainted with Martin Quirk and Vinnie Morris and meet Nathan Epstein, the savvy Special Agent in Charge of the Boston FBI office. Pearl the wonderdog who was showing sighns of age in "Widow's Walk" is gone. No rehash of how, just a side trip to Toronto to pick up the new Pearl. Hanging around with Parker's core characters is so much fun that it's actually disruptive when he sends Spenser off to solve a twenty eight-year-old murder. Daryl Silver the stunning actress friend of Paul Giacomin who starts Spenser on this quest is little more than a mannequin. I wish Parker would give his damsels in distress a little more substance a la Elmore Leonard. Mob boss Sonny Karnofsky is now pushing eighty. He has lived in the same North Shore mansion for more than forty years, so it's a bit of a stretch that nobody knows he has a daughter in her 50s who lives a couple of towns away, the wife of his ex-bodyguard Ziggy. But that plot line does create an opportunity for Spenser and Hawk to meet Jesse Stone. The two leading men from different Parker stories turn out to be surprisingly compatible. Don't even try to figure out why Parker chooses "Taft" University and Harvard Stadium for the book's two shootouts. As to how a bunch of pot smoking college drop outs from the sixties, a couple of ex-cons and the FBI all fit together in the cover up of and old murder - well let's just say the ending is the weakest part of the story. But I think you'll enjoy the pictures Parker paints of Spenser's Boston, dialogue that seldom contains a superfluous word and an old action hero who really is getting better with age.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ties That Bind (Amanda Jaffe); Author: Visit Amazon's Phillip Margolin Page; Review: Phillip Margolin is a master of bizarre plot twists and surprise endings, so I suppose it's a little unfair to criticize him for it. But when Jeffrey Deaver put Lincoln Rhyme up against a master illusionist throughout "The Vanished Man", it brought legitimacy to all the twists and turns he built into the story. When Margolin suddenly introduces a magician working for the FBI to explain an elaborate scam no one could see coming, it comes off like a gimmick that springs the final surprise. On his web site Margolin says he wanted to write a book about a district attorney with a dark secret in his past, but that dark secret is nothing compared to the everyday doings of the plot. Splitting the stage between assistand DA Tim Kerrigan and attorney Amanda Jaffe, who brings her entourage from "Wild Justice", didn't work that well. The tie that binds them, the plight of a pimp and pusher to the rich and powerful, just doesn't ring true. Despite the jumbled characters who weren't particularly well developed and a conspiracy of powerful old men who are evil to the core, ther is some pretty good action and suspense as the story builds to a finale. Here's the acid test: When you are about halfway through "Ties That Bind", ask yourself: Who will kill whom with an ax? Who will get away with murder? Who will assist the murderer in hiding that secret? When you know the answers, ask yourself - did that make any sense?; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: AcuRite 00850A2 5-Inch Capacity Easy-Read Magnifying Rain Gauge; Brand: AcuRite; Review: Works accurately; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flowtron BK-80D 80-Watt Electronic Insect Killer, 1-1/2 Acre Coverage; Brand: Flowtron; Review: Working really great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Above Edge Pestblast 2 In 1 Ultimate Mosquito Killer & Pest Control Energy Efficient Led Bulb, Lures, Zaps; Brand: Above Edge; Review: Doesn't really work good; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Taylor 2 For 1 Sprinkler And Rain Gauge 7-3/4" H X 1-1/8" Base Black; Brand: Taylor; Review: Works great and easy to read; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ortho 12-Ounce Orthene Fire Ant Killer - Treats up to 162 Mounds; Brand: Ortho; Review: Have used it for years and really works; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed - Perennial Ryegrass Mix, 3-Pound (Not Sold in Louisiana); Brand: Scotts; Review: Didn't come up; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Patio_Lawn_and_Garden |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: CLARKS Women's, Mission Halle Ankle Boots; Brand: ; Review: The boot is very comfortable but I'm having a hard time loving it. I really wanted to love it, but the color is definitely not brown. It has a very metallic gold tone. Also it is more of an ankle bootie, I thought it might be a tad taller. Great fit, very comfy, just not my style. I purchased a size 7.5 and it ran true to size.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: FRYE Women's Parker D Ring Short Boot; Brand: ; Review: These boots are gorgeous & the color amazing. I've looked for a long time for a shorter boot or bootie that wasn't so clunky looking. These make my legs look longer & lean, I'm 5'3. Looks great with leggings /jeans. I'm a size 7.5 and they're pretty tight in the toes especially my outer toe. I'm actually ordering an 8 to see if they fit better. The 7.5 only fit with thin socks.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: FRYE Women's Patty Tall Riding Boot; Brand: ; Review: Beautiful boot - zips up wonderfully, the heel doesn't fee too tall for me. Will look very sleek with skirts or jeans. Zipped up fine over jean leggings. I am a size 7.5 and ordered a 7.5 and they feel fine. I ordered another Frye boot style in a 7.5 and they were too tight. So the sizing was not the same among both boots. Got such an amazing price I had to buy them even though it's springtime. Can't wait to wear them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Genuine Girls' Twill Short (More Styles Available); Brand: Genuine; Review: My daughter will grow into these for a while with the adjustable waist. Not too short, not too long. They'll work for a few years for school. The little buttoned coin pocket looks very feminine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: City Threads Girls' Leggings in 100% Cotton School Uniform Play - Made in USA!; Brand: City Threads; Review: Purchased for school uniform for my preschooler. Comfy pants, color has stayed a nice navy. Will purchase another pair for the next school year.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ray-Ban Mens Carbon Fibre Sunglasses (RB8313 58) Metal,Steel; Brand: ; Review: I had tried on these glasses at another store and really liked them. Found what I thought was the same glasses on Amazon. The ones I received seemed to be of less quality - they felt very flimsy and not as heavy as ones I found in person. I am not sure if I received authentic Ray Ban glasses. I returned them.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Genuine Girls' Twill Short (More Styles Available); Brand: Genuine; Review: My daughter will grow into these for a while with the adjustable waist. Not too short, not too long. They'll work for a few years for school. The little buttoned coin pocket looks very feminine.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ta-eam Big Girls' Love It Legging; Brand: Ta-eam; Review: The pants fit my 1.5 yr old, who should not be near a 2T size. Also when she walks the bottom slowly slides down and the pants won't stay up. I think they are too short in the rise.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Izod Little Girls' Short Sleeve Polo with Peter Pan Collar; Brand: ; Review: I love the shirt, very feminine, a nice change from the polo collar shirts. The fit seemed a bit small/snug, and after washing did shrink slightly. I would purchase the next size up next time, to ensure it can be worn for longer. Purchased for school uniforms for my preschool aged daughter.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alternative Women's Yarn Dye Flannel Wrap Cardigan; Brand: ; Review: The fabric is very soft, size was just too small.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Olive & Oak Women's Plaid Shirt; Brand: Olive & Oak; Review: Super cute top, very flattering. I ordered a small, typically am a small in Banana Republic and small to xsmall in Loft sizes. Doesn't wrinkle, pockets lay flat. It's not too long or too short to wear with a legging jean. Update : unfortunately the fabric is starting to pill and I haven't worn this but maybe 10 times or less. I still love it, but hoped it would stay looking nicer longer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lucky Women's Yoniana; Brand: ; Review: I purchased these booties from another online retailer, only because Amazon didn't carry the color I wanted (brindle, a gray/tan color). After reviewing the comments on Amazon, I decided to get an 8, instead of my normal 7.5. Good call, the 8's fit perfectly. The shoes are extremely comfortable. They are very stylish and cute. No zippers or anything that sometimes rub your ankle. The wedge is a great height and helps give you some oomph when you're short like me (5'3).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lucky Women's Yoniana; Brand: ; Review: I purchased these booties from another online retailer, only because Amazon didn't carry the color I wanted (brindle, a gray/tan color). After reviewing the comments on Amazon, I decided to get an 8, instead of my normal 7.5. Good call, the 8's fit perfectly. The shoes are extremely comfortable. They are very stylish and cute. No zippers or anything that sometimes rub your ankle. The wedge is a great height and helps give you some oomph when you're short like me (5'3).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: FRYE Women's Veronica Slouch Boot; Brand: ; Review: I love love love these boots. I get compliments every time I wear them. The color is very unique and I was trilled to purchase these at an amazing price (thank you Amazon!) at the start of the summer. Put them aside and waited for fall to arrive. My normal size is a 7.5, which is what I purchased. The fit is fine, although they would be too snug if I wore thicker socks. If you do like thick socks with your boots, get a half size larger. They did not need any 'breaking in', comfy right out of the box. They also stay up really well - they don't get all scrunched down which I was worried about. Other Frye boots I purchased with a taller heel and narrower toe area - I did have to size up to an 8 just for normal wear. This style has a larger toe area so the sizing up wasn't necessarily needed for me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: FRYE Women's Veronica Slouch Boot; Brand: ; Review: I love love love these boots. I get compliments every time I wear them. The color is very unique and I was trilled to purchase these at an amazing price (thank you Amazon!) at the start of the summer. Put them aside and waited for fall to arrive. My normal size is a 7.5, which is what I purchased. The fit is fine, although they would be too snug if I wore thicker socks. If you do like thick socks with your boots, get a half size larger. They did not need any 'breaking in', comfy right out of the box. They also stay up really well - they don't get all scrunched down which I was worried about. Other Frye boots I purchased with a taller heel and narrower toe area - I did have to size up to an 8 just for normal wear. This style has a larger toe area so the sizing up wasn't necessarily needed for me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Leo & Nicole Ladies' Lace Top; Brand: Leo & Nicole; Review: Very cute top, I also purchased it in ivory as well. Sizing was a tad large, but nothing to complain about. Looks great with casual jeans and work outfits.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: dav Women's Bristol Ombre Rain Boot; Brand: dav; Review: First off definitely size up. I'm normally a 7.5 and purchased the 8. They fit fine, but if I wore thicker socks, it'd be snug. Was concerned a 9 would be huge. The black /forest green is gorgeous. They look fairly dark but once in better light the green really shows nicely. I walk to work in rainy Portland and have been tired of soaking wet shoes! The boots are warm & comfy, keep me dry and my pants dry too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kanu Surf Girls' Summer Dream One Piece Swimsuit; Brand: ; Review: Love the print, but sizing is way off. My 7 year old is normally a 7/8. Based on reviews I purchased a 10 and it's too small. Tight at armpits & shoulders. Returning for a larger size. Too bad it's so difficult to estimate the correct sizing.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: ECO-FUSED Bling Floral Interior Leather Case Cover for Samsung Galaxy i9300 S3 with inner Flora print / One Lanyard; Brand: Eco-Fused; Review: It is a very nice case. I ordered it to use on my vacation. It was perfect for to carrying my phone, credit card, room keycard and ID. It even has a place to put cash. I love it so much that I am ordering several different colors for myself and also will be getting a couple for my sister. Getting the 2 sizes of stylus pens was a bonus along with the screen protectors and cleaning cloth. Great deal for the price.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eco-Fused Faux Leather Wallet Case Bundle for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 including - PU Leather Case with Floral Interior; Brand: Eco-Fused; Review: Very nice case. I bought it to use while on vacation. I didn't want to carry a purse around in the casino, this held my cell, room keycard, ID and extra cash. I just bought another one in another color. ECO-FUSED is a great company. I received an e-mail (thru Amazon) from the company asking if I was happy with the case. I have ordered a number of products from this company and I feel that besides a quality product, they want the customer to be happy with their products.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ZAGG InvisibleShield Original Screen Protector for Samsung Galaxy S5; Brand: ZAGG; Review: This was the easiest screen protector I've ever applied. I like that the film covering the protector is tinted. You can see when it is lined up on the phone. Got it on the first try. So far it seems to do the job. Definitely recommend!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spigen Slim Armor CS Galaxy S5 Case with Slim Dual Layer Wallet Design and Card Slot Holder for Samsung Galaxy; Brand: Spigen; Review: It is a great case. I am an EMT, and have to have my certs & ID with me. They fit nicely. After a few months of using the case, I had some trouble with the back cover sticking & being difficult to open. A small amount of graphite worked wonders. I have dropped my phone several times & there was no damage to the phone. Highly recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: [3 Pack] EZOPower 6ft / 2M Extra Long Micro USB Sync and Charging Data Cable for Android Smartphone, Samsung,; Brand: EZOPower; Review: I had to get replacement cables because my cat chewed the one that came with my tablet. These are the 2nd set. The first set did not hold up well. They wouldn't stay connected. I have been using these cables for a couple of weeks now. They are holding up. They fit perfectly in my tablet and don't wiggle. The company even emailed me through Amazon to make sure I was happy with my purchase. Highly recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Cell_Phones_and_Accessories |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Magick of Chant-O-Matics; Author: Visit Amazon's Raymond Buckland Page; Review: I came across this book about 14 or 15 years ago when I was in college and dabbling in Paganism and general occult type stuff. I found it in a used bookstore bargain shelf and thought "Why Not?" Well, this book WORKS!! Talk about a shock! I remember doing a spell to bring money (I was in college and totally broke as usual in those days!). 3 days after I did the spell, I received a completely unexpected check in the mail from the government for a mistake on my tax return for $50. The odd thing is that I was in a sublet for the summer, so how did they get my correct address? The book is simple to use and I feel like it just helps to direct your personal power and energy into a deep concentration to help you focus and manifest your desires. Whenever I do a chant, after a little while I can feel myself getting goosebumps, like the air around me is moving. It may be my energy drawing together. Who knows? But with such a funny little name for the book, who would expect that it could help so much?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hanson-Roberts Tarot Companion; Author: Visit Amazon's Susan Hansson Page; Review: I've worked with the Hanson-Roberts Tarot deck for 15 years almost exclusively and am always buying tarot books to get different views and ideas on the subject and to further my reading skils. I was excited about this book as it is the companion to my deck, but it was just ok. It is very standard, with the card meanings(about the same as the rider-waite deck), general layouts, and a nice section about the artist. I think it's worth having if you own the deck, but don't expect any great insight with this book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set); Author: Visit Amazon's Rhonda Byrne Page; Review: The movie is great to get you excited and hyped up, but the CD set is the instruction manual that helps you to understand exactly how to apply the secret. This has changed my life and my husband's life! We discovered The Secret in January and I loved the DVD, but it wasn't until I came across the CD set and listened all the way through that I truely understood how to Ask, Believe and Receive through the Law Of Attraction. I am so happy and my life has really changed into a wonderful adventure. Parking spaces are always there, the trafic lights are always green, people are so nuce everywhere, and my business is doing better than I ever thought possible when I started it 3 years ago! I am so excited about every day now that I understand that I create my life completely and that I CAN have everything I want, and I AM the accumulation of everything I have thought about so far up until now. When I really started thinking about the LOA, and thinking back on my entire life, picking out events and tracing my thoughts at that time, or around that time, I am realizing that I have always been using the LOA, I just never realized it. Everything from the small car accident I was in several years ago (I was brooding about wanting more attention RIGHT THEN from my then current boyfriend as he hadn't invited me to an event he was attending that evening and I turned into a parking lot just as an SUV came around the corner and I hit them. No one was hurt, but guess who had to come pick me up and spend time with ME?), to thinking about wanting to move to Vermont and buying a house (a year later and against all odds, we moved to Vermont and bought a house!). It all applies! Now that I understand what was happening in my life, I am so happy to realize that I can and AM directing my thoughts and actions in completely positive ways to achieve everything I want. Buy this, you won't regret it! At the very least, how can it hurt to feel happy and excited about your life, even if you don't see immediate changes? I don't think positive thinking ever hurt anyone!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quantum Success: The Astounding Science of Wealth and Happiness; Author: Visit Amazon's Sandra Anne Taylor Page; Review: I don't know how to aptly express how grateful I am that I found this book and how much it has changed my life. I found "The Secret" last December and started working with the LOA principles as best I could understand them, and have made many huge changes in my life (like moving across the country!), all for the positive. However, Sandra's book is "The Secret" times 1000! This book is so much deeper than any of the LOA or positive thinking books, DVD's, and audio tapes I have used over this past year. She uses a combo of positive thinking, self-realization, and the Law of Attraction as well as other laws to create a complete life thinking overhaul. Today, I am happy, peaceful, and thrilled to be alive and able to express my creativity on this earth! A year ago I could never have imagined that it was possible to feel this way, I had no idea what peace or lasting joy felt like! Now I am able to take each day and live it fully. No worries about the future swimming around in my head constantly, and no "problems" in my life any longer, just challenges that help me grow! I know it sounds a bit corney, really I do!, but yet it is still true. If you are ready to change the way you think and the way you feel every moment of the day, get this book! You will not be sorry for the $10 investment! I had to buy additional copies for my family and friends, and I hope they get the same value out of it that I have. Thank you Sandra for changing my life!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oneness; Author: Visit Amazon's Rasha Page; Review: When I spotted this book at Barnes & Noble and took a glance through it out of curiosity, I didn't expect THAT to be a life changing moment! But it was. The book looked interesting, and having read the Seth books and the Hicks books as well as the Sanaya Romane books, I decided to order this on Amazon, though I thought it would be more information about the same as the other books (all of which are very good, by the way!). When I started reading this book, I was struck by the personal way in which it was written. It spoke directly to me, it described stages of my life I had been through and am going through. I almost expected to see my name inserted among the pages, it spoke so directly to me! But as I was reading this book, everything in life began to make sense to me. It was like I was standing above myself and looking down at my life with detachment and objectivity. I could start to see how all of life fits together. It's all energy. Something started to click for me. I had wondered how shamans claim that they go to underworlds and experience levels of reality the rest of us cannot fathom, and yet others are reiki Masters and move energy through them for healing purposes, and yet others still practice wicca and with ritual bring about the changes in their lives that they desire, etc. How could all these people be right about what they do? How could all these things exist at once and each of these methods work to bring about change? Well, it's because it's all movement of energy and desire. With driven intent anything can be brought about into manifestation. Ahhh ha! Now I get it! If you liked "The Secret", well then this is the next level. It's about more than the Law of Attraction. It's about changing the world by changing the way you think, the way you feel, and the way you react to situations as they pop up in your life. My highest recommendation to you is to read this book. It speaks with clarity and a deep rooted truth you can feel in your entire being as you read the words written. It will change the way you see your life and the world around you. It's simply the most amazing book I have ever had the honor to read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secret Mini Tarot; Author: Visit Amazon's Lo Scarabeo Page; Review: This little deck is OK. I wish it were a bit bigger, about the size of a regular deck of cards. The biggest downside to purchasing the small deck over the large deck is that the colors in the large deck are much more saturated and rich, and the small deck looks faded in comparison. The pictures are original, creative, and beautiful while still allowing the reader to easily understand what the essence of the card is about, so this is a good deck for beginners or experienced readers.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dream Images and Symbols: A Dictionary (Creative Breakthroughs Books); Author: Visit Amazon's Kevin J. Todeschi Page; Review: This is the best dream dictionary I have found. I have about 25 books on dreams and this is the book I refer back to again and again when looking for a meaning that I am having trouble finding on my own. This book is different because Kevin deals with the spiritual side of dreaming instead of the simple literal side. As an example, instead of the color Blue meaning something like "You will have a loss in love" or something silly like this, the color blue in his book has a more spiritual side, and may mean the soul, higher spiritual calling, and the 5th (throat) chakra in the human body. I'm calling this up from memory here, so don't quote me exactly! Anyway, what I have found in my case is that his meanings more closely reflect my personal meanings when I am working with my dreams. At this point, I rarely use any of the dream books anymore, but when I am really stumped, this is the book I turn to. This book was recommended to me by my Jungian dream analyst, and I have found both her book recommendations and her knowledge invaluable in my quest to know myself fully.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Convoluted Universe Book One; Author: Visit Amazon's Dolores Cannon Page; Review: This is one of my favorite books, and it is still my favorite Convoluted Universe book of the three by Dolores. This book really does have it all. I came across Dolores's work last year when I was hunting for some information on parallel lives and parallel universes. That information is in here along with almost anything else you can think of to have questions about! I recently trained with Dolores in her Hypnosis class, and I can verify that the information she is getting is the real thing. She regressed a student in the class and when she contacted the higher self (subconscious), it was absolutely amazing! I have been practicing and am getting the same results. Anyway, I label this book as a must read because it is so diverse in the information it covers, and even if you have read many, many metaphysical or spiritual books, this one will still twist your mind in new directions! I think this type of information should be required reading for all people. It would help eliminate much of the judgment and prejudice people seem to be unable to stop themselves from feeling towards other races and religions that they consider different from theirs. We have been everything. We have been everywhere, and the journey is just beginning!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Nature of Personal Reality: A Seth Book; Author: Visit Amazon's Jane Roberts Page; Review: I really can't express in words just how amazing this book is. I first read this book about 15 years ago at the age of 21 and at the time I thought it was an amazing book then, though in reading it again 15 years later, I feel like I am now really able to fully grasp the concepts and the amazing implications of life and consciousness as we know it. What shocks and amazes me the most about the Seth books is that there is not a single thing in the books I have read by Seth that I can say "That's a bunch of Bull", and trust me, I'm looking! I am really, truly a reader. I read every night, and I have hundreds if not thousands of books. I read everything from Metaphysical to fiction to biographies, self help, history, etc. There are so many "new age" books out there that are completely full of garbage. People grasping at concepts or pushing their own views on readers, and they leave a bad taste in my mouth. Then there are the only think positive or the world will end new age books, and again they are not helpful, practical, or even possible to follow! But these books are different. If everyone on earth read and understood this book, then we'd be living in a whole different world! A world of peace, love, and able to allow every single person to fully live their lives without judgment or trying to change who they are. I just don't know how to aptly describe this book, and I apologize if I'm not doing it justice with my write-up! It has completely changed my view of myself, my life, my family and loved ones, and my world and how I operate in it. All the concepts in the book that I have worked with really prove that everything in this book is true. If you are searching for the real meaning of life on earth in this physical body, why we are here, what it all means, how to change your life to be what you want it to be, then it's all here. that and so much more. I'm reading my way through every Seth book out there, and so far I've read The Seth Material, Seth Speaks, and The Nature of Personal Reality. I read a couple others 15 years ago, but now I'm reading through in the order they were written and it's so interesting to see the way in which the material builds on itself. It grows and expands, kind of like we do as we grow and change over the years. Anyway, in my opinion this book is the most essential Seth book out there and should be required reading for everyone. If you want to understand your life, your world, and change your life into exactly the life you have dreamed of, get this book, it's the best book ever written hands down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Make Every Man Want You: How to Be So Irresistible You'll Barely Keep from Dating Yourself!; Author: Visit Amazon's Marie Forleo Page; Review: This book was quite a surprise. I didn't know what to make of it at first as I was expecting something different, but I soon picked up a highlighter, and almost every page in this book now has a highlight somewhere! The book is well written and straight to the point. It's no nonsense, no games, just straight truth about how to make yourself a better, more positive, more desirable person. She also hits the nail on the head when talking about undesirable traits that women display, and we all do now and again! This book is a quick read, but do read it- then re-read it! Sometimes we're all looking for the quick fix, or the little tip that will send his head spinning around as we walk by, but the truth is that being confident, happy and well adjusted makes us more attractive than any lipstick or cute skirt ever could.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beyond Positive Thinking: a No-nonsense; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Anthony Page; Review: I originally downloaded the CD copy of this book, read by Joe Vitale. After listening to the 8+ hour collection of CD's 4 times, I hunted down this book. It is amazing. I first discovered the power of positive thinking with the movie the Secret, like so many other people. But that movie is so much of an overview that it's hard to really utilize the idea effectively. This book goes into the reasons and emotions associated with positive thinking, goal setting,and taking action. It is so much more in depth and easy to use than anything else I have found. All I can say is that it is well worth the small investment! This is one book that you will keep and reread and mark up!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hormone Diet, The: A 3-Step Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Strength, and Live Younger Longer by; Author: Visit Amazon's Natasha Turner Page; Review: Last year I went on a very restrictive diet (Medifast), and over the course of 9 months I lost 85 lbs. I went off the diet, and while I was continuing to eat right and exercise I began to steadily gain the weight back. I tried everything I could think of, including going back on the Medifast diet program only to have it no longer work for me. At the same time I was going into a depression, was tired all the time, my hair looked dry and horrible mo matter what conditioner I used (my mom is a hair stylist so I tried EVERYTHING professional I could get my hands on!), my motivation was gone, and I began to feel totally hopeless. Eventually I figured out that I must have a thyroid problem, caused in part by the 800 calorie a day diet, mixed with all the soy from the diet. In the search for gaining my health back, I found this book. The author knows what she is talking about. The info in this book is very close to recommendations from my doctor, and she goes further into suppliments to help every hormonal condition including high cortisol, low adrenals, thyroid issues, and so much more. She also has a really great plan for reducing stress, naturally cleansing the body of toxins, and exercising better, not harder. All in all, I have found this book to be very, very helpful and supportive for my needs. Although I am now on Armour Thyroid medication which has helped so much (my hair is finally shiny and soft again!), I was still searching for a good, healthy all around diet to follow that is not going to starve me and put me back into dealing with the slow metabolism issue I caused, but will still allow me to lose weight and balance my body and that is in this book. Highly recommended with down to earth information that everyone can benefit from.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Ultimate Secrets of Total Self-Confidence: A Proven Formula That Has Worked for Thousands; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert Anthony Page; Review: This book didn't work for me at all. I LOVE his positive thinking book, but I only made it through about 1/3 of this book. If your personal beliefs are different to his, than this book will not help you, it will irritate you.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Jung: A Very Short Introduction; Author: Visit Amazon's Anthony Stevens Page; Review: really great book on Jung. I had an interest and waned to learn more about his life and methods and this book delivered wonderfully. Highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Simple Diet: A Doctor's Science-Based Plan; Author: Visit Amazon's James W. Anderson Page; Review: Wow. What can I say here? This diet is easy, simple, inexpensive and smart. It's very easy to follow, and seems to work very well. I can't believe I didn't think of this before - it's so simple!! I've done Medifast for 9 months, HCG for 3 rounds, and pretty much anything else you can think of I have tried...but this little plan is genius! If you are a person who does not like hours grocery shopping and having to plan ahead and plan out meals then this plan will also work for you. With the selection of frozen entrees out there these days, and most with no chemicals in them, this plan makes staying on the diet so darn simple! I've found a butternut squash ravoli by Lean Cuisine that I just love! Anyway, this guy knows what he is talking about, he's been researching for years and years and this plan also allows me to enjoy as many veggies and salads as I want as well as fruit! I really have to recommend this diet over Medifast and definitely over HCG. there's no hunger involved here if you do it right, and it feels more like a lifestyle choice than a diet.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Loving Julia; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Robards Page; Review: I first read this book when I was about 14, and I fell in love with the depth of story and the characters. This story has danger, jealousy, passion and even ghosts. Since discovering this jewel, I've read at least 300 - 500 "trashy romances" (who keeps count really??!), and of all this one still stands out as the best. I rarely re-read a book, but this one I have read at least 3 times over the years. Other than that, the only others I can think of that I've read more than once are "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera, "The Razor's Edge" by W. Somerset Maughan and the Tolkien Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Karen Robards has lost something special in her writing over the years, and it's a shame. Give this book a read if you love historical romance. You'll have a tough time putting it down!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secret; Author: Visit Amazon's L. Marie Adeline Page; Review: I feel bad giving a book a 1 star review, but this was a really bad book. I downloaded this book because I read an article talking about how publishers were going crazy over the manuscript. I thought "Yippee, finally some well written erotica!". I read through the entire book in a week or so, looking for something, anything that might make this book sought after, interesting, erotic. I honestly could not find anything and am surprised that this manuscript was picked up by an agent or a publisher. I'd like to mention here that I don't tend to read extreme sex or BDSM or anything like that. When I was younger I went through scores of historical romances as well as modern romances. I did enjoy the Sleeping Beauty books by Anne Rice as well as Belinda and a couple others she wrote along the same sexy genre. I have not read Fifty Shades yet. I started and it was poorly written and edited so I kind of dropped it for the moment. I'll get to it at some point, I'm sure. The story of O was interesting, but made me cringe in a few places. So that should give you some idea of where my personal tastes are when I am writing this review. Let's start with the sex. The sex in this book is so vanilla that I didn't even get warm, let alone hot. The only scene that I thought had some sex appeal was the first sex scene where a sexy masseuse shows up at her house and proceeds to give her a massage. BUT, she did not even have actual sex in this scene, or in the next 2 or 3 sex scenes either! How do you write a sex book without the main character actually having sex? Honestly, the entire book felt like it was written by someone who is uncomfortable with sex and is writing a sex book to cash in on the popularity of it, not because she enjoys writing abut the subject. I want some passion, some heat, some excitement! The main character, Cassie, comes off about as sexy as my grandma. And even worse, the plot was weak and unbelievable, it really was. If the sex is great then one can forgive boring writing and a thin plot. In this case, none of it worked and I am truly surprised at all the great reviews. The basis of the plot had great possibilities. I liked that it was set in New Orleans, which is a sexy, steamy, mysterious place at the best of times. I liked the idea of sexy men showing up at unexpected moments to have erotic encounters with the heroine of the book. But the telling of the idea in this case just did not work. And honestly I really think it comes down to the discomfort and stiffness of the writer when writing about sex. So that's it, my honest opinion of this book. I really wish it had been better. It was not worth my time; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Author's On-Line Presence: How to Find Readers; Author: Visit Amazon's Barb Drozdowich Page; Review: This book was not bad but also not in depth enough for me. The author had a couple good tips and some good reasoning behind why to do things like blog and tweet. But in general the book way pretty basic and gave a general overview of all the different social platforms a writer should be a part of without giving really specific information on what might make your page, or blog, or profile dynamic and wonderful. I think it's a good, quick read to catch up on what is out there in case you are missing something and the information is presented in easy to understand language. I'd recommend it as a quick course in social media. That being said, the idea of spending my days filled with tweeting, blogging, google +ing, goodreading, facebooking and various other necessary social media stuff makes me wonder when exactly I am supposed to have time to write!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark of the Moon; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Robards Page; Review: I used to love Karen Robards historical romance books as a teenager and in my early 20's. I had not read one in forever, but found myself in the mood one day and came across this newer historical romance she had written. For me, this one was just OK, mostly because I found the main female in this book to be incredibly annoying. She was an unnecessary brat without reason and not just once or twice, but over and over and over again. I get that she came from a place of living on the street and as such was supposed to take a tactic of fighting everything and everyone, but after awhile it was just so annoying I had to put the book down for a week or so before I could finish it. If the author had relaxed the bratty personality of the lead a bit as she grew older and used to her better circumstances, then this book would have worked much better as the plot was fine and the smaller characters- the brothers and friends, were well developed and the main love interest was enjoyable as well. Now with all that said, I still enjoy Karen Robards books more than most in the historical romance category. She's a skilled writer and her stories, though sometimes a bit far fetched are interesting enough to carry you through the book quickly and normally I enjoy the personalities in her stories.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Book Marketing is Dead: Book Promotion Secrets You MUST Know BEFORE You Publish; Author: Visit Amazon's Derek Murphy Page; Review: I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be well written, informative and helpful. The advise is practical and really applies not just to authors, but really people looking to make a mark in whatever business is important to them. Building a brand, a reason for people to have an interest in the brand and developing relationships with people who can help your brand or become a happy customer is what it's all about. I wish it weren't so much work to do all this stuff, but the more I've read, the more I realize that it really is and there is no easy way around it. I appreciate the research and the links included in this book for sure. Another note, the author mentions again and again that you MUST have a great cover, great text and a great book and he is exactly correct. If you don't have those things then go do them now. Edit the book again and again and again until it's really great and please, hire someone to make a professional cover! It really makes a huge difference. I know I avoid buying books with unprofessional covers, don't you?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hotel California; Author: Visit Amazon's Donnie Light Page; Review: I'll start by saying that this is not a usual type of story that I read. I'm a non-fiction junkie, metaphysical junkie, romance junkie and classic literature junkie. But I've had this story rolling around in my head for a few years now every time I hear the song Hotel California and out of curiosity I wondered if anyone else had as well. Of course, when I came across this book I was intrigued. How close was the story to the one I'd been mulling over? So I bought the book and settled in for a relaxing read. I really enjoyed both the writing style and the story. I thought it was well presented and that the author did a nice job developing the main character with both thoughts and action. He also followed the song so close that I found the tune wandering through my brain as I was reading the story! All in all, I was impressed with this short story and would recommend this to anyone who loves the song Hotel California.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kindle Marketing: Kindle Marketing Secrets Revealed to Make Your Kindle Book a Bestseller in 7 Days; Author: Michael Walker; Review: Warning for people considering this book. It is NOT a real book! This is a very poorly written, obviously not English speaking, short report about the very basics of how to set up and sell a book on Kindle. The exact same information you get if you sign up for a free createspace or KDP account. It is almost impossible to read because of the awkward phrasing and strange inappropriate words used throughout the book and there really, really is not any information here that is useful in this very short report. This book is one of those that was just published in order to get the customer to open it, flip through the first few pages of title and such and then you have reached the 10% threshold of the book so that the author gets paid regardless. Don't buy this or bother to rent it. Authors like this should not be allowed to continue these scams on Amazon, it cheapens it for all the real authors who are working so hard to move up through this fake dribble to get their legitimate writing found.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Reviewperstar: 12 Tasteful Ways to Get More Book Reviews; Author: Visit Amazon's Buck Flogging Page; Review: I'd have to give this book 5 stars just for it's laugh out funny factor, but it is a well written and informative book in all honesty. The author is genuinely funny, but the book is also filled with really good information on not just how to get reviews for your book, but on marketing the book in general. I recommend this for a good, quick, informative read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reviewperstar: 12 Tasteful Ways to Get More Book Reviews - Kindle edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Buck Flogging Page; Review: I'd have to give this book 5 stars just for it's laugh out funny factor, but it is a well written and informative book in all honesty. The author is genuinely funny, but the book is also filled with really good information on not just how to get reviews for your book, but on marketing the book in general. I recommend this for a good, quick, informative read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Intentions of the Earl: Scandalous Sisters, Book 1 (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Rose Gordon Page; Review: I tried reading this book and made it about 1/3 through it before deciding to abandon this story. The plot was shallow, the characters silly and overdone, not at all believable, and there were grammar and spelling mistakes throughout. I have rarely given up on a book, but I could not take this one anymore. It was not good. Not recommended.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Ghost and The Graveyard; Author: Visit Amazon's Genevieve Jack Page; Review: A fun, quick read with a modern twist. This was a cute book. The heroine finds out she is the reincarnation of of an ancient witch who is to protect the town from vampires, warewolves and all kinds of other creepy things. Enter a sexy ghost in the house she is renting and an even sexier caretaker who is convinced they are soulmates meant to be together and you have a story filled with sex, adventure and suspense. This appears to be book one in a series, and I think I will probably buy the next one. The story is fast paced and well written.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Naked Truth About Self-Publishing; Author: Visit Amazon's Jana DeLeon Page; Review: I have to 5 star this book. I came across it after attending a writer's conference in Louisiana and heard Liliana Hart speak. She was inspiring and I wanted to check out her books. I have read about 10 books on self publishing and kindle publishing. Yes, information gathering is a hobby of mine! My partner has a book published as well, so I have had some experience with most aspects of self publishing. This book puts every other book I have read on self publishing to shame. The ladies who have taken the time to write this book have really, truly laid out everything a person needs to know to be a successful, selling author. As one would expect, much of the information is geared towards female literature, but that does not matter even a little bit. I would recommend this to anyone who wants the real nuts and bolts of self publishing. Several of the ideas laid out in the book are not just good, they are brilliant. Really, truly brilliant. Then again, what would you expect from 10 best selling authors? This book made me feel like they did it, and we can too. They do talk about a crazy, awesome, amazing idea they had of putting together 8 books from 8 different people (all ladies who contribute to this book), then they put the box set up for pre-order and on sale for one week for .99. Then they all promote this deal to all their customers. Imagine for a moment the reach this must have had. Wow. 9000 pre-orders. Yes, it did become a USA today and NY Times best seller and put all the ladies in that elite category, and now they will always be New York Times best selling authors. Seriously brilliant! Kudos ladies!!! That is just one little bit of what you will find in this book. This might be the best $4.99 I've ever spent, and it was not just informative but interesting as well. Highly recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Plagiarist: A Novella; Author: Visit Amazon's Hugh Howey Page; Review: This was a nice short read. I was intrigued by the story plot and had read Mr. Howey's Wool and liked his writing style. I found the beginning of this story to be a little....stiff. It took me several pages to really fall into the plot and main character, but once I did, I felt the story was really clever, interesting, and emotionally gripping. Nice job Mr. Howey. I'll make a point of reading more of your writing for sure in the future. Recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: More Than Pancakes (The Maple Leaf Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Christine DePetrillo Page; Review: I got this book because I'm from Vermont, so naturally am interested in a book taking place in Vermont. I really wanted to like the book, but found it disappointing. The main female character- Lily- is a spoiled brat with a shallow personality, and the main male - Rick - Is typically the quiet, deep loaner type who just wants to live in his cabin and work with no interest in socializing. I found it hard to finish the book because I just didn't care enough about either of the characters, and was disappointed in general with the writing and story. Lily is worried about losing her job, but she comes from a rich background and just inherited a very expensive house- so is it really a tragedy if she loses her job? It's not like her lifestyle is dependent on it considering that she comes from a family of famous actors. And the danger to Rick losing his property to the big resort that wants to come in is completely nullified by the fact that if he doesn't want to sell his land, he doesn't have to. It's not like the state needs to put a highway through his property and can take his land from him. So there is no real driving force or danger to the characters in the book at all, thus making it not a compelling read because it doesn't really matter what happens. In the end both people's lives really will not be forever changed even if she loses her job. So why give it 3 stars if I didn't really like it? Because I appreciate how much work it is to write a book- my partner is a writer and it takes focus, drive and countless hours of laboring to create entertainment for others to enjoy. I appreciate that this author obviously had the book professionally edited as there were no grammar or spelling mistakes, and considering the number of books I read on kindle unlimited from indie authors these days, I really appreciate the effort taken to provide a professional reading experience. I just wish the plot and characters had been worked out better by the writer because I love the idea of a romance in Vermont.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The End of the Trail eBook; Author: Visit Amazon's Louis Rakovich Page; Review: This was a weird story. There were parts in the story where I felt pulled in and there were parts where I felt confused. The general story was interesting, and I really like that it was very original, with an unusual setting, unexpected characters, and good visual writing. There were some parts of the story that I found jarring in that the subject changed quickly and I felt like I was missing something...but I wasn't. This happened 3 times, and I went back and reread the sections each time, thinking I had missed something. Eventually I would carry on and be brought back into the story again. Overall, I think this is worth a read, and I think it's enjoyable. Creepy, but not so much that I felt scared and had to stop reading (I'm a bit of a wimp), and I liked the visual elements that the writing called up in my head.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reader Magnets: Build Your Author Platform and Sell more Books on Kindle (2019 Edition) (Book Marketing for Authors 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Nick Stephenson Page; Review: Nick has done a good job laying out and explaining the basics of how to create a true author marketing platform to grow your business as an author. It is not a get rich quick scheme, or shady practices like some other marketing books that I've unfortunately come across. But the advise is straight forward and sound and putting the process in place does net results. I recommend this book, as well as following the advise of Nick Stephenson.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Leave from Absence; Author: Visit Amazon's Paul Heingarten Page; Review: This was a coming of age story for a guy who dropped out of college in his early 20's, and struggles through trying to find his place in the world between relationships, friends, romantic interests and of course finding a career. The characters are well developed and believable, which I really like about this story, and the struggle the main character goes through is something everyone can relate to, as we've all been there one way or another. This was a nice read, I'd recommend it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Diabetic Cookbook for Two: 125 Perfectly Portioned, Heart-Healthy, Low-Carb Recipes; Author: Jennifer Koslo; Review: I'm not diabetic, but I am aware that eating with a balance of protein, carbs and fat is good for any body, and diabetic cookbooks tend to keep that in mind with their recipes. I spotted this book on sale and decided to check it out and I am really glad I did. The recipes are easy to follow with easy to buy ingredients and still manage to be creative and flavorful. I've gotten a bit less ambitious with cooking than I was in my 20's, and prefer to prepare quick, simple meals that still taste good, and this cookbook delivers just that. It has chapters on: Breakfast (peach pancakes, pumpkin-peanut muffins, white bean-oat waffles, etc.) Meal-Size Salads (meatless taco salad, lentil apple salad, curried chicken salad, etc.) Soups & Stews (white bean soup, african peanut stew, kickin' chili, etc.) Comfort Classics (mock mac & cheese, eggplant lasagna, lazy turkey potpie, etc.) Vegetarian Entrees (stuffed Acorn Squash, gingered tofu & greens, Seitan curry, etc.) Chicken & Fish entrees (lemon-herb chicken, blackened pollock, fish tacos, etc.) Pork & Beef entrees ( chinese spareribs, sage-parmesan pork chops, beef stew, etc.) Sides & Staples (cauliflower mashed potatoes, broccoli with pine nuts, tofu-cilantro sauce, etc.) As you can see, the recipes are interesting and varied and I'm looking forward to trying more of the delicious and nutritionally balanced meals.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Peterson County Murders: Book Two of the Johnson Road Saga; Author: Visit Amazon's Clayton E. Spriggs Page; Review: I read book one of this series, Johnson Road, and this second in the series is a telling of the same story from the killer's point of view with additional insight into how and why things happened the way they did in book 1. I found it fascinating, and I kept thinking "ohhh, wow! Now I understand how he got away with it!" The story easily pulled me along and kept me reading until the end and then wanting more. I'd recommend this book as a stand alone, but I think it's even better if you've read the first one and want to understand the mind and thoughts of the killer. Clever. I received a complimentary copy of this book and am choosing to review it based on my enjoyment of the story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cataclysm Epoch (The Valkyrie Chronicles); Author: Visit Amazon's Paul Heingarten Page; Review: Excellent story that I read over the course of 2 days because every time I put it drown, I kept wondering what would happen next. It was an original story melding the present and future in a clever way, and the characters were believable and likable. Thee book came to a natural conclusion but I'm guessing that this is the first in a series, and I hope it is! I'd love to delve further into the world of Ana and Nelson.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Utopia Bedding Printed Duvet Set - King Grey (King, Grey); Brand: Utopia Bedding; Review: This duvet cover and sham set is phenomenal. After reading the mixed reviews, I was skeptical but ordered it anyway and I am SO HAPPY that I did. Not only did it for like a glove, but the quality is superb. It's not thin like some people have mentioned. You can't see the comforter that underneath the duvet cover. It has a zipper on it so it's easy to get inside. It also has little strings in the corners so you can tie them around the edges of your comforter and not have it shift throughout the duvet cover. The price is AMAZING and I'll be trying to order more. Once again, I absolutely LOVE it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ideal Linens Bed Sheet Set - Hotel Collection Double Brushed Microfiber Bedding - Wrinkle and Fade Resistant - Luxury,; Brand: Ideal Linens; Review: These bed sheets are a lovely color. More like a off lavender though than light blue. They are very soft despite being made with "poor materials". They also wash well and stay vibrant. I love sleeping on these and for the price, you can't lose!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fresh Ideas Bedding Eyelet Ruffled Pillow 2 Pack Sham Standard, White; Brand: Fresh Ideas; Review: Lovely pillow shams. The lace detail matches a bed skirt I have on my bed. Pristine white. Items came Undamaged.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eyelet Ruffled Bedskirt – Ruffled Bedding with Gathered Styling –14” Drop, Twin, Bone Ivory; Brand: Fresh Ideas; Review: This bed skirt is lovely. The quality is wonderful and the little eyelet lace detail is very unique. I bought it for my parents' new bed and it looks wonderful under their mattress. Makes their whole room look great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Le Creuset PG90033A-0016 Stoneware 12-Ounce Mug, White, 12 Ounce; Brand: Le Creuset; Review: I love love loveeeee these mugs. I received them as a gift from my husband and they have been my absolute favorite!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Modern Heirloom Collection Gwen Cotton Filled Bedspread, Standard Sham; Brand: Modern Heirloom Collection; Review: The quality is SUPERB. It looks so much more expensive than it is. It is very big though, hangs off the bed quite a bit. Definitely be sure to take measurements before ordering so that you know how the fit will be on your bed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shun DM0790 Classic Combination Honing Steel Knife Sharpener, 9-Inch; Brand: Shun; Review: At first, I was confused about how to use this honing steel seeing as I've never seen one with ridges on half of it and a sleet side on the other half, but after some trial and error, it has become very easy to use. Does a great job at honing my Shun knives.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zinus Compack Adjustable Steel Bed Frame, for Box Spring & Mattress Set, Fits Full to King; Brand: Zinus; Review: This bed frame is very sturdy and a quality item especially for the price. You really can't beat it. Even with a boxspring and a 14 inch mattress, it doesn't make the bed too high to get on.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Set of 3 Stainless Steel Whisk; Brand: Ouddy; Review: I'm a chef and these are pretty much the same types of whisks we use at work. After my beloved whisk broke, I decided to purchase these and I am so glad that I did. The range in sizes has definitely made it easier for me to whisk things in small bowls as opposed to using a fork. I would highly recommend these whisks!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PurSteam Garment Steamer For Clothes, Elite Powerful 7-1 Fabric Steamer For; Brand: PurSteam; Review: This has been a godsend! My husband and I bought this to initially just iron his work uniforms because I absolutely hate using an iron and an ironing board. We now use it for everything from bedsheets to clothing to curtains. It's VERY easy to use and works magnificently. It makes ironing so much quicker too! Attached is a photo from today actually where I used it to steam my shirt.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ideal Linens Bed Sheet Set - 1800 Double Brushed Microfiber Bedding - 4 Piece (King, Imperial Blue); Brand: Ideal Linens; Review: Whilst they are very soft and comfortable to sleep on, I wish the material was slightly thicker. My bedsheet set also came slightly dirty in numerous spots, one of which you'll see in the attached photo. The fitted sheet is quite a bit transparent so that was unexpected, along with the pillow cases. The pillow cases were also slightly too big for my kind size long pillows. Other than that, I would have given this product 5 stars.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Grace Boutique Guest House; City: Chiang Mai; Review: We love to stay at Grace Boutique. Can use the pool next door (in same area) and always have the Blue Combi Van for music and drinks - not expensive and can choose music yourself whatever you like... mai bpen rai !!! Sanuk maak !!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Green Hill Hotel Phayao; City: Phayao City Phayao Province; Review: Great hotel, close to town at good price. Very modern with good amenities. Bed was comfortable, very quiet and nice room. Internet speed very fast. Breakfast was quite good, coffee very nice as well. The room had a few ants inside, but not too much. Great swimming pool, very big and clean. Recommend this hotel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: JP Boutique Hotel; City: Chiang Mai; Review: We have become regulars at the JP Boutique Hotel restaurant, located at the Eastern entrance to the Anusarn Night Markets. Daniel, the new English chef prepares beautifully presented and delicious meals. The menu is quite extensive; our favourites include any of the perfectly cooked pasta dishes, salmon steak, salads and Greek style chicken kebabs. The desserts are also very good. Prices are very reasonable considering the quality of the food and drinks are also very reasonable. A great place to meet and kick off your night.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Long Beach Lodge; City: Chaweng Bophut Ko Samui Surat Thani Province; Review: Stayed here for 8 nights with the family, staff were very attentive and doted on the kids making life very easy for us. Breakfast included but have a set menu, still OK though. No pool but it's right on the beach, safe swimming, plenty of shade and massages right n the beach at good price. Room was nice, 20m walk to the beach and wifi included. The hotel is right in the middle of Chewang beach, very close to Central Festival, many restaurants and nightlife, but very quiet at night inside the room. Thank you to all the staff, very accommodating to our needs and will come back again for sure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hai Long Vuong Hotel; City: Da Lat Lam Dong Province; Review: A wonderful hotel, spotlessly clean and inviting. It was more like a homestay as the owners make you feel so welcome and will do anything for you. Their 2 year old daughter is absolutely adorable! The room was bright and spacious with great views over the city out to the mountains, the bed was easily the most comfortable hotel bed I've slept in anywhere in Asia. There is a covered rooftop area that's great for chilling out and taking in the magical views of the town and mountains. Planning on coming back next year, highly recommended!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Phachara Suites; City: Bangkok; Review: Rooms are very big, comfortable bed, and includes kitchenette with washing machine and dryer. Good pool and Gym as well. We also booked a minivan to take 7 people to Kanchanaburi at the tour desk. Tan is a lovely lady, speaks very good English and was very helpful, our trip was perfect. The driver was very good and drives safely, was very flexible and took us anywhere we wanted to go, our whole group was very happy with him. If you want to book a good trip, please see Tan, she is wonderful!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jade Hotel Hoi An; City: Hoi An Quang Nam Province; Review: First impression was WOW ! We were met with a cool drink and cold towels, given a map and orientation of the hotel and town, including places to see, where to eat shop etc. It's a good 15 minute walk to the centre of the old city and we were considering changing hotels for something a bit closer, but we ended up staying here for six nights, so good was this hotel and the staff were so lovely and helpful. The room was spacious with a huge bed and a balcony. The hotel has a very nice pool and garden, the breakfast menu was very good as well, cooked to your liking with lots of fresh fruit, tea, coffee, juice and bread/toast. The little extra surprises made it very special, like a personalised message written on your breakfast plate, as well as the elaborate decorations made from bougainvillea flowers on your bed. The staff arranged flights, tours and transport for us and even supplied a minivan to take us to Da Nang Airport, free of charge. What really impressed me was the personalised email I received from Jessie, saying thank you for staying with them and asking if everything was OK on the trip home. We'll definitely stay at the Jade Hotel again, and highly recommend it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: uxcell Men Notched Lapel Solid Color Pockets Front Long Sleeve Knit Blazer; Brand: uxcell; Review: the arm length was somewhat small; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sidecca Women's Retro Rockabilly 6-Button High Waist Smock Pant and Short; Brand: Sidecca; Review: love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Allegra K Women's Plaids Long Sleeves Belted Mini A Line Shirt Dress; Brand: Allegra K; Review: love it; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: U.S. Polo Assn. Women's USC40069 Gold-Tone Link Bracelet Watch; Brand: U.S. Polo Assn.; Review: bought it for someone and she loves it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fanmis Geneva Alloy Band Quartz Watches Luxury Unisex Crystal Wrist Watch Gold; Brand: Fanmis; Review: received broken watch, machine broken,changed battery,still no use; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dreaman Genuine Stainless Steel Bracelet Smart Watch Band Strap for Fitbit Charge 2; Brand: Dreaman; Review: received broken watch, machine broken,changed battery,still no use; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Maximilian Hotel; City: Prague Bohemia; Review: Our trip to Prague hasn't even started yet and the hotel's service has already been fantastic. They arranged a car to pick us up at the airport and are taking care of our sightseeing and reservations on par with concierge service you would expect from a Four Seasons property. I am very impressed and looking forward to meeting this exceptional staff.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ledges Hotel; City: Hawley Pocono Mountains Region Pennsylvania; Review: I needed a place close to an office I was training at. Ledges seemed to be the safest bet in an area without too many options. I was so delightfully surprised. Staff was very friendly, and the rooms while small were very modern/contemporary sparse and "cool". Sheets were incredibly soft and silky. The view of the rushing river out back was gorgeous. They have well reviewed restaurant (I didn't have an opportunity to check it out). I would stay again for business, but also think it would be great weekend get away with my husband. Great lined silk and terry robes too.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Hotel; City: Freehold New Jersey; Review: Ended up staying here by accident, it was a lucky accident. Very friendly staff. Great room, surprised by how nice it was. Terry robes, big tub, nice products. I didn't do much more then sleep and leave the next morning They also offered a free continental breakfast. I'm not familiar with Freehold, but the hotel's location is on a cure little Main Street. I woud stay again and much prefer the charm of the American to the nearby Radisson.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Mystic; City: Mystic Connecticut; Review: President’s Day in Mystic with 5 girls ages 14 - 3. The hotel was perfect for this kind of visit. Kids stray free and free breakfast for all. Decent breakfast with lots of serve yourself options. The room was large, 2 doubles and a comfortable pullout. I’m not a usual Holiday Inn guest, but this was just what we needed. Close to the Seaport and Aquarium.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel; City: Denver Colorado; Review: Everything you expect from a Sheraton property - reliability. It's a big hotel (think conference property. pros - easy and good restaurants attached to property, very nice club room, attentive staff, clean rooms. Cons, it's really a big hotel - and getting to my room in the tower was a bit of a trek and not very user friendly, two elevators and walkway... but, great location and right next to 16th street mall which was an added bonus.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Marker San Francisco A Joie de Vivre Hotel; City: San Francisco California; Review: The Marker is a smallish hotel centrally located near Union Square, art galleries on Theatre's on Geary. The pluses - nice decor, coffee in the morning and whine in the evening in their comfortable living room. As many guests have mentioned this property use to be a Kimpton Hotel - it's been updated, but I miss the goldfish. The room is quiet, on the smaller size but nicely decorated and comfortable. 2 things I'd like to see changed - 1 - the room smells very perfume-y. I think it's the Jonathan Adler products (sandalwood) they provide, but it is a little overpowering each time I walk in the room and 2nd, the bed pillows are giant both in length (a good thing) but also in depth - and they are so overstuffed we got cricks in our necks. I know, most people complain that pillows are flat or not fluffy enough - these are practically bolsters. Friendly and welcoming staff. I will return (but will ask for different pillows).; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Lilium Villas; City: Fira Santorini Cyclades South Aegean; Review: We recently visited Santorini and stayed at the Lilium Caldera Villas outside Thira. We were really happy with the standard of accommodation and the service. We found all of the staff very helpful and pleasant. The view of the Caldera is amazing & the sunsets from the balconies of the rooms are a sight to behold. The property is outside of the main town of Thira but within walking distance. There is a mini market directly across the road but if you are buying water/beer/wine etc it is much cheaper to buy from the Lidl supermarket just further down towards Thira. We hired a car for one day and drove around the island - the road to Oia is not for the faint hearted!!!! Overall if you are looking for a quiet holiday in beautiful location - this hotel is perfect. We will definitely be back!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Casa Montani Luxury Guest House; City: Rome Lazio; Review: My husband and I stayed at Casa Montani in early February this year. We had searched many hotels in Rome but could not find something we really liked. I came across Casa Montani's website by accident & was really glad that I did. We booked a suite - 4 nights, continental breakfast included and a pick up from the airport for €660. The hotel is located on 3rd/4th floor of an old building near the Piazza del Poppolo. We walked to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the metro outside the front of the building brought us right to The Vatican. The room itself was beautiful - lovely modern furnishings and very comfy bed. We had a separate sitting room area to the bedroom which was very handy when my other half wanted to spend half the night watching the American primaries results. Nice Hermes toiletries in the bathroom and comfy bathrobes provided. Fresh fruit and chocolate was also left in our room - a really nice touch. The owner was very pleasant and recommended restaurants for us. He also arranged for a car to bring us to the airport - transfer to Casa Montani was free and transfer back to the airport was €45. Breakfast was delivered to our room every morning. Fresh juice, coffee, pastries, yoghurt - really nice. Rome is a fabulous city and I am so glad we visited - if you are looking for something a little different to the normal hotel experience, Casa Montani is well worth a look. The only possible downside might be that there is no hotel bar/restaurant to relax in... for us this was not a problem. We were very happy with our stay in Casa Montani.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Horse Jockey Hotel; City: Thurles County Tipperary; Review: Stayed here recently for one night for a family get together. Absolutely amazing value and what a lovely comfortable hotel. I travel quite a bit and can honestly say I would rate the standard of room and facilities as high as those of some 5* hotels. We ate in the restaurant. Delicious food and good friendly service. Had a few drinks in the bar too and found it to be friendly and very comfortable. Breakfast was delicious. Lovely coffee area with delicious cakes and also had a browse in the gift shop and made a few purchases. Well impressed with all aspects of the hotel- Will definitely be back. Leisure centre looked lovely but simply didn't have time. Will definitely try it out on my next visit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Whitford House Hotel Health and Leisure Club; City: Wexford County Wexford; Review: I rarely write reviews on Trip Advisor as I find most hotels to be impersonal and functional with very little that distinguishes them from the competition. The Whitford stands out for me as a really memorable hotel after my weekend there. We were there for a family event (21 of us in total including kids of all ages). The hotel is not far (by car) from Rosslare Strand and we had a lovely walk on the beach both mornings. We ate in the Bar on Friday afternoon and both food and service were excellent. The staff were so pleasant and so nice to the children. Rooms were spacious, clean and beds were very comfortable. Dinner in the restaurant on Saturday night was delicious and the service was excellent. The kids enjoyed the pool in the Leisure Centre and the playground and several of us used the gym facilities as well. I really felt like every member of staff made an effort to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. When at dinner on Saturday night, the waiter offered to have a table set for breakfast for all 21 of us on Sunday morning so we could have breakfast together before we left. He also had a little treat for the kids after their dinner which they very much appreciated. Small things but they make such a difference! Other hotels could learn a lot from the team at Whitford House Hotel! I am not sure how you manage to have so many happy, helpful people working in one place. Well done and we look forward to our next visit!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Liki Tiki Village; City: Kissimmee Florida; Review: We stayed for 8 nights in building in 2 bed unit. The unit was spacious, clean and had everything we needed for our stay. No housekeeping but that was not an issue for us. The beds were very comfortable and the unit had everything we needed to make breakfast/lunch/dinner. Our room was overlooking the smaller pool. The kids absolutely loved the larger kids pool with water slides. Good lifeguards on duty at the kids pool. The resort is near Publix and Walmart which is great for picking up groceries. I used the gym a few times and it could do with some towels and cups for the water cooler and maybe another treadmill. Still nice to have access to a gym on site. We ate once at the pool and found the staff to be very pleasant and helpful. Overall any staff we came in contact with were very helpful and pleasant. Disney is 20 minutes away by car and we visited a number of the theme parks during our stay. We also visited legoland and Seaworld from Liki Tiki. It is a bit further out than other resorts but it's a great resort for kids and it was definitely the kids favourite stay of our holidays. We were very happy with our stay at Liki Tiki village and if we visit Orlando again, we will be back!; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: La Posada Real Fine Mexican Food; City: Reno, NV; Review: Great food and always amazing customer service! Ana is a wonderful waitress. This is my go to restaurant when I don't want to cook dinner.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Juicy's Giant Hamburgers; City: Reno, NV; Review: Just thinking about a juicy burger is making my mouth water. Best burger I've ever had!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Papa John's Pizza; City: Reno, NV; Review: From the moment I placed my order to the very last pizza in the box, everything was excellent! Louie, the guy who took my order over the phone, was incredibly knowledgeable and very professional. And of course the pizza is always mouth watering. :) Thank you Papa Johns!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Style Brow Designs & Collections - Reno; City: Reno, NV; Review: All of the ladies in here are fantastic and you cannot beat the price. The lady that did my brows today even colored my eyebrows back in (they are naturally blonde) and my hair is dark. Grateful I found this place. Will continue to come back. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Semenza's Pizzeria; City: Reno, NV; Review: Just thinking about their garlic knots is making my mouth water! Yum! Can't wait to come back. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Circle of Friends; City: Reno, NV; Review: We've been to several daycares and Circle of Friends is by far the best. One daycare we went to didn't even know my son's name for 6 months! Before we even started with CoF, they took the time to learn his name and had his cubby set up right away. My son has loved coming here since the very first day! All of the staff have always been very caring and welcoming. I've never once been anxious or worried about my son when he's there, but I love that I can call in at anytime and they will let me talk to my little man. They have also done a fantastic job at preparing him for kindergarten! I'm very lucky to have found such a great place for my son to grow and learn, yet also have a great time doing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eric Delgadillo - State Farm Insurance Agent; City: Reno, NV; Review: Eric Delgadillo-State Farm is the best! I have both cars insured through Eric and they have been nothing but incredible. The whole staff is great and go above and beyond to make purchasing insurance quick, easy and convenient; yet they also take the time to go over any concerns you may have. I also like that the owner works there too. He seems super laid back and humble. Not an ass like most people with money. I've never had an issue with this company and I feel like they really do take good care of me. I plan to be a long time customer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Breeze Salon; City: Reno, NV; Review: Rebecca is beyond amazing. She does beautiful hair and make-up. Finding someone who you can trust can be a challenge. Don't settle for just anyone. Book an appointment, you won't regret it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bully's Sports Bar and Grill; City: Reno, NV; Review: The pizza sticks are always great, but the service today was crazy slow and after two hours (we were watching the football game) I had to ask the buss boy to find a waitress so I could get a refill. Refills were never offered. Much better service at the Bully's on Wedge Parkway.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mountain Mike's Pizza; City: Reno, NV; Review: Okay pizza, but be sure to order two hours ahead if you want to get it on time. Have ordered from this location many times as I live in the area, but it never fails, they will say your pizza will be ready in 30-45 mins, you can show up an hour later and they will say they just put it in the oven, so it'll be another 20-30 mins. It doesn't help that they have rude staff. They lady Michelle who works there has the worst customer service that I ever seen, you can be in a great mood and this lady will just find a way to be a bitch. I don't even know this women, but she always has a nasty attitude no matter what! I recommend the Vassar location, much better service and I have never had to wait longer than 20 mins for a pizza.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: D & D Barbers; City: Reno, NV; Review: Zero stars. This place gave my son the worst hair cut he's ever received and still expected me to pay for it. Took my 6 year old in to get a haircut, (short on sides and long enough on top to still gel it) well the older lady was talking to another barber and cut a huge chunk off on top and then told me she has to shave all of his hair off. I was pissed, she then expected me to pay $20 for shaving my son's head...I don't think so, It's not my fault she screwed up! I could have shaved my son's head for free at home! Even if it was a good haircut, $20 is way too pricey. And I just remembered, make sure you have cash as they do not accept debit cards. Will never be returning to this place!; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: RC Willey; City: Reno, NV; Review: Just ok service. Went in tonight with the husband looking for a new living room set as we just purchased a new home. When we finally found a sectional we both agreed on, there was no one to help us. A lot of sales people around, but no one who was willing to acknowledge us so I walked up to the customer service area and the girl at the window didn't even look over at me so after patiently waiting a good 5 minutes, I had to break up a conversation between two of the salesmen and ask for help. (They didn't look thrilled that I was interrupting their small talk). When I asked about financing the salesman referred me to Mor or Ashley. I was very surprised by this. Instead of trying to get the sale, he referred me somewhere else? Little did he know I could have paid cash for that sectional, was just considering financing and paying off quickly. Oh well, went to Ashley and was provided top notch customer service.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mountain Mike's Pizza; City: Reno, NV; Review: Much nicer staff than the one on McCarran and they don't have crazy wait times like the McCarran location. Will choose this Mountain Mikes every time!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Happy Hoppers; City: Reno, NV; Review: Best bounce house company in all of the Reno area. Very happy with their customer service. I plan on using them again and will tell my family and friends. Thank you Happy Hoppers!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ulta Beauty; City: Reno, NV; Review: Ebony tinted and waxed my eyebrows yesterday and they look amazing. I've always gotten my eyebrows threaded, but the threading place is not so great at tinting so I was looking for a place that could do both and Ebony at Ulta is the answer. She did such a great job. I have naturally blonde eyebrows and my hair is a dark auburn, she was able to match the color and the shape is spot on. Thank you sooo much Ebony. I will be back. :); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Keva Juice; City: Reno, NV; Review: I am sooooo excited to see a Keva in South Reno. Love this place. Perfect refresher on a warm day and a great way to get my veggies in. :) I will be a frequent flyer of this location.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Pit Shop; City: Reno, NV; Review: My husband came to these guys in a bind and they seriously came through for us. The day before we were moving to Oklahoma the control arm on our truck broke. This shop was able to find one and replace it in time for us to leave. I started my new job in Oklahoma two days after we had left so there was no time for us to have mechanical issues. We are very satisfied with the work and greatly appreciate that they were able to help us out. Thank you guys soooo much! We cannot say enough good things about this shop!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lithia Chrysler Jeep of Reno; City: Reno, NV; Review: Went there twice this week. No one came out to help me either time, so I went to the Dodge dealership and spent my money there.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Nothing Bundt Cakes; City: Reno, NV; Review: Ordered some cakes for a work going away party and, wow, excellent cake and great service. What more could you ask for?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: La Michoacana; City: Reno, NV; Review: My husband and I both ended up throwing our food away. We both had a breakfast burrito and flan. Not impressed with the food at this restaurant at all. Giving it 2 stars instead of 1 only because the cashier had excellent customer service.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Concentra Medical Center; City: Reno, NV; Review: I went in today for a TB test for work and I cannot say enough good things about Mary. She provided excellent customer service and was very kind. Our work sent about 6 of us in right before closing and she was nothing but accommodating. I was very grateful for her kindness and compassion. Thank you Mary for all of your help!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pirate's Pizza; City: Reno, NV; Review: I had high hopes for Pirates Pizza and had been wanting to try it for years. I finally went in last week and it was sadly underwhelming. Firstly, I feel like the decor needs some attention. Very dated and the fake plants and grapes covered in dust was not a great first impression. My pepperoni pizza taste like something I could have easily made at home. Crust was bland, cheese was cheddar and not mozzarella which I would expect for a pizza and the pepperoni was nothing special either. Sadly, just bland pizza. It didn't taste bad, but not worth visiting again. On a plus side, the lady helping me was extremely nice. Sorry Pirates Pizza, I really wanted to like it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Lark; City: Reno, NV; Review: Haven't been able to find the new location. Have tried to find it about 4x and no luck. GPS says I'm in the right spot, just no store there and for the record I'm pretty good with directions.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Defy Sparks; City: Sparks, NV; Review: Came here with a group of 10 (Ages toddler to 50) and everyone had a blast! I love that the parents can sit on the couches right in the middle of all the action and see their kiddos. At other trampoline parks, I'm constantly getting up and checking to see where my kids are. At Defy, I had no worries as I was able to sit up there with them. The staff were also great. All around a fun experience.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Grimaldi's Pizzeria; City: Sparks, NV; Review: Pizza was FANTASTIC!!! I cannot say anything bad about the food whatsoever, but service could have been better. I was never asked for refills, asked for a box for our extra pizza and never received one so we left quite a bit of pizza behind, asked about military discount ($145 order), was told no, but looking at Yelp, owner says yes. 5 stars for pizza and a 3 for the staff.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Toothfairy Pediatric Dental - Reno; City: Reno, NV; Review: Dr. Salar is outstanding! He is kind, patient and very knowledgeable. He explains everything in detail, but is also fast. Your never left waiting in the chair or room for long periods of time wondering where the doctor is. I highly recommend Toothfairy Pediatric Dental. Dentist and staff are 5-star.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Kawasaki Ninja Rubber Keychain Keyring Green - Black; Brand: Motocross; Review: Sweet little keychains attachments. Came with 2 of them, nice surprise.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kensun HID Xenon H7 Conversion Kit - "ALL COLORS" - 6000k - 2 Year Warranty; Brand: Kensun; Review: Super bright and easy to install. I had problems with it blowing my fuse box continuously (kawasaki ninja 650r motorcycle), I learned that you have to start it on low beams, starting it off on high beams almost always causes me to blow a fuse.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EBC Brakes FA229HH Disc Brake Pad Set; Brand: EBC Brakes; Review: fit perfectly for the left side of my 2008 kawasaki ninja 650r. Brakes feel great after breaking them in, and install only took an hour at most. Must buy the right side seperate, which has a different product # also available on amazon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Allstar Performance ALL50855 Bleeder Screw Cap, (Set of 10); Brand: Allstar; Review: Fit my bleeder valves just fine, what more can be said; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: High Power 12 SMD LED Car Interior Dome Bulb - White; Brand: Kensun; Review: Very nice little light, a little bit tricky to figure out how to install at first but once you've figured it out its easy. Great Product made by Ken sun. I received this item for free to review it, even if I had to pay for this product I would rate it 5/5 star.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: D.I.D. (DKK-005 520VX2 Chain and 15/46T Sprocket Kit; Brand: D.I.D.; Review: Official Product - was a breeze to install on my bike by myself. What a great price compared to other places I looked, chain has functioned excellently over the last 2k miles so far.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: PJ1 1-08 Blue Label O Ring Chain Lube (Aerosol), 5 oz; Brand: PJ1; Review: Great stuff all around! Keeps my chain feeling very tacky and well lubricated for over 800+ miles of canyon riding! Only complaints is that there is a little bit of fling, even when left to dry overnight, but Ive yet to find a lube that hasn't done that to me. I use this on my Ninja 650R, and my BMW S1000rr Chains weekly to biweekly to keep my chain looking brand new.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 6; Brand: Max Motosports; Review: Worked just as intended, only used one of the 6, but the one I chose worked just fine. I hear many people have problems with receiving faulty ones, not me luckily. Saved hundreds of dollars doing this stepper motor repair myself vs going to the stealership.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Motion Pro 08-0397 Chrome Hex Axle Tool 17,19,22,24 mm; Brand: Motion Pro; Review: This Hex key tool is a true fit, and feels like it is made out of quality material. Sizes are visibly engraved in the tool, and easy to read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NGK (2086) CR8HSA Standard Spark Plug, Pack of 1; Brand: NGK; Review: Fits 2003 xr100. No problems so far; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Docooler? Inductive Hour Meter for Marine ATV Motorcycle Dirt Ski Waterproof (RED); Brand: Docooler; Review: Easy install, works great on my 00 cr250; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Moog EV370 Tie Rod End; Brand: Moog; Review: Fit my 2005 silverado with ease. Drives well after 1000 miles.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mean Mug Auto 385-232316A Front Windshield Washer Pump w/Grommet - For: Chevrolet (Chevy), GMC, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Isuzu, Cadillac; Brand: Mean Mug Auto; Review: Works perfect for my 2005 silverado 1500; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Automotive |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Cyborg; Author: Visit Amazon's Kaitlyn O'Connor Page; Review: This is one of my favorite books and was hard to put down it was so good. Both the sci-fi element and the romance were great. The story was interesting and beleiveable without being too complicated & sex was great without being too much over the top.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bound Prince: Lords of the Var Book Three; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: Samantha Dorsey (Princess Xantha) captain of the ship and her crew who were all at least half human, get really drunk during a card game, then go down to the planet they were passing by in order to collect the last thing they needed for a Galactic Scavenger Hunt which was a primitive wild beast, if they win they get to claim the prize money they need so much. Prince Falke, commander of the Var Armies just happens to be in cat form when they come across him, he wakes up on her ship. All the charaters are interesting, the plot was good and the romance was hot. I enjoyed this book very much, read it in one day.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa Awakening (Monere: Children of the Moon, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Sunny Page; Review: Everybody's freaking out over similiaries to others books, some which I've read, some I have not. All I know is that this book was enjoyable, well written and except for a few minor similiaries that other reviews yammer on & on about, to me the storyline was unexpected and original.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Gena Showalter Page; Review: Whats not to like? You have adventure in a future Earth with lots of aliens, a beautiful woman with deadly fighting skills (she enjoys fighting), an awsome alien who loves her, along with bad guy & good guys and a big secret she uncovers that changes her life. People who like this type of stuff will also enjoy reading this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crazy Love; Author: Visit Amazon's Tara Janzen Page; Review: I've read all the Crazy books in the series, you need to start with first book because if you start with this book your not going to understand many things in the book. This is a really good series with tough guys that fall in love with interesting women usually while being chased & shot at. I like Skeeter Bangs alot, she's the best female in the series, beautiful with lots of attitude, extreme style (wears chains & tatoos) and self confidence along with great fighting skills.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Nymph King (Atlantis, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Gena Showalter Page; Review: This is her 2nd book about Atlantis that I have read, the other was "Heart of the Dragon", which was also a good book, then there is another called "Jewel of Atlantis" that I have not read. Atlantis has Nymphs, vampires, demons, mermaids, shape shifting dragons, etc to make things interesting, along with a good romance between the two main charaters. I liked this book a little more than the 1st I read, probly because he had to drag her kicking & screaming back to his home, which shocked him because Nymphs are always irresistible and being king he is the most sexy & irresistible of them all.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Barefoot Princess (Lost Princesses, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Christina Dodd Page; Review: When the leading lady kidnaps and puts chains on the leading man, you know its a good book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: No Rest for the Wicked (The Immortals After Dark, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Kresley Cole Page; Review: Very good series, I wish Kresley Cole could write faster because I'm really looking forward to the next one in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Kresley Cole Page; Review: Other reviewers describe the book very well, so I'll just say, Kresley Cole is now one of my favorite authors.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Angelini: Skye's Trail; Author: Visit Amazon's Jory Strong Page; Review: This is the first time I've read a book by this author and it was a very enjoyable read. The reviewer who wrote the 3-19-06 review is right on target on describing this book. After reading this I have order the next Angelini book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Playful Prince: Lords of the Var Book Two; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: Dr. Tori Elliot is sent to the Var palace on the planet of Qurilixen to test for contamination after a biological weapon was found and removed, there she meets Prince Quinn and they are instantly attracted to each other. At first she fights her desire because she wants to act professional, but he is so playfully sexy, that of course they get together. But then she discovers a threat to the entire planet, at the same time he is trying to deal with these new feelings he has toward her. The writing and storyline are both good, the passion between them is great. All together a very good book to read. This is the 3rd book in the Lords of the Var series. Two species live on this male dominated plant, the Draig who are dragon shapeshifters and the Var who are cat shapeshifters. I eagerly await book 4 The Rogue Prince and book 5 The Pirate Prince to be printed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crazy Sweet (Steele Street); Author: Visit Amazon's Tara Janzen Page; Review: This whole series has been fun and enjoyable to read. In each book you get to enjoy the romance between the main characters along with a good romance between secondary characters. In this book I liked the romance between the secondary characters of Honey & C Smith the most & they are the reason for the 5 stars instead of 4 stars.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Breeding Ground; Author: Visit Amazon's Jaid Black Page; Review: For some reason I really enjoyed this book, I think the story fired my imagination. After I finished the book and thought about it, a lot of things didn't seem logical. Oh well, I still enjoyed it; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Savage King: Lords of the Var Book One; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: Agent Ulyssa Payne (Lyssa) with the Human Intelligence Agency was sent to the planet of Qurilixen on a mission involving the Medical Mafia, now she is stuck on the barbarian planet until the Agency can retrieve her in about 3 months. While camped out in the forest she is captured by the Var, a handsome race of cat shape shifters. The newly crowned King Kirill of the Var and Lyssa share a instant attraction, but the king and his brothers were raised by their father who was a hard man that taught them to distant themselves from emotions and that they should not restrict themselves to just one woman. Lyssa was trained to keep her idenity a secret and going from orphanage to the strict agency, she also struggles with the new feelings she has to deal with. This is a good sensual romance that I enjoyed very much.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Genesis; Enslaved I; Author: Visit Amazon's Kaitlyn O'Connor Page; Review: Bri and other Earth women are kidnapped by the Sheloni, a heartless humanoid race that are somewhat spider like. The Hirachi are a race of large muscular warriors, with golden yellow skin, vulcan ears, tattoos and pierced nipples, that have also been captured and enslaved. Bri discovers that they are to be used for breeding with these handsome warriors and finds herself attracted to their fierce leader Kole and also the affectionate warrior called Dansk. Contains graphic sex and language.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa Blossoming (Monere: Children of the Moon, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Sunny Page; Review: This is a awsome book but you really need to read the first book before you read this one. I hope there is going to be third book in series!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Come Up And See Me Sometime; Author: Visit Amazon's Lucy Monroe Page; Review: The thing I liked most about this book was the strong male lead, from the beginning he was honest & focused on her well being, when he messed up, after thinking about it, he always chose to do what was best for her, he was strong alpha male that treated her like gold and was so sweet to her that you can't help but like him.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Plague of Memory: A Stardoc Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's S. L. Viehl Page; Review: I've read the entire series, was disappointed in Rebel Ice but this book makes up for it. This is my favorite one of the series. Cherijo, now called Jarn doesn't spend all her time and energy being a doctor, she doesn't get tortured again and again through out the book and finally Duncan has a real wife who loves him as much as he loves her and she is not mean and hateful to her husband now. Her new personality is a great improvement.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Playing Easy to Get; Author: Visit Amazon's Kresley Cole Page; Review: If you love the Immortals After Dark Series by Kresley Cole you will love this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Perfect Prince: Dragon Lords Book Two; Author: Michelle M. Pillow; Review: Very enjoyable book. The 1st book in the series was my least favorite but this book & the rest in this series have been really good. I've also enjoyed the other series of books about the Var who are cat shapeshifters that rule the other half of the planet. I really like the series on the Var a little bit more.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vulnerable: The First Book of the Little Goddess Series; Author: Visit Amazon's Amy Lane Page; Review: This book has fairies, elves and vampires with a very good story line and great romance, some of the book was similar to L Hamilton's Meredith Gentry series, but our heroine is more normal and does not do it with anything that moves. I enjoyed it so much that I'm saving up to buy the next book in the series because, price goes up for 2nd book and even more for the 3rd book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunted (Guardians' League, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Amelia Elias Page; Review: Diego was hot, very enjoyable book & I'm looking forward to others in this series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: When Night Falls; Author: Visit Amazon's Kaitlyn O'Connor Page; Review: The sci-fi story line was fasinating and the romance & sex between Tessa and Lucien was intense, I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys erotic sci-fi romances.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tears Of The Dragon; Author: Angelique Anjou; Review: I very much enjoyed this book, great sci-fi/shapeshifter romance plot. I had read Dragons of the Dawn first and this one was much better, with a great surprise ending.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Parallel Attraction (Midnight Warriors, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Deidre Knight Page; Review: I'm glad I got this book from the library and didn't spend any money buying it, because this book was awfull, I can't beleive anyone really liked it. I'm a huge fan of sci-fi & paranormal romance books, but this story sucked, I didn't like any of the people in the book and the romance was lame.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sleeping with the Fishes (Fred the Mermaid, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's MaryJanice Davidson Page; Review: I loved the cover, yes the cover does matter! This was book was ok, if you like books without romance or sex.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: An Accidental Goddess: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Linnea Sinclair Page; Review: Most reviewers seem to like this book, but I would rate this an ok book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Captive Moon (Tales of the Sazi, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's C. T. Adams Page; Review: Even though I like this kind of book, this book just didn't do it for me.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Rogue Prince (Lords of the Var, 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: The Var prince named Reid is great, he is fun loving, loyal and honorable but also vain & confident about how hot he is & how the women just fall into his arms. Then he meets Jasmine who is running away from her abusive, control freak husband. Of course he immediatly thinks she is coming on to him, they all do, finally it dawns on him that the unthinkable has happened, he despartly wants a women that does not want him. This was such an enjoyable book to read! I've really enjoyed this series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Distressing Damsel: Book 2 of the Dragon Kin; Author: Visit Amazon's Shelly Laurenston Page; Review: I was surprised at how very good this book was, I loved it! My only complaint is the book cover could have been better.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Warrior Prince: Dragon Lords Book Four; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: This book was one of the best in the series. I almost didn't buy this book because one reviewer said the heroine was disgusting and another said this book was just porn. I'm glad I bought this book, Olena the pirate was great, she was very spirited but not cruel and had a very tragic past that explained her pirate occupation. This book was not porn, it has a great story line, with some tastful sex scenes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bound: The Third Book of the Little Goddess Series; Author: Visit Amazon's Amy Lane Page; Review: This 3rd book in the series is great! Finding this series feel like finding a hidden treasure, this is better than most of the main stream published books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lucinda, Darkly: The Demon Princess Chronicles; Author: Visit Amazon's Sunny Page; Review: This was just as good as the Mona Lisa series, the writing was very even and not overly poetic or simplistic. Some have complained that her stories are just like LKH's but it seem the only thing they have in common, is they glow & get power from sex. This book has a very unique & interesting storyline that is unlike any others, with a very big surpise ending!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cyborg Nation; Author: Visit Amazon's Kaitlyn O'Connor Page; Review: This book was awesome, the sci-fi aspect fires the imagination. It's best if you read "Cyborg" first, then "Cyborg Nation", these two are my favorite books she has written. I did not want it to end & hope the author writes more books about these fasinating cyborg men and their emerging society. The cyborg were created by humans to use for war. To be free, many fled to a distant planet, but the men out number the women so much that the law is, each female must have 2 mates but not more that 4 mates! These great guys, Gideon, Jerico & Gabriel, only know fighting & all other information they obtain by downloading from a computer, so during the long space flight to return to their new home planet, they have a hard time figuring out how to court the human Bronte & deal with these new emotions they are having. The cover on this book is great & there is a scene in the book to match it perfectly. This is just one of the few authors that has the talent of writting love scenes involving one woman but more that one man, in such a way that it is good & believable, instead of porn.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Caressed By Ice (Psy-Changelings, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Nalini Singh Page; Review: This series is great. Some authors just have great talent and Nalini Singh is one of them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunger of the Wolf; Author: Visit Amazon's Madelaine Montague Page; Review: This is one of those enjoyable, hard to put down books with a good story & lovemaking. Shiloh has had a difficult and lonely life due to being a lab rat during her childhood because of her abilities, then after her escape, she discovers that there really is such a thing as lycans & they won't leave her alone, so she's on the run from the government and the beastmen, mostly living in isolation for safety. Dante is the prime alpha of the territory. A rogue that he was tracking leads him to Shiloh, her irresistible scent was like nothing he had ever encountered before. To protect her from the rogue that was after her, he takes her to his den that he shares with his top three ranking pack members. He finds out that these rare humans with psychic abilities are stronger, not off limits like regular humans & the scent of their gift is very arousing to lycans. He feels very possessive of her & determined to convince her to stay with them. Of course, because the females of their species are so few, their custom is to share, but only with his three pack mates, Maurice, Jessie and Kane. All four of these men have a sensual animal magnetism! This book has a good story and the sex scenes are HOT, but very tastefull. Also, I just love the cover on this book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Utter Domination; Author: Visit Amazon's Celeste Anwar Page; Review: This book was enjoyable, erotic romance with a good paranormal story of love. The sex scenes were well done, not gross, like some erotica. Also, I appreciate a book with good book cover (hunky man in chains, yeah!.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: King of the Unblessed (Realm Immortal); Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M Pillow Page; Review: This book is an enjoyable dark fantasy, Merrick the dark elfin king of the unblessed is great, in a dark bad boy way.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Emerald Knight; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: I'm a big fan of this author, but this book falls far short of her usual books. I thought this book was really boring, so if your thinking of forking over the big bucks for this book, you've been warned.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blackmailed; Author: Visit Amazon's Annmarie McKenna Page; Review: This was a little tasteless & gross for me, too much whoopy not enough story.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Serpent Prince; Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Hoyt Page; Review: I order this book right away because her other two books were so good, but this one was a disappointment compared to the her others.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Bounty (Malloy Family, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Beth Williamson Page; Review: I thought the first half of this book was great, I was totally engrossed with it, then I started to get kinda bored with it. So if the author had made this book half as long, I would have rated it 5 stars. I'm undecided whether or not to order the next in the series, in the hope that it's better.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Mane Event (Pride, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Shelly Laurenston Page; Review: The stories have already been explained in detail, so all I've gotta say is: I thought the characters were very interesting & entertaining, this book was very enjoyable to read but warning lots & lots of sex.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Heat Stroke (Weather Warden, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Caine Page; Review: Going by the book cover, I didn't think I would like this book, & the whole weather thing didn't sound that interesting, but now I'm hooked on this well written & fast paced series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Turning; Author: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Armintrout Page; Review: I'm running out of books to read, so I really wanted to like this series, but there was not a single person in the entire book that was likeable, I don't think I've ever read a book where I did not like any of the characters, they were all pretty much yucky and unhappy, with a lot of gross stuff happening that didn't seem to bother anyone in the book.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Lisa Kleypas Page; Review: This was an enjoyable 4 star read, not a 5 star book like some others she has written.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Children of Andromeda: Lords of the Sea; Author: Visit Amazon's Kaitlyn O'Connor Page; Review: This book was very enjoyable & definitely not boring, I love this authors unique & imaginative science fiction romances & writting style.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Firestorm; Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Caine Page; Review: You never know whats going to happen next in this series. I'm really glad they finally started getting good book covers, the first books had really ugly covers, so good thing my library had the 1st book or I would not have started this series, but now I'm hooked on this non-stop adventure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Moon Fever; Author: Visit Amazon's Maggie Shayne Page; Review: Don't waste your money on this book, the stories were lame not interesting or entertaining.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: A Lost Touch of Bliss: Book One in the Lost Touch Series; Author: Amy Tolnitch; Review: In no way is this a 5 star book! The story got really old & boring really fast & the characters were not very likeable.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: On the Loose (Steele Street, Book 7); Author: Visit Amazon's Tara Janzen Page; Review: Good story but not as good as the Crazy series. I loved Honey & Smith, who were in a previous story, not as much this time around.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bloodfever (Fever Series, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Marie Moning Page; Review: I love this dark series, the only bad part is having to wait so long for the next in the series to come out.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Sword (The Sons of Destiny, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jean Johnson Page; Review: I am not interested in reading any more in the series, lacked a certain something.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Alien Overnight; Author: Robin Rotham; Review: I enjoy sci-fi romances, this was a 3 1/2 to 4 star story for me, the story line was real interesting, but the alien mens private parts were somewhat weird, real weird.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Cat (The Sons of Destiny, Book 5); Author: Visit Amazon's Jean Johnson Page; Review: I am not interested in reading any more in the series, lacked a certain something.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Velvet Glove (Black Lace); Author: Visit Amazon's Emma Holly Page; Review: I enjoy this author but this tie me up & spank me stuff, isn't my thing, if it's yours you might like this book.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Driven (SHOMI); Author: Visit Amazon's Eve Kenin Page; Review: Despite the awful & childish cartoon book cover, this book is great, it's a very original & interesting sci-fi romance set in the future.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stray; Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Vincent Page; Review: At the beginning of the book Faythe was a immature college graduate, but this book & Faythe herself, got better as the story went along, a third of the way through the book I started to really enjoy the story and could not put it down toward the end. This is a unique story, I don't understand why people are comparing it to Bitten.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Faery Queen (Realm Immortal); Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M Pillow Page; Review: This was an enjoyable & well written book, but make sure you read Book 1 before you start reading this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stone Queen (Realm Immortal); Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M Pillow Page; Review: 5 star read, because the author managed to create a series in which each book has a very well written and gripping story that holds your interest to the very end. I really liked it that the bad guy is not a one dimensional totally evil disgusting guy but an interesting character that you like.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coyote Dreams (The Walker Papers, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's C.E. Murphy Page; Review: This book was BORING, I made it almost half way & gave up. The best thing about this book was the book cover, which was excellent.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Night Mischief (Dark Enchantments); Author: Visit Amazon's Nina Bruhns Page; Review: I don't usually read Silhouette but this one in the Nocturne collection was a really good sexy paranormal romance.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa Craving (Monere: Children of the Moon, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Sunny Page; Review: I could hardly put the book down, but I have two complaints: #1 too much sadness, needs to be more upbeat. #2 the next book, Mona Lisa Darkening, won't be out for a year.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunter's Moon; Author: C.J. Adams; Review: Very uneven blend of not very good paranormal with lots of bad mafia gangster stuff and a weird romance between unlikeable characters. Also, I'm use to a woman not a man being the main character, in first person written romance/paranormal books, so that was weird too. Why anybody liked this book is a mystery to me.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Kiss of Fire (Dragonfire, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Deborah Cooke Page; Review: Great title & book cover, down hill from there. Just could not get into this not very interesting story.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Shadows in the Darkness (Changeling); Author: Visit Amazon's Elaine Cunningham Page; Review: Ok, there always has to be one the crowd that did not like the book and so that would be me. 95% of the book was her doing boring investigation work, goes here & talks to someone, goes there & talks to someone, and on & on & on. 5% of the book was about the more interesting parnormal storyline but there very little interaction with other non humans & she was left in the dark about most things relating to what she was.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Blood and Mind; Author: Melanie Lee Bonnefoux; Review: I read the other reviews and disagree, the writting was not that much like LKH and nothing at all Buffy-like. This was not a quick read, this book was big and thick and the action was not that fast. I was disappointed in the main character's powers (she needed better super powers). She was spunky, but her mouthing off could get a little annoying. Lucien the vampire was hot, but she kept shooting him down instead of jumping his bones. I'm unsure about whether to get the 2nd book.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rogue; Author: Visit Amazon's Rachel Vincent Page; Review: I knew is book was going to be good after reading only the first few pages and it was! This book was so enjoyable that I wish book #3 was coming out sooner than next fall. This 2nd book is very much connected to the 1st book, so make sure you read the first book "Stray" before reading this 2nd book. After reading & trying to read so many ho-hum books lately, it's fun to finally get to read a really good book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: When You Believe (The Believe Trilogy, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jessica Barksdale Inclan Page; Review: This book was so boring, about a third of the way through the book I started skipping paragraphs here and there just to hurry up and finish.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: The Portal; Author: Visit Amazon's Kaitlyn O'Connor Page; Review: Earth was having problems and desperately needed to find a new planet to colonize. Dr. Alexis Conyers, along with a handful of scientist were members of a team on a daring mission to colonize a new world. Even though they travelled on one of Earths fastest space ships, the scientist had to undergo an experimental procedure using frog DNA strands webbed to their own, which allowed them to be frozen for most of the journey. After arriving on New Earth, the scientist set up the Portal that would allow instant teleportation to the new planet for colonization, but were alarmed to discover that Earth was not answering their hail, was anyone left on Earth? They were forced to flee for their lives through the Portal, that is when is was discovered that nearly 1000 years had passed, instead of the expected time of about 200 years and now Earth and it's people are very different. When Alexis steps through that Portal, she faces the greatest adventure of her life and discovers love that she could not have dreamed of.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Gena Showalter Page; Review: This was a good book, not great. The guys are tortured immortals involved with the ancient gods (like Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters series guys, who are immortal & were all tortured at one time or another & work for ancient gods). The guys live & fight together & each has their own unique gift/curse (like JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series), but these men lack that special closeness of the Brotherhood series. I was disappointed that the author did not write a more unique and original story, like she usually does. I loved her Alien Huntress series and Atlantis series. But it was a good book and I look forward to the next one in the series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Naughty Cupid: Trilogy; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: This book has three short stories involving Cupid, who is a very disgusting troll. The first story was Ok, the second story too much like the first, then on the third story, I only read two thirds of it, because it just got too boring! The three stories were so much alike, that after the first one you pretty much knew what would happen in the other two. I know the guy on the cover is really hot, but really, my advice is to skip this book. I enjoyed this authors Immoral Realm, Lords of Var and Dragon lords series, but not her vampire or medieval books and not this book.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Embrace the Night (Cassandra Palmer, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Chance Page; Review: I have really enjoyed this series. Alot going on, I didn't realize how much stuff I had forgotten from the first two books, I would catch myself saying "oh yeah, now I remember that". These authors just take too long between books, they need to write faster (ha ha).; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dagger-Star (Epic of Palins, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth Vaughan Page; Review: This books was just - not good, the whole plot was so stupid & I read (and like) some really wacky books. I bought it because her other books were so good & was really let down with this one.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Dark Desires After Dusk (The Immortals After Dark Series, Book 5); Author: Visit Amazon's Kresley Cole Page; Review: I have loved every book in this series, this is one of my favorite authors and I'm looking forward to the next.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chosen (Guardians' League, Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Amelia Elias Page; Review: I really enjoyed the first two books in the series, but this one I could have skipped. It was dull, dull, dull.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bitter Moon I: Triane's Son Ascending; Author: Visit Amazon's Amy Lane Page; Review: This book is nothing at all like the little goddess series that I enjoyed so much. It is a very large book with a very long winded tale with no end in sight, it starts out when they are young and they so very slowly grow up. I will not be getting the second book in the series, too dull for words. One of the tags is "erotica" which does not apply to this never ending story.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: When He Was Bad; Author: Visit Amazon's Cynthia Eden Page; Review: The first story is a 5 star read by Shelly Laurenston, is 156 pages and it is great. I loved Irene, she had such a totally unique peronality and Van is the typical sexy alpha shapeshifter. The Second story was just ok, I would give it 3 stars.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 7); Author: Visit Amazon's J.R. Ward Page; Review: Ignore the really long winded reviews that gave this book only 3 stars. Despite the romance between Phury & Cormia not being the best romance in the world, this book had a whole lot going on to keep you entertained. There was a large sub-plot about the newly transitioned males who were best friends, John, Qhuinn & Blay. Another sub-plot about Rehvenge & his dealing with the evil symphath princess (full blooded sympaths seem really creepy). Also more information about his bouncer Xhex, who is also part symphath A totally new type of character introduced toward the end of the book, a fallen angel named Lassiter. Also a glimpse of the Virgin Scribe's daughter Payne. The escalating war with the evil Omega & his son, against the vampires. I still get a kick out of their names, love the speech patterns (you feel me?) and the closeness of the tough brotherhood members, who are putty in their bonded females hands. I loved this book and was wishing while I reading it, that it could just go on & on. Lots of material for many more books in the series (yeah). There is a book called "The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide, coming in October 2008, which might come in handy. There are getting to be so many unique characters and with the books taking so long to be publish, it's getting hard to remember everthing from the past books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Iron Hunt (Hunter Kiss, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Marjorie M. Liu Page; Review: If I had to sum up this book in one word, the word would be WEIRD. During the whole book Maxine is confused, scared and clueless. I was pretty confused also. The author tried to be poetic & dramatic, but there is nobody in the book to really care about, they were are all so flat.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wolfen; Author: Visit Amazon's Madelaine Montague Page; Review: Danika is a researcher sent to a small northwestern town to research the wolf sightings that had been reported, when a motorcycle gang, with long hair, tatoos and interesting piercings, ride into town. Balin, Connor, Jared, Dakota & Xavier are wolfen alphas, who all fall in love with Danika. 5 guys is a little much, but each one is so macho & sweet, with the love scenes being smoking hot. This book was a sexy and enjoyable read that I highly recommend.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Luna; Author: Visit Amazon's Gina Farago Page; Review: This is book #2 where we are introduced to Ivy's daughter named Luna, whose father was from book #1 "Ivy Cole and the Moon". It was a strange and interesting story, to me it was better than the 1st book. I don't really know how to describe these books except to say it was a very unique way of doing a werewolf story and that the werewolves looked at right & wrong (eating people) a little different than most books. Also, there was no hot & heavy sex scenes like in many paranormal books.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12); Author: Visit Amazon's Sherrilyn Kenyon Page; Review: The first half of the book was so unreal to human nature, Acheron was the most handsome and desirable human there was, it is human nature to care about and value those that are beautiful and desirable, those traits should not have generated hate, scorn and cruelity in every single person he encounterd, especially on the unlikely scale that was betrayed in this silly book. 11 thousand years is also a unreal amount of time for him to be so wimpy about the 21 years he was human, also in all that vast amount of time he couldn't find love? Come on. Tory was such a disappointment, so ordinary. Acheron was so special in all the past books in this series, that the woman he finally falls in love with should have been more special too, more beauty, personality, talent, something.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Frost Maiden: Space Lords Book One; Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle M. Pillow Page; Review: This was just an OK book, I think I'll skip this series. I won't go into a description of the plot, because the Editorial Review above, describes the book real good. Some of this authors book are really good, my favorite series were The Lords of Var & Realm Immortal series. I have read quite a few of this authors books, some I loved, some I liked, some were just ok and some I hated.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Riding the Storm (ACRO Series, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Sydney Croft Page; Review: This book is a erotic paranormal/action adventure romance. The authors are Stephanie Tyler & Larissa Ione writting together under the name Sydney Croft. The paranormal storyline is excellent and well written, but every few pages there are very graphic sex scenes, which I thought was a little much.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Key: A Perilous Pauline SF Romance (Project Enterprise) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Pauline Baird Jones Page; Review: Sara was annoyed to be ordered to wear a dress to meet the arrogant alien Supreme Leader, so when he asked "Why would any woman choose to be a soldier?" her reply was "I joined to travel, meet new people... and kill them". So if you like your heroine to be the kind that kick butt, you'll like this book. Another thing I really loved about this book, besides the cool sci-fi stuff, was that the United States military were the good guys. The only thing I did not like about the book was that everyone in this far far away galaxy spoke English. Weird.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sea Fever (Children of the Sea, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Virginia Kantra Page; Review: This was an ok book (3 1/2 star), nothing to get as excited about as the other reviewers did.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Countdown (SHOMI); Author: Visit Amazon's Michelle Maddox Page; Review: This was an Ok book, easy to put down, the plot and characters were nothing to get excited about.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotter Than Hell; Author: Visit Amazon's Jackie Kessler Page; Review: This book hit my "just ok" radar, not the: good (4 stars) or great (5 stars). Don Juan just didn't do it for me, he wasn't very likeable, also the romance was very much lacking in this book. Jezabel in the previous books was great as was the romance.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: One Silent Night (A Dark-Hunter Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Sherrilyn Kenyon Page; Review: This was a good read (not great) & free (from library) so I have no complaints. This author is still a good writer, with all the really bad and boring books out there, I appreciate her writings. I enjoyed the large font, made for easier reading. The characters I wished she had wrote more about was Nimrod with his stuffed teddy bear, Simi and Ash. For not a very large book the story got a little crowded with: Menyara, Nick, Mache, Stryker, Zephyra, Jared, Nim, Simi, Ash, War, Ker, Hades, Katra, Sin, Cherise, Tannis, Ryssa, Urian, Artemis, Athena, Davyn, Apollymi & Savitar; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: At Grave's End; Author: Visit Amazon's Jeaniene Frost Page; Review: I love this series, it's one of my favorites. Very unique and entertaining storyline, that holds your interest.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa Darkening (Monere: Children of the Moon, Book 4); Author: Visit Amazon's Sunny Page; Review: This is a very entertaining and interesting series, you never know what is going to happen next. The WHOLE SERIES has taken place in a two month period of time!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiss of a Demon King (Immortals After Dark, Book 6); Author: Visit Amazon's Kresley Cole Page; Review: Another great read! All of Kresley Cole's books are so good, she is such a talented writer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Destiny Kills (Myth and Magic); Author: Visit Amazon's Keri Arthur Page; Review: I would rate this as a 3 1/2 to 4 star read, the storyline was pretty good, I liked the dragon shape shifting theme, but there was an awful lot of running here, running there or maybe I should say, flying/swimming/running here, flying/swimming/running there. What bugs me the most is, on the front cover of the book it says "She's got a mysterious tattoo, a dangerous secret, and powers far beyond the human..." WHAT TATTOO? Was there a tattoo? Am I crazy? I don't remember reading about a tattoo! On the front cover there is even a picture of what looks like a snake with wings tattoo on a womans bare back. While reading the story I kept expecting a mention of a tattoo, or for a tattoo to mysteriously appear on her back. Excuse the rant, but that is just annoying.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cyberevolution V: Illumination (Volume 5); Author: Visit Amazon's Kaitlyn O'Connor Page; Review: This is far in the future, where people drive hovercars in domed cities and paper is a thing only found in musems, water showers are illegal, replaced by the less pleasant particle showers. The people of this time have to get a permit to have a child, marriage is a thing of the distant past, replaced with limited signed contracts. But many just go to the brothels featuring beautiful male and female Cyborg sex droids. But Cyborgs who were created and sold to the military and the brothels have evolved and now have awareness and are looking for answers, while the company that created them is trying to exterminate them all. I could hardly put this book down, I was enjoying it so much. Great sci-fi adventure romance with hot Cyborg men you will fall in love with. The sex scenes in this book are one on one, but the heroine has more than one love interest, after all, the Cyborg men really out number the women.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ravenous: The Dark Forgotten; Author: Visit Amazon's Sharon Ashwood Page; Review: This book went nowhere fast, I quit reading it halfway thru the book. I'm a paranormal/fantasy fan, so was really disappointed that this new series was so blah. I bought this book because of the good ratings, I try to be carefull when buying a book from an author unknown to me because there are a lot more really bad books out there than good books and books aren't cheap, so this book was money down the drain. Tip: check out the other reviews done by the longest 5 star reviewers (click on "see all my reviews" to the right of their name) to see what type books they read, to see if you trust their review of this book.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Dreamfever; Author: Visit Amazon's Karen Marie Moning Page; Review: The author should have wrote the entire series then released them one after the other, so we would not have to suffer the long wait between release dates, especially with the cruel, cruel cliff hangers she leaves us hanging with! I was ready to scream when I read the last page!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red (Dead World, Book 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jordan Summers Page; Review: I was fooled by the super long reviews that raved about how great this book was, this book was terrible! I'm use to reading much better paranormal books than this. Badly written villians, poor world building, the main characters did not have much in the way of super powers (wow, they have a real good sense of smell!). You would think someone nicknamed "Red" because of how much blood she spilled, would actually be a real kick ass type that spills alot of blood in the book, but no. Everyone in the book seemed to be not very bright, intellegence wise. But hey, the book had a nice cover & the red trim on the edges of the pages were a nice touch, tied in with the title real well.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bedeviled (Signet Eclipse); Author: Visit Amazon's Maureen Child Page; Review: This book just dragged, it was so boring. There are a lot of great paranormal/urban fantasy books out there, that are so good you can hardly put the book down, this book was dullsville. I will never buy a book from this authors again. I'm really starting to wonder if those reviewers that write the super long reviews get paid to lie and say great things about not so great books, because the great reviews were what made me decide to waste my money on this loser.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Mortal Ties (World of the Lupi); Author: Visit Amazon's Eileen Wilks Page; Review: I have enjoyed this series, but this book seemed to really drag and was kinda boring. Hopefully, future books in the series will be more exciting.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lover At Last: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood; Author: Visit Amazon's J.R. Ward Page; Review: The 2 guys in love having sex was disgusting, (I was hoping one of them would magically be turned into a female). The rest of the book was Great; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend: The Classic Training Manual for Dog Owners (Revised & Updated Edition); Author: Monks of New Skete; Review: Excellent and has helped us tremendously with kennel training and behavior in the house. Takes lots of time and commitment for this training but worth it in the long run.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Intimacy: A 100-Day Guide to Lasting Relationships; Author: Visit Amazon's Douglas Weiss Page; Review: Great information and practical applications.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Samson in the Snow; Author: Philip C. Stead; Review: Gift to my grandson and he loves to have it read to him.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: When (Record-a-Story); Author: Visit Amazon's Frank Boylan Page; Review: I have recorded this book for each of our grandchildren and it expresses exactly how I feel about them and they can hear how much I love them any time they 'read' the book. My favorite!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself; Author: Visit Amazon's Melody Beattie Page; Review: So helpful!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Mediflow Water Pillow Travel Size; Brand: Mediflow; Review: I already have the full sized mediflow pillow and in fact have gone through two already. This is a great pillow if you have neck pain or headaches. Soft enough to be comfortable and the water pillow insert really conforms to your neck. May have to play around with the amount of water at first. The travel size is a nice option if you don't want to lug your regular pillow around. I hate hotel pillows anyway! PS..I don't think this pillow was meant to sit on!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fiesta Tangerine 572 2-Quart Medium Canister; Brand: Homer Laughlin; Review: I should mention up front that I purchased all three of these canisters. We redid our kitchen almost two years ago and it took me that long to find a set of black ones that I liked. (Yes our appliances are black!) These are pottery and a good size. They come in a variety of colors, 3 qt, 2 and 1 qt. Because they are pottery, the seals aren't perfect unless you sit the lid just right every time you use them. But that is a minor issue. Overall I really like them and they just finish off the kitchen nicely.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hoover Max Extract Dual V WidePath Carpet Washer, F7411900; Brand: Hoover; Review: Ok, so I have been one of those people dithering (Irish word) for years about buying a carpet cleaner. Where would I put it? What about all the mess of using it, water everywhere? YUK. Well I got my mind changed in a hurry the last time I had my carpets cleaned by a national company who does steam cleaning. Washing, protecting and deodarizing (I have a Golden Retriever) was $600!!. For a living room, dining room, bedroom and one hallway!! Determined to now do this myself I did a lot of research and came down to the Bissel of the Hoover. Both had excellent reviews but for all that they both did, the Hoover is less expensive. Apparently they both have the same features. The Hoover has an upholstery tool. I have used it once on the livingroom carpet that is 12x18. It is a plush Karestan carpet. For that space it used one full container of hot water and just about used up the small 12oz container of soap that comes with it. I could not believe what came up out of the carpet! (No carpet dye came up..the carpet is a deep maroon color) But hey he is a dog and runs in and out tracking dirt etc. I found the Hoover easy to use and assemble (only a little assembly required). The carpet dried in less than 24 hours and felt very soft afterwards. I am quite pleased with the results. I read a comment elsewhere that someone complained that removing the bottom chamber with the dirty water caused dripping on the newly cleaned carpet. My answer to this is...wheel the darn thing up to the sink or bathtub BEFORE taking the bottom chamber off! Don't take it off right over your clean carpet and then carry it to the kitchen to dump. Shipping was very fast. Overall I would highly recommend this product. For the price you can't go wrong.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Oriental Furniture Burnt Bamboo Roll Up Blinds - Natural - (24 in. x 72 in.); Brand: ORIENTAL FURNITURE; Review: I have an old house and bought this for a covered porch. So far it is great..shields the neighbors ugly porch from mine ( I hung it on the sides of the porch). Would not recommend for outdoor use. Provides enough privacy and a good buy for the price; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Progressive International GPC-5000 Cherry-It Multiple Cherry Pitter; Brand: Progressive International; Review: Pits only 4 cherries at a time but really is worth it. Someone I work with recommended this and it is a good product for the price. Definitely much easier to take some fruit on the go when it is pitted!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: MCS 24x36 Inch Beaded Rectangular Wall Mirror, 30x42 Inch Overall Size, White (20456); Brand: MCS; Review: Beautiful mirror! I wanted something that was not over 45" in width to hang in a master bathroom. It was hung horizontally and looks great. I would agree with another reviewer that the packaging must have been improved. The mirror arrived in a box and was surrounded by firm styrofoam. The box itself was enveloped in the biggest bubble wrap envelope I have ever seen and this worked perfectly. Would recommend it if you are looking for a simple silver mirror; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Violet Linen Silky Crushed Panel, 54" x 90", Brass; Brand: Violet Linen; Review: I purchased the copper colored ones for my den. I have a span of 3 windows over 120" so I bought 4 of them. The color is perfect. These really are shears so if you are looking for any room darkening or true curtains this is not for you. I like them as I have woods behind me so I am not concerned with anyone seeing inside so the effect of allowing light in is great. Shipment was really fast too!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SALBAKOS Turkish Luxury Hotel & Spa 30"x60" Bath Sheet Set of 2 Turkish Cotton - OEKO-TEX Organic, Eco-Friendly (Bath; Brand: SALBAKOS; Review: These are great towels..much softer than I expected. I agree with another reviewer that they "shed" a bit when first washed but overall I love them. I purchased bath towels, hand towels and wash clothes in white for a new bathroom and they are much better than any other towel I have purchased. I would recommended them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Iso-Cool Memory Foam Pillow, Traditional Shape, Standard; Brand: SleepBetter; Review: Much more comfortable than I thought. I am a side sleeper but foam pillows were too hot. This is cool and gave me enough neck support.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: FHE Group Tissue Rug Bath Mat, 30 by 20 Inches, Red; Brand: The FHE Group; Review: I wish they still had this in white as I would buy another. This is soft and very cute for a bath mat. Washes easily too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Malden International Designs Linear Rustic Wood Picture Frame, 5x7, Rough Gray; Brand: Malden International Designs; Review: Nice wooden frame for the money. Nothing fancy, but I wanted something simple to hold 5x7 pictures; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Choice Products Mirrored Console Table Vanity Desk Mirror Glam 2 Drawers Home Furniture; Brand: BEST CHOICE PRODUCTS; Review: Like other reviewers, I was missing one bolt as the bag that holds the bolts is the flimsiest thing I have ever seen. It broke inside the box, scattering the bolts all inside. The console itself was well packed, no mirrors broken. After we put it together (minus one bolt) we stood it up and (story of my life) we could hear a bolt rattling around inside. I decided NOT to take it apart again and the company very nicely shipped me some more bolts to finish the job. I swear we didn't hear a thing the whole time unpacking and assembling. Anyway..I have this in the bedroom with a 32inch tv on it (Smart TV). I wanted something that would not take up as much room as a dresser. This is the perfect height on the wall across from the bed, for viewing the TV. AND the drawers store the extra bolts...just in case.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Corelle Embossed Bella Faenza 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4, White (1114995); Brand: Corelle; Review: These are very nice light weight but strong dishes. I wanted to move to white for table settings so I could use them with anything on the table. Am using them for everyday dishes, but also would be fine on a more formal table. The cups are porcelain china which was a nice surprise. Might have to be careful not to drop them but they do go in the dishwasher, just don't let them 'klink' against each other which could cause chipping or cracks. I replaced a stoneware set that was starting to chip and was far heavier. This is much better. These are thin enough to stack 12 in the cabinet with no problems; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Linus Bathroom Vanity Organizer Bin – Cabinet Storage Box for Health and Beauty Products - Cube, Clear; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Awesome little organizer for the bottom drawer in the bathroom. Holds all those facial cream and hair creams tubes..you know..the ones that never stand up on their own.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Godinger Dublin Crystal Set of 12 High Balls, Item # 25723; Brand: Godinger; Review: I really like these. Have not had any of the problems listed by others such as breakage. I use them as daily glassware and they get a work out and do well in the dishwasher. No chipping or cracking when washed that way; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beme International Kid's 5/8-Inch Acrylic Crown Rod Set, 26 to 48-Inch, Clear; Brand: Beme International; Review: Bought two of these for the guest room and have white shear curtains, floor length, on them. Looks really nice and makes the room look light and airy. Easy to install. I think however that I would not put heavy drapes on these as they are acrylic.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Mono Wastebasket Trash Can for Bathroom, Kitchen, Office - Water Blue; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Sleek and pretty! I have a white bathroom, white cabinets and marble look on the floors. This is just what I was looking for, has a slight frosted look to it and a modern design.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DecoBros Supreme Stackable Can Rack Organizer, Chrome Finish; Brand: Deco Brothers; Review: I bought this after reading reviews of other similar products that were not made of steel. I was able to put it together in about 10 minutes and the company actually sent an email with photos to assist in assembly. That was pretty impressive as far as customer service is concerned. Follow the instructions and you shouldn't have a problem. It holds heavy cans well, but I found that those should be on the bottom rack. If on the top rack, it could get a bit top heavy and start to tip a bit. Other than that I like the product and was surprised how much extra space I had in the pantry after putting it on a shelf.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anyana Baby foot print Baking Molds footstep Silicone Fondant molds baby shower Cake Decorating Tools Gumpaste christening cupcake topper decorations; Brand: Anyana; Review: Used for a baby shower and made a perfect little baby for the top of the cake!..hint..use corn starch on silicon molds or the fondant will stick. Then to get rid of the corn starch (or powdered sugar but that is stickier) use vodka and a paint brush!. Picked that tip up years ago and it really works!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: KRUPS ET351 Coffee Maker, Coffee Programmable Maker, Thermal Carafe, 12 Cup, Black; Brand: KRUPS; Review: I had a Krups Aromacontrol that finally gave up the ghost recently..started leaking coffee. I read many reviews on Amazon and other sites before deciding on this one. My criteria: 1. Must have thermal carafe..no hot plates please! 2. Must have working timer so I can wake up to coffee. 3. Gold filter would be nice to cut bitterness (I drink it black) 4. Must have a smaller foot print on the countertop Not a huge list but once you put thermal carafe in that narrows it down. I chose this one as it also has the option of a stronger brew, even if you use the auto feature. CON: Only one and I agree with other reviews. It is awkward trying to get water into the top as you have to pour into the back part and the lid gets in the way. The first two times I spilled water on the counter top until I got the hang of it. Kind of a design error and that is the reason I gave 4 stars. PRO: The above 4 reasons and it does make a great cup of coffee. Despite cleaning my old coffee maker regularly, I did not realize how bitter the coffee became. I think the gold filter really does help and yes..I put a paper filter in too. Not a fan of sludge in the coffee thank you. Also, this has a water filter and that may be helping too.. UPDATE: Ok 3 months later I DOWNGRADED this pot to 3 stars, maybe a 2.5. The coffee still tastes good but the coffee pot itself just sucks. No other way to put it. It dribbles constantly no matter how many times I check the lid. If you use this to pour water into the water reservoir, it dribbles down the side and spills everywhere..use your sprayer faucet. Finally..the coffee doesn't stay hot for more than 1-1/2 hours or so. I formerly used a Mr coffee thermal pot and it was much better at keeping coffee hot, more like a thermos. Glad I kept it and will start using that again. sigh. I just want a good cup o coffee with minimal drama.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign 76485 York Bath, Facial Tissue Box Cover/Holder for Bathroom Vanity Countertops - Bronze; Brand: InterDesign; Review: I have oiled bronze fixtures in a half bath. This is perfect in there, color is true to the pictures. Doesn't look like plastic even though it is.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nora Fleming Chip and Dip Charm Platter (N5); Brand: nf nora fleming; Review: Perfect chip dip set! Love it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nora Fleming Cocktail Napkin Holder Candy Dish M6; Brand: Nora Fleming; Review: Perfect for a party for cocktail napkins. Be aware that the bottom is a bit rough, not smooth pottery like the rest of it. I put some protectors on the bottom so I could put on my coffee table which is polished oak; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: iTouchless Sliding Lid Automatic Touchless Sensor Trash Can – 14 Gallon; Brand: iTouchless; Review: Ok gotta say I love this thing. The lid slides back into the top with a wave of the hand. When your hands are full of trash, just to wave over it is great. This newer model (I had the original one which finally died) has a clip on odor absorber under the lid. Nice addition. Regular tall trash bags fit nicely. I did not buy the plug in charger, just using D batteries which is fine. NOTE: DO NOT attempt to wash the lid! (as in, don't stick it in your sink and use the sprayer). If the electronics inside get wet you blow the whole thing and it stops working permanently. Not entirely sure but water may have gotten in my old one. So just wipe it off if you get something on it. If you do damage it, you can buy just a replacement lid from the iTouchless website, but to purchase the whole trash can, the price was better here on Amazon.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: SquareTrade 3-Year Laptop Accidental Protection Plan ($600-699.99); Brand: SquareTrade; Review: I would not buy an electronic equipment without a protection plan. Although not what I am used to, I believe the protection plan is well worth the cost.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Drive Logic DL-64 Portable EVA Hard Drive Carrying Case Pouch, Blue; Brand: Drive Logic; Review: Very good hard case for the hard drive that it carries. Best protection an external drive could have. Would buy again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HP Envy dv7-7240us 17.3-Inch Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5-3210M Processor, 8GB DDR3, 750GB HDD, Windows 8) Midnight Black; Brand: HP; Review: I love HP products. I also do not like the Windows 8. I wish there had been a choice of Windows 7 or 8. However I am getting used to it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SquareTrade 2-Year Tablet Accidental Protection Plan ($250-299.99); Brand: SquareTrade; Review: I never buy electronics without an accident protection plan. It helps! I had a HP Tablet and the operating system crashed which caused the hardware to crash. I returned the item to Square Trade and they reimbursed the purchase price when the realized they could not repair it. I used the reimbursement to purchase another 10" tablet. Love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lenovo Yoga Multimode 10-inch Tablet; Brand: Lenovo; Review: I was skeptical with Lenova as they are the remakes of IBM. However, knowing IBM's reputation, I took my chances when my HP 10" tablet bellied up. I have to say I was very surprised with the tablet. I love the way it handles, the style, and the ease of use. There are still some buttons I have not learned (just received it a week or so ago). Everything I have attempted on the tablet has been successful. Looking for a good tablet that stands on its own. This one is it. There are extra supplies that can be bought to go with it, but be very careful and read reviews first. Hope you enjoy the tablet. I know I am!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lenovo Yoga 10/FHD Bluetooth Keyboard Cover (888015721); Brand: Lenovo; Review: This cover was never issued. Based on the ratings, I would say it needs to be pulled off the shelves and remade. It sounds like a wonderful idea, but if it is hard to remove and put back on the tablet without scratching the screen, then it is not worth the price.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: iLLumiShield; Brand: iLLumiShield; Review: This protects the screen on the tablet perfectly. There are two little bubbles I need to work out but other than that one would not know there is a protective cover on the screen.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Exact Lenovo YOGA Tablet 10 / YOGA Tablet 10 HD+ Case [PRO Series]; Brand: ERP; Review: This folio fits like a smooth glove. Perfect for the Lenova tablet. A few problems with the camera working correctly but nothing that can't be worked out with time.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Logitech MK520 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo — Keyboard and Mouse, Long Battery Life, Secure 2.4GHz Connectivity; Brand: Logitech; Review: The keyboard and mouse are great. It may not be the keyboard's fault. It could be another issue. I am hard on keyboards and mouse so when I get one that responds like this keyboard does, it makes the work so much easier. They keys are easy to tap, no hard pushing on them. The typing is smooth and consistent. There are times when the keyboard does not respond as quickly as it should. When there are long response times, it could be because of the processor of the machine and not the keyboard itself. Logitech makes excellent products. Pros on this set is that both have off buttons so the batteries last a long time.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mpow Jaws V4.1 Bluetooth Headphones Wireless Neckband Headset Stereo Noise Cancelling Earbuds w/Mic-Black; Brand: Mpow; Review: The newer version of headsets works great. Although there is some static, it probably has more to do with the crazy weather than the headsets, as these seem to work indoors better.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Hush Puppies Oberlin Loafer (Toddler/Little Kid/Big Kid); Brand: ; Review: it was hard at 1st trying to find shoes for me autistic son due to the fact that he cant tie laces ad yet when i found these i said thank god comfortable material strong had them from september last year and they are still standing like brand new; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Iwoo Skull Head Pattern Hollow Back Women Tank Tops; Brand: Iwoo; Review: love this top would do with a couple more; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NYKKOLA Fashion Unisex Leopard Silicone Watch Jelly Gel Quartz Analog Wrist Watch(Gold); Brand: NYKKOLA; Review: good quality still working very nice delivered days before expected date; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amoin Women's High Waisted Brooklyn Cuffed Joggers [6103] , Black; Brand: Amoin; Review: good quality; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Girls Women Double skull vest Top in White.S/M(6/8) & M/L(10/12); Brand: Miss High Street; Review: very comfortable and cool; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shop4Ever I'm Hers - He's Mine Galaxy Hands Couples Matching T-Shirts; Brand: Shop4Ever; Review: moeny well spent material feels great delivery was great and on time; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forever Womens Long Sleeves Printed Bodycon Long Stretchy Midi Dress; Brand: Forever; Review: i order a size above my regular size because i thought that the material was a bit more clingy but is softer had to do some adjusting but it was good enough for me; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WHITE APPAREL Ladies Bikini Style Panties Various Styles (Pack of 12); Brand: WHITE APPAREL; Review: great just great; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mens Gold Tone Iced Out Bull Small Pendant with 5mm 24" Cuban Chain Necklace; Brand: L & L Nation; Review: made a great gift; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CLARKS Women's Funny Dream Oxford; Brand: ; Review: money well spent; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mamia 6 Pack of Women's Lace Boyshort Panties; Brand: Mamia; Review: soft material perfect fit; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: They came to L.A. to chase a Hollywood dream. Two weeks later, they were homeless; Abstract: So many people come to L.A. carrying little else but big dreams. One misstep, one con, one stroke of bad luck can be all it takes to derail them. I recently met a young couple from Detroit whose journey here started with great hope. They arrived last spring in possession of a promise, $800, two backpacks and two duffel bags. The promise was what had prompted them to leave home. But it was broken that first day, before they left LAX. Their...; Category: news
Title: The Most Brilliantly Frightening Films Ever Made; Abstract: Classic movie moments so scary they stay with you forever; Category: movies
Title: Mom pushes her obnoxious boyfriend on family; Abstract: He is a classic know-it-all, and regularly changes the subject mid-conversation to tell random stories about himself.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Your Car Is Most Likely to Be Stolen in These Cities; Abstract: There were an estimated 748,841 vehicle thefts in the United States in 2018, or about 229 per 100,000 Americans.; Category: finance
Title: World's largest treehouse burns to the ground; Abstract: The entire structure collapsed in less than 15 minutes; Category: news
Title: This fast food chain has the best fries, according to customers; Abstract: We asked our readers who has the best fries in all of fast food, and Five Guys' fries snatched the potato cake right from McDonald's greasy grasp.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: 40 Classic Thanksgiving Recipes That Deserve a Comeback; Abstract: Bring some old-school flavor to your Thanksgiving celebration with these retro-inspired recipes.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: 20 Celebs Who Have Had Actual Ghost Encounters; Abstract: Don't try and tell these stars that ghosts don't exist, because they've seen all the paranormal proof they need to believe; Category: entertainment
Title: Make Room For Guests! CA Homes With Casitas; Abstract: Nothing says "welcome" quite like settling your guests into their own casita or guest house.; Category: finance
Title: These Restaurants Are Rumored To Be Haunted By Spirits; Abstract: Get into the Halloween spirit with a reservation at one of these spooky spots.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Motorists drive through flames on 14 Freeway in prelude to a hellish commute; Abstract: After the Tick fire jumped the 14 Freeway early Friday, causing a portion of the freeway to close in both directions, getting in and out of the Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys became a traffic nightmare for morning commuters. The freeway was closed beginning at 4 a.m. between Agua Dulce Canyon and Sand Canyon roads, according to the California Department of Transportation. Officials said southbound traffic was being diverted at Agua Dulce...; Category: news
Title: Bill Murray Applied To Work At An Airport P.F. Chang's And They're Totally Down To Hire Him; Abstract: Dude loves a lettuce wrap.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Explosive new wildfire drives thousands from homes near Los Angeles; Abstract: The Maria fire ignited in Ventura County early Thursday night and raced westward, consuming 4,000 acres in just three hours.; Category: weather
Title: The most conservative public colleges in America; Abstract: Think higher education is uniformly liberal? Think again. Stacker looks at the 50 most conservative colleges in America.; Category: finance
Title: The Last McDonald's Burger in Iceland Just Turned 10. It's Still in Perfect Condition.; Abstract: Watch it sit in a jar on a webcam. Because internet.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Walter Mercado, Legendary Puerto Rican Astrologer, Dead at 87; Abstract: The TV personality reportedly died on Saturday.; Category: tv
Title: Lufthansa strike cancels 1,300 flights, stranding thousands; Abstract: Lufthansa said that customers could rebook their flights, but passengers reported having trouble reaching the airline.; Category: travel
Title: 55 Restaurants That Serve an Amazing Thanksgiving Dinner; Abstract: If you love Thanksgiving and the food but don't love the cooking or cleanup, get an easy gourmet celebration at one of these restaurants nationwide. Many feasts feature local twists on old favorites, such as Turducken gumbo and Cajun fried turkey in New Orleans and even vegan-friendly offerings in Seattle.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: I went to Peter Luger after it received zero stars from New York Times; Abstract: The burger was so juicy I had to wipe my fingers after every bite. And everyone from regulars to tourists couldn't stop singing Peter Luger's praises.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Performer known as Hollywood Superman found dead in Van Nuys; Abstract: ; Category: tv
Title: US victims in Mexico massacre were tied to family with long history of violence; Abstract: The roadside killings of nine U.S. citizens in northern Mexico has brought renewed attention to the scattered communities of Mormons who settled in the country more than a century ago to escape persecution.; Category: news
Title: Los Angeles Has One of America's Best All-You-Can-Eat Restaurants; Abstract: If you feel the indulgence of an all-you-can-eat restaurant calling out to you, there's one within your home state to enjoy. Whether it's comfort food, seafood, an international favorite such as sushi or Indian, or an over-the-top Brazilian steakhouse, here are 50 buffets well worth stopping in for a visit.; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Football coach resigns after celebration with racial slurs posted on Instagram; Abstract: A high school football coach in North Carolina has lost his job and says that "15 seconds of fame in the wrong way [has] ruined the last 12 years of [his] career."; Category: news
Title: University of Florida student president faces impeachment for Trump Jr.'s $50K campus talk; Abstract: Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle spoke at the University of Florida campus Oct. 10 for $50,000.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with Wikipedia articles as follows:
Title: Masato Akamatsu; Description: baseball player
Title: Anacithara modica; Description: species of mollusc
Title: Eoophyla menglensis; Description: species of insect
Title: Ancylistes parabiacutus; Description: species of beetle
Title: Gordon H. Winton; Description: American politician
Title: Crow Run; Description: stream in Wetzel County, United States of America
Title: 45 Draconis; Description: star in the constellation Draco
Title: Aleksei Sergeyevich Sergeyev; Description: Russian footballer
Title: Jack Bosden; Description: Australian rugby player | wikirec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Piz St Moritz; City: St Moritz Engadin St Moritz Canton of Graubunden Swiss Alps; Review: Stayed at The Piz on Holiday with my Family of 4 and really enjoyed it. Great location yet still in close proximity to the City Center. Room was great with the adjacent room with Bunk Bed for the kids. Nice simple breakfast that is offered with good coffee, breads, and juices. Be sure to try the Pizza restaurant on the property one of the evenings. Will definitely be back at The Piz!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seestrasse Apartments Drei Konige; City: Zurich; Review: Enjoyed the wonderful Apt. and stay with my Family of 4 while on Holiday. It is a great quiet location in close proximity to the Bahnhof Enge and the Lake. With the #7 Tram stop right in front, easy access to the City Center and Bahnhofstrasse is quite convenient. Apt was very clean, with washer/dryer, nice kitchen and everything you would need for a Family. You also have the benefit of all the services of Hotel Ascot with outstanding Customer Service! Highly recommend this Apt for Family and/or an extended stay while in Zurich. I will most definitely be back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alpen Resort Hotel; City: Zermatt Canton of Valais Swiss Alps; Review: Had 3 nights in June with my Family of 4. We had a room with a Bunk loft for the kids. Very nice property with a short walk into the heart of town. We used the pool and hot tub after long days on the Mtns. Breakfast was good with great offerings of eggs, bacon, breads, juices, ect. Would definitely recommend and will stay once again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hauser Hotel St Moritz; City: St Moritz Engadin St Moritz Canton of Graubunden Swiss Alps; Review: I spent 2 nights at the Hauser as I came over to St. Moritz from Zurich for the La Tavolata Festival. I arrived by Train and was welcomed at the Station by the Hotel Van who was waiting for me upon my arrival. Be sure to advise the Desk when you will arrive as they will bring you to the Hotel. The Hauser is located right in the heart of the bustling City Center. So you have great access to all of the Buses that will take you to the Gondola Stations for mountain sightseeing and hiking. The room was simple, but clean, with a good bed. Public WiFi for easy hookup to the Internet. Very nice patio area in front of the Hotel to have a drink or a bite. A simple breakfast is offered complimentary of the Hotel featuring Coffee, Tea, Juice, breads, croissants, yogurt, and cereals. Overall, a very nice property providing great value, with a great location, adds up to a thumbs up from this Traveler! Definitely recommend...; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Krone Unterstrass; City: Zurich; Review: I have been staying at the Hotel Krone at various times over the past 4 years when in Zurich for business. It offers tremendous value for a 4Star versus some of the other pricier Hotels down on the Bahnhofstrasse. Short Tram ride on the 11 or 14 only 3 stops from the Main Station will drop you right in front of the Hotel. Great restaurant in house that offers a typical Schweiz hot breakfast with all of the various items. Rooms a very clean with free WiFi offered throughout the Hotel. The Townhouse in back offers a Suite environment that is always quite nice.The Staff is on top of everything and will meet your every request. I love the Hotel Krone and would recommend it to anyone for any type of stay while in Zurich.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AWA Hotel; City: Munich Upper Bavaria Bavaria; Review: Stayed here for 3 nights on a recent trip to Munich. The 2 best things about the Hotel is it is in close proximity to the Main Station and the Old City. The 2nd is the great Buffet breakfast served every morning. The negatives are it is advertised as a Air Conditioned Hotel. Yes it is, but not all of the Rooms are air conditioned. I chose a larger Twin room with a Courtyard view versus a small typical Euro Single. The room was very large but no air conditioning! It happened to be close to 34C every day so the room was very hot. Made it very difficult to get to sleep. The Single rooms facing the street do have individual air conditioning units but will be noisy as it is on a busy active street with a Casino. I will say the Hotel Staff is very nice and will make you feel very welcome. If you are looking for a clean place, in close walking distance to the sights of Munich, at a decent price, this Hotel will work.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sorell Hotel Rutli; City: Zurich; Review: Very nice 3 Star Hotel located a short walk from Zurich Main Station. Access to the rest of the City is easy from the Central Tram stop steps from the Hotel entrance. Hotel is very clean, efficient, good Continental Schweiz Breakfast. Starbucks Coffee right outside as well. Walk right into the Old City or a quick walk over to the Bahnhofstrasse. Would recommend this Hotel for any Business Traveler who comes to Zurich for a couple of days.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Novum Hotel Muenchen Am Hauptbahnhof; City: Munich Upper Bavaria Bavaria; Review: Had to find a Hotel on the spur of the moment that was close to the Munich Main Station. Was not impressed as the Hotel is dated and the Single room was very small. Short walk into the Alt Stadt and over to catch the Train are the only benefits.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hotel National Zermatt; City: Zermatt Canton of Valais Swiss Alps; Review: Had a wonderful stay at the Hotel National for 2 nights on my recent Holiday in Switzerland. The Staff is impeccable with their willingness to make your stay an exceptional one. I was with my 11 year old son and we stayed in a Twin room with great comfortable Beds and Pillows. The Beds were firm and the pillows were perfect. Wifi in the Room was outstanding with great uninterrupted connections. The Shower and Bathroom are of great quality and spacious. The Spa facility made for a wonderful extension to our stay with a Jacuzzi, Steam, and Hot Sauna. Extensive Breakfast Buffet set the day in motion with Eggs, Bacon, Yogurt, Fresh pastries, Breads, with Coffee, Tea, and Juices. Located within a 5 minute walk to the Main Station gives you easy access upon arrival in Zermatt. All in all you could not ask for a better accommodation for your visit to see the Matterhorn and the beautiful Alpine village of Zermatt. Bravo!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Soldanella; City: St Moritz Engadin St Moritz Canton of Graubunden Swiss Alps; Review: Stayed at the Soldanella for 2 nights on our stop thru St. Moritz while on Holiday. Was greeted by Connie upon our arrival who immediately upgraded us to a Lake view room at no charge. The view from our Room was spectacular over looking the Lake and the surrounding Mountains. The room is a nice size with very comfortable Beds and Pillows. Wifi in the room was fast and easy to connect. The Bathroom is a good size with plenty of space to move around. The Hotel has a nice old style Swiss setting with a great ambiance. Breakfast is very good with ample offerings of Meat, Cheese, Breads, Yogurts, and a boiled egg station. With a 2 night stay they give you a Engadin transit card that gives you access to all the local buses, trains, Gondolas, and Lifts. We took advantage of this traveling to Muttos Muragl, as well as the Diavolezza Ski area. Will definitely stay again at Soldanella as it affords a wonderful setting and stay in St. Moritz at a wonderful price. Nicely done!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seestrasse Apartments Drei Konige; City: Zurich; Review: This was my 3rd time staying at the Seestrasse Apts and once again had a wonderful stay. You check in at the Hotel Ascot where you check-in and they will give you your Key. Jump on the #7 Tram and it will drop you 1 stop later right in front of the Apt. The Apt. is good size with a Kitchen and a very spacious Room and bath. Took advantage of the Kitchen as we cooked a couple of good meals and was able to do a couple loads of Laundry in the facility in the basement. Located in a great neighborhood setting it gives you a nice feel for staying in Zurich apart from the hustle and bustle of a City Center Hotel room. Free Wifi that is spot on and easy to connect. Short walk puts you down on the Lake for an after dinner stroll. If you want a nice, clean, Apt setting while in Zurich, in a great location by Bahnhof Enge, be sure to give the Drei Konige a try.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel du Theatre by Fassbind; City: Zurich; Review: I stayed at the Du Theatre as it is in close proximity to the Hotel Rutli which I adore. The Rutli was sold out the night before I was going to fly back to the States. I wanted a Room that was clean and accommodating for my early morning Travel. Booked a Single and it was good, but a bit small. I had a hard time unfolding and packing my Garment bag. There is a bit of noise from the Street down below, but a pair of ear plugs straightened out that problem. WiFi was good, Front Desk accommodating and I had no issues with my stay. I would not hesitate to stay there again, but I would go for the Larger Room.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom; City: Cologne North Rhine Westphalia; Review: Came up to Cologne by Train from Zurich with my 11 year old son on Holiday. We were only staying 1 night as we came to Town for the US vs. Germany Football Friendly out at RheinEnergie Stadion. The Hotel is a 5 minute walk from the Main Station right in the heart of Cologne and the Cathedral site. The Staff was very accommodating and gave us great directions to get to the Tram Station for the game. The Room is very basic, but efficient with 2 single Beds. Bathroom shower is a bit small, but standard for most Euro Hotels. They need to get up with the times and not charge for WiFi. Just build it into the price of the Room if you have to, and offer it for FREE! Breakfast was very good with good coffee, Juices, Cold Meats, Eggs, Breakfast Meats, Breads, and Yogurts. Overall, a good 1 night stay and would stay there again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Krone Unterstrass; City: Zurich; Review: Started my Swiss/German Holiday with 2 nights at the Krone this past week. I have stayed here over the past 5 years doing Business. This time I was with my 11 year old son starting our Holiday. We had a nice Double Room with a wonderful Bed and 2 nice pillows. Many times I find the pillows lacking at various Hotels in Europe. Not at the Krone. The Rooms are always well meant and of course wonderful Air Conditioning! Few Travelers consider this when they come to Zurich at similar price points that do not have Air Conditioning. Zurich can get very Warm and the worst thing to do after a long day is to come back to a Hot, Stuffy, Room. The Staff is always great, Breakfast Buffet fabulous, WiFi rock solid, and of course a short Tram ride on the #11 or #14 from the Main Station. Highly recommend and to me one of the greater Value Hotels in all of Zurich.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 25hours Hotel Zurich West; City: Zurich; Review: My first time staying in Zurich West as I normally stay towards the City Center . Decided to give it a try and I enjoyed my 2 nights at the 25h Hotel. The Staff was very kind and friendly. The Room was perfect for me and my 11 yr old son as we continued our June Holiday. The Bed was firm, the Shower was good size. My only complaint is the AC was a bit weak as the room was a bit stuffy even though the Fan was continually working. 2nd the pillows were very thin and I had a hard time getting that right. Minor things, but something to be aware. Overall, nice stay and would try again sometime down the Road...; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Bistrol Zurich; City: Zurich; Review: Always like the convenience of the Hotel Bristol. I am in Zurich often on Business and it is a great location for a 1 or 2 night stay. Right off the Main Station you get to your Room with a 5 minute walk. Easy access right back for Train and Tram access to the rest of the City. Rooms are very basic. Good WiFi. Breakfast is adequate to start your day. Summer months can be difficult as there is no AC, but they will provide an in room Fan. All in all, a good basic Hotel for the money in expensive Zurich.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: AWA Hotel; City: Munich Upper Bavaria Bavaria; Review: Just completed 2 nights at the Conrad on a recent Business trip to Munich. Great location as it is a 5 minute walk from the Main Station. It is also in close proximity to the Old City with all the Shopping and Restaurants. The Rooms are nice with good Beds and Pillows. Ask for a Room with AC if it is going to be warm weather. I made the mistake of staying here in a non-AC Room during a heat spell and it led to a sleepless night. The Breakfast Buffet is exceptional with everything you could ask for in a Bavarian breakfast. Kudos to the attentive Staff from the Front Desk to the Restaurant. My only complaint is the Wifi can be a bit difficult. This is easily fixed via upgrading their System. Worth the investment from this Business Traveler! This the only reason I did not give 5 Stars for this wonderfully located Hotel offered at a great price. Recommend the Conrad as I have now stayed here on 4 separate occasions.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Artist Apartments Hotel Garni; City: Zermatt Canton of Valais Swiss Alps; Review: I cannot say enough about my recent 4 night stay at the Artist-Apartments! It was over the Christmas Holiday and it could not have been a more perfect stay for my Wife and 2 Children ages 14 & 12. Richard, the Owner could not be a more friendly, welcoming, hospitable Host during our stay. Our Apt. was well equipped with everything you could ask for. Clean, spacious, 2 Rooms and a Kitchen, great free WiFi, and the most spectacular views of the Matterhorn on the outside Balcony. I sat out there every night taking in the View enjoying a fine Cigar and local Beer after a great day of skiing! Richard will deliver you fresh bread every morning that makes for a tasty breakfast as we chose to cook in during our stay. We also like the location as it is a short 5 minute walk outside the City Center so it was nice and quiet and peaceful if that is what you are looking for. We will definitely be coming back as we could not have asked for anything for our Christmas 2015! Bravo Richard!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Beausite; City: Unterseen Interlaken Bernese Oberland Canton of Bern; Review: Had a quick 1 night stay here during my recent Christmas Holiday Trip to Schweiz. I was traveling with my Wife and 2 children and everyone enjoyed the Hotel. A quick 5 minute walk from the Interlake West Train Station will bring you to the Hotel. The Rooms are very clean, good Beds, good pillows, with good free WiFi. The morning Complimentary breakfast is well done with a full array of eggs, bacon, fresh breads, pastries, juices and great Coffee. A Boutique Hotel that captures the way the Swiss do things. Highly recommend and will definitely be coming back on my next Trip thru Interlaken.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Eden Wellness; City: Zermatt Canton of Valais Swiss Alps; Review: Just left 2 wonderful days at the Hotel Eden. All the prior reviews were spot on! Was picked up at the Train Station and brought to the Hotel. I arrived early so I stored my Bags and hit the Slopes. Stayed in the Deluxe Single and the Room was large and quite nice. Sitting Sofa in the Room and also a nice Balcony with a marvelous view of the Matterhorn. I am a Cigar smoker so I sat out on the Balcony and had a fine Cuban and a nice Adult beverage! Went down to the Spa and relaxed after a hard day on the Slopes. Great Pool and ancillary Spa benefits of Steam, Hot Sauna, and Showers. Made for a relaxing evening after as I went out to grab a bite to eat in the City Center. Morning Breakfast was superb with everything you could ask for. Eggs, Meats, Breads, Fresh fruit and Yogurt, Coffee, Tea, in a modern, efficient, Lobby level. The Customer Service is exceptional as I bought my daily Ski Passes right there at the Front Desk and was given great advice on the various Ski runs available for my Ski Level. On the final day I checked out of my Room and hit the Slopes for a morning Ski. They stored my Bags for me and upon my return, was given a Towel and afforded the use of the Spa facilities to take a quick swim and a hot Shower before they drove me to the Train. I can not say enough great things about my stay at the Hotel Eden. I definitely will return and highly recommend a stay at this wonderful Establishment!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hotel Cabin; City: Reykjavik Capital Region; Review: We have just spent five days in the cabin hotel, the reception staff were very welcoming and nothing was any trouble from ordering taxi's and changing times of taxi's due to the weather conditions, helping with tour operators and contacting tour companies that i had booked on line in the UK. The room was clean and comfortable. Breakfast was limited but plentiful. Evening meal was cold buffet with no meat just salads and soup, but it was not included in our price anyway. there is a subway, diner and a small shop across the road which is very handy. we would stay there again; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Edwardian house Bed and Breakfast; City: Redcar North Yorkshire England; Review: We booked two rooms as we were visiting an Aunt, we were warmly welcomed. The rooms were clean and the beds were comfortable. Tea and coffee in the rooms with plenty of milk. freshly cooked breakfast, We definitely stay again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Norwich Cringleford; City: Cringleford Norwich Norfolk East Anglia England; Review: i have stayed at Cringleford travellodge many times the staff are warm and friendly and nothing is to much trouble for them. The rooms have been refurbished and are clean and welcoming. For me it is convenient for my business trips to norwich as there is a park and ride to Norwich around the corner; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alpha du Cap Guest House; City: Bloubergstrand Western Cape; Review: ; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lavender Hill Guest House; City: Knysna Western Cape; Review: We stayed three nights at this beautiful guest house, breakfast was included and the food was well presented and served. There was a hot and cold choice with cerials, yogurts, hams cheeses etc the room was very clean and has a nice view looking towards the bay of Knysna. Safe parking and very reasonable rates; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Land s End Guest House; City: Victoria Bay George Western Cape; Review: We stayed 3 nights at this wonderful guest house, the views were stunning and to sleep with sea views on three sides was fantastic. Our stay was self catering with a two ring gas hob and a microwave we but felt it would have been beneficial to know before we arrived with our food, which was mainly food to cook in an oven. We loved watching the surfers and fisherman and had a birds eye view over the whole bay. I did feel that charging for the use of the Braai was a bit much as the price for the accommodation was top price. The weather was perfect and our stay was perfect. I would add to confirm the price of the room before you confirm your booking; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dawyk Beech; City: Fleet Hampshire England; Review: great B&B, quiet location good size rooms, lovely garden freshly cooked breakfast made to order. Nigel works hard to keep his good standards and it pays off. the best around as far as i am concerned set in the country close to Farnborough, lovely village with a good pub 5 minutes walk away; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Berry B B; City: Mbabane Hhohho District; Review: A great place to stay central to most of attractions Great views and plenty of spare room. Great breakfast which was included. very friendly staff who also did our washing and brought back next day clan and ironed; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Three Piano Concertos: Nos. 1, 2, and 3: Schirmer Library of Classics Volume 2087 2 Pianos, 4 Hands; Author: Sergei Rachmaninoff; Review: This book for 2 pianos came quickly and looked like it just came off the shelf with laminated covers! It's much easier to use than the complete scores that have only 2 lines for piano per page. It is exciting to play any of Rachmaninoff because the romantic music is so very lovely. You obviously need to have an advanced skill level to play any of the concertos in entirety.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: So You've Got A Cataract?: What You Need to Know About Cataract Surgery: A Patient's Guide to Modern Eye; Author: Dr David D Richardson M.D.; Review: Dr. Richardson's book is a wonderful reference book. It explains everything you need to know to make informed decisions about cataract surgery. Luckily we came across it just before my hisband's first cataract appointment! The book has large print and is easy to understand; no medical background is necessary. The explanation about the various intraocular lenses is particularly important since one's choice affects what glasses will be worn in the future as well as one's pocketbook. I am so grateful I found this book and heartily recommend it to everyone!! Naomi Lieberman; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Astral Projection Mastery: Powerful Astral Projection And Astral Travel Techniques To Expand Your Consciousness Beyond The Psychical!; Author: Visit Amazon's L. Jordan Page; Review: I really enjoyed this book, having read Robert Monroe's book years ago. I think the techniques suggested will be very helpful in achieving the astral plane and is a practical guide to anyone endeavoring to do so. I also appreciated the author's addressing possible concerns about returning to one's body and any harm that could be done while in this state.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 501 Hebrew Verbs : Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses in a New Easy-To-Follow Format alphabetically Arranged by Root; Author: Visit Amazon's Shmuel Bolozky Page; Review: This is an amazing book! I suggest that the Hebrew learner be at an intermediate level or above to derive the most benefit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Born To Kvetch: Yiddish Language and Culture in All of Its Moods; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Wex Page; Review: I would REALLY kvetch if someone took this book away from me. It's just great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Dictionary Of Popular Yiddish Words, Phrases And Proverbs; Author: Fred Kogos; Review: This is a great book if you want to learn Yiddish. There are a lot of idioms and vocabulary, just I wanted! I stringly recommend this book and i'm so glad I bought it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elisabeth Vige-Lebrun (Decouvertes Gallimard); Author: Genevive Haroche-Bouzinac; Review: A really cute little book with pages that open up to see additional artwork. I really am enjoying looking at the portraits of Lebrun; it makes up for missing the exhibit at the Met since I live too far away!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Light Between Us: Stories from Heaven. Lessons for the Living.; Author: Visit Amazon's Laura Lynne Jackson Page; Review: I am enjoying reading this book very much which gives true insight about how disturbing it can be to be a medium. Ms. Jackson has helped parents who have lost children as well as others to cope with loss.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Schottenstein Interlinear 1 Vol Complete Chumash; Author: Rabbi Menachem Davis; Review: I'm very happy with the interlinear format since I'm trying to learn Hebrew. It's a great way to read the weekly Torah reading. I'm so glad I bought it!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Old Jews Telling Jokes: 5,000 Years of Funny Bits and Not-So-Kosher Laughs; Author: Visit Amazon's Sam Hoffman Page; Review: I'm so enjoying reading the cute jokes in this book. I recommend it, especially in these stressful times, when a laugh or chuckle is most welcome!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Einstein: His Life and Universe; Author: Visit Amazon's Walter Isaacson Page; Review: Book received early in new condition. Nice thick tome.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: InterDesign Forma Kitchen Caddy with Soap Dispenser Pump & Scrubby - Clear/Brushed Stainless Steel; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Interdesign has products that always seem to fit a function better than other designs, but the quality of their products suck. the soap dispenser is not enclosed, as previous reviews stated, and it leaked horribly the minute the soap was put in. for a fix, I took the thing apart and caulked the bottom of the soap container with silicon. After 6 months it started leaking again and still leaks. It's a piece of junk. Also, there's no drain hole for the sponge slots, so they'll just be sitting in their own bacteria bath.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bluetooth Digital Alarm Clock Speaker by GOgroove - TYM Wood Alarm Clock w/Built in Microphone, LED Time & Date; Brand: GOgroove; Review: I'm a woodworker, and I'm wondering where I get the clock kits, as there must be better quality ones than this. The fake wood ain't terrible. I've seen worse, but it grates on me. The speaker sound was actually pretty great, and didn't get buzzy up high. But the dang Bluetooth quit two months before the year warranty. The clock still functions, but is invisible in direct sunlight. the thermometer has always been a few degrees off. I wouldn't recommend.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: InterDesign Hamilton Glass Soap & Lotion Dispenser Pump for Kitchen or Bathroom Countertops, Clear/Bronze; Brand: InterDesign; Review: Pros: mint color matched perfectly, ceramic base is well-made and sturdy, LOOKS like it should... Cons: didn't work once, the pump was so poorly designed that it popped apart inside the base on the first pump (getting the bottom part stuck under the lip and near impossible to pull out), the plastic of the pump is flimsy and the finish is painted plastic not metal (as per usual with interdesign). Since I've opened it, filled it, and tried to use it, it's now unreturnable, so I just wasted $12. Thanks again interdesign. If only they could start allocating the budget they give their design team, to their engineering team, they would have the best-selling home products on the market. All quality seems to end at the design phase -- ever heard of QC, Interdesign?; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Safavieh Milan Shag Collection Grey Square Area Rug (5'1" Square); Brand: Safavieh; Review: Third rug I've bought online that I hated. NOT "super luxurious softness", just a normal old synthetic shag. Shed immediately. Definitely not worth $45 for a runner. Color is true to the pictures, which is why it didn't get 1 star.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Safavieh Milan Shag Collection SG180-4040 Red Square Area Rug (5'1" Square); Brand: Safavieh; Review: Third rug I've bought online that I hated. NOT "super luxurious softness", just a normal old synthetic shag. Shed immediately. Definitely not worth $45 for a runner. Color is true to the pictures, which is why it didn't get 1 star.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Garmin nüvi 52LM 5-Inch Portable Vehicle GPS with Lifetime Maps (US) (Discontinued by Manufacturer); Brand: Garmin; Review: I love this. Makes getting around so much easier. Great features, easy to use and makes getting lost a thing of the past.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: HeroFiber Xtech Handheld Steam Cleaner Accessories; Brand: HeroFiber; Review: The camera is great. Takes great photos and such. The one thing that truly is a piece of garbage is the tripod. It is flimsy and bends easily. It is total crap and I refuse to use it. I would like a proper tripod, not just another piece of crap like this one.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SanDisk Cruzer CZ36 64GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive, Frustration-Free Packaging- SDCZ36-064G-AFFP; Brand: SanDisk; Review: Perfect stick; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sony 100DPR47SP 16x DVD+R 4.7GB Recordable DVD Media - 100 Pack Spindle; Brand: Sony; Review: Great!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wd 1Tb Elements Portable External Hard Drive - USB 3.0 - Wdbuzg0010bbk-Wesn; Brand: ; Review: Great for the ps4; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: In Plain Sight (Cougar Falls Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Marie Harte Page; Review: I Loved this book. A man of few words and ayoung woman harrassed by men in positions of power. Until they put them in their place on there ass.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Destroyer; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This book completes the series of a great story. Ashe is a great character. Weather you are young are old this story will appeal to you. I hope you love this story as much as I do. This is a story you can read and reread and never get tired of. Thank you Connie for giving me a WONDERFUL experience. Thanks P.S write faster LOL Any book by this author is spectacular. I put my money where my mouth is I have every book this author has written. I haunt her web site for books that are to be released. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beast Planet 1: Captive Surrender - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Angela Castle Page; Review: I started this book because I liked the idea of this story. But really is So Much More. Kidnapped by an alien race to restore another race from existence wow What do you do ? Kill yourself fight to survive help alien race to defeat their enemies. What would you do?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beast Planet 2: Captive Salvation - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Angela Castle Page; Review: This is the second book in this wonderfully entertaining story. This story is about the best of being human. We can be very adaptable. This book is about staying alive and making the best of any situation. It's about doing what is right. And finding love along the way.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Emerging Legacy; Brand: Visit Amazon's Doranna Durgin Page; Review: writing was good didn't like the story . That is the problem I just didn't like the story line. Not something I e enjoyed reading.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fey. (Vince Lombard Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Mike Lee Page; Review: Mr Lee has done a really great job as an author. Your characters are great the story line is so much fun. This is a great read. Loved it ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cyborgs; Brand: Visit Amazon's Eve Langlais Page; Review: In these books you want to encourage the heroines boo the villains (and I mean stomp them into dust) then make sure all the good guys get the girls because they love them. ENJOY.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blood Double (God Wars, Book 1) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This story and characters keep getting better the storyline is so intriguing. The characters are so complex and with each new character introduced adds so much more to the story. This story is another 5 star wonder ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Valkyrie Rising (On Silver Wings Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Evan Currie Page; Review: This author continues to write a well written book with great characters. The characters have a depth to them that keeps you thoroughly entertained. The storyline continues to keep me reading and can't wait to read the next installment of this series. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reluctantly Lycan (Dakota Wolves Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jez Strider Page; Review: I FOUND THIS BOOK BY ACCIDENT. BOY AM I GLAD I DID. THIS IS A WONDERFUL STORY WITH GOOD CHARACTERS AND A GREAT STORY. PLEASE ENJOY. TO THE WRITER THANKS FOR THIS STORY I HOPE YOU WRITE QUICKLY BECAUSE I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO READ MORE STORIES YOU HAVE WRITTEN.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Revolution (God Wars, #3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: Another wonderful story from this gifted author. I can't wait for the next installment of this series. This series is I intertwined with her other stories so if you hadn't read them you will be totally confused. I LOVE this all of these series. Since they have been published I have read each of the books two if not three times. I can't say enough about these great books. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alien, Mine - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Sandra Harris Page; Review: Great job please write more wonderful stories. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I really want to read more in this world you have created. Here is my encouragement to the writer please write faster. Your writing is great if this is your debut book congratulations it is differently a winner and I want more. Thank you for your wonderful story. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The New Alpha - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's K.S. Martin Page; Review: This book was delicious it was a truly wickedly funny story. I greatly appreciated the characters and the way he author handled the story. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rescuing Mattie; Brand: Visit Amazon's S.E. Smith Page; Review: This author continues to entertain with great characters exciting adventures and g wonderful story line. This series short story is just taste of her book length stories. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Love (God Wars Book 4) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: I hate to think that this series may about to end. I loved every book and can't wait the next one. Each story leads to more, more of the characters their lives the ongoing story. Connie writes great books. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles #3, Exploration eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Andrew Beery Page; Review: Now they have more allies. The story continues to excell in a genre that sometimes gets lost in the new worlds and people that populate them. I found myself lost in this story it feels right. The writing is excellent. Characters are full bodied and real to me. They resonate in a way I found truly great. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Regulated Planet (Worlds Apart Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Rinelle Grey Page; Review: These characters are who we would like to be. The characters in the story are full bodied well thought out. I loved this story. I wish the world was more like this book but one person can and does make a difference. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jackrabbit Junction Jitters (Jackrabbit Junction Humorous Mystery Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Ann Charles Page; Review: Mystery romance a little laughter makes for a fun filled romp in Jackrabbit Junction. This was another really cute story set in an RV park. I h as d a lot of fun with this story. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: aHunter4Rescue (AHunter4Hire Book 1) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cynthia Clement Page; Review: This is a wonderful story in which the characters and story line are so believable it makes you wonder. A really enjoyable selection. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: His Purrfect Mate (A Shifter Romance) (Shifters, Inc. Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Georgette St. Clair Page; Review: This was a fast fun read for me I enjoyed the characters the pacing of the story. The characters are so unique and believable. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reluctant Companion: A Dark Futuristic Romance (After The End Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Aurelia Skye Page; Review: The characters are complex. The story intriguing and so full of love. How would you handle such betrayals by those people whom you love. Wonderful story. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Cold Day in Hell (Hellcat Series Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Sharon Hannaford Page; Review: The continuing saga is a fantastic story. The story really keeps you interested. Characters are so unique and fun. I am a Texan and Iove reading this series can't wait for the next one. I enjoy the word differences ruction for me it is ruckus. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Defiant (an Ell Donsaii story #9) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Laurence Dahners Page; Review: The what ifs of this series are startlingly. When new scientific discoveries are released to the world the changes to industries affected are astonishing the internet changed the way people ordered merchandise from telephones and catalogs made of paper, now look it up on the computer. I love reading about this very well written book. The story is well thought out and interesting. REALLY REALLY GOOD. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Other Worldly Ways (Anthology 1) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This is a great anthology. Whether you have read the books Connie has written or not each story is complete. Her writing is phenomenal. I personally can't wait for more great stories. Love your writing. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Machines of Bellatrix (The Girls From Alcyone Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cary Caffrey Page; Review: A good story believable characters and a good twist on the story line. Entertaining reading fast paced action and a character or characters who you want to root for. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Baehrly Alive (Goldie Locke and the Were Bears Book #3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Elizabeth A Reeves Page; Review: I can't wait for the next story to let us in on what will happen to Goldie and her family. This story is sad but you can't be happy all the time this is like a mini series. On the the next installment. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lost Girl: Hidden Book One - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Colleen Vanderlinden Page; Review: A crazy twist on myths and mythology. The writing for a debut novel is so entertaining and well written if all of her books are written in this style and as entertaining she has a fan in me. I will be starting her second book in a few minutes I well let you know how it is tomorrow. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ice Princess (Wanted Series Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jason Halstead Page; Review: I have read the Lost girls and Dark Earth series and he stories are so unique and interesting l. Out of the books I have read every one was a 4 OR 5 Star book that isn't luck that is good writing. To th e author you might want t o use better proofreaders. EN; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Traitor (The Lost Girls Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jason Halstead Page; Review: This story has a great twist. The characters are believable and flawed but that doesn't make them any less believable or likeable. Great read ENJOY.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wolfgirl (The Lost Girls Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jason Halstead Page; Review: This author doesn't pull his punches. His stories are gritty and appealing. Please don't let it turn you away because his heroine is a lesbian. She is an feisty character and well worth reading about. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Widow (The Lost Girls Book 4) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jason Halstead Page; Review: Katy story continues to fight for t those who can't fight for themselves. I also agree with this author about human trafficking if you see something that doesn't seem right turns it in to the police call a tip line do something and help. Great story. Thanks and ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bounty (Wanted Series Book 3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jason Halstead Page; Review: This author continues to entertain with a great story. I am just starting to read his books an I find that that all have been a 4 or 5 star rating the stories are gritty they are not tame they are action packed. The men and women are all ready to rock if they need to and if they don't know how Carl will teach them; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Once Upon a Tiger (Tiger Shifters Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Kat Simons Page; Review: A cute quick read. The story was fun sexy and I really enjoyed the characters. The writing is good. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blue Moon Shifters: The Bobcat's Tale (A BBW Paranormal Romance) (Blue Moon Junction Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Georgette St. Clair Page; Review: This a continuation of the Blue Moon Shifters. The writing is excellent and the story line is fun and quirky with a great twist. To the author please get a better beta reader or proofreader hooperation Appeared 2 or 3 Times in the book along with other bloopers on spelling and gyst I think you meant just?; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Broken Bear - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Gabrielle Demonico Page; Review: Interesting storyline great characters. I think this is going to be a very interesting series of stories. I'll be interested to see where the writer takes us ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Marking Melody (Ashland Pride Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's R.E. Butler Page; Review: This author continues to entertain with her stories of this series. The characters are so intriguing and heartwarming you root for the good guys and boo at the villains which in this case is female. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: aHunter4Saken (AHunter4Hire Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cynthia Clement Page; Review: My compliments th the author your writing is so smooth it flows. The story is intriguing and very believable. I am intrigued by the story line and the characters are so honorable. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Alex: A Rylee Adamson Short Story (A Rylee Adamson Novel) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Shannon Mayer Page; Review: I always wondered how Alex came to be. This story explains about Alex and that little tidbit about his redemption????? ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hope and Vengeance (Saa Thalarr, book 1); Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This author's writing is so great as to be phenomenal. Her writing is excellent her stories innovative. As a self published author her books are reasonable and are well worth the price. You will be very pleased with them. FYI start at the first book you will love all of them. Connie please continue your awesome writing. A Fan .ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: NightDrake (post-apocalyptic short story) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lara Adrian Page; Review: This is a great story with interesting characters. Though the story is short I would really like to see it be made a full novel. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blue Moon Shifters: Hard To Bear (A BBW paranormal romance) (Blue Moon Junction Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Georgette St. Clair Page; Review: This is a great story with wonderful characters great writing. The characters are so intriguing and heartwarming you are rooting for them to wake up and smell the roses. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Warlord's Honor; Brand: Visit Amazon's L.W. Browning Page; Review: The story is about barbarians and empathic females . Features X Tall men who are typically blonde hair blue eyes and very scary. . They are not very good with the verbalizing their feelings. Meet Mpath s who are introverted. Mix and you have an interesting story. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tall Dark Handsome Lycan, Book 4 - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Anastasia Maltezos Page; Review: This is a fun fast warm read. The writing is excellent and the characters are so human but they're not. Werewolves witches and vampires oh my what a fine time. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wanted (an Ell Donsaii story #10) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Laurence Dahners Page; Review: A GREAT CONTINUATION OF A WONDERFUL SERIES. ELL IS A PHENOMENAL CHARACTER AND THE MANY GREAT IDEAS OF THIS SCIENCE FICTION SERIES I HOPE WILL COME TRUE IN THE FUTURE. WHEN H. G. WELLS FIRST WROTE HIS SCI-FI IT W A S FICTION NOW MOST IS SCIENCE FACT. TO PARAPHRASE IF YOU WRITE IT WE WILL READ IT. THANKS FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL STORY. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fearless (Sunwalker Saga: Soulshifter Trilogy Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Shéa MacLeod Page; Review: The story of this book entertains and is a cute YA book. I really enjoyed the characters and the story. With good writing you have entertainment. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Gator: A BBW shape shifter paranormal romance (Gulf Coast Gator Shifters Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Annora Soule Page; Review: ,This is a really cute idea the writing is excellent and the characters are generously written I recommend this book to you. It is a funny quick read. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Feral Heat: Shifters Unbound Novella - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jennifer Ashley Page; Review: Another great shifter story from this author. The series is full of wonderful love stories. These books are breathtaking in the stories. The more characters she creates the more intriguing you will find the stories, ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Seer (A Tellaran Novel) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Ariel MacArran Page; Review: Good writing and characters are so well written. The story is a telepathic young woman who is under a sentence of death if found. Very enjoyable story. E; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bring Her Wolf (Huntsville Alpha's Mate Series Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Michelle Fox Page; Review: This is a short hot steaming werewolf romance. Writing is good the story line is hot and so are the characters. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finder; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: A fantastic start to a brand New series by absolutely brilliant author. Her stories are of the highest caliber. The characters are so unique and fully believable with quirks that are so entertaining. Love every one of this author's books. She is one of those authors whose work you read over and over again. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Mandala Maneuver (The Gaian Consortium Series Book 4) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Christine Pope Page; Review: I salute this writer for their imagination and creativity I really enjoyed the books in this series. I hope you will too. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Gifted (The Star Girl Series Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Linda Mooney Page; Review: I have just started reading this author and Ian impressed with her writing and and story lines. This is a wonderful book with a wonderful Story. This is a very entertaining read with a wonderful ending. I hope their are more stories in this series. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunted (Eden Book 2) (Sensual Romance) - Kindle edition; Brand: L. Wise; Review: A great ending to a pair of book with really great writing and really unique characters. I am kind of sad to see this series end. Their are so may different avenues that the author could probably take but it wouldn't be the same. I congratulate the author om some really fun adventures in this book. Fun for me not so much for the characters. Enjoy/; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lone (Wolves of Haven Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Danae Ayusso Page; Review: This is an wonderful book that has action adventure romance and a compelling story. The heroine is a kick ass cop with a take no prisoners attitude. She does her job and is good at it. Her boss is her mentor and her mate. So good. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bitten (Wolves of Haven Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Danae Ayusso Page; Review: This is a fantastic series I can't wait for the next book in the series. To the author Please Please write faster LOL. Thanks for a great exciting story. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Runner's Moon: Simolif - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Linda Mooney Page; Review: This author writes from the heart. Great characters interesting story lines and really wonderful romance. This is a great series and you can't beat a wonderful romance. Enjoy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Runner's Moon: Challa - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Linda Mooney Page; Review: This author and this series is fast becoming one of my favorite. I enjoy the way she writes and the writing flows. I really enjoy that she is also a fellow Texan. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Black Guard; Brand: Visit Amazon's C. R. Daems Page; Review: This is a great start to a new series. A strong female character that takes no prisoners but does everything in her power to protect the people with her, This is a exciting new beginning, I congratulate the author. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Breed of Havoc (The Breed Chronicles Book 3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lanie Jordan Page; Review: This is the third book in this series and it continues to thrill and excite the senses. The writing is excellant and the characters continue to evolve and grow. I truly hope this series is more than a four book series it has the potential to be so more more, Enjoy reading this interesting and exciting series. Enjoy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Defender of the Empire; Brand: Visit Amazon's Catherine Beery Page; Review: This is a wonderful book written by a excellent writer. The story is exciting and has wonderful space fights. The characters are inspired.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rescue (an Ell Donsaii story #11) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Laurence Dahners Page; Review: This is another great work by an author who mixes Science fiction and science fact to make a great story. His heroine is a wonderful strong character who is a model of what people should be like. She is brilliant and very strong minded but she is not blinded by her own naive ideology. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SOUL BOND - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Angela Castle Page; Review: This is a novella with a good story and a great introduction into a new series I hope. The men are yummy and they like their women sweet and curvey. Then this is he read for you. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: aHunter4Life (AHunter4Hire Book 3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cynthia Clement Page; Review: This author's writing is so enjoyable and enthralling the it as fun. The characters are wonderful and so enjoyable to read about that I can't wait for the next installment. ENJOY!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood, Sweat and Demon Tears (The Grateful Undead series Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Susan Stec Page; Review: This series is so much fun and hilariously funny and don't forget they are vampires. I have bought all the books in this series and have read them one after another they are a trip and so entertaining if you ever take a suggestion from me buy this series and ill also leave a review after I read the next book I bought from this author ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Neck Deep In Vampires (A BBW Urban Fantasy) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Georgette St. Clair Page; Review: Great writing and I LOVE Frankie and our hero is a hunk. The story is entertaining and so much fun to read that I read it in one sitting. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Telekinetic (a Hyllis family story #1) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Laurence Dahners Page; Review: I love this new series. What a great story with wonderful writing. This author does not disappoint in his stories. People with telekinesis and using them to help people medically. This book is interesting in so many ways. Everyone ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bride Of The Alpha (A BBW paranormal romance) (Timber Valley Pack Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Georgette St. Clair Page; Review: This is a really well written series. The stories are so intriguing and heartwarming. Not to mention hot hot hot. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Guardian: Book 6.5 (A Rylee Adamson Novel) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Shannon Mayer Page; Review: This is another wonderful story in this series. I have every book in this series and love them. I can't wait for the next installment in this series. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Destiny Unchosen (Rust & Relics 1.5) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lindsay Buroker Page; Review: Tantalizing novella to the next story in this series. It is promising an exciting adventures for the series. With wonderful characters and a great writing style it is destined to be a great series. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wyvern and Company: Saa Thalarr, Book 2 - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: I love your writing. Your stories are so unique and entertaining. The story line is so unique and like a spider's web you pull one strand and follow the story. Then you follow another strand and write another wonderful story. Readers I can't says how entertaining this author's writing is. Phenomenal Excellent fascinating what a ride. Also of all of her writing I reread them on a regular basis. I only do this with one other author Anne Maccaffrey' s Restoree and Dragonsinger series. Please ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mail Order Tiger Bride Wars: A Scorchingly Hot BBW Shifter Romance - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Dawn Steele Page; Review: With wonderful characters and a man-child growing up. Even a smart as he his he still relies on Daddy's money to get him what he wants to do in his archeology field. Am Daddy decides that Sonny boy needs a bride well he (the son)finds one he really likes and his dad finds one that is his candidate for daughter-n-law.. and the fun begins. Enjoy. The sex is hot and the story is good. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shark Shifter (The Legend of Tenifa Kekoa): A BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Annora Soule Page; Review: This is a really mind boggling story Shark shifters with a really great story. You will throughly enjoy it. Please check ou the author;s other stories. Enjoy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Last Man on Earth - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Evangeline Anderson Page; Review: Anther great story from this author. This series is erotic and entertaining to read. The confusion sometimes about slang terms is hilarious. So sit back read and ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thorn Fall (Rust & Relics Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lindsay Buroker Page; Review: This is a continuation of this series. Great characters with flaws and a sense of humor. She make the impossible sound possible and fun. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lone Wolf: Shifted book 10 - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Lynn Leite Page; Review: WOW this is the tenth story in this series this author is a great writer and does not disappoint her stories are fantastic. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Triangle - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Annora Soule Page; Review: This is a really cute story and I can't wait to see where it goes, this has a really cool side story and 2 types of aliens. Enjoy.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Catherine Kimbridge Chronicles #5; Brand: Visit Amazon's Andrew Beery Page; Review: This is another great tale in the Cat Kimbridge saga. I can't wait for the next installment in this series . It has it all excitement alien races new and old with great writing the author's storytelling doesn't let you down. Following in her Dad's footsteps read Catherine Beery Andrew 's daughter her writing is as good as her fathers'; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Viper (Second Wave Book 1) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Mikayla Lane Page; Review: I read this book out of sequence and that wasn't a problem I think . I really enjoyed this story and it's storyline. The interaction between the characters was great and the only thing it could have used more of was a bit of laughter. I have already purchased the first book in the series and I will edit this review if it changes my opinion. This is a solid book nd a good read. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chasing Dare (First Wave Book 3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Mikayla Lane Page; Review: Oh wait a minute it is already out and I bought it and the first book in the second wave of this series. I have enjoyed and had a hard time putting these books down when I needed too. So if you like space aliens and kick ass heroines then this series is for you so get them and ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Keeper; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This writer just keeps getting better and her stories more imaginative. All of her books draw you in and you can't put them down. This one was released yesterday and I finished it this morning. Thanks Connie and I know you write quickly but you don't give up quality in your stories. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Earth Warden - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Mina Carter Page; Review: Well written and so much more. The characters are intriguing and heartwarmingly real that you get enthralled with the story and don't want it to end. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Maya: Wisdom from the Queen (Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Ridgeville Series Book 11) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Celia Kyle Page; Review: This book is about Maya-ism they will make you laugh till you cry. If you haven't read the Ridgeville series you have got to read them first so you will understand what's going on. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rocky Mountain Miracle - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Christine Feehan Page; Review: This is a wonderful story and as a Christmas story it really brings a bit of mystery. How to be a family it is a work in progress for these 2 brothers, but Maia does it with laughter and heart. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Teleporter (a Hyllis family story #2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Laurence Dahners Page; Review: This is another great story with a great new storyline the books are really good reading. I didn't want to write great again. This author is an excellent writer and his writing keeps you READING till the last page. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunting Season (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress Book 4) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Annie Bellet Page; Review: Another wonderful story in this series. The magic and paranormal characters are so unique and intriguing I can't wait for the next book to come out. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Seven Psychics (Shifter Squad Book 1) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's J.C. Diem Page; Review: Wonderful story with great characters. These are young adults who have had to grow up quickly not by their own choice. They are doing jobs that would be hard for adults. They are predators and thank goodness they are on our side; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Suddenly Beautiful (Entangled Covet) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Boone Brux Page; Review: A LIVELY TALE OF DEMIGODS AND GODDESSES. IT WAS LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY. THE WRITING IS EXCELLENT. I JUST FOUND TBIZ AUTHOR AND I'M GOING TO KEEP UP WITH HER BOOKS. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kodiak's Claim (Kodiak Point Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Eve Langlais Page; Review: This is such a fun but exciting story. Shifters and humans oh my. Ghost adds a new dimension to the series. The characters are so funny. A hot fun sexy book. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: aHunter4Ever (aHunter4Hire) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cynthia Clement Page; Review: This is another wonderful story from a gifted author. This story is intriguing their sense of honor is so believable. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wolf Creek Ghosts (Texas Pack 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jo Ellen Page; Review: The writing is excellent. The story and characters are so believable that you become invested in their welfare and what happens to them. Also when is the next story coming out? ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rhune eBook; Brand: lynn Leite; Review: Great writing. Wonderful story great premise of the story line. The problem I had was the word shone for shown and there were a couple of others it was distracting from the story. But if that doesn't bother you it is a good read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: BlackWing; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: As always with this author Bravo another fascinating story in this series. Can't get enough of your books. Being a self published author I miss the days when you published one a month. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elemental Arcane: An Urban Fantasy Novel Series (The Eldritch Files Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Phaedra Weldon Page; Review: This is the first book that I have read by this author n it won't be the last. I have already purchase the next 2 books in this series. Can't wait to start them.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Taking on Tory: Magic, New Mexico Book 2: Paranormal Romance - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's S.E. Smith Page; Review: Take one werewolf who thinks he is the only one of his kind and there are no other supernatural s such as himself and let him meet a cute sassy female. Boom there are sparks and lots of surprises. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zombie King (Shifter Squad Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's J.C. Diem Page; Review: Great story line wonderful characters. The story is entertaining you cheer for the young characters and the problems with being a supernatural yourself. Learning about other "Supes" and your job, How to deal with who and what you are and how to do your job. Enjoy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Coven (Shifter Squad Book 3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's J.C. Diem Page; Review: I really enjoy this series. The characters are entertaining and you enjoy reading about them. The supernatural creatures they hunt are adanger to humanity so it is up to them tp "take care of the problem". ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stitched: Book 8.5: A Rylee Adamson Novella - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Shannon Mayer Page; Review: This series continues to amaze me, I LOVE WHERE THE STORY IS GOING. The characters are amazing and I enjoy reading there stories and can't wait for the next installment. ENJOY!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Titus: #2 (Luna Lodge) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Madison Stevens Page; Review: Great series with wonderful stories just finished all the rest 2 thru 5 and they are great reads. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Congratulations to the author I hope you have many more books planned. Readers ENJOY!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lucius: #3 (Luna Lodge) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Madison Stevens Page; Review: I just finished books 2 thru 5 and I can't wait for the next books in this series. You can't beat the stories and I wish a long series life for these characters. Enjoy!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Protection; Brand: Visit Amazon's Elle Thorne Page; Review: Really good writing wonderful characters. Fun entertaining and keeps you engaged. I will be looking at buying more books in this series. ENJOY!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cloud Rebel; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: What can I say this is another wonderful story from a great writer. This is an end to this trilogy but it still has a part in other books. All I can say it is wonderful and ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Claimed; Brand: Lynn Leite; Review: This is another wonderful story in this series. The writing is excellent and the characters are so heartwarming. Can't wait for the next installment. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Neverwylde (The Rim of the World Book 1) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Linda Mooney Page; Review: This is a really good start to what will be a fantastic series. I can see more humanoids getting sucked into this new area of space. ENJOY.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Qitirin eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Linda Mooney Page; Review: A different kind of werewolf story. But it works the characters are believable and very interesting. Great writing and bam you have a great story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Warrior's Mate: A Sci-Fi Shifter Romance (Warriors of Vor Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Tehya Titan Page; Review: This book Is definitely for adults. Good story, great characters, very entertaining. I look forward to more of this authors books. ENJOY; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SpellBreaker; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: Enthralling serial stories that keep you guessing with twist and turns the plots are fascinating. This author does not disappoint.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Commander eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's CJ Williams Page; Review: Thoroughly entertaining story GREAT hero and heroine. You will want to keep reading this story to find out what happens. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Never Forsaken (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 5) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Michael Anderle Page; Review: The writing is good still some errors in grammer??? or spelling but still damn good stories > The innovative cursing is hilarious LMAO.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Under My Heel (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 6) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Michael Anderle Page; Review: Michael love your stories I think it is great you are mentoring other authors but don't let it slow down your writing Pleaseeeeeee; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: It's Hell To Choose (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 9) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Michael Anderle Page; Review: I love this series please keep writing these great stories and I will keep rereading them. Please keep up the great writing and story line READERS ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Metal Boxes - Rusty Hinges eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Alan Black Page; Review: This is a keeper just read it for the second time. The next book in the series is supposed to be out soon so I wanted to refresh my memory and have as much fun as the last time I read it. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frontier Resistance eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Leonie Rogers Page; Review: I just finished book 2 and I'm going to get book 3 next. This is an exciting series the story keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting more; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Demon Hunter (The Collegium Book 1) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Jenny Schwartz Page; Review: This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The characters are great and the story is captivating. Definitely a good read. ENJOY!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rocks & Gravel (Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thrillers Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Catie Rhodes Page; Review: I read all seven books straight in a row when you start the series you're gonna lose sleep if you can stop reading them fantastic series love the storyline thank you Katie; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rest Stop (Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thrillers Book 4) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Catie Rhodes Page; Review: I love these books I read all seven in a row you will Lucy sleep when you start them. Katie Rhoades writes like you will hear Texans talk. Just not enough Y'all's. LOL; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forbidden Highway (Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thrillers Book 5) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Catie Rhodes Page; Review: I read all seven of these books straight in a row one right after another couldn't put him down lost sleep so be warned but thoroughly enjoyed them and you will too thanks Catie; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jacked eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Mark Wayne McGinnis Page; Review: This the story of young adults who stepped up and grew up real fast. They were placed in a precarious situation and excelled. Sometimes it is the spirit of the human spirit that keeps us going and fighting for what is right; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shadowed; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This is probably the third or fourth time Ive read this book and it never gets old. Going on to read the next in this series. It is a YA book but I guess just because I am over 60 just means Im young at heart. Very enjoyable.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vendetta; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This is a great book with a fantastic story and great characters. This series is one of the ones that your read and reread time and again and it never loses its impact.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Sense; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This series is Addictive and wildly fascinating when you start it you will lose sleep and then you keep on reading. Beware all of her books are like this so ENJOY!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Domination; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: I don't remember why I didn't leave a review the first time I read this book but I am reading it for the fifth or sixth time and it it just as wonderful as the first time. Timeless; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Royal; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This is a series that will cause you to lose sleep and then crave more books by this author. I am reading this story for the fifth or sixth time. ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Rebellion; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: This is a great series of books that you will lose sleep over. Warning they are addictive so you are going to lose sleep. I am reading this series for the fifth or sixth time ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunted Hero Hunting; Brand: Visit Amazon's Timothy Ellis Page; Review: Great story with strong characters and so much fun. You read and see a kid become an adult and learn some of the hard truths of war.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Send in the Hero (The Hunter Legacy Book 3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Timothy Ellis Page; Review: This is a great series space battles and pirates, bounty hunters. Excellent writing with believable characters and total interesting stories.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Make or Break the Hero (The Hunter Legacy Book 4) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Timothy Ellis Page; Review: This is one of those series that you can read and read again and enjoy it the second time as the first. This is my third time reading it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hire a Hero (The Hunter Legacy Book 7) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Timothy Ellis Page; Review: This is a wonderful military space opera with plenty of space battles and dogfights of space ships. The characters are great and funny.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blood Reunion; Brand: Visit Amazon's Connie Suttle Page; Review: Beware you will lose sleep reading this story and any others that Miss Connie writes, because you cant put it down. All of her books are great and keeps you reading them again and again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tiona (a sequel to "Vaz") eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Laurence Dahners Page; Review: This is a fantastic story full of wonder of The thought of someone creating a way to go into space safely and quickly. Imagine that and this story gives you that story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Girl Rides a Harley (The Girl From Area 51 Book 2) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cliff Black Page; Review: This is a riveting story a continuation of the first book. Jane tries to find out why the government still wants her and keep trying to capture her therein lies the story where they underestimate our heroine and antics and mayhem ensues; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Girl Ties a Knot (The Girl From Area 51 Book 3) eBook; Brand: Visit Amazon's Cliff Black Page; Review: This is the third in this series and it doesnt disappoint. He has come a long way from bing a captive of theevil doctornd man what a ride! ENJOY; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gypsy Cradle: a psychic paranormal thriller (Gypsy Medium Book 2) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Andrea Drew Page; Review: This is a thrill ride of ups and downs and a crazy stalker. What would you do if a physic told you someone was going to poison you?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gypsy Curse (Gypsy Medium Book 3) - Kindle edition; Brand: Visit Amazon's Andrea Drew Page; Review: This is a great story with awesome characters and the story isn't too shabby love the twists and turns to the plot; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Kindle_Store |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: A Second Chance (Keller Family); Author: Visit Amazon's Bernadette Marie Page; Review: This was a great read made me laugh and cry and feel blessed for my family too. When illness stikes family is always there for you not matter what.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rocky Mountain Angel: Six Pack Ranch Series, Book 4; Author: Vivian Arend; Review: I have gone book to book in this series and have not been disappointed. the author references previous characters without repeating storylines. I loved all of the series and can't wait for the next in this exciting series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gotcha! (Sisterhood); Author: Visit Amazon's Fern Michaels Page; Review: I love all of the Sisterhood Series but this one was kinda lackluster. I needed more action suspense, I don't know just something.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Doctor's Secret Bride (Billionaire Brides of Granite Falls) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Ana E Ross Page; Review: I loved all the twists and turns I was lead on. When I thought the story was going one way it shifted. Great strong leading woman.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bannon Brothers: Trust; Author: Visit Amazon's Janet Dailey Page; Review: I feel that we are left hanging. what happens next? What about the money.. what about the Chief. too many u n.a. answered questions.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Witches in Flight (WitchLight Trilogy: Book 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Debora Geary Page; Review: If you read the first one you really need to go out and get the second then finish up with this and you won't be disappointed. Happy Reading.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Keeping the Peace; Author: Visit Amazon's Hannah Hooton Page; Review: I liked the storyline but felt that it dragged on a bit. The racing tidbits were great and exciting kept me on the edge of my seat.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Final Vow (Bluegrass Brothers) (Volume 6); Author: Visit Amazon's Kathleen Brooks Page; Review: Finally know his story. Love love loved it. Now I would like to hear about the three sisters. What is their story huh, did they have past love interests? That would be so cool to find out.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beyond Control (Beyond Love Series) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Karice Bolton Page; Review: I love this story..I can relate with them and feel their anxiety. I am truly looking forward to the in the series with baited breathe. keep em coming they are wonderful..; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All I Need is You (The Alexanders) (Volume 4); Author: Visit Amazon's M. Malone Page; Review: this book was so good that I read it in one sitting. I had to know who was after them. WOW the twists and turns, loved it. I am so looking forward to the next book. keep them coming they get more exciting each new couple.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sisters In Love (Snow Sisters); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Foster Page; Review: I loved the story, thought it was a bit slow going but I enjoyed it. I think I was waiting for a bit more drama before the "Happy Ever After, just didn't come through. I think it needed something more to happen, before it was all wine and roses.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sisters in White (Snow Sisters); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Foster Page; Review: great introduction to the Braden's series. where the Sisters story meets the big wedding, we now meet the rest of the family and see where it goes from here. can't wait,love these characters and all the drama that is in every family.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bursting with Love: Savannah Braden (Love in Bloom: The Bradens) (Volume 8); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Foster Page; Review: I love how this story follows the others. Savannah's trip to the mountains for survival camp was inspirational. I can't wait to see who is next and watch the fireworks. Keep them coming I love this family.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Flames of Love (Love in Bloom: The Remingtons, Book 3) (Volume 12); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Foster Page; Review: this story kept me up past 3am. I was so engrossed in the story I was keeping my poor husband awake with my kindle. I feel asleep still trying to focus on the words. I was so moved that Cash's remorse made him risk his life recklessly before he was changed by his love of Siena. I have seen this from friends returning from the war. guilt sucks but love heals all. thanks for letting me remember that in your books. can't wait to see the next one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Slope of Love (Love in Bloom: The Remingtons, Book 4) (Volume 13); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Foster Page; Review: I love this series. You get to know each family members personality and still hear about others from past books. Can't wait to read more, keep them coming.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: It Must Be Your Love (Seattle Sullivans); Author: Visit Amazon's Bella Andre Page; Review: I love this story it had so many pro elms to overcome. understanding a person's character because of his job can be misleading. the press are everywhere and if the "star" smiles at a pretty woman they had her being knocked up biased on that one smile. so trust is a major player in this book. and oh boy does it get tested. I think you should trust your man but watch those so called fans a whole lot closer. loved this book. enjoy your read of this book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just To Be With You: The Sullivans; Author: Visit Amazon's Bella Andre Page; Review: knowing that love is enough and everything else is gravy. this story shows just because you think you have it all that without someone to share it with its nothing. everyone needs to share the gravy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Air Bound (Sisters of the Heart); Author: Visit Amazon's Christine Feehan Page; Review: this book kept me on the edge of my seat. it was exciting funny and very erotic. I suggest you read these books in order to understand the background characters. really spellbinding.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Worth The Weight: The Worth Series Book 1: A Copper Country Romance (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Mara Jacobs Page; Review: this story was so close to my life it isn't funny. I always wondered what if. what if I could do it over knowing what I know now, maybe date my crush I followed around but was so shy I never even spoke to him. my plan was to find true love buy a house in my hometown and never move again. well I found true love but didn't get my house as the military moved us all over the world. plans are great on paper but reality sometimes throws you a curveball. you must read this if you have always wondered what if?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Worth The Drive: The Worth Series, Book 2: A Copper Country Romance (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Mara Jacobs Page; Review: always talk to whoever you are with. we are not mindreaders. we need to hear those fussy words out loud so don't hold back. say I LOVE YOU IS ALOT EASIER THAN TRYING TO READ HIS MIND. SO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND LISTEN. great story grad characters. love it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fated for Love (The Bradens at Trusty, Book 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Melissa Foster Page; Review: Good storyline but it was a little bit boring. I found it to predictable. I love the Bradens and can't wait to see each siblings story play out.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maid for the Billionaire: Ruth Cardello (Legacy Collection); Author: Visit Amazon's Ruth Cardello Page; Review: Family doesn't always mean love and togetherness. Sometimes it's a love/hate thing. Being like your father in life or business can be a really bad thing to achieve, until love takes hold and shows you a better path to follow.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: For Love or Legacy: Can her love save him before he goes too far? (Legacy Collection); Author: Ruth A Cardello; Review: This one was a great page Turner. I couldn't put it down I had to know if Nichole would get her man or not. Then the truth about Stephan's family's business, too exciting. Loved it now for the next one Yeah....; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Six Months in Montana; Author: Visit Amazon's Pamela M. Kelley Page; Review: I have always wanted to open a B&B but I married a military man and never stayed in one place long enough to decide if I liked it or not. Now I just too old to do it, especially reading this book. Poor Isabella, it's not fun owning a B&B even I knew that much but this story reminded me of that fact. Can't wait for the rest of the Montana Sweet Westerns Series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cinder & Ella; Author: Visit Amazon's Kelly Oram Page; Review: This storyline was so good I was up to O dark thirty reading. It was sad funny really really mean spirited and I just had to finish it to see what happened. I hope to see stories about the other characters like her step sisters or Kaylee or even Rob and Vivian.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The English Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1-4: The Blueberry Lane Series; Author: Visit Amazon's Katy Regnery Page; Review: I love series books. No matter what ending the author gives you there is still something left undone. The English Brothers is great each one has it's own ending for each brother but the next brother's story is like what happens after the last book that you would wonder about. I am already on the youngest brother's story. Can't put them down I just need to know what happens after the "happily ever after". Great books.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiss Me Kate: The English Brothers # 6 (The Blueberry Lane Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Katy Regnery Page; Review: This book was interesting but not as good as the first five. I am looking forward to the next part of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trouble in Mudbug; Author: Visit Amazon's Jana DeLeon Page; Review: I love these books. I have never laughed so hard in my life. I can't wait to read the rest of the series....; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Operation Dragon-Sim; Author: Visit Amazon's Bob Mayer Page; Review: This book was surprisingly well written, especially considering the fact that I paid nothing. Give this book, this author, a chance.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Project Cyclops; Author: Visit Amazon's Thomas Hoover Page; Review: At times, the realism of the military scenes became unrealistic. If you allow this book some time to build the plot and allow it some leeway like a science fiction book, it is worth the read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eves of Destruction; Author: Roy Berelowitz; Review: This story was so good it makes me feel guilty I did not pay. Only a couple of times did I predict the plot. I looked forward to time so I could read and finish the novel.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Season of the Harvest (Harvest Trilogy); Author: Visit Amazon's Michael R. Hicks Page; Review: This book was so good I had trouble taking care of my responsibilities while I was reading it. Fantastic read!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: In Her Name First Contact; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael R. Hicks Page; Review: I have been reading free books for some time. This is the first one that was good enough for me to consider buying the rest of the books of the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wounded Earth; Author: Visit Amazon's Mary Anna Evans Page; Review: This book held my attention well, well enough that I completed it in two days. hope you enjoy as well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: OREI HD-102 1x2 1 Port HDMI Powered Splitter Ver 1.3 Certified for Full HD 1080P & 3D Support; Brand: Orei; Review: Bought this to split the signal out of my PS3 to my living room and bedroom TVs. First one had an issue where the screen would flicker every 3-4 minutes but was hardly noticeable. Decided to return it anyway and try again - Amazon shipped a replacement and it works without issue.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kinivo BTH240 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone Supports Wireless Music Streaming and Hands-Free calling - Red; Brand: Kinivo; Review: These headphones are just wonderful to have on hand. Battery lasts for days, I just pop these on when I feel like jamming out around the house, riding a bicycle, whatever really... decent audio for being so cheap and over bluetooth - not for audiophiles but I consider myself a "power user" when it comes to listening to music and I enjoy using these nearly every day. UPDATE 6/22/2015 The review I wrote above still stands....these really are great headphones....when they work. The sound quality is above and beyond what I expected for the price, can almost compare to my Sony noise cancelling set that I use on airline rides (those were ~200 dollars). My complaint is the battery doesn't seem to hold up well. This pair lasted me about 8 months before the battery started giving fits (charge would only last less than 30 mins). I contacted Kinivo support and they sent me another pair - great, support was easy to deal with and I was happy again...for about 4 months. Plugged in my headphones to charge one night (using the supplied usb cable to a usb/110v charger) the red light came on, they charged for a few hours, then the light went off. I try turning it on - nothing. Plug it back in - nothing. I really want to love these headphones, they were perfect for my needs - but as of now they aren't even an option. I've resorted to using some cheap corded in-ear headphones for now... I will be sending Kinivo another support request after submitting this review.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: PNY Turbo 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive - P-FD32GTBOP-GE; Brand: PNY; Review: Works great so far (few days use) - have it nearly full with videos for boring flights/trips. Slider doesn't lock open or closed so that is annoying but otherwise its a great drive to have on hand.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TechMatte USB Type C Cable, USB 2.0 Type C to Type C (Male to; Brand: TechMatte; Review: Not happy... I received this cable a few days ago and it is already broken - the end of the cable bent and it is no longer usable.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Escort Direct Wire SmartCord (Red Light); Brand: Escort; Review: Have this direct-wired in my 2003 Corvette. It was easy to install myself in about 30 minutes. I have the power lead crimped on to a Add-a-Circuit wire which made getting switched power very easy. The wires are plenty long to hid behind the console and dashboard. The radar detector wire is ran up the kick panel, side of dash, up passenger side window frame and over the top frame, down to the rear-view mirror. Detector is now mounted high, perfect location.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Belkin 6-Outlet Home/Office Power Strip Surge Protector (4 Feet); Brand: Belkin; Review: Love this surge protector because of the lay-flat plug for the wall - makes it easy to install behind furniture. Also like that the power switch is on the end of the unit rather than up top, it is recessed in which is great for avoiding the accidental switching off of the unit.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MASSCOOL 90mm Long Life Bearing CPU Cooler 8WT15-38; Brand: MassCool; Review: Works OK but seems misleading to say this is a "Hydraulic Bearing" fan.... Should be labelled "Hydraulic Sleeve Bearing". The fan is pretty loud compared to the rest of the fans in my system. Thinking about rigging up a Noctua or similar fan, quick glance it seems a 80mm Noctua (NF-A8 PMW) would line up with the standoff screws, haven't tried it yet. Other than that the heatsink is fine for an older 65 TDP Xeon (its all aluminum, no copper core). Glad to get rid of the stock Intel fan.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: TaoTronics Phone Holder for Bike, Bike Phone Mount; Brand: TaoTronics; Review: Big and bulky.. not sure if I will even use it yet..will update when I do..; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: JLab Audio JBuds2 Premium in-Ear Earbuds with Guaranteed Fit | Wired Earbuds | Titanium 10mm Drivers Noise Reducing; Brand: JLAB; Review: A little uncomfortable for long time sessions but overall nice for the money; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 2GC5804 - D-Link DCS-932L Surveillance/Network Camera - Color, Monochrome; Brand: D-Link; Review: A very basic webcam, being offered as a security solution. Hardly worth the trouble to configure it, image is pretty bad.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: uxcell 10 Pcs Plastic PCB Mount 5-Pin Stereo 3.5mm Socket Audio Connector; Brand: uxcell; Review: Not really impressed with the quality of these jacks..but seem to be the only normally closed jacks I could find available. Connection to the headphones seems a bit lacking, may be too easy to pull out..; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: USB-C to USB 3.0 Female Adapter, 0.5 ft CableCreation (Gen1) USB3.1 Type C to Type A Adapter OTG; Brand: CableCreation; Review: Works great for my Nexus 5x; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mediasonic ProBox K32-SU3 3.5" SATA Hard Drive Enclosure - USB 3.0 SuperSpeed, Optimized for UASP; Brand: Mediasonic; Review: Bought the enclosure May 2017, by August it started to corrupt data on my drive and randomly disconnect. Swapped drives and cables, problem persists so it must be the enclosure itself. Do yourself a favor and don't buy it, look elsewhere.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: VicTsing Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, 1080P Full HD Gold Plated DP to VGA Converter Cable Thunderbolt Port Compatiable; Brand: VicTsing; Review: Works great on my MSI Cubi desktop; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Eden Andalou Suites Aquapark Spa; City: Marrakech Marrakech Tensift El Haouz Region; Review: Like many of the other recent reviews of Eden Andalou I have read, ours was a Groupon deal. Given how cheap the deal was - and that the main aim was to get away for some much-needed relaxation - the deal itself wasn't bad at all. So, first, the plus points. Our bedroom was really lovely with a small balcony and views over the Atlas Mountains. It was clean and very comfortable and I slept really well for the duration of the break. The pools and spa facilities were spot-on too and I couldn't fault the breakfasts. All parts of the hotel were nicely presented, although the five-star finish was lacking and many things looked like they had been rushed off with a bad paint job. As much as I like the Jackson 5, listening to it full blast every day by the pool didn't add to a relaxing experience! However, sadly, the customer service was the worst I'd experienced anywhere. The reception staff were truly dreadful and rude: despite having written confirmation of booking our airport transfers, our names were not on the list. When I raised this with them, they just shrugged their shoulders and didn't even offer an apology. Nobody seemed to take any responsibility for putting the situation right and I was made to feel as if I was an imposition. The staff in the hotel's restaurant were equally ineffecient. They would stand around chatting amongst themselves and wouldn't bother to clear tables. Getting a drink to accompany the meal was pretty impossible, with non-existent customer service. The food itself was ok, but certainly not the standard one might expect from a supposedly five-star restaurant. One evening we waited almost an hour to get a drink at the Jazz Bar, in spite of the fact there were only around 10 people in the whole place. When the incompetent lady at the bar finally brought us the bottle of wine (we ordered rose, she brought us red), she insisted we paid for the opened bottle of wine - despite her error - and told me red is the same as rose! I refused to pay and eventually she backed down and brought us the correct one. In short, what was a quite relaxing break was tarnished by the quite basic lapses in customer service, with the exception of the bell-boys and the ladies in the spa, who were helpful and polite. How Eden Andalou ever gained five-star rating, I'll never know, but I do think there is potential for this to become a great place if all levels of staff undergo rigorous customer service training and start listening to their guests, rather than treating them with disdain and suspicion.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens; City: Glasgow Scotland; Review: On a two-day flying visit to Glasgow, we stayed at Hotel du Vin and it proved to be a great decision. It was the perfect location (walking distance from Kelvingrove Art Museum, Botanic Gardens, Oran Mor - West End; opposite bus stop for city centre) and the perfect retreat. Staff were incredible - friendly, helpful and knowledgeable - and the bedroom was beautifully appointed: spacious, comfortable and chic. The only (very) slight disappointment was the lighting in the bathroom, which was rather dim and impractical for putting on make-up, but better lighting was available in the bedroom. Complementary still and sparkling water (not always 'complementary' in my experience!) and fresh milk inside the mini bar were a nice touch, saving us from breaking into the usual UHT contraptions, and there were a good range of in-room refreshments. We dined in the restaurant on our first night. The food was absolutely exquisite and service perfect - attentive without being obtrusive - with wine to die for. I would thoroughly recommend Hotel du Vin, Glasgow to anyone looking for a wonderful spot with that extra bit of luxury.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Erletxe; City: Laguardia Province of Alava Basque Country; Review: The perfect base for exploring beautiful La Rioja, this hidden gem is the perfect introduction to this historic region, built within the city walls of Laguardia. Unai was the perfect host, with helpful recommendations for places to try, and his amazing home-cooked breakfasts, which set us up for a day of exploration. It really felt like a home from home, with bags of character and charm. The generous-sized rooms were very comfortable and clean, with plenty of storage space. Mine was dual aspect, with traditional wooden shutters and stunning views out across the valley. Excellent value for money, making it ideal for single travellers or families alike. I'd recommend to anyone visiting this fabulous region.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Miguel Angel by BlueBay; City: Madrid; Review: I was surprised to learn that this was a five-star hotel. The ladies on reception were unfailingly helpful and pleasant but were let down by surly colleagues for whom customer service didn't seem a priority. The hotel is a little rough around the edges with very worn carpet in the hallways and bedrooms, although my room itself was comfortable and in a quiet spot. There were limited food options available until 8:30pm-ish, when their outdoor (and very good) restaurant opened. The breakfast buffet was disappointing and the staff surly and unhelpful. The spa was great, though I resented paying 20 euro to use the facilities when I was a hotel guest. The spa therapists were great and I'd recommend getting a treatment, which also entitles you to free use of the spa. I don't think I'd stay here again if I were in Madrid, although it is in a great location for the airport, business district and within easy reach of Plaza Mayor and the centre.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Travelodge Manchester Didsbury; City: Manchester Greater Manchester England; Review: Perfect for my overnight stay before an early flight out of Manchester airport. Surrounded by great amenities at the Parrs Wood entertainment centre and a stone's throw from Didsbury village, the Travelodge was clean, comfortable (amazing bed!) and remarkably quiet, in spite of being so close to restaurants etc. Just the job!; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Wasa Asian Cuisine Restaurant; City: Tampa, FL; Review: The restaurant served my cousin frozen chicken. They said they wouldn't do anything about it. Don't ever go here. -5 review.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Bar-B-Q Queen; City: Clearwater, FL; Review: If your looking for outstanding BBQ then you've found the right place. The food here is fantastic and the service is amazing. Me and my family have been getting BBQ from her for a few years now. The price you pay for the portions you get is a really good ratio. I always get the pulled pork dinner you get enough food to last two meals.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clearwater Family Restaurant; City: Clearwater, FL; Review: Since the new owners have taken over and revamped the restaurant it's a complete upgrade. The food here is fantastic even though I only came for breakfast. I got the country fried steak, two scrambled eggs, white toast, and hash browns. The country fried steak was the best that I have ever had. The server was so nice she was consistently checking on me and my grandfather. I don't think our drinks ever got completely empty before we got a refill. Just about $20 for two people isn't bad for the portions you get. This is definitely an upgrade compared all the way around compared to how the old owners ran the restaurant.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Publix; City: Largo, FL; Review: I work at ace hardware next door to this publix. I was on my lunch break and I got a Publix grab-n-go Cuban sandwich from here. When I got back next door to the break room at work I opened the sandwich to put mustard, mayo, conifer, and oil on the sandwich and when I opened the sandwich the meat was greenish. So I took it back and swapped it out for another one. And when I got back to the break room the same thing again. I wouldn't go back here the food wasn't up to Publix standards. I used to work for a different Publix and this never happened at my Publix.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Sunshine Ace Hardware; City: Largo, FL; Review: This is store is best hardware store in the area. It has an awesome gift shop that has so many unique things. The staff here is fantastic they will do anything to please a customer. If you can't find it in the store they will try their best to see if it could be ordered for you. The store is clean and is unique on its own. You can find things here that it might not find anywhere else. The grill selection is awesome they have anything from table top butane stoves to giant big green eggs. The have a great selection of smokers as well. The garden area has a great selection of plants they always look fresh, and alive. The paint department is great, they have the all kinds of paint for many different jobs that you may have. The fishing department has a great selection of sunglasses, and fishing reels, and rods.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angie's Restaurant; City: Clearwater, FL; Review: This place has very good breakfast that's affordable. They are good for a family breakfast out, highly recommend if you have kids. My girlfriend and I eat here regularly, they service is always great, and it doesn't take that long to get your food either. My family has been coming to this restaurant since I was a kid. It's been there quite awhile, and it's doing great. I always get the same thing every time I eat here. And it's always the same quality every time. The best country fried steak comes from this restaurant. It's always fresh, and the gravy is amazing. The eggs are perfect, always cooked the way I ask them. This truly is my favorite breakfast place. I'll continue to eat here for as long as they are here, so many memories of this place.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Best Western Plus Ruby s Inn; City: Bryce Canyon City Utah; Review: It's amazing to find good food at a national park.the staff is good and the service is quick.they have buffet and a la carte.Buffet is times though, so if you go on the buffet time you should try it.We had breakfast there two days in a row and as we were camping, we wanted to sit near to the charging points.There were no servers on that area as we had gone late but they very nicely accommodated us.They are ready to make small changes to the menu and their attention to detail, even for a party of 6 made us happy.all in all, a good place to eat :D; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Andante Inn of Sedona; City: Sedona Arizona; Review: We had an impromptu trip to Sedona and this was the only place available in our budget (Thanks to the film festival) .I had read reviews so sort of knew what to expect.The front office staff was very friendly and when we requested for a room on third floor, they upgraded us with a minimal charge.We had a beautiful view and it was very silent.The room was clean, the bathroom looked newly renovated .The housekeeping staff was very friendly. It had the basic necessities-coffee maker, TV, Hair dryer etc.The A/c is an old system so was slightly loud but did the job.The breakfast was very basic, two type of cereal, yoghurt, banana, toast, danish and coffee.My only regret was the internet connection was very slow and was getting disconnected every 5 minutes.Overall a decent place to stay in.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Las Palomas Inn Santa Fe; City: Santa Fe New Mexico; Review: We booked this hotel for an impromptu trip to Santa Fe. We were arriving late in the night ( 10 pm ) and called and informed the front office who very politely told us that they generally leave at that time but will wait for us. As promised the front office manager Nick was there , he checked us in, explained the parking , hotel amenities etc. , gave a very good idea of what to see in downtown, gave two amazing recommendations for dinner, booked our dinner appointment also for one of the nights.The restaurants he recommended were amazing. The inn is spread out into different buildings on few blocks. Our room was one of the smaller rooms and not the suites, but it was big enough and was as advertised.Very comfortable bed, spacious and well lit bathrooms.The inn has a feel of old adobe house which adds to its charm.The morning breakfast is one of the best I have had .They have eggs and waffles on personal order and is made fresh, a whole array of continental breakfast with cereal, granola, fruits, milk, yoghurt etc. , cappuccino, hot chocolate etc as per your choice.The staff is brilliant , very friendly, very warm and they genuinely are making your experience better. The two mornings out of 3 we were there, there was live music, which was very soothing and the musician was brilliant. Not to miss are the chocolate muffins, which they serve fresh from the oven. Other thing that makes this hotel a good choice is its location. It's walking distance from downtown and all the major attractions, restaurants and coffee places. They also have shuttle service that can pick you or drop you at any place if you don't wish to walk.The reason I have given them 4 rating and not 5, is because of few things that I didn't like in the room.There was dust in corners which was very visible to the eye, am sure housekeeping does it's best but still that bothered me.The door from our room to the bathroom didn't get locked or latched. I don't like people working in my room during my stay and am sure had I informed the management they would have corrected it, but according to me these things need to be checked before a guest checks in. The coffee machine wasn't easily accessible, the couch blocked any place to stand there and use it.We used our moisturizer which was provided by the hotel as it's way too dry in Santa Fe, but it was never replaced. Apart from these small issues, we loved the inn and would for sure stay again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tara s London Bed Breakfast; City: Harrow Greater London England; Review: Me and my husband stayed at Tara's London Bed and Breakfast for 6 nights. It's good value for money. It's far from London but it's closeness to the Tube station makes it easy to get and out of the city. Our room was clean and well equipped with the amenities as promised. I loved the hot chocolate, do try it . The breakfast was fresh and nice but became slightly repetitive after a while, but there was variety for people who like continental breakfast.Tara is a very friendly host and helped us in any way possible.The place is surrounded with super markets, and restaurants. If you love Indian food, you should explore the restaurants nearby. I just had two concerns.One was the bathroom.It was way too small, and the water pressure used to be very low if more than 1 bathrooms were being used.The basin was very small, washing your face without splashing water on your feet wasn't possible. My other concern was the noise within the house , that at times bothered me. I could hear people in the room above, and in the gallery outside.Apart from that , it is a very warm and nice place to stay.I would stay again if I need to :); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heythrop Park Resort; City: Enstone Oxfordshire England; Review: Me and my husband stayed at Crowne Plaza for 6 nights. My husband was attending a conference there. First the good : the property is stunning, it's surrounded by around 500 acres of land which has a zoo, golf courses, a spa, a gym etc. The staff is stellar, they go out of their way to make your stay comfortable.Very helpful and always come with solution to every small query you have. We arrived early and though the check in was not till 2, we were given our room by 1. The staff was handling the big inflow of guests with ease and no errors at all.I would especially mention Gabrielle-Guest Relations Manager. She is the most pleasant person to talk to and is always ready to help. The breakfast, which was part of our room rate was amazing, they had a wide variety of food and the setting was good. Our room was beautiful and I LOVED the bathroom. They have an amazing shower which compensates for the lack of bath tub. Overall, I loved our stay and will visit again. Now for the not so good, or the reason I gave a 4 star rating.The hotel is very far from any town/village.They are in middle of nowhere, which I get is part of the experience but still something should be accessible. If not that they should have a hotel shuttle/bus service that runs to Chipping Norton the small town which is around 20 minutes away by car. It was very inconvenient as for every small thing say picking some basic medicine, or a memorabilia you have to call a taxi and pay 20 GBP one way.If not that there should be a small store on the property which has basic stuff that you may need. Secondly, I feel the property is being neglected. The chair in our room had a tear, now that is unacceptable. I believe these small things should be checked before a guest checks in. The property is beautiful but things like the badminton court don't meet the standards (they charge you for using the badminton court and you for sure don't want to pay when you see the court.) I also didn't like the interiors of the hotel. I feel it takes away from the royal, classy feel which you get when you see the hotel from outside .; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Four Points by Sheraton Phoenix North; City: Phoenix Arizona; Review: We chose this place for two nights stay over at new years eve. The location of the hotel is great as it's close to the freeway and makes getting in and out pretty easy. We chose this hotel as it had goos reviews and though we knew it was old but it was recently renovated. At first impressions the hotel seemed good, the room was clean but as you stay there you start noticing the flaws. The hotel is old and though there are new things like furniture, accessories in the room etc., the power switches, the bathroom fixtures etc are old. The main door to our room wouldn't close till we pulled it shut. The lamp shade in our room was broken, and so was a light fixture in the bathroom. There was no mini fridge or microwave in the room.The layout is bizarre. Our room faced the indoor pool and we could go into the balcony. If you are there to relax in the room during the day, ask for a room not facing the pool as it gets noisy. There was no natural light in the room. Our rate didn't include the breakfast but we still went to the restaurant as we were lazy. We ordered from the menu as the buffet time was almost over. The food was average at best and our "starbucks" coffee took forever to come. The food also took a long time to come and the toast was already cold by the time it reached our table. We decided against having breakfast there the next day. The staff apart from the one in the restaurant was good. The menu in the room for ordering food has decent rates but we didn't dare to try it after our breakfast experience. Given a choice we won't stay there again.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Married Men; Author: Visit Amazon's Carl Weber Page; Review: This book made me feel like I was in a conversation with someone about event's that I'd witnessed. I felt like a fly on the wall of each of the main characters' lives. The endings are exactly what you hope for in each character's life. AWESOME!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Yoga for Beginners; Author: Visit Amazon's Mark Ansari Page; Review: The illustrations are clear, the instructions are concise. This book makes it easy to begin your journey to toning and finding your personal body beautiful!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Broke Diaries: The Completely True and Hilarious Misadventures of a Good Girl Gone Broke; Author: Visit Amazon's Angela Nissel Page; Review: I noticed that it was featured on the Montel Williams Show, along with a guest appearance by the author. I liked what the book offered me in terms of triggering memories of my own "broke" days in college and graduate school, but it wasn't as humorous as I'd expected it to be at all. It was boring and some of the entries were a little far fetched for my taste.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Miniature Rider Waite Tarot Deck; Author: Visit Amazon's Arthur Edward Waite Page; Review: This set of cards is much smaller than a normal set. As a novice tarot reader though, they were perfect for me to take along with me wherever I went to get to know the deck, and practice readings in confined areas. The illustrations are very nice, but one must either be an expert interpreter or own an interpretive book to understand the cards.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Show and Tell; Author: Visit Amazon's Nelson George Page; Review: If you enjoyed Married Men, The Hearts of Men, or E.J. Dickey's works, then you will enjoy Show and Tell. It's descriptive enough to make you tingle, but not overdone. The author is candid, the characters are real, and the book reads VERY fast!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Wish I Had a Red Dress (Idlewild); Author: Visit Amazon's Pearl Cleage Page; Review: SNOOZER! This book was an excellent cure for bouts with insomnia. It was BORING.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Arabian Jazz; Author: Visit Amazon's Diana Abu-Jaber Page; Review: I loved this book. The characters were multi dimensional, and very realistic. It is a fictional work that provides a birds' eye view into a sub culture that is very real and rich in America.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Joy; Author: Visit Amazon's Victoria Christopher Murray Page; Review: I am DIGGING this book! It is my first by this author, and I am now inspired to start a collection of her works. This is a very edifying book, and it offered me a lot to introspect and examine in my own life.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forever; Author: Timmothy McCann; Review: This book was very well written. Mc Cann's character, setting and plot descriptions are concise, vivid and captivating. This one is a MUST read for those who enjoy reading Black male authors.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Some Sunday; Author: Visit Amazon's Margaret Johnson-Hodge Page; Review: I found this book a little slow at the beginning, but once I was engaged, it turned out to be a good read.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Always; Author: Timmothy B Mccann; Review: I liked the broad time span that the author covered in this book, and I believe that he covered it well. I enjoyed the book. The television show 24 on the Fox Network has a very similar story line to me.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Like the First Time: A Novel (Invincible Women Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Francis Ray Page; Review: The storyline of this novel VERY closely parallels one of my most intimate life's dreams; To meet other women who are willing to work together to achieve our personal bests... to marry a man who loves me, and to have love and life that are challenging and rewarding. Therefore, I allowed myself to become completely immersed in it ... and it was WONDERFUL! Like the First Time is well organized, succinct, vivid and superbly written. THIS IS A GREAT WEEKEND OR TRAVEL READ!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Down Low, Double Life; Author: Visit Amazon's Darrin Lowery Page; Review: This book was marketed with "On the Down Low," which caused me to expect something of the E. Lynn Harris variety. Instead it was a well written story that was engaging, light hearted, realistic, and smooth. The author's note was also very encouraging to the aspiring writer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Angry Black Woman's Guide to Life; Author: Visit Amazon's Denene Millner Page; Review: My mother sent me this book to belittle a choice I've made. I read the cover summary, took the quiz, and decided to read the book. It was a lighthearted, yet supportive book for me - a woman who says what she means, means what she says, and gets ALL KINDS of drama for it... I know that my mother expected it to get a rise out me that generated negative energy, but NOPE!!!This was a good little read.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: So You Call Yourself A Man (The Church Series); Author: Visit Amazon's Carl Weber Page; Review: THIS BOOK IS C WEBER'S BEST YET! It's SO realistic, the characters are SO well developed, and the imagery makes you feel like you are right there! I read it with a bowl of popcorn like I was watching a movie! I've read all of this author's work except Looking for Love, and Mr. Weber seems to get better every time. Amazon doesn't have enough stars on it's scale for this one.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Beautiful Ache: Finding the God Who Satisfies When Life Does Not; Author: Visit Amazon's Leigh McLeroy Page; Review: I won this book at church and wasn't expecting much, thinking I knew the sort of frivolous woman who writes books like this. But I was wrong. From the first pages, as she described her escape at a snail's pace from an unnamed hurricane headed toward Houston with her faithful canine companion Chester sweating in the traffic jam in the seat beside her, she engaged my heart in her journey. When she finally stopped at a gas station that still had fuel, and waited in a long line, the gentleman ahead of her in an SUV asked 'Is that your posse?' nodding toward Chester, and she answered 'That would be it.' (Posse, oh my, the poignant sense of family, loyal followers and compatriots, those who love us no matter what...it was reaching me.) 'Aw, now where is that man of yours?' he ventured. 'I guess he hasn't found me yet.' she answered and I reacted as any woman would, I think, any woman who had ever known what it is like to be alone, to wonder what the road ahead will bring, if I will ever find the reassuring love that my heart longs for. Poignant. Engaging. Beautifully written ?so that no matter what she is writing about, it gives value to being human. 'I guess he hasn't found me yet.' Yeah, she reached my heart, so that I was with her, and not judging her on every page, not comparing the toughness of my walk against hers. She drew me a little bit more into the human family, the family of God. She made me connect with my own sense of my life. In the end, isn't that what all the best writing is about? It is for me.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Act of Creation (Arkana); Author: Visit Amazon's Arthur Koestler Page; Review: When I was in high school in Ann Arbor, MI, in the sixties, I carried a copy of Koestler's book The Act of Creation with me everywhere I went. I have bought several copies over the years when I lost my original through various moves, even when it was out of print and hard to find. Yes, it is that good.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: After the Leaves Fall; Author: Visit Amazon's Nicole Baart Page; Review: There are many books written which have plot, but no heart; this is NOT one of them. This book is told first person by the heroine, if one can call her that. Miss Bart is so incredibly gifted in articulating the emotional reality of this young woman and her family, that I felt I had been through something remarkable with them by the end of this book. This gifted writer weaves a solid tale that is completely out of the ordinary, but then again so completely real and visceral and personal that where ever your own wounds lie, her gift will seek them out. You will be finding healing yourself along with the protagonist. Some people could try to write about such a family and it would be depressing; but not this author. Life somehow keeps shining its way through the darkness. Nicole Baart has something special. I have read three of her books and will be buying them all.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fox's Book of Martyrs: A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Deaths of the Early Christian and Protestant Martyrs; Author: Zondervan; Review: I downloaded this version to my Kindle for PC, and am 39% of the way through it. I am not offended as some are that it is not the 7,000 page version, for it is difficult enough to read of this brutal savagery to people for their beliefs in this shortened version. And for those who are offended that John Foxe exposes the verifiable brutality of the Roman church: maybe you were not brutalized by nuns or priests or brothers. In another work online, I found out that Pope Innocent III -- odd name for a vicious and guilty murderer -- assigned Dominic, founder of the 'order of preachers' (founder of the nuns who taught me) to head the inquisition, which he did with enthusiasm and alacrity, sending thousands upon thousands to torture and painful deaths. This explains a great deal about what came over many of these Dominican nuns, their frenzies of abuse toward us vulnerable kids rooted in a demonic history. Human sacrifice, particularly human sacrifice which involves great suffering and torment, accrues demonic powers to the sacrificer. I discovered this book after typing 'dominican nuns abuse' into the search engine, just as one day I discovered a blog called 'firetenders' after typing that same phrase into google. There I discovered large numbers of former catholic school kids, the oldest of us in our 60's, tho some are half that age, who were abused in many different ways to the point of physical and emotional and sexual damage. Some have chosen to disbelieve in God entirely, tho some of us have clung to our understanding that God is good, nothing like the one these nuns taught us; I myself have been walking with Jesus for 39 years, and can testify these nuns did NOT know him. The firetenders blog participants keep asking 'Why would these women behave like this to helpless kids?' It remained an unanswered question until I read the history of the roman church's violent butchery of millions of people as written by Foxe. Why would they not? We have instead been lucky we didn't live several hundred years ago. An attitude which would decide it is just fine to kill people horribly to supposedly save souls, is not an attitude that will lovingly raise children in a positive atmosphere. There are plenty of books about 'Saint' Dominic praising his 'love for the truth' which aided his 'fight against heresy.' I wonder do they mention how he 'fought' heresy? And what that what he considered 'heresy' was the exercise of free conscience among people who read the Bible for themselves and didn't want popery and pagan doctrines of purgatory? And where do they think the God of Israel asked them to kill people, instead of teaching? And who told them they could mix paganism with the name of Jesus and destroy the simple gospel? The most terrible reality in all of this, is that this devilry was committed in the name of Jesus, even tho what they did was the polar opposite of what he commanded his followers; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fox's Book of Martyrs: A History of the; Author: John Foxe; Review: I downloaded this version to my Kindle for PC, and am 39% of the way through it. I am not offended as some are that it is not the 7,000 page version, for it is difficult enough to read of this brutal savagery to people for their beliefs in this shortened version. And for those who are offended that John Foxe exposes the verifiable brutality of the Roman church: maybe you were not brutalized by nuns or priests or brothers. In another work online, I found out that Pope Innocent III -- odd name for a vicious and guilty murderer -- assigned Dominic, founder of the 'order of preachers' (founder of the nuns who taught me) to head the inquisition, which he did with enthusiasm and alacrity, sending thousands upon thousands to torture and painful deaths. This explains a great deal about what came over many of these Dominican nuns, their frenzies of abuse toward us vulnerable kids rooted in a demonic history. Human sacrifice, particularly human sacrifice which involves great suffering and torment, accrues demonic powers to the sacrificer. I discovered this book after typing 'dominican nuns abuse' into the search engine, just as one day I discovered a blog called 'firetenders' after typing that same phrase into google. There I discovered large numbers of former catholic school kids, the oldest of us in our 60's, tho some are half that age, who were abused in many different ways to the point of physical and emotional and sexual damage. Some have chosen to disbelieve in God entirely, tho some of us have clung to our understanding that God is good, nothing like the one these nuns taught us; I myself have been walking with Jesus for 39 years, and can testify these nuns did NOT know him. The firetenders blog participants keep asking 'Why would these women behave like this to helpless kids?' It remained an unanswered question until I read the history of the roman church's violent butchery of millions of people as written by Foxe. Why would they not? We have instead been lucky we didn't live several hundred years ago. An attitude which would decide it is just fine to kill people horribly to supposedly save souls, is not an attitude that will lovingly raise children in a positive atmosphere. There are plenty of books about 'Saint' Dominic praising his 'love for the truth' which aided his 'fight against heresy.' I wonder do they mention how he 'fought' heresy? And what that what he considered 'heresy' was the exercise of free conscience among people who read the Bible for themselves and didn't want popery and pagan doctrines of purgatory? And where do they think the God of Israel asked them to kill people, instead of teaching? And who told them they could mix paganism with the name of Jesus and destroy the simple gospel? The most terrible reality in all of this, is that this devilry was committed in the name of Jesus, even tho what they did was the polar opposite of what he commanded his followers; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: January Kills Me (Samantha Rialto Mysteries) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Evan Katy Page; Review: This author (Is Evan a man or a woman? Evan sounds like a masculine name, but if this was written by a man, he surely knows women!) has a sassy sense of humor, which I love. This book has more than a great plot, it is a great deal of fun as well. Cannot wait for second book from this delightful author.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bubba and the Dead Woman; Author: Visit Amazon's C. L. Bevill Page; Review: Normally I speed through mysteries, following the plot and ignoring the color and detail that gets in the way. But reading this book, the detail was as much fun as the story line. The language use is clever, creative, outrageous.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Table in the Presence; Author: Visit Amazon's Carey H. Cash Page; Review: This book is the encouragement you need if you have grown tired of listening to the Main stream media trash our soldiers, our nation, and our faith in the God of our fathers. The earnestness of these soldiers as they faced their own fallenness and their fears on the edge of going into battle will touch your heart and remind you that the OWS is not the bunch that is on the mind of and in the heart of God. The innocent faith of these young men as they lose and rediscover a special pocket Bible, undamaged after being lost in a wind, rain, and hailstorm and believe it is a sign from God that he will protect them -- these tough marines -- is borne out when the most intense battle of the war is over and they recount their stories of they were spared and comforted and encouraged and kept. Though they lost one much beloved gunnery sargent, and many others were tremendously injured, they knew the voice of the One who came to them and said in the midst of battle 'It's going to be all right. I am with you.' If you are sick of the assaults on our heritage by the Marxist morons who hate God and the righteous, this book is for you. Young men like these are the hope of our nation. Young men like these being drawn into the presence of God in the worst battle in the war, are the reminder to us that God is not done with the United States of America. The earth will be inherited by the meek, and soldiers carrying big guns and fighting to protect the world from evil can indeed be part of 'the meek.' If you are sick of being told that Islam is 'the religion of peace' and instead want to be encouraged that the 'Prince of Peace' was walking in the midst of our soldiers as they moved through a hail of RPG's to take one of Saddam's evil castles, then this is the book for you. And if you need to become acquainted with achaplain with a tender heart, wisdom, love for his men, this is the book for you. Chaplain Cash's love for the military and its strength used in the service of righteousness can wipe away the grime and the garbage that the leftists have tried to cover our military with. This is the antidote. This is the reminder that the God of Israel and His Messiah are at work in the world, and he does take sides, and his side is to hear the cries of all those who trust in him. And he does fight on their side, and there is a right and a wrong and truth and the lie. If you are sickened to death with all the moral relativists in this world blaming us and excusing the truly wicked, this close up view of the goodness of our soldiers and their leaders will be a solid comfort to you. It was to me. I almost; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: OFFICER S OATH: Why my vow to defend the Constitution demanded that I sacrifice my career; Author: Dr. Terry Lakin DO; Review: I purchased and read this book on my kindle in order to support Lt. Col. Lakin. It was important to me to find out what goes on in the mind of a soldier who puts principle over expediency, since judges and congressman kept insisting the issue of Obama's birth certificate had been researched when it obviously hadn't. Valiant individuals such as Lakin and Orly Taitz are demonstrating that something is very wrong when laws are ignored to protect a President who is probably not an American Citizen. Lakin did a lot of reading while in stir: DeToqueville's 'Democracy in America' and Frederic Bastiat, etc., which made me want to read those same works and others written by those who made our country great. This book was inspirational.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Religious Affections; Author: Jonathan Edwards; Review: I was surprised to find how personal the implications of his observations were. That made this more than an abstraction or just information, I profited from it in unexpected ways. He is an extraordinarily engaging writer because of his passion and intellect.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Outcry: Holocaust Memoirs; Author: Visit Amazon's Manny Steinberg Page; Review: this was beautifully written and the most moving holocaust memoir I have read so far, and I have been plowing through memoirs for days now.as the 70th anniversaryof the November 29, 1947 UN resolution giving Israel the right to become a nation once again approaches. All of these memoirs can't help.but be gripping, but there is something special in Manny's ability to express his emotions that hadme with gim the wholr journey.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Works of John Flavel (6 Vol. Set); Author: Visit Amazon's John Flavel Page; Review: Husband is reading through this since it is one of the books recommended for gaining insight on working with those who are hurting. He keeps coming to me to read me passages from it. It is so lovely to read the words of a Christian believer written 400 years ago who took his relationship with the Lord this seriously.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Desiring God: Meditations of A Christian Hedonist; Author: Visit Amazon's John Piper Page; Review: Life changing stuff. I will pray that God will grant me the grace to really "own" (internalize) this perspective. I have tasted enough of the joy of His presence to be able to relate to the promise of more. I thought often of those I know who are aquainted with suffering and would wish them to dicover this work. This was my introduction to Piper and his web site. My, what a wealth!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Never Promised You a Rose Garden; Author: Visit Amazon's Hannah Green Page; Review: I read this book during the late sixties when I was in high school, and going through tremendous emotional turmoil of my own. The author describes having a conversation with another person who had lost most of his teeth. As she spoke with him, she realized that she was as embarrassed about her lack of mental health as he was about his lack of teeth. I believed he tried to keep her from seeing his mouth. Fifty years on, that part of the story has remained with me, for as also was embarrassed and ashamed of the troubles and unwellness that I was dealing with. How often have I dreamed that all of my teeth were either broken or missing? It gave me a means of coping with and understanding the shame, and I have always been grateful to this author for speaking so openly of her own.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thirty-Four and a Half Predicaments: Rose Gardner Mystery #7 (Volume 7); Author: Visit Amazon's Denise Grover Swank Page; Review: I enjoyed this book. Bought the whole series. I don't usually do that, but this time I had to find out what happened to the characters.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Autobiography Of George Muller; Author: George Muller; Review: What ever you have of Jesus, there is more! George Mueller has shown the church what God is anxious to do through His people by the Holy Spirit when we will pray and ask and wait in faith. Mueller's narrative of his life and endeavors provides a view into the process of learning to pray and of discerning the will of God. I have been greatly encouraged and humbled. Maybe the best result of all, it made see; There is MORE!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Club Med Bali; City: Nusa Dua Nusa Dua Peninsula Bali; Review: I spent 7 days at Club Med over New year 2012. Accommodation was very normal. All the essentials were there a but there was nothing there to wow you. Architecture is very beautiful, well maintained resort, manicured gardens. Restaurants are comfortable nice selection of food, the all inclusive eating and drinking is always a winner. Swimming pool is nice, beaches are quite boring never swam in them at all. Service is top notch expected with a Clubmed, good all round service at pool side and we were always made to feel very welcome at meal times. If you have kids the dedicated teams are awesome and the kids are well taken care of. Bali on the whole is a great cultural experience, weather can be very extreme (Humidity). We visited the fresh water crater lake in the mountain of Denau Batur then a cycle ride down the mountain through all the villages seeing rice padi fields, mingling with locals. Great cultural experience. White water rafting and two scuba dives were all great. Outside of the hotel we were very conscience of what we ate and what we drank, we both had a case of Bali Belly, the extreme humidity and complete difference in food can take some getting used to something you have to keep a eye on. Great Holiday overall, however I still prefer Mauritius for island holidays.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort; City: Bazaruto Island Bazaruto Archipelago Inhambane Province; Review: What a great destination! I kept thinking I was in the Maldives. The destination is amazing, rooms are top notch, clean, well serviced and modern. Service was impeccable, to a point of feeling like we had butlers. Food was amazing, I even had to make a point of finding the pastry chef to compliment him on some the nicest pastries I have eaten in a long time. Plenty of activities, from snorkeling, diving, sailing, sand boarding and of course the spa. We travel to Mozambique quite frequently and I have to say that this has to be the best destination I have been to so far. Cant wait to come back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jai Mahal Palace; City: Jaipur Jaipur District Rajasthan; Review: This was a really nice hotel. Well priced 5 star resort. Rooms were clean, neat with a lovely Indian color flare splurged with historical reminders of this city. The overall estate is expansive, lovely green areas well secluded from the outside hustle and bustle. Hotel staff were extremely friendly and went out of there way to assist us with anything we required. We took a breakfast & dinner inclusive buffet package which was extremely tasty and managed by the most friendly and helpful restaurant staff. A big thumbs up to the Jai Mahal Palace definitely a memorable stay.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mohale Lodge; City: Likalaneng Maseru District; Review: I love Mohale Lodge, the rooms are spacious and include all amenities and the King Size Beds are the most comfortable are have slept on for a long time. My stays here normally involve me Adventure riding with my bike. Lesotho is generally a very impoverished country and this lodge is most probably 5 stars in the eyes of the local. Needless to say, its a welcome oasis for a weary traveler and the buffet food that is served is generally a winner always reminding me of good home cooking. Nestled high inside the mountain kingdom accessible by good quality tar roads with sweeping views down onto Mohale Dam it allows great thinking time when looking out from the various balconies. I keep coming back, Lesotho is Beautiful!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Maliba Mountain Lodge; City: Tsehlanyane National Park Butha Buthe District; Review: What an amazing place, even the ride in was spectacular, driving next fast flowing fresh water rivers wedged between the most scenic views. We stayed at the Maliba Mountain Lodges, beautiful modern double story four bedroom stone cladded thatched roofed houses nestled on the banks of a fast moving river, with towering mountains around you. The scenery is just amazing, you truly get a sense of detachment and you can't escape the feeling that God had a hand in all you see. The lodges were neat, Cody and inclusive of all the things required for self catering. We however did eat up at the main restaurant and we're spoilt to great dining. I travel around Lesotho frequently and Maliba is definitely the finest accommodation I have stayed so far. I look forward to visiting in the winter months.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Evelyn (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Man on Fire (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bend It Like Beckham (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 50 First Dates (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Magdalene Sisters (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bourne Supremacy (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: About a Boy (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Last Samurai (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: About Schmidt (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Garden State (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Love Actually (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Runaway Jury (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seabiscuit (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Under the Tuscan Sun (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Bourne Identity (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Emperor's Club (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wit (2001); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Angels in America (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: De-Lovely (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Vanity Fair (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hollywood Ending (2002); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Before Sunset (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Radio (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Manchurian Candidate (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Big Fish (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lost in Translation (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mystic River (2003); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Two Weeks Notice (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Chicago (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Stepford Wives (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miracle (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mona Lisa Smile (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Clearing (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Terminal (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Little Black Book (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shakespeare in Love (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Beautiful Mind (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rudy (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Erin Brockovich (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Antwone Fisher (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Angela's Ashes (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Me Without You (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Iris (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Amadeus (1984); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chocolat (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The In-Laws (2003); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Friday Night Lights (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chaplin: The Movie (1992); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Laws of Attraction (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: House of Sand and Fog (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Collateral (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Whale Rider (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ladder 49 (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Being Julia (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shall We Dance? (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Red Violin (1999); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cold Mountain (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: In Good Company (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Amelie (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Twelve (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Something's Gotta Give (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ray (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Finding Neverland (2004); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sideways (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Road to Perdition (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bringing Down the House (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Raising Helen (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monster's Ball (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Catch Me If You Can (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Aviator (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Notebook (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Closer (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: National Treasure (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 61* (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Life as a House (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Pianist (2002); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Silence of the Lambs (1991); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Chocolat (1988); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elizabeth (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dances With Wolves: Special Edition (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rain Man (1988); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Roman Holiday (1953); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rear Window (1954); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Calendar Girls (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Grapes of Wrath (1940); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Godfather (1972); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: October Sky (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Schindler's List (1993); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Life Is Beautiful (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dead Poets Society (1989); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Green Mile (1999); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Secondhand Lions (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sixth Sense (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GoodFellas: Special Edition (1990); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spanglish (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Alfie (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Fockers (2004); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Cider House Rules (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Six Feet Under: Season 1 (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dinner with Friends (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My House in Umbria (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Upside of Anger (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Gathering Storm (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Victoria and Albert (2001); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Million Dollar Baby (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gia (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Something the Lord Made (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crash (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Lot Like Love (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Empire Falls (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fever Pitch (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Judgment at Nuremberg (1961); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Sting (1973); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Gandhi (1982); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tuesdays with Morrie (1999); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Stand by Me (1986); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All About Eve (1950); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Remember the Titans (2000); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Warm Springs (2005); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Six Feet Under: Season 2 (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Interpreter (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Everybody Loves Raymond: Season 1 (1996); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Best of Friends: Season 1 (1994); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gone with the Wind: Collector's Edition (1939); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Desperate Housewives: Season 1 (2004); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Scrubs: Season 1 (2001); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (1952); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Will & Grace: Season 1 (1998); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Italian Job (2003); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Men of Honor (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Door to Door (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Monster-in-Law (2005); Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Finding Forrester (2000); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A River Runs Through It (1992); Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Charms for the Easy Life (2002); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Saving Face (2005); Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: 12 Angry Men (1957); Rating: 4.0/5.0 | netflix |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Blue Moon Hotel; City: New York City New York; Review: ; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Number 11 Exclusive Guesthouse; City: Bruges West Flanders Province; Review: Number 11 was recommended to me by a friend and lived up to the glowing reference. Not only was it furnished far more coolly than most hotels I stay in (and I stay in a lot), it was way friendlier and more homely than them all, with breakfast taken at a huge shared table in the morning. Rooms were bright and clean with neutral decor but with colourful quirks, attributable to it being formerly owned by an artist, such a pictures and plants. There's an honour bar (where we stored our Christmas bubbly) and a Shaker-style kitchen to make tea. If all B&Bs were like this I'd never stay in another hotel again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Express Guanajuato; City: Guanajuato Central Mexico and Gulf Coast; Review: Was assigned this hotel so no real choice in the matter. Guanajuato is an amazzing and beautiful place, so to be staying outside the city, on a dry urban ring road, with views of old garages, was very disappointing. The rooms were large and clean and generic and charmless, and come with the ubiquitous cover and blanket, the ones where you have no idea how many times they've been used before without being cleaned. These I am happy to say seemed clean, but then the hotel is apparently very new. Also the room looked over the internal atrium, so to know what was happening weather wise to decide what to wear, I had to go out of the room in my towel and look out of the window in the corridor. Also it's an Express, meaning, no room service other than Dominos on the speed dial. Seriously. Also no bar other than an Appleby's next door which closed at 11. I thought breakfast was fine, huevos rancheros every day though, and fruit, my colleagues begged to differ. And when the hotel was full, as it was when we were there, of evangelists at an evagelist get-together, it could be a 20 min wait in a queue, not to mention a melee at the lifts. Reception was fine, if easily confused by any change in booking.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Hacienda San Miguel Hotel Suites; City: Cozumel Yucatan Peninsula; Review: Not much point adding too much to the other great reviews which I wholeheartedly endorse. But just to say a really lovely place, beautifully appointed, just outside the crazy zone so felt more cut off but still a very short walk to get into the action, and the service was exceptional. I arrived late on the first evening but Antonio made sure I got to go diving the following morning and had breakfast for me at 7am. By the way the diving in Cozumel is out of this world, way more spectacular than disappointing Isla Mujeres. The breakfasts are brought to your room as there's no restaurant or bar (though there are shedloads close by), which was a nice touch, if a little lacking in choice, but then again, with a huge fridge and kitchenette with coffee maker I just went to the supermarket and stocked up. The only real criticism I have is, as has been mentioned, the beds are seriously hard. With a bad back I had to ask for additional pillows to wedge around me for comfort. Very nearly a perfect score all round.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Le Clery; City: Paris Ile de France; Review: Dirty. Smelled bad. Found a long black hair in my sink. Colleague's shower didn't work, she washed in the sink, asked for a reduction, was told the room was already discounted...erm. As it happens the shower wasn't broken but so unbelievably complicated to use, turn, push, twist, pull, that there was no way to work out how to use without instructions. No instructions. I have to admit I stayed in the shower for as brief a time as possible, didn't want to touch anything. Receptionist in grotty fleece smoking leaning on the front door as we arrived. Classy. And 120 euros a night. What a joke, a very unfunny one.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ; Author: Visit Amazon's Daniel Goleman Page; Review: I honestly thought on this book I was going to find a lot of scientifically based advice on how to behave in situations where my emotions go out of control but found myself reading a book that though informative did not meet my expectations in terms of utility for my personal life. I do consider though it is a good foundational book to start building on my emotional literacy.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Go Suck a Lemon: Strategies for Improving Your Emotional Intelligence; Author: Visit Amazon's Michael Cornwall Page; Review: I love this book, it's exactly what I was looking for. It provides a simple and quick guide on how to improve our emotional intelligence by changing our perception and thoughts. At the beginning I was reluctant to read on due to some comments stating that this book had grammar mistakes but I came to the conclusion that this is a strategy used by its author to test our tolerance and see if we can defy our old models of thinking. At least that's what I choose to think though.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thinking, Fast and Slow; Author: Visit Amazon's Daniel Kahneman Page; Review: This book explains how our decisions are biased and how we can identify this situation by imagining the constructive critics of an informed observer who employs a precise vocabulary to diagnose the situation in order to take more rational and consistent decisions. Before reading the book my expectations had been altered due to an reader's review who expressed his discomfort with the "overexplanation" of its author, however I found it really useful because it helped grasp some of the concepts.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuition Deceives Us; Author: Christopher and Simons, Daniel. Chabris; Review: A well structured book that explains how the illusions of attention, confidence, memory, knowledge, cause and potential deceive us and prevent us from seeing "the gorillas in our midst"; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Power of Habit, the (Lib)(CD); Author: Visit Amazon's Charles Duhigg Page; Review: If you want to learn how habits work and how sometimes we unconsciously are driven to do all the things we do and what's more if you want to control such patterns I highly recommend you reading this book, though on the last 2 parts you might feel like the author's going out of topic and at times provides too much details in a clear effort of delivering his work in a compelling narrative style by the end you will see how everything comes together and appreciate the insights coming from this book.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience; Author: Visit Amazon's Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Page; Review: I was kind of skeptical about the applicability of this book in my life but I ended up loving it as it turned out to describe the process I am going through; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Inn of the Hills Hotel Conference Center; City: Kerrville Texas; Review: My husband and I stayed at the Inn of the Hills over Thanksgiving weekend. We were intrigued by the photos we saw on a web site, and were not disappointed. The lobby is very attractive and the restaurant is way above average. Usually we do not eat in motel restaurants, but this one we had to try. The Friday night seafood buffet is not to be missed. Salmon, shrimp, oysters, and at least 30 or so dessert selections for a moderate price. The toiletries in the bathroom were a couple of steps above the usual grade as well. The room itself was not spectacular, but was spacious, clean, and comfortable. I would definitely go back.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crochet House Bed Breakfast; City: Houma Louisiana; Review: My husband and I visited Houma in February for his birthday, and we stayed st the Crochet House for three nights. We have stayed at B&B's several times before and find that we prefer them to comparably priced hotels and motels. The Crochet House was a very nice place to stay. It is in a very quiet residential neighborhood, the room was spacious, the bed was extremely comfortable, and the breakfasts were huge! We didn't even think about eating again until mid-afternoon. In particular, we both enjoyed the sweet potato pancakes (a regional specialty). Our hostess, Sally, was very helpful in suggesting places to visit, eat, etc. The quality is really impressive for the price. I would recommend the Crochet House to anyone planning to visit Houma.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Judge Porter House Bed and Breakfast; City: Natchitoches Louisiana; Review: ; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Roof Inn Suites Beaumont; City: Beaumont Texas; Review: Actually, I don't know why this is listed in the B&B section. It is a standard budget-price hotel. The good: It is very new (opened in August 2009) and clean, and my first impression was positive. The HDTV was great, the bed was comfortable, and the pool was very nice. This hotel has interior hallways, unlike most of the older Red Roofs. There is a guest laundry and a workout room, which I did not use, but are no doubt of interest to others. The price (~$75 per night), is also quite reasonable. Now the bad: The "Next Gen" design is vaguely Asian, and very minimalist. Unfortunately, this translates into a shortage of functionality. The bathroom has only two hooks on the wall for hanging towels. There is no place near the sink to hang a hand towel, so we had to lay them on the counter. The shower stall is half enclosed by a glass wall that reaches to the ceiling. The other half is completely open, allowing cold drafts in while showering. This was tolerable in September, but would no doubt make for an uncomfortable experience in December or January. It also means that it is not possible to hang towels or wet laundry (if you have hand washed something) over the shower rod, as there is no shower rod. After using the very nice pool, my husband and I realized there was no good place to hang up our dripping wet swimsuits. I hung them on the two hooks on the opposite wall of the bathroom, along with the wet towels, and put the wastebasket underneath to catch the drips. With everything heaped up on the two measly hooks, nothing really dried properly. Also, be forwarned if you are traveling with any full-length clothing items (a dress or long coat), as there was no place to hang them either. The only clothes rod was about less than 2', and located directly over the micro-fridge. Any long garments would have hung down on top of the microwave oven and been crumpled. There is a very small (about 6") space next to the microwave, but it was occupied by an ironing board--which you will no doubt need if you hang your clothes there! There are no coffee machines in the rooms, as there is a much-hyped "gourmet" coffee machine in the lobby. Every time I tried it, it seemed to dispense about 1/4 coffee and 3/4 water into the cup. The resulting mixture was so weak as to be undrinkable. The ugly: There seemed to be an almost total lack of sound insulation. We could clearly hear the TV in the adjoining room, as well as the footsteps and conversations of every person who passed by in the hallway. The first night, I was jolted out of a sound sleep by the alarm clock in the next room going off at midnight. It took two contacts with the front desk-a personal visit, and a phone call--to resolve the problem. The first time, the hotel employee apparently only hit the snooze button,; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Super 8 by Wyndham Austin Airport South; City: Austin Texas; Review: My husband and I stayed here for a quick weekend getaway-just one night, unfortunately! Everything met or exceeded my expectations. I was amazed at the number of extra touches that went above and beyond the usual. There is even a sauna in the fitness room. We arrived rather early, around 2:30, and were told that the room was not quite ready. They let us go ahead and check in and gave us our keys, and asked us to wait about 10 minute for the room to be cleaned. We decided to spend the time trying out the massage chair in the lobby. By the time we had both gotten a massage and relaxed from the drive to Austin, the room was ready. We had the Asian suite and I loved the swing in the room. I have never even heard of such a thing in a hotel room, but I found it very relaxing. The bed was VERY comfortable and I was reluctant to leave it in the morning. There was a 52" TV in the room with a DVD player, and there are DVDs available at the front desk (you get a free movie rental with the room rate) or, of course, you could bring your own. The entire place-room, bathroom, lobby, and breakfast area-was very clean and nice. The free breakfast was much better than at most places, as it included bacon and sausage biscuits. They did run out of the bacon and biscuits while I was eating there, as a number of guests came into the breakfast room right after me, but the supplies were quickly replenished. The person who complained about the food items running out should probably just have asked someone to refill them. We found the staff to be very friendly and efficient. The service is probably helped by the fact that this is a rather small hotel--only 39 guest rooms-so that you don't feel that you will be lost among the shuffle of hundreds of other guests. We returned to the hotel too late the evening before to try out the dessert bar, but I expect it was as good as the rest of this hotel. We will definitely be back! Note: The reviewers who keep commenting on how it is so much better than they expected from a Super 8 must not stay at many Super 8's, as I have consistently found them to be high quality.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Red Roof Inn Suites Lake Charles; City: Lake Charles Louisiana; Review: This is probably the nicest Red Roof Inn I have stayed at so far. It is new construction, so has inside hallways, which I prefer. The room was clean, the bed was comfortable, and everything worked (TV, plumbing, AC, and so forth). It is true, as an earlier reviewer mentioned, that some of the room are shorter than others, due to the shape of the building, but an examination of the window spacing shows that the shorter rooms are also wider; consequently, the overall square footage is roughly the same. The breakfast was nothing spectacular, but about on a par with other hotels in this price range. The location is rather "in the middle of nowhere", not near any shopping or restaurants, but I found that a good thing, as it helps to make everything quiet. For a clean, comfortable room in a quiet, safe location, you could do far worse.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Super 8 by Wyndham Abilene South; City: Abilene Texas; Review: my husband and I stayed at the Super 8 Abilene South on the last night of a week-long driving vacation. We were hoping only for a decent place to spend the night; this hotel met our expectations. Although it is by now a few years old, it still appears brand-new and clean. The bed was reasonably comfortable, although the pillows were the usual hard-as-a-rock hotel pillows. There was an armchair and a desk area with an office style swivel chair for seating options. Water pressure/flow from the shower head was quite acceptable. I appreciated that the sink was in the main room, not in the bathroom proper, as one person can use the sink while the other is using the other facilities. The hotel is in a rather secluded spot. I think being in an industrial area actually helps, as it is dead quiet at night. It is a little tricky to find the hotel if you follow the directions online. They say to turn left on Buffalo Gap and then right on Industrial Blvd. What they don't say is that you have to turn IMMEDIATELY right on Industrial. In fact, you wouldn't really turn onto Buffalo Gap so much as swerve onto it for a second or two. Fortunately, we had a GPS, which instructed us to turn right from Buffalo Gap onto a different street, and then right onto Sayles. The outdoor pool was rather small (about standard for a Super 8), but looked very clean and well-maintained. We were actually too tired from out trip to bother about it; otherwise we would have welcomed the opportunity to check it out. The breakfast was above average for this hotel class, and included scrambled eggs and sausage in addition to pastries, cold cereal, fruit, milk, juice, coffee, etc. The trays were well-filled, and everything seemed fresh. It is true that there is nothing much immediately near the hotel, but there are a multitude of choices within a mile or two. Assuming you have access to a car (and in Abilene, it is near certain you have arrived by car), you have no shortage of dining options. I did experience two complaints, which could be remedied fairly easily by the hotel management. 1) The AC/heating unit was located right under the window, as is so often the case. When the drapes are closed, the design of the air vents causes the air to flow up into the drapes, causing the drapes to billow out and all the cold air to be trapped inside the drapes rather than flowing into the room. One could, of course, leave the drapes open, but that would sacrifice privacy and allow too much light in early in the morning. I addressed the problem by placing the phone directory and the vertically on top of the unit and tucking the drapes behind it. I have seen in other hotels where they have put a Plexiglass barrier atop the AC unit to hold the bottom of the drapes in place and prevent the problem. 2) The rooms are designed; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Trinity Hotel; City: Carlsbad New Mexico; Review: My husband and I stayed at the Trinity Hotel in Carlsbad as part of our summer vacation. I had been a bit discouraged by the reviews I had read of some of the Carlsbad hotels (overpriced, dirty, and so forth) when I came across the listing for the Trinity. It sounded intriguing, and I booked us for two nights in room 201. From the time we arrived, everything was just right. We did notice that the remote for the TV was missing, and reported this at the front desk. We went out to dinner, and when we returned, a remote had been placed on the bed, which we appreciated. The bed was extremely comfortable; I noticed one reviewer reported poor sleep quality from the bed being "too soft". Well, I for one have often had poor sleep because of a hotel mattress that was rock-hard, causing me to wake up with stiff joints and sore muscles. No such trouble here; lying down on the bed was heavenly. So I guess if you like sleeping on a bed that feels like a concrete slab, you should go elsewhere; if, on the other hand, you like for a bed to conform to your body, look no further. The bathroom was exquisite--a huge soaking tub about twice as deep as the standard tubs most often found today, and a large, separate, glass shower. It was delicious to be able to actually soak in a warm tub to soothe the tired muscles acquired from a day of trekking through Carlsbad Caverns. What a pleasure to actually be able to immerse my entire body in the warm water, rather than sitting in a puddle a few inches deep, as most modern "bathtubs" force one to do!. The bath salts provided were very nice as well, and as mentioned in other reviews, the hot water is really hot, so be careful! The only thing I would have added would have been some bubble bath. If you reserve this room, you might want to bring your own. The only possible complaint I have about the shower is that the rainfall shower head makes it impossible to take a shower without wetting your hair. I wash my hair every day anyhow, so it was not really a problem for me, but if you prefer to wash your hair less often, bring a shower cap. Some reviews here have criticized the amount of light that comes through the drapes. Yes, they did let some light through, but not enough to interfere with a good night's sleep. Ours was a corner room, with windows on two sides, and I would say it was about like having a small nightlight on. I actually prefer for it not to be pitch-dark when I am sleeping in a strange room, as I like to be able to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night without crashing into the furniture or having to turn on lights. What impressed me the most was the way the owners had combined the best of antique style; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: La Quinta Inn Suites Clovis; City: Clovis New Mexico; Review: My husband and I stayed in the La Quinta in Clovis for one night during a trip through Texas and New Mexico. After reading reviews of many other hotels, and complaints about noise at those on Mabry, we chose the La Quinta because it was NOT next to the railroad tracks. We had no noise problems whatsoever during out stay. The location on Prince St., a major thoroughfare in Clovis, provides easy access to a number of restaurants and shopping venues. The room was clean and comfortable, the AC worked fine, and the water pressure and flow from the shower was quite acceptable. All the usual amenities were present--hair dryer, microwave and fridge, iron/ironing board, coffee maker. The pool was very nice, and the hot tub was HOT--just right for soothing our still-sore muscles from our visit to Carlsbad Caverns the day before. The elevator was a tad slow, but not bad. The breakfast was a bit above average, offering both scrambled and hard-boiled eggs in addition to the usual pastries, cereal, and yogurt. I like a little protein with my breakfast; if all I have is high-carb foods, I find I am hungry again a couple of hours later. All in all, a good choice for a clean, quiet stay in Clovis.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Drury Inn Suites Amarillo; City: Amarillo Texas; Review: My husband and I stayed at the Drury Inn in Amarillo for three nights while attending his 30 year class reunion. This was our first stay at a Drury Inn, but it will not be the last. Almost everything more than met our expectations. The room was clean and serviced daily, the bed was comfortable, the room was very spacious, and all the basic amenities were there--large flat-screen TV, microwave and fridge, hair dryer, and so on. The breakfast was better than most, including eggs, sausage, French toast, and a waffle maker, as well as cereal, bagels and bread for toasting, yogurt, juice, coffee, etc. The 5:30 kickback was enough for dinner--nachos, hot dogs, baked potatoes, salad, soda, tea and coffee, and three complimentary alcoholic drinks per adult (beer, wine, or mixed drinks). The bartender was a hoot--he obviously enjoys his job. The popcorn cart in the lobby (available from 3:00 to 10:00 P.M., along with the soft drink machine) was a nice plus. It was definitely "real" popcorn, too, as I saw/heard it being popped. There was a convention in town the weekend we were there, and the hotel was booked solid Friday and Saturday nights. In spite of this, the staff did a commendable job of keeping the food trays filled during breakfast and Kickback hours, and keeping the popcorn cart filled. The hotel is on the outskirts of Amarillo, but there are several restaurants within a few blocks. Amarillo is not that large anyway, so even driving across town doesn't take more than about 10 or 15 minutes. I did have to wait a few minutes for the elevator sometimes, due to the hotel being so full. It was not a major problem, but an additional elevator or two would be a good idea. The pool, which was very popular during the 100+ degree weather, was very nice and clean and a decent size. The spa could have used more powerful circulation and should have been a few degrees warmer. There were two computers available for those (like me) traveling without a laptop or mobile device, which were useful for looking up restaurants and attractions. There is a "pantry" with a variety of toiletries (in case you forgot anything) and some food selections for the late night munchies, all at reasonable prices. The biggest problem we experienced was noise. Fortunately, it was only in the morning, not during the night. We were at the end of the corridor, and expected it to be quiet. We are not early risers, and like to sleep in a little later than some. Unfortunately, the other guests made no attempt to be considerate, and talked/yelled loudly in the hallways starting at about 7 A.M. Also, the doors on the guest rooms are spring loaded and close automatically, and with a very loud bang, when you release the door handle, rather than having to be pulled shut. I suppose this is some sort of safety measure, but it makes for some difficulty in trying to sleep in late. After the first time, I made; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Microtel Inn Suites by Wyndham San Angelo; City: San Angelo Texas; Review: My husband and I stayed at the Microtel in San Angelo on the first night of a week-long vacation. The location is very easy to get to (located right along a highway), in an area that looks very safe. It was very quiet, and the bed was very comfortable, and we slept quite well. As mentioned in some other reviews, the rooms are small, perhaps half the size of many other hotel rooms I have stayed in. Yet in spite of the compact size, the room contained all the essentials. The designers of the room did not waste a square inch. There was a flat-screen TB, a microwave and refrigerator, an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer in the bathroom, a coffee maker, a desk area with a chair and free Wi-Fi access, some rod space, and a couple of drawers. There was a sort of shelf with cushions just under the windowsill. We placed our suitcases there as there was very little other place to put them. The breakfast in the morning was typical for this class of hotel. There was also a free guest laundry, which impressed me as being a nice perk, as usually they are coin operated. Everything looked very clean and well-maintained. About the only things missing were recreational facilities, as there was no pool and no exercise room. All in all, it was a great value for the price, and if you don't require a palatial suite for your stay, by all means consider the Microtel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Lockhart Hotel Suites; City: Lockhart Texas; Review: I stayed at this hotel for a weekend trip to Austin. It happened to be during SXSW, so rooms in Austin itself were nearly impossible to come by. I chose this hotel as being the most convenient to Austin still available at a reasonable price, but having stayed there, I would not hesitate to choose it again. This hotel seems fairly new (inside hallways) and everything was clean and in good order. The room was spacious and had all the basic amenities--micro/fridge, coffee maker, etc. I heard no noise from the hallway or adjacent rooms and slept quite well. The location is excellent, conveniently located near a number of restaurants and stores, several within walking distance. It is an easy ~30 minute drive to Austin, and I experienced no traffic problems either coming or going. I did not get up in time to try the breakfast, and it was too early in the year for the pool, so cannot comment on either of those. In short, if you are going to the Austin area and either cannot get a room in Austin proper or simply prefer to avoid this is a good choice.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Orange Inn Suites; City: Orange Texas; Review: We stayed at the Sleep Inn in Orange for a weekend trip to Orange/Lake Charles. We have frequently traveled to this area, and have experience a variety of hotels at different price points. This hotel looks quite new, and everything is a notch above what you would expect for this class and price of hotel. The A/C unit in the room was noticeably quieter than the norm, and did not disturb my sleep at all (this is an important point for me. I have all too often had my sleep disturbed by a noisy A/C unit). All the basic amenities were provided (coffee maker, micro/fridge, iron/ironing board, hair dryer), and the bathroom has granite countertops and upgraded toiletries. Everything was clean and comfortable and the room was very quiet. The breakfast was good and included some hot items (sausage, waffle maker, etc) in addition to usual pastries, yogurt, fruit, cereal, and beverages. The location is a few miles west of Orange proper, and there are several restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Overall, this hotel is an excellent value for the price. It is as nice as some other area hotels that are significantly more expensive, and about as cheap as some that are significantly less nice.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Clarion Inn Suites Tulsa Central I 44; City: Tulsa Oklahoma; Review: We stayed at the Tulsa Square Hotel the first night of our vacation. After traveling for 12 hours, we were looking forward to a dip in the pool and a good night's sleep. Our impression was of a formerly upscale hotel gone a little to seed. First, the good points: the room itself and bathroom seemed clean enough, and the showerhead was adequate. The bed was comfortable and we slept well. The pool was located in a sort of courtyard surrounded by the hotel so you didn't feel as if you were on display in your bathing suit to every passerby on the freeway. All the basic amenities were provided and the price was a bargain at less than $60 (we don't qualify for any discounts). Being obviously an upscale hotel in the past, the construction seemed to be more solid than is often the case with newer mid-price properties, and we experienced absolutely no noise problems whatsoever. Noise is absolutely my biggest pet peeve with hotels, as I have had many nights' sleep ruined by noise from someone stomping around overhead or slamming doors. I usually request a room on the top floor for this reason. In this instance, we were not on the top floor, but nevertheless it was perfectly quiet. Now the not so good: the carpets in the hallways are stained and dingy, and the elevator in the front of the building was out of order. Fortunately, there was a second elevator in the back that was working, so we didn't have to haul all our luggage up the stairs. The outdoor pool was surprisingly chilly considering the string of 100+ degree days that Oklahoma had experienced in the weeks prior to our stay. The lock on the entrance into the hotel from the pool area (which you are supposed to open with your key card) was actually gone from the wall, so the door was unlocked. I think the pool area was fenced, so it wasn't a huge security issue, but still it looks bad. The breakfast was probably the worst I saw during our entire trip. Just carbs--bread, muffins, etc., coffee and juice. There was a container of oatmeal, presumably to make with the hot water, but it was regular oatmeal, not instant. All in all, if this place could get some TLC--fixing the broken elevator, new carpets, better breakfast--it would rate 4 stars rather than 3. For the price, though, it is hard to beat.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wolf Creek Lodge LLC; City: Burlington Kansas; Review: My husband and I ended up staying at the Wolf Creek Lodge entirely by accident. We were supposed to have spent the night in Kansas City, but we had a tire blow out a couple miles from Burlington. It was after 6 P.M., so we felt it was best to stay where we were and try to take care of things the next day, as we were unwilling to drive the 90 miles to KC on the compact spare. The Wolf Creek Lodge was right there, so we took shelter where we could. The room we had was basic, but clean. The hotel was constructed in the 1960's, but has been well-maintained. The bathroom has a shower only (no tub), but the shower head worked fine, and there was plenty of hot water. The tile, countertop, and fixtures all looked new. The bed was comfortable, and the room had a microwave, refrigerator, and a small flat-screen TV. That is about it as far as amenities, but for the price--under $50 --it was more than I would have expected. The neighborhood was quiet and we had no noise issues whatsoever. There are a couple of restaurants within walking distance. The staff was friendly and made us feel welcome, which helped a little to ease our anxiety after a rocky start to our vacation. If you need a good, clean, inexpensive place to stay in this part of Kansas, and don't require extensive amenities, this would be a good choice.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Microtel Inn Suites by Wyndham Urbandale Des Moines; City: Urbandale Iowa; Review: My husband and I stayed at the Microtel in Urbandale for three nights during our vacation. We had a mini-suite, which included a sitting are with a sofa in addition to the sleeping area. We had stayed at one other Microtel, where we had a standard room which was very small, so this one seemed huge by comparison. Everything looks relatively new and very clean. The showerhead was fine (skimpy shower heads that provide very little water are one of my pet peeves). We experienced no noise problems (another of my hotel pet peeves). The location is convenient to several are attractions, including the Living History Farms, and there a a number of restaurants nearby. The staff was friendly and helpful about recommending restaurants and attractions to see. The breakfast was about average, mostly carbs, juice, milk, and coffee. If you want a more comprehensive breakfast, the Village Inn nearby is excellent. The Wi-Fi signal was fairly weak and slow, but that was the case at every place we stayed on our trip, so I cannot single this place out. In any case it worked well enough for our needs. The room came with all the usual amenities (coffee maker, iron, ironing board, etc.) but nothing extra. I did not see any guest laundry machines, and Microtels as a rule do not have pools. Please keep in mind that Microtel's focus is basic accomodations at a good price. If you want a huge, hot, cooked-to-order breakfast, and a gigantic room that can hold the entire clan for your family reunion, go elsewhere. If you want a clean, comfortable, reasonably priced room in a convenient location, the Microtel will fit your needs very well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Motel 6 New London Niantic; City: Niantic Mystic Country Connecticut; Review: I stayed at this Motel 6 for 8 nights while attending a workshop at Connecticut College. I wasn't crazy about the prospect of dorm life (bathroom down the hall, etc.), so Motel 6 seemed like a good alternative. My review title pretty much sums it up. You get all the basics you need--a bed, a bathroom, a desk/work area, some drawers and shelves for storage, a couple of chairs--and nothing extra. You do not get some of the extras that other chains tend to include, e.g., no hairdryer, no iron/ironing board, no coffee maker, no alarm clock, no tissue dispenser, and no shampoo, lotion, or mouthwash. There was soap, but that was it as far as toiletries. Most of these things I really don't care about, as I don't iron clothes on vacation and I never use a hair dryer anyway. There is a grocery store a couple of blocks down the street if you need anything, such as tissues or shampoo. You do have to pay for internet access, but it is only $2.99 per day. The way they do this is you go into the office and tell them how many day's worth of access you want, and they sell you that number of little slips of paper, each with a code on it. Each code is good for 24 hours from the time you enter it in. Considering that some upscale hotels charge $10-$15 per day for internet, $3 is no big deal. The internet is slow, as is usually the case with hotels. (FWIW, if you are going to be at Connecticut College, their internet is lightning fast.) I give this place four stars, however, because what was included was fresh, clean, and new. The shower enclosure was sparkling clean, and it had one of those curved shower rods which was nice. The water pressure and temperature were more than satisfactory. There was plenty of counter space in the sink area, and more than enough shelf, drawer, and rod space for my week's worth of clothes. The light fixtures are intelligently placed right over the center of the bed and the desk area where the light is needed. My room did have a micro-fridge, but I don't think all of them do, so if it is important to you, make sure you get a room that comes with one. The AC unit, which is controlled by a digital wall thermostat, worked well and was not too noisy. The floor is wood-grain laminate, which I consider to be a huge improvement over carpet. Hard surface floors are much easier to clean and don't harbor microbes and allergens the way carpets do. I had a room with one queen bed, and it was quite spacious. The way the window and the bed were positioned, the window and the bed were quite far apart, almost in diagonally opposite corners, which was a good thing. Sometimes with the older, "motel-style" places, the window is literally inches from the bed and I find it a little creepy to have strangers walking past just; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Bicentennial Man (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira) (2001); Genres: Action, Animation, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: City of Ember (2008); Genres: Adventure, Children, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Sword of the Stranger (Sutorejia: Mukô hadan) (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dragonball Evolution (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Stake Land (2010); Genres: Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: This Is the End (2013); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Lego Movie (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Insurgent (2015); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Seven (a.k.a. Se7en) (1995); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Full Metal Jacket (1987); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Evil Dead, The (1981); Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Departed, The (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Divergent (2014); Genres: Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grand Budapest Hotel, The (2014); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 300: Rise of an Empire (2014); Genres: Action, Drama, War, IMAX; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Maze Runner, The (2014); Genres: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014); Genres: Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pocahontas (1995); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Exorcist, The (1973); Genres: Horror, Mystery; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Mummy, The (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mariachi, El (1992); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller, Western; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jeepers Creepers (2001); Genres: Horror; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ringu (Ring) (1998); Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi, The (Zatôichi) (2003); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blood: The Last Vampire (2000); Genres: Action, Animation, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Crash (2004); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Crank (2006); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Illusionist, The (2006); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Karate Kid, The (2010); Genres: Action, Children, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Summer Wars (Samâ wôzu) (2009); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Source Code (2011); Genres: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thing, The (2011); Genres: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Memento (2000); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Musical, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dark Knight Rises, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Her (2013); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lucy (2014); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Edge of Tomorrow (2014); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: John Wick (2014); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Imitation Game (2014); Genres: Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Army of Darkness (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Event Horizon (1997); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Shrek (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Coach Carter (2005); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pan's Labyrinth (Laberinto del fauno, El) (2006); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blood Diamond (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 30 Days of Night (2007); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Slumdog Millionaire (2008); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (Män som hatar kvinnor) (2009); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Paranormal Activity (2009); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Machete (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Let Me In (2010); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: King's Speech, The (2010); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Chronicle (2012); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Brave (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Stoker (2013); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Godzilla (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014); Genres: Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Predestination (2014); Genres: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994); Genres: Drama, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Abyss, The (1989); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Akira (1988); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Cube (1997); Genres: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Planet of the Apes (1968); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Enemy Mine (1985); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: American Gangster (2007); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Another Earth (2011); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Byzantium (2012); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Disconnect (2012); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Escape Plan (2013); Genres: Action, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ender's Game (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 47 Ronin (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The (2013); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Snowpiercer (2013); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I, Frankenstein (2014); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Veronica Mars (2014); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (2008); Genres: Action, Animation, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cold Eyes (2013); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dragonheart (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Rock, The (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fifth Element, The (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: U.S. Marshals (1998); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Godzilla (1998); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tron (1982); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Forgotten, The (2004); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Batman Begins (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: War of the Worlds (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Underworld: Evolution (2006); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tropic Thunder (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Terminator Salvation (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Predators (2010); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Salt (2010); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Super 8 (2011); Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: In Time (2011); Genres: Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (2011); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cloud Atlas (2012); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elysium (2013); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Wolf of Wall Street, The (2013); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Riley Rewind (2013); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Contact (1997); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Signs (2002); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Butterfly Effect (2004); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) (2004); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Christmas in August (Palwolui Christmas) (1998); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Little Miss Sunshine (2006); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hancock (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Age of Stupid, The (2009); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Green Lantern (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ted (2012); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: R.I.P.D. (2013); Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Riddick (2013); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Last Days on Mars, The (2013); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thor: The Dark World (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The (2013); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alien³ (a.k.a. Alien 3) (1992); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Armageddon (1998); Genres: Action, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Predator (1987); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mad Max (1979); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Serendipity (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (Banpaia hantâ D) (2000); Genres: Animation, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Core, The (2003); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gothika (2003); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Joint Security Area (Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA) (2000); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: My Sassy Girl (Yeopgijeogin geunyeo) (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: 3-Iron (Bin-jip) (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Aeon Flux (2005); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Girl Who Leapt Through Time, The (Toki o kakeru shôjo) (2006); Genres: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Moment to Remember, A (Nae meorisokui jiwoogae) (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Outlander (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Star Trek (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Men Who Stare at Goats, The (2009); Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Blood: The Last Vampire (2009); Genres: Action, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Devil (2010); Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rurouni Kenshin (Rurôni Kenshin: Meiji kenkaku roman tan) (2012); Genres: Action, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Internship, The (2013); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Europa Report (2013); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gravity (2013); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bad Company (2002); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tuxedo, The (2002); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Matchstick Men (2003); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Versus (2000); Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom) (2003); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Taxi (1998); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Wimbledon (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (Boksuneun naui geot) (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ju-on: The Grudge (2002); Genres: Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Snakes on a Plane (2006); Genres: Action, Comedy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Kite Runner, The (2007); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Forbidden Kingdom, The (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 5 Centimeters per Second (Byôsoku 5 senchimêtoru) (2007); Genres: Animation, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eden Lake (2008); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning (Ong Bak 2) (2008); Genres: Action; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Surrogates (2009); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Daybreakers (2010); Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Man from Nowhere (2010); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Free Willy (1993); Genres: Adventure, Children, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dawn of the Dead (1978); Genres: Action, Drama, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cellular (2004); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Audition (Ôdishon) (1999); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (Ong Bak) (2003); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Elektra (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Domino (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lady Vengeance (Sympathy for Lady Vengeance) (Chinjeolhan geumjassi) (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: District 13 (Banlieue 13) (2004); Genres: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jet Li's Fearless (Huo Yuan Jia) (2006); Genres: Action, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Host, The (Gwoemul) (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Inside (À l'intérieur) (2007); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Babylon A.D. (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Crows Zero (Kurôzu zero) (2007); Genres: Action; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Departures (Okuribito) (2008); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dead Snow (Død snø) (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tournament, The (2009); Genres: Action; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Premium Rush (2012); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Wolf Children (Okami kodomo no ame to yuki) (2012); Genres: Animation, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Pulp Fiction (1994); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Independence Day (a.k.a. ID4) (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Godfather, The (1972); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Sneakers (1992); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tale of Two Sisters, A (Janghwa, Hongryeon) (2003); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: D-War (Dragon Wars) (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Dark Knight, The (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sunshine Cleaning (2008); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Inglourious Basterds (2009); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thirst (Bakjwi) (2009); Genres: Drama, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crows Zero II (Kurôzu Zero II) (2009); Genres: Action; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Inception (2010); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Catfish (2010); Genres: Documentary, Mystery; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Avengers, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Hunger Games (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Prometheus (2012); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Skyfall (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Django Unchained (2012); Genres: Action, Drama, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Star Trek Into Darkness (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Lion King, The (1994); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Musical, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Blade Runner (1982); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Reservoir Dogs (1992); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Goodfellas (1990); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Matrix, The (1999); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Green Mile, The (1999); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American Psycho (2000); Genres: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Requiem for a Dream (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Country for Old Men (2007); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Watchmen (2009); Genres: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Avatar (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Shutter Island (2010); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sucker Punch (2011); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thor (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: X-Men: First Class (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Warrior (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Snow White and the Huntsman (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Silver Linings Playbook (2012); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Great Gatsby, The (2013); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Now You See Me (2013); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Man of Steel (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park (1993); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alien (1979); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Godfather: Part II, The (1974); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gladiator (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Snatch (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Troy (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Notebook, The (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: V for Vendetta (2006); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Transformers (2007); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Kick-Ass (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Black Swan (2010); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Drive (2011); Genres: Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The (2012); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kick-Ass 2 (2013); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Terminator, The (1984); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: X-Men (2000); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Donnie Darko (2001); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Beautiful Mind, A (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Spider-Man (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi) (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Da Vinci Code, The (2006); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 300 (2007); Genres: Action, Fantasy, War, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jumper (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Iron Man (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Looper (2012); Genres: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fast & Furious 6 (Fast and the Furious 6, The) (2013); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Braveheart (1995); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dirty Dancing (1987); Genres: Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Aliens (1986); Genres: Action, Adventure, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: American History X (1998); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Fast and the Furious, The (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Old Boy (2003); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pride & Prejudice (2005); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Into the Wild (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Taken (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gran Torino (2008); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The (2008); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hangover, The (2009); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: (500) Days of Summer (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Zombieland (2009); Genres: Action, Comedy, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Social Network, The (2010); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cabin in the Woods, The (2012); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Men in Black III (M.III.B.) (M.I.B.³) (2012); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Oblivion (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Iron Man 3 (2013); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pacific Rim (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: From Dusk Till Dawn (1996); Genres: Action, Comedy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Con Air (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Truman Show, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jackie Brown (1997); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Machinist (2004); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Death Proof (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cloverfield (2008); Genres: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wanted (2008); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Angels & Demons (2009); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jennifer's Body (2009); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Sherlock Holmes (2009); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Clash of the Titans (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Tron: Legacy (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Limitless (2011); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Paul (2011); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: World War Z (2013); Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); Genres: Children, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Starship Troopers (1997); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Thing, The (1982); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Karate Kid, The (1984); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Amelie (Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le) (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bourne Identity, The (2002); Genres: Action, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Million Dollar Baby (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aviator, The (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fantastic Four (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: X-Men: The Last Stand (2006); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Hot Fuzz (2007); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Mystery; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 3 (2007); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Juno (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Incredible Hulk, The (2008); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Up (2009); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Iron Man 2 (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fighter, The (2010); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: True Grit (2010); Genres: Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: John Carter (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Amazing Spider-Man, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Argo (2012); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Flight (2012); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wolverine, The (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Twelve Monkeys (a.k.a. 12 Monkeys) (1995); Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Apollo 13 (1995); Genres: Adventure, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Waterworld (1995); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Stargate (1994); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Road Warrior, The (Mad Max 2) (1981); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Remember the Titans (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cast Away (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Daredevil (2003); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: X2: X-Men United (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shaun of the Dead (2004); Genres: Comedy, Horror; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Serenity (2005); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pursuit of Happyness, The (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: I Am Legend (2007); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: WALL·E (2008); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: District 9 (2009); Genres: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Other Guys, The (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: I Am Number Four (2011); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hugo (2011); Genres: Children, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Bourne Legacy, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Iron Sky (2012); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Place Beyond the Pines, The (2012); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bad Boys (1995); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Men in Black (a.k.a. MIB) (1997); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gattaca (1997); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (2001); Genres: Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 28 Days Later (2002); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Underworld (2003); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hellboy (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Van Helsing (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Day After Tomorrow, The (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: I, Robot (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Howl's Moving Castle (Hauru no ugoku shiro) (2004); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Island, The (2005); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, The (Fast and the Furious 3, The) (2006); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Bourne Ultimatum, The (2007); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Road, The (2009); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Push (2009); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 2012 (2009); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: How to Train Your Dragon (2010); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 127 Hours (2010); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hanna (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Raid: Redemption (2011); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Seven Psychopaths (2012); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Life of Pi (2012); Genres: Adventure, Drama, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Cruel Intentions (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Total Recall (1990); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime) (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long) (2000); Genres: Action, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hannibal (2001); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Walk to Remember, A (2002); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Minority Report (2002); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Equilibrium (2002); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Matrix Reloaded, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The (a.k.a. LXG) (2003); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Dawn of the Dead (2004); Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chronicles of Riddick, The (2004); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Spider-Man 2 (2004); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Collateral (2004); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Constantine (2005); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Eragon (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Grindhouse (2007); Genres: Action, Crime, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: P.S. I Love You (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Total Recall (2012); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dredd (2012); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Warm Bodies (2013); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Natural Born Killers (1994); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Carrie (1976); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Rain Man (1988); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sleepy Hollow (1999); Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Italian Job, The (2003); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 2 Fast 2 Furious (Fast and the Furious 2, The) (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Bourne Supremacy, The (2004); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Village, The (2004); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Shooter (2007); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 28 Weeks Later (2007); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mist, The (2007); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Burn After Reading (2008); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Seven Pounds (2008); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Revolutionary Road (2008); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ip Man (2008); Genres: Action, Drama, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Antichrist (2009); Genres: Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Up in the Air (2009); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A-Team, The (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010); Genres: Comedy, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moneyball (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Real Steel (2011); Genres: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pain & Gain (2013); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: After Earth (2013); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dark City (1998); Genres: Adventure, Film-Noir, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Blade (1998); Genres: Action, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Pitch Black (2000); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chocolat (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jurassic Park III (2001); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Resident Evil (2002); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Men in Black II (a.k.a. MIIB) (a.k.a. MIB 2) (2002); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Transporter, The (2002); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Phone Booth (2002); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Matrix Revolutions, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Terminal, The (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Twelve (2004); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Lord of War (2005); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Descent, The (2005); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sunshine (2007); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Pandorum (2009); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Book of Eli, The (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 3 Idiots (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Contagion (2011); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Expendables 2, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Wrath of the Titans (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Before Sunrise (1995); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Unbreakable (2000); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Swordfish (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Blade II (2002); Genres: Action, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Battle Royale (Batoru rowaiaru) (2000); Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Starsky & Hutch (2004); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Before Sunset (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lucky Number Slevin (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Déjà Vu (Deja Vu) (2006); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Thirteen (2007); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 3:10 to Yuma (2007); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Western; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 21 (2008); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in) (2008); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Knowing (2009); Genres: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Gamer (2009); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Crazies, The (2010); Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Sorcerer's Apprentice, The (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Knight and Day (2010); Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Megamind (2010); Genres: Action, Animation, Children, Comedy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Adjustment Bureau, The (2011); Genres: Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Priest (2011); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Before Midnight (2013); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blair Witch Project, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Final Destination (2000); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Reign of Fire (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tremors (1990); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: WarGames (1983); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hero (Ying xiong) (2002); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blade: Trinity (2004); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Amityville Horror, The (2005); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Number 23, The (2007); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Planet Terror (2007); Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bucket List, The (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: [REC] (2007); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bank Job, The (2008); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Death Race (2008); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Splice (2009); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Monsters (2010); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Tourist, The (2010); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: I Saw the Devil (Akmareul boatda) (2010); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Battle: Los Angeles (2011); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Wild Wild West (1999); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Western; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Bloodsport (1988); Genres: Action; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Hollow Man (2000); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: John Q (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Last Boy Scout, The (1991); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Green Hornet, The (2011); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ex Machina (2015); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Martian (2015); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Interstellar (2014); Genres: Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moon (2009); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (Shin seiki Evangelion Gekijô-ban: Air/Magokoro wo, kimi ni) (1997); Genres: Action, Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Theory of Everything (2014); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Children of Men (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Inside Out (2015); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ant-Man (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Kung Fury (2015); Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Silence of the Lambs, The (1991); Genres: Crime, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Speed (1994); Genres: Action, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Twister (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Babe (1995); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Despicable Me (2010); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Alice in Wonderland (2010); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Town, The (2010); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Help, The (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 21 Jump Street (2012); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Expendables, The (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Adventures of Tintin, The (2011); Genres: Action, Animation, Mystery, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Robin Hood (2010); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cowboys & Aliens (2011); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Western, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Friends with Benefits (2011); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Jack Reacher (2012); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The (2010); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Attack the Block (2011); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Battleship (2012); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Rise of the Guardians (2012); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ip Man 2 (2010); Genres: Action; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Ninja Assassin (2009); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Troll Hunter, The (Trolljegeren) (2010); Genres: Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Red Riding Hood (2011); Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Black Dynamite (2009); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Skyline (2010); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Human Centipede, The (First Sequence) (2009); Genres: Horror; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: When in Rome (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Season of the Witch (2011); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dorian Gray (2009); Genres: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: District 13: Ultimatum (Banlieue 13 - Ultimatum) (2009); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hobo with a Shotgun (2011); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Rush (2013); Genres: Action, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Prestige, The (2006); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In Bruges (2008); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) (1988); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pride and Prejudice (1980); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Napoleon Dynamite (2004); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: 50 First Dates (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Wedding Crashers (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thank You for Smoking (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Whiplash (2014); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Shawshank Redemption, The (1994); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Parasyte: Part 1 (2014); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Parasyte: Part 2 (2015); Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Net, The (1995); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Trainspotting (1996); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Big Lebowski, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dead Man Walking (1995); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Top Gun (1986); Genres: Action, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Iron Giant, The (1999); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Monsters, Inc. (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Underworld: Awakening (2012); Genres: Action, Fantasy, Horror, IMAX; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Superman Returns (2006); Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: The Last Witch Hunter (2015); Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Spotlight (2015); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dallas Buyers Club (2013); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Linksys WRT54GL Wi-Fi Wireless-G Broadband Router; Brand: Linksys; Review: Didn't work with my FIOS router since this one is old technology; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Link Depot HDMI to HDMI Cable 25 feet; Brand: Link Depot; Review: Good transaction. Good product.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Your Cable Store 12 Foot RCA Audio/Video Cable 3 Male To 3 Male; Brand: YourCableStore.com; Review: As described. Good transaction.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: OREI HD-102 1x2 1 Port HDMI Powered Splitter Ver 1.3 Certified for Full HD 1080P & 3D Support; Brand: Orei; Review: As described. Good transaction. Works great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Apple MD308LL/A iPad Polyurethane Smart Cover (Pink); Brand: Apple; Review: This is a COVER not a CASE. I only read the title and didn't carefully look at the pictures.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Fosmon HD1831 3-Port HDMI Switch with Pigtail Cable; Brand: Fosmon; Review: I returned it. Wouldn't get power and didn't come with power cord.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Fosmon HD1831 3-Port HDMI Switch with Pigtail Cable; Brand: Fosmon; Review: I returned it. Wouldn't get power and didn't come with power cord.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Rhinestone Buckle Closure Accent Patchwork Satchel Tote Handbag with Two Side Pockets - Choice of Colors; Brand: Edwards Gifts Online; Review: this bag is a pain to get into and I'm using it till I find another normal bag; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Grasshoppers Women's Windham Slip-On Flat; Brand: Grasshoppers; Review: These are not only cute but, they are wonderful clouds on the feet!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Faux Real Men's Sublimated Faux Christmas Short Sleeve T-Shirt; Brand: ; Review: very funny and loved it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: New Fashion Jewelry W/10-Color CZ Stones Woman's Stainless steel Earrings Best Gift!; Brand: Geminis; Review: very ugly; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: US Navy Genuine Leather Wallet; Brand: K & S Unique; Review: perfect gift; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anne Klein Women's Azi Fabric Ballet Flat; Brand: ; Review: The best shoes ever love the brand; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anne Klein Womens AKAppeal; Brand: ; Review: The best shoes ever love the brand; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mazu Swim Womens Bandeau Ruffle Hem Tankini Top (16W-24W); Brand: MAZU; Review: bad buy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: AFAFKAKA Vintage Handmade Owls Wings Leather Bracelet; Brand: AFAFKAKA; Review: my girlfriend loved it; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Ball Mason Wide Mouth Quart Jars with Lids and Bands, Set of 12; Brand: Jarden; Review: We have a cabin that sometimes has problems with mice. We decided to put anything the mice might want to eat into jars. This size jar was perfect for some of the larger boxed food items. Hopefully this fall, the mice won't find the cabin so hospitable!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lasko Designer Series Ceramic Space Heater-Features Oscillation, Remote, and Built-in Timer, Beige; Brand: Lasko; Review: I have used this heater for about a month now, and I love it. It does exactly what I want it to do. It is unobtrusive and yet attractive. The oscillation is just what I needed to warm up my computer room. I put batteries in the remote, but I have never used it because I haven't needed to do so. My goldendoodle puppy barked when it oscillated the first time, but he is okay with it now. I recommend this heater for anyone who has need of a space heater. They don't have to be ugly gray or black things anymore!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Solid Brass Cricket ~ Fireplace Crickets on the Hearth; Brand: GSM; Review: I looked at numerous hearth crickets, but finally decided on this one, and I am glad I did. The shiny brass is a great contrast to the red bricks of the hearth on which it sits. It is large enough to be seen, yet does not detract from anything else on the hearth. It just sits there exuding good luck as it is supposed to do!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Country Series Counter Stool - 24"H - in Dark Cherry Finish with Faux Leather, Set of 2; Brand: Poundex; Review: These stools are perfect for our cabin. They are replacing rejected stools that someone gave us that require careful balancing so you don't tip over! These stools, however, are sturdy, comfortable, and attractive at the bar at our cabin!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lily's Home Submersible Battery LED Everlasting Tealights Floralyte, Color Changing with 7 Rainbow Colors. Great for Wedding Centerpiece, Christmas,; Brand: Lilyshome; Review: Love these candle lights, and they worked perfectly for Halloween decorations.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dirt Devil Breeze Cyclonic Bagless Upright Vacuum with Bonus Turbo Tool, UD70105B - Corded; Brand: Dirt Devil; Review: This vacuum works perfectly for my grandkids to help me with cleaning!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kurt Adler UL4203 Ballet Slippers Light Set, 10 Light; Brand: Kurt Adler; Review: I bought this string of lights for my 6-year old granddaughter's birthday. She and her two sisters are dancers. She loves them!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Home_and_Kitchen |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Hampton Inn Suites Redding; City: Redding California; Review: I always enjoy staying at Hampton Inn's and this time was no exception. It's a very new, clean 3-story hotel. The staff was very friendly, from the front desk to the morning breakfast attendants. The beds are one of the new Hilton beds that are very comfortable. I enjoyed using the free high speed internet access and the incredible breakfast in the morning. I often travel for business and found this hotel to be very safe. You do need to walk or drive a few blocks to reach restaurants or stores as the hotel is located in a semi-industrial area. I will always book this hotel when traveling to Redding!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Western The Inn Suites Pacific Grove; City: Pacific Grove Monterey County California; Review: We stayed here in late March. The staff was very nice and let us check in early. We had a good sized room, complete with separate small living area and a kitchen. The bedroom area, open to the rest of the room, had a vaulted ceiling and fireplace. The kitchen was great to have as it saved us money by not having to go out to eat for every meal. The kitchen had a full sized refrigerator, stovetop and microwave, but no oven. There were also limited glasses and dishes, but it was fine for our small family. There was also a private patio. The breakfast was adequate, with choice of yogurts, pastries, hard boiled eggs, bagels and a waffle maker. The only issue we had is that the parking spaces are really tight and our Toyota Tundra wouldn't fit in the covered garages or the parking spaces. We had to park on the street, which was fine because our building was located near the street.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Capital Hilton; City: Washington DC District of Columbia; Review: I was traveling to DC for work and being a HH Silver member, I decided to stay here. The location was perfect for walking to my several meetings or taking a cab or the Metro. The White House is just down the street - an easy, safe walk. I was surprised to read so many negative reviews as I had an excellent stay. The room I had was large, updated and clean (#602). While there were several conventions going on, the elevators were never slow or crowded. All the staff were very nice - from the front desk to bellmen to room service personnel. The gym fee was waived due to my Silver status and was full service. This was nice compared to the small, one treadmill type gyms found in most hotels. WiFi was free for me (again Silver status) and worked fine. Washington DC is an expensive place to visit when Congress is in session, so this hotel was a value at the slightly less than $300/night room. I was happy and would stay here again.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn; City: Redding California; Review: We had our small dog with us and needed a place to stay on the way to Oregon. We had a nice stay, with a good sized room for the 3 of us plus the dog. Our first floor room had a patio with chairs and was convenient for taking the dog out for a walk. There is a Marie Calendars and Logan's Road House next door. We had takeout from Logan's and stored leftovers in the mini fridge. Breakfast was good, though we had to take it back to our room since the area was so small. There's a 20 lb. weight limit for dogs and a $10 change, but it was worth it.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Orchard Hotel; City: San Francisco California; Review: My daughter and I stayed here one night and while we didn't spend a lot of time in the hotel, the room was very nice and staff very kind. It was an easy walk from the Powell Street cable car line and two blocks from the entrance of Chinatown. Two of the best things about the hotel are that it was climate controlled (many SF hotels do not have air conditioning) and the insulation/windows were great. Being on the 2nd floor facing Bush Street, we were not disturbed by street noise. I've stayed in many other hotels in the city on higher floors and have had to wear ear plugs at night because of noise. I would certainly stay here again.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Tsukineko Full-Size StazOn Multi-Surface Inkpad, Royal Purple; Brand: Tsukineko; Review: excellent - will be purchasing others, love that it does not blot what I am stamping on, you can see thru the color, beautiful; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: We R Memory Keepers - 60 Standard Cold Metal Eyelets for Scrapbooking - 15 of Each Color; Brand: We R Memory Keepers; Review: love them, use them on almost everything; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EK Success Tools Edge Punch, Large, Diamond Flowers; Brand: EK Success; Review: love the scroll cut, but for some reason after punching down the paper gets caught in the internal parts and have torn several pages, so it's causing me some distress, when using not knowing whether the paper will come out good or tear. On the only one that has come out good has been with card stock paper, but on regular paper it's a hit and miss.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Salome Idea 48PCS Antique Mini Collection Skeleton Keys (Silver); Brand: Salome Idea; Review: nice size, will be purchasing again; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hitch Fasteners by Tim Holtz Idea-ology, 12 Fasteners, Assorted Antique Finishes, TH92731; Brand: Tim Holtz Idea-ology; Review: love these hitch fasteners, would use more, but they are pricey, again use them sparingly will purchase again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fiskars Border Punch, Scallop Sentiment; Brand: Fiskars; Review: Fiskars needs to step up - would return but it would cost me more on shipping, than it is is worth, not sure IF I will ever purchase another border punch from this brand; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Martha Stewart Crafts Deep Edge Page, Antique Flower; Brand: Martha Stewart Crafts; Review: I love Martha Stewart punch's but this one is giving me a hard time, it does good with card stock paper, but on regular paper it does not cut all the way through, I have several others from her, and they are wonderful to work with, but I guess she must be getting out of the paper punch's because they are becoming more and more expensive to get.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: We R Memory Keepers Tab Paper Punch, Circle; Brand: We R Memory Keepers; Review: i like my tab punch, but it does not bring enough clear covers, and have to purchase separate, which does not make it fun, and expensive; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 1000pcs 0.85 Inch Black Metal Gourd Pin bulb Pin calabash Pin Bead Needle Pins; Brand: NA; Review: just love these bulb pins, use them on everything, will be getting some soon again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Old Paper; Brand: Ranger; Review: love this ink - the vintage look it awesome, makes my pages or projects look wonderful - will purchase again, and again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fiskars 3-in-1 Corner/Border Punch, Lace 117290-1001); Brand: Fiskars; Review: love the initial punches but having lots of trouble pressing down and getting a clear clean cut on some of them, but will not purchase again; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad, Spiced Marmalade; Brand: Ranger; Review: love this ink - the vintage look it awesome, makes my pages or projects look wonderful - will purchase again, and again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stencil 6in x 6in Cherry Blossom; Brand: CRAFTERS WORKSHOP; Review: it was given as a gift - and they love working with this template - and have created lot's of different looks in their projects; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EK tools Mini Corner Rounders Punch Set; Brand: EK Tools; Review: Use these alot, love the rounded corners and the clean cut it does; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ranger MDM46424 Dina Wakley Media Gesso 4oz Jar-Clear; Brand: Ranger; Review: very good product, will be purchasing more in the future; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EK Tools Circle Punch, 0.50-Inch; Brand: EK Tools; Review: just what i was looking for and will be purchasing a size higher; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sizzix RED HEART E267.0853 Classic Yarn, Soft Navy; Brand: Sizzix; Review: Christmas gift and she loves it - smaller than she expected, but will purchase again from Sizzix; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DECORA 500pcs White Flat Back Cabochons Pearls Half Round Faux Pearls for Crafts and Decoration; Brand: DECORA; Review: maybe i didn't do my research properly, but these are much smaller than i expected, will not be buying again, will keep them any ways for other crafts but not for what i really needed.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Expedition Ephemera Pack by Tim Holtz Idea-ology, 63 Pieces, Assorted Colors/Designs, TH93115; Brand: Tim Holtz Idea-ology; Review: i love tim holtz products, will be purchasing again; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Arts_Crafts_and_Sewing |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill; City: Franklin, TN; Review: My original review was removed by Yelp No good reason. But here is another review of the same situation. Stoney River management regularly has employees siting at the bar having very expensive wines and a lot of very expensive food entrees. While at the same time telling the bar staff is not pouring the wines properly. They use rulers to measure when the right amount of wine is poured. Yet SR has a 100% margin for each wine pour but they want the bartenders to short the customer. Why don't the customer realize that they are being taken, No, they have lot's of money so they don't care. ST someday will be caught shorting the customer. Yelp, I am sure will review this review.. I am adding this comment.. SR managers do not do anything to recognize the customers. If you have a problem with SR the managers do nothing to help. I go to SR two or three times per week, spending about $25 -40 per visiti. yet the managers never come to see if I have been properly served. The manages go out of their way to avoid a regular customer What do I have to do to get some recognition? The managers are terrible. But the staff is great. . .; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Burger Republic; City: Nashville, TN; Review: this is not the most gourmet restaurant, but if you want awesome burgers and good cold beer this is the place. Their sausage and beef burger is to die for. Great wait staff and depending on the weather eating on the patio is wonderful. Highly recommended for a casual nigh out.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Burger Republic; City: Nashville, TN; Review: just had the Fenway burger to go. great burger with hot Italian saugage. as always a great variation from the old burger. that with truffel fries can't beat it the order was ready when I got there and when I got home it was still hot. five stars; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amerigo Italian Restaurant; City: Brentwood, TN; Review: Great excellent food. The bar is small but the bartenders are professional. The way they serve the martinis is great. Small beaker in ice water. Like the guests as well. Nice clientele.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Amerigo Italian Restaurant; City: Brentwood, TN; Review: Great excellent food. The bar is small but the bartenders are professional. The way they serve the martinis is great. Small beaker in ice water. Like the guests as well. Nice clientele.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kayne Prime; City: Nashville, TN; Review: We have eaten at many fine restaurants across the US and this is one of the top five,if not the best. We had reservations and we were immediately seated. The food was outstanding, especially the steaks-- dry aged charred steaks are the greatest. The sides were large and and great and can be easily shared. It was my birthday and they provided me toasted banana bread with ice cream and it was terrific. The service was great. The lead server was terrific and the coordination among the other servers taking care of our table was first class. The bar looked very nice and friendly. We will definitely come back and possibly take in the bar. Prices? If you get the very best in food, service and atmosphere, you expect to pay a little bit more. We felt it was a great value.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: No. 1 Chinese; City: Nashville, TN; Review: Everything was very good with the exception of the egg rolls. They were very greasy probably because the oil was not hot enough. The items were fine and egg drop soup was very good. The two young girls at the counter shows that a family that works together will be successful together. Very good service.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: El Sombrero; City: Nashville, TN; Review: Good but not great. Had the enchiladas and they were a little tough. Seemed like they had been made up in advance and the just put in the to go container. Not bad if you want something filling, quick and good with beer. But they are not going to win any prizes for Mexican culinary.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Centennial Heart; City: Nashville, TN; Review: These are some of the best cardiologist in the world. Highly trained, high performance, and really great individuals. The whole staff is great and I highly recommend them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | yelp |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: RAVE 3psi Hi-Speed Inflator; Brand: Rave Sports; Review: Must have - before I bought this I was under filling my Rave. Works great in filling and emptying my Rave float; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Scotty #438 Gear Head Track Adapter; Brand: Scotty; Review: Fits & works in my Wilderness Kayak; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Malone Auto Racks SlingTwo Double Kayak Storage System; Brand: Malone; Review: Holds my 12' & 14' ocean kayaks. The only issue is with the bottom strap could have been 6" longer to make it a bit easier to hang.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Paddle Leash and Rod Leash Set with 2 Leashes and 1 Carabiner. Built to last, Made in the USA; Brand: Campingandkayaking; Review: Only one clip so I combined the two straps for one long leash- which is what I would recommend doing.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: TeamObsidian Bike Light Set - Super Bright LED Lights for Your Bicycle; Brand: TeamObsidian; Review: Early Xmas presents but I tried them out and they look to be brighter than I expect. Look easy to use and assemble.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zacro Gel Bike Seat Cover- BS031 Extra Soft Gel Bicycle Seat - Bike Saddle Cushion with Water&Dust Resistant Cover; Brand: Zacro; Review: Very comfortable and fits great; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: BlueAnt Original Voice Controlled Wireless Bluetooth Headset for Apple iPhone 3G / iPhone 4 / iPhone 3GS / Droid; Brand: Blueant; Review: Believe it or not, as uncomfortable as it looks, it is really useful. It's uncomfortable, but that's me. I hate having something hang in my ear, but that's nothing to do with the product.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SiriusXM SXSD2 Portable Speaker Dock Audio System for Dock and Play Radios (Black); Brand: SiriusXM; Review: Exactly what I was looking for to get rid of that big pile of wires that sat behind my Sirius radio. My only wish was that Sirius would come out with a built in antenna. Other than that, it removed a lot of clutter and sounds great.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: FosPower (1 Pack) 3.5mm Male to Female Auxiliary Stereo Audio Headphone Jack AUX Adapter [4-Conductor TRRS; Brand: FosPower; Review: I had my doubts after getting a couple of dud extenders from our credit card processor. I tried this on a whim and they worked right out of the package just like they claim. My card reader now fits onto my phone case and works perfectly. I definitely recommend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Linxup OBD GPS Tracker with Real Time 3G GPS Tracking, Car Tracking Device and Car Locator, Car GPS LPVAS1; Brand: Linxup; Review: The guys hate them. We love them. We set up geofences so we know exactly when they arrive somewhere and leave. We can also retrace their route in the event we need the information. Just for reference, we caught one taking an hour long crap (yea right) instead of working like he was supposed to be. Aside from "spying" on our employees, these little ditties allow us to track our trucks 24/7 in the event something happens. If someone wants to say our truck did something, I can pull up on my phone and tell if my truck was even there at the alleged time. We also get a snapshot of how our equipment gets used or abused. For a fleet or just a parent who worries about their kids (all of us), these are valuable tools that we never knew we needed until we saw them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Uniden HomePatrol-2 Color Touchscreen Simple Program Digital Scanner, TrunkTracker V and S,A,M,E, Emergency/Weather Alert, APCO P25 Phase 1 and; Brand: Uniden; Review: Awesome scanner. I have a portable scanner that I used for my house, but had to take it apart to take it with me since I keep it plugged in to keep the batteries charged. I decided to buy one for the house and one for mobile. My first impression was that I had the best scanner already and this would offer me nothing new. Boy, was I wrong. I get channels I never received before from all over the state. It's also mobile too, which means I can take it with me on trips if I want. Yes, it's a learning curve to master all of the features that it offers, but the upgrade was well worth whatever effort I have to put forth to learn how to use all of the available features. I'd definitely recommend this scanner to anyone looking for a permanent scanner for their home.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: TomTom VIA 1515M 5-Inch GPS with Lifetime Map Updates; Brand: TomTom; Review: My Tom Tom isn't very bright. It sends me down dirt roads and in directions that I know aren't correct. It eventually gets it right, but it's an exercise in frustration to have to take the roundabout way to get somewhere when I'm unsure about directions.; Rating: 3.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with movies/shows as follows:
Title: Room (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Martian (2015); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wolf of Wall Street, The (2013); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Too Big to Fail (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Short, The (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Founder (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hidden Figures (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Imitation Game (2014); Genres: Drama, Thriller, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Good Will Hunting (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beauty and the Beast (2017); Genres: Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gone Girl (2014); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (2011); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: All Good Things (2010); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spotlight (2015); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dallas Buyers Club (2013); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nightcrawler (2014); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Ex Machina (2015); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Untouchables, The (1987); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Life of David Gale, The (2003); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Changeling (2008); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Knight Rises, The (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, IMAX; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: American Psycho (2000); Genres: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: World Is Not Enough, The (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Green Mile, The (1999); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Slumdog Millionaire (2008); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silver Linings Playbook (2012); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Inside Out (2015); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 1.5/5.0
Title: Me Before You (2016); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Working Girl (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pretty Woman (1990); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Notting Hill (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Two Weeks Notice (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Meet the Parents (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Analyze This (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miss Congeniality (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Legally Blonde (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 13 Going on 30 (2004); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sully (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: American Sniper (2014); Genres: Action, War; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Orphan (2009); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Saw (2004); Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Vacancy (2007); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Mean Girls (2004); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Elf (2003); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Inside Job (2010); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Never Been Kissed (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: She's All That (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Notebook, The (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Akeelah and the Bee (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Greatest Game Ever Played, The (2005); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mulan (1998); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Parent Trap, The (1998); Genres: Children, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bring It On (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silence of the Lambs, The (1991); Genres: Crime, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Save the Last Dance (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Walk to Remember, A (2002); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Freaky Friday (2003); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shallow Hal (2001); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anastasia (1997); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Drama, Musical; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blackfish (2013); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Food, Inc. (2008); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret (2013); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Witness (1985); Genres: Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Hitch (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 0.5/5.0
Title: Dear John (2010); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Family Man, The (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Frozen Ground, The (2013); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Citizen X (1995); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: GasLand (2010); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gasland Part II (2013); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Documentary, Mystery; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forks Over Knives (2011); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Super Size Me (2004); Genres: Comedy, Documentary, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tales of the Grim Sleeper (2014); Genres: Crime, Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Princess, A (1995); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Frozen (2013); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tangled (2010); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Romance, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Momma's House (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ted Bundy (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dahmer (2002); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jeffrey Dahmer Files, The (2012); Genres: Crime, Documentary; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Insomnia (2002); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Princess Diaries, The (2001); Genres: Children, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stepmom (1998); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Girl (1991); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Uptown Girls (2003); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: America's Sweethearts (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: View from the Top (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Patriots Day (2016); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just Married (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Simply Irresistible (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wicked (1998); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Down to You (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Head Over Heels (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Freeway (1996); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matchstick Men (2003); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002); Genres: Adventure, Fantasy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003); Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003); Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Interstellar (2014); Genres: Sci-Fi, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bowling for Columbine (2002); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (Män som hatar kvinnor) (2009); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tapped (2009); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sicko (2007); Genres: Documentary, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miracles from Heaven (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Repli-Kate (2002); Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Philadelphia (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kate & Leopold (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: You've Got Mail (1998); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: She-Devil (1989); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Whatever It Takes (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Knocked Up (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Interview (2014); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Blue Crush (2002); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Life-Size (2000); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Georgia Rule (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Strangers, The (2008); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Last House on the Left, The (2009); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Murder by Numbers (2002); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Premonition (2007); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Minions (2015); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bridesmaids (2011); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Back-up Plan, The (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Keeping the Faith (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hide and Seek (2005); Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Analyze That (2002); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 21 (2008); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hot Chick, The (2002); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wedding Crashers (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Zero Dark Thirty (2012); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lake House, The (2006); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Margin Call (2011); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Raising Helen (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bride Wars (2009); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Overboard (1987); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Private Benjamin (1980); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Housesitter (1992); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Cousin Vinny (1992); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Whole Nine Yards, The (2000); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Whole Ten Yards, The (2004); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jennifer's Body (2009); Genres: Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enough (2002); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shall We Dance? (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wedding Planner, The (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Maid in Manhattan (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Big Daddy (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Deeds (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Click (2006); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monsters University (2013); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Monsters, Inc. (2001); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Despicable Me (2010); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Despicable Me 2 (2013); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brave (2012); Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Children; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: V for Vendetta (2006); Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Maleficent (2014); Genres: Action, Adventure, Children, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Taking Lives (2004); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Devil's Knot (2013); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blast from the Past (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unbreakable (2000); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Others, The (2001); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aviator, The (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chicken Run (2000); Genres: Animation, Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Moulin Rouge (2001); Genres: Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: 8 Mile (2002); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Traffic (2000); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (a.k.a. The Grinch) (2000); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saw II (2005); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Road Trip (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Spy Kids (2001); Genres: Action, Adventure, Children, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Girl Next Door, The (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lizzie McGuire Movie, The (2003); Genres: Children, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Derailed (2005); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Josie and the Pussycats (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Don't Say a Word (2001); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ice Princess (2005); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Return to Me (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pledge, The (2001); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What a Girl Wants (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Charlotte's Web (2006); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: High Crimes (2002); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Whipped (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hannibal (2001); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Heartbreakers (2001); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Autumn in New York (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Down to Earth (2001); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Beautiful Mind, A (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Coyote Ugly (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sugar & Spice (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Saving Silverman (Evil Woman) (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dick (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wimbledon (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Serving Sara (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crossroads (2002); Genres: Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rat Race (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Catch Me If You Can (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Serendipity (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stealing Harvard (2002); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Swimfan (2002); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Copycat (1995); Genres: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bringing Down the House (2003); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Duplex (2003); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: White Chicks (2004); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sorority Boys (2002); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Surviving Christmas (2004); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Must Love Dogs (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just Like Heaven (2005); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fun with Dick and Jane (2005); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: In Her Shoes (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Just Friends (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wedding Date, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Last Holiday (2006); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Best Friend's Wedding (1997); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forces of Nature (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bachelor, The (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999); Genres: Comedy, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Drive Me Crazy (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dr. Dolittle (1998); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Deep End of the Ocean, The (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Practical Magic (1998); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Evita (1996); Genres: Drama, Musical; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: American President, The (1995); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forrest Gump (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Truth About Cats & Dogs, The (1996); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holiday, The (2006); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 27 Dresses (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Waitress (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Because I Said So (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: He's Just Not That Into You (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Break-Up, The (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Disturbia (2007); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: John Tucker Must Die (2006); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Made of Honor (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Baby Mama (2008); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jesus Camp (2006); Genres: Documentary, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jack Frost (1998); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Holes (2003); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy, Mystery; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Along Came a Spider (2001); Genres: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Two Can Play That Game (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Double Jeopardy (1999); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Talented Mr. Ripley, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Unfaithful (2002); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Kissing Jessica Stein (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jawbreaker (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Murderball (2005); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Single White Female 2: The Psycho (2005); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What Lies Beneath (2000); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Basic Instinct 2 (2006); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Basic Instinct (1992); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Love Stinks (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Indecent Proposal (1993); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghost (1990); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1996); Genres: Animation, Children, Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Celsius 41.11: The Temperature at Which the Brain... Begins to Die (2004); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Birthday Girl (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Guru, The (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Failure to Launch (2006); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: What Women Want (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Watcher, The (2000); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Law Abiding Citizen (2009); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crime and Punishment in Suburbia (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Gothika (2003); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Perfect Stranger (2007); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kiss the Girls (1997); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Town, The (2010); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 22 Jump Street (2014); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 21 Jump Street (2012); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Limitless (2011); Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Titanic (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jersey Girl (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bull Durham (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: James and the Giant Peach (1996); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy, Musical; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: See Spot Run (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Prince & Me, The (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: First Daughter (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trainwreck (2015); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Devil Wears Prada, The (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Matilda (1996); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: She's the Man (2006); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Juno (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Valentine's Day (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pleasantville (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Annie (1982); Genres: Children, Musical; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Love Actually (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brüno (Bruno) (2009); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dictator, The (2012); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, The (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dying Young (1991); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sleeping with the Enemy (1991); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Erin Brockovich (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crash (2004); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Perfect Murder, A (1998); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brooklyn (2015); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Far from the Madding Crowd (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Moneyball (2011); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sabrina (1995); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Selma (2014); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wreck-It Ralph (2012); Genres: Animation, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Heat, The (2013); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blind Side, The (2009); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Born on the Fourth of July (1989); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secret Garden, The (1993); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Model Behavior (2000); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Santa Clause, The (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Home Alone (1990); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: In Good Company (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Three Days (2001); Genres: Children; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Miracle on 34th Street (1994); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Intolerable Cruelty (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Guy Thing, A (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Other Woman, The (2014); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweetest Thing, The (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: There's Something About Mary (1998); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Best Friend's Girl (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ugly Truth, The (2009); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What's Your Number? (2011); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Monster-in-Law (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: She's Out of My League (2010); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Along Came Polly (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lost & Found (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Something's Gotta Give (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Picture Perfect (1997); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sleepless in Seattle (1993); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bedazzled (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Entrapment (1999); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Message in a Bottle (1999); Genres: Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Changing Lanes (2002); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Perfect Man, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Weather Man, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boys Don't Cry (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Riding in Cars with Boys (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lucky 7 (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enchanted (2007); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Butterfly Effect (2004); Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Everything Is Copy (2015); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wild Wild West (1999); Genres: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Western; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Corporation, The (2003); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Simone (S1m0ne) (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Down with Love (2003); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wish Upon a Star (1996); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bad Moms (2016); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Northern Lights (2009); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vanilla Sky (2001); Genres: Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Calendar Girls (2003); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Nanny Diaries, The (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Single White Female (1992); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Outside Providence (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: House Bunny, The (2008); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Switch, The (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Italian Job, The (2003); Genres: Action, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Open Water (2003); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Good Girl, The (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Maybe Baby (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: How to Be Single (2016); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Man Up (2015); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: How Do You Know (2010); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Time to Kill, A (1996); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mexican, The (2001); Genres: Action, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: One Last Thing... (2005); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fear of the Flesh: The Making of The Fly (2005); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Learning Curve, The (1999); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Town & Country (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Side Effects (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Love on the Side (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Committed (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Waiting Game, The (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Just the Ticket (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Nearing Grace (2005); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing (2016); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Truman Show, The (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: The Makeover (2013); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wicked Ways (1999); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hollywood North (2004); Genres: Comedy, Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Harbor (1999); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (a.k.a. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) (2001); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Secret Life of Pets (2016); Genres: Animation, Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fond Kiss, A (Ae Fond Kiss...) (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Polar Express, The (2004); Genres: Adventure, Animation, Children, Fantasy, IMAX; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Jacket, The (2005); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Almost Famous (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Hunt for the BTK Killer (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Election (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wag the Dog (1997); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blow (2001); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Harvard Man (2001); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Mother's Day (2016); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alex and Emma (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: W. (2008); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ted (2012); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Hollywood Ending (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Life as We Know It (2010); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Definitely, Maybe (2008); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Catch and Release (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mickey Blue Eyes (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Against the Ropes (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Crazy/Beautiful (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: 'Til There Was You (1997); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chain Reaction (1996); Genres: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Upside of Anger, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Happy Accidents (2000); Genres: Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Summer of Love (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blow Dry (a.k.a. Never Better) (2001); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Lucky Numbers (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Anything Else (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Rushmore (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Now and Then (1995); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Milk (2008); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lion (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ocean's Twelve (2004); Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Unbroken (2014); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Death to Smoochy (2002); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dirty Love (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Man, The (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Intern, The (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Meet Prince Charming (2002); Genres: (no genres listed); Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 127 Hours (2010); Genres: Adventure, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shrink Is In, The (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Enemy of the State (1998); Genres: Action, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Get Out (2017); Genres: Horror; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fight Club (1999); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Memento (2000); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Perks of Being a Wallflower, The (2012); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Swing Vote (2008); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: We Are Marshall (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The (Scaphandre et le papillon, Le) (2007); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gia (1998); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Finding Neverland (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Michael Clayton (2007); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shawshank Redemption, The (1994); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Girl, Interrupted (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rain Man (1988); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pelican Brief, The (1993); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sinister (2012); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Where the Heart Is (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Importance of Being Earnest, The (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Confidence (2003); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Contender, The (2000); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Squid and the Whale, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secret Life of Bees, The (2008); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Step Up (2006); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The (2008); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Jane Austen Book Club (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Anywhere But Here (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: At First Sight (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boiler Room (2000); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Secret Window (2004); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Price of Milk, The (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ocean's Eleven (2001); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dark Water (2005); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: White Noise (2005); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Chasing Liberty (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Skeleton Key, The (2005); Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Inception (2010); Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller, IMAX; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Alfie (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Brokeback Mountain (2005); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Million Dollar Baby (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: American History X (1998); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: American Beauty (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Jerry Maguire (1996); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Blue Jasmine (2013); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: English Patient, The (1996); Genres: Drama, Romance, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Social Network, The (2010); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Boys & Girl from County Clare, The (a.k.a. The Boys from County Clare) (2003); Genres: Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dark Asylum (2001); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Fish (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shelter Island (2003); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Walk the Line (2005); Genres: Drama, Musical, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Road to Perdition (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Life or Something Like It (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bones (2001); Genres: Horror; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Maze (2000); Genres: Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Last Sunset (2006); Genres: Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Here on Earth (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Big Bad Love (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Unfinished Life, An (2005); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Diamond Men (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tempo (2003); Genres: Crime, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Forgotten, The (2004); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Lot Like Love, A (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hacksaw Ridge (2016); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Jailbait (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Eyes Wide Shut (1999); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Shattered Glass (2003); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Deepwater Horizon (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Snipes (2001); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Wah-Wah (2005); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Bless the Child (2000); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Femme Fatale (2002); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: True Crime (1999); Genres: Crime, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: End of the Affair, The (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Speak (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: They (2002); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Coffee and Cigarettes (2003); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Truth About Charlie, The (2002); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Veronica Guerin (2003); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Summer Storm (Sommersturm) (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: My Life Without Me (2003); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Mean Creek (2004); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hope Floats (1998); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Good Year, A (2006); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chapter 27 (2007); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Ladder 49 (2004); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: My Sassy Girl (2008); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Abandon (2002); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lucky You (2007); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Beaches (1988); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Boy Next Door (2015); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Piano Teacher, The (La pianiste) (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Possession (2002); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Legend of Bagger Vance, The (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Personal Effects (2009); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Missing, The (2003); Genres: Adventure, Thriller, Western; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fabulous Baker Boys, The (1989); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Salton Sea, The (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Buried Secrets (1996); Genres: Drama, Mystery; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Good Shepherd, The (2006); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Where the Truth Lies (2005); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Wizard of Lies (2017); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Santa's Slay (2005); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tape (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Baby Boy (2001); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tangled (2001); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Business of Strangers, The (2001); Genres: Action, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Down to the Bone (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Separate Lies (2005); Genres: Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Employee of the Month (2004); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Laid Plans (1999); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Danika (2006); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: No Good Deed (a.k.a. The House on Turk Street) (2002); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Black and White (1999); Genres: Drama; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Walk on the Moon, A (1999); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Proof of Life (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bone Collector, The (1999); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Twisted (2004); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mortal Thoughts (1991); Genres: Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Attraction (2000); Genres: Drama, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Meet Market (2008); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Confession, The (1999); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Heart of Stone (2001); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Winter Solstice (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Twist (2003); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Fabled (2002); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: When Will I Be Loved (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: When Strangers Appear (2001); Genres: Action, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: This Is My Father (1998); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Love In the Time of Money (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Water's Edge (2004); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Annie Hall (1977); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Passengers (2008); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Me Without You (2001); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Half Light (2006); Genres: Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Angel Eyes (2001); Genres: Romance, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Selena (1997); Genres: Drama, Musical; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Revolutionary Road (2008); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sidewalks of New York (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Boy Next Door (2008); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: White Oleander (2002); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Side Effects (2013); Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: It Could Happen to You (1994); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Manchurian Candidate, The (2004); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Requiem for a Dream (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Training Day (2001); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Manchester by the Sea (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: 28 Days (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Invisible, The (2007); Genres: Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Elizabethtown (2005); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: All I Want (Try Seventeen) (2002); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stevie (2002); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kinsey (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Stay (2005); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Usual Suspects, The (1995); Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Joy Ride (2001); Genres: Adventure, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Cookers (2001); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: In Dreams (1999); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Finding Forrester (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Story of Us, The (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Paparazzi (2004); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: When Harry Met Sally... (1989); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sweet November (2001); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Dr. T and the Women (2000); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Session 9 (2001); Genres: Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Ali (2001); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: For Love of the Game (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Charlie St. Cloud (2010); Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: November (2004); Genres: Drama, Mystery; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Novocaine (2001); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Swept Away (2002); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Arlington Road (1999); Genres: Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Door in the Floor, The (2004); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Walt Before Mickey (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Next Best Thing, The (2000); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Saving Mr. Banks (2013); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: My Sister's Keeper (2009); Genres: Drama; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Cinderella Man (2005); Genres: Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Other Sister, The (1999); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Monster Calls (2016); Genres: Drama, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: The Machinist (2004); Genres: Drama, Mystery, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Tracks (2005); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Rookie, The (2002); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Return to Sender (2004); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Rwanda (2004); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Mr. Church (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Trip to Heaven, A (2005); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Few Good Men, A (1992); Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller; Rating: 2.5/5.0
Title: Evilenko (2004); Genres: Crime, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004); Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: One True Thing (1998); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Genius (2016); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Infamous (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pollock (2000); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Capote (2005); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Black Mass (2015); Genres: Crime, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Split (2017); Genres: Drama, Horror, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Say It Isn't So (2001); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Little Nicky (2000); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Cinderella Story, A (2004); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Raise Your Voice (2004); Genres: Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Cheetah Girls (2003); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Brink! (1998); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Halloweentown (1998); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Genius (1999); Genres: Children, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Luck of the Irish (2001); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Get a Clue (2002); Genres: Children, Comedy, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Cow Belles (2006); Genres: Children, Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Camp Rock (2008); Genres: Comedy, Musical, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Harriet the Spy (1996); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Free Willy (1993); Genres: Adventure, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hocus Pocus (1993); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Sister Act (1992); Genres: Comedy, Crime; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Runaway Bride (1999); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Treasure, The (1998); Genres: Animation, Children, Fantasy, Mystery; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Escape to Witch Mountain (1995); Genres: Adventure, Children, Fantasy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991); Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Simple Wish, A (1997); Genres: Children, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Baby-Sitters Club, The (1995); Genres: Children; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Air Bud (1997); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 3.5/5.0
Title: Flubber (1997); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: King and I, The (1999); Genres: Animation, Children; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Switching Goals (1999); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Babe: Pig in the City (1998); Genres: Adventure, Children, Drama; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Inspector Gadget (1999); Genres: Action, Adventure, Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mouse Hunt (1997); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Angels in the Outfield (1994); Genres: Children, Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992); Genres: Children, Comedy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Babe (1995); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: While You Were Sleeping (1995); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: River Runs Through It, A (1992); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Spice World (1997); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996); Genres: Children, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Borrowers, The (1997); Genres: Adventure, Children, Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Heidi (1993); Genres: Children; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bewitched (2005); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Death Becomes Her (1992); Genres: Comedy, Fantasy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: As Good as It Gets (1997); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: EDtv (1999); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Green Card (1990); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Chasing Amy (1997); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Thin Line Between Love and Hate, A (1996); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: If Lucy Fell (1996); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: She's the One (1996); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Tin Cup (1996); Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Addicted to Love (1997); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: 40-Year-Old Virgin, The (2005); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Little Miss Sunshine (2006); Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Weather Girl (2009); Genres: Action, Comedy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Good Luck Chuck (2007); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 12 Years a Slave (2013); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Game Change (2012); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Schindler's List (1993); Genres: Drama, War; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Straight Outta Compton (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Inherit the Wind (1960); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Argo (2012); Genres: Drama, Thriller; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain (1995); Genres: Adventure, Children; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Intouchables (2011); Genres: Comedy, Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: And the Band Played On (1993); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988); Genres: Drama; Rating: 4.5/5.0
Title: Goodbye Girl, The (1977); Genres: Comedy, Romance; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Vitus (2006); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Promised Land (2012); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The 33 (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sling Blade (1996); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: To Be Fat Like Me (2007); Genres: Children, Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cadet Kelly (2002); Genres: Comedy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Trumbo (2015); Genres: Drama; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 13th (2016); Genres: Documentary; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | movielens |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Prized (Birthmarked, #2); Author: Caragh M. O'Brien; Genres: young-adult, romance, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I just finished this today. I don't think I'm a good reviewer and it's not the main reason why I joined this site, but I couldn't not review this one because it had me so taken. First of all, it is a sequel to Birthmarked. It does make sense as a standalone but I strongly recommend reading the books in the right order, so you know who the characters are and what motivates them. I do like that the author managed to create a whole other world altogether, completely different from the one we met in Birthmarked and she seems to be heading towards the two worlds finally colliding in the third installment, which I am really excited about . In this book, Gaia finds refuge in a strange town named Sylum. The city is at the centre of two scientific mysteries: one is that its inhabitants cannot leave, because if they try, they die of a strange sickness. The other, is that only about 10% of the population are female. [Women are in charge in this society and men don't have the right to vote. I'm sure this reversal of history has a significance from a feminist point of view that I am not totally aware of. The book does make you think, presenting you with situations where men and women can't touch because it's almost seen like a sort of bribery, where the man is affectionate towards the woman in the hopes that she will pick him out of all the eligible men in town - most of whom will never get to find a partner just based on sheer numbers .] Out of these two mysteries, one was resolved, one wasn't. I am slightly disappointed about the one that wasn't, but there is another book to come and I am hoping it will not be totally forgotten. I do think that because we were given some clues at least as to what was happening, there must be a proper resolution at some point and it wasn't just a red herring. So, the book wasn't perfect, but I gave it 5 stars purely because of the way it made me feel. The dialogue between Gaia and Leon reminded me of a real life situation I've been in and it made me cry because of how close it resonated to my own feelings. The little love triangle that formed bothered me a little, because I didn't really see that Gaia had spent enough time with Peter at all to actually make it a threat to her relationship with Leon and the bond she had formed with him came from a lot of shared, painful experiences so of course I was willing that bond to be stronger. I borrowed this at the library, but I think I will buy it. It really feels like the kind of thing I might want to re-read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Crossed (Matched, #2); Author: Ally Condie; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I am gutted to have to give this book only 1 star as I had high expectations. "Matched", whilst not a masterpiece of writing, had a good pace and painted an interesting picture of the author's dystopian world. In "Crossed", all of that is lost, and the action is extremely slow, picking up only in the last handful of chapters (where I was finally able to read at a normal pace again). The biggest failure of this book, and I can't believe that no editor or publishing house representative spotted it, is that I had a hard time distinguishing Cassia's voice from Ky's. The chapters are alternatingly narrated by the two and if I got distracted and momentarily forgot whose chapter I was reading, I was not able to tell. That, I think, is the biggest flaw of this book, even more so than its repetitivity and exaggerated sappiness. I'm not sure if I will want to read the third installment. It seems logical to conclude the trilogy, but I don't know if I can submit myself to this kind of slow-paced, nothing-really-happens narration. Bear in mind, I'm not at all averse to streams of consciousness and internal dialogue, I just thought there was too much of it and it did not advance the plot in any way.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1); Author: Caragh M. O'Brien; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This was the first book I've read in a long while that was narrated in the 3rd person. It is set 300 years in the future, in a society divided between the lucky inhabitants of the Enclave, who have food, electricity and education, and the people "outside the wall" with their daily struggle to survive. Every month, the people who live "outside the wall" donate the first few babies to the Enclave, to ensure them a better life, and also to avoid in-breeding within the Enclave. Gaia Stone, the main character, is a midwife outside the wall and her job is to "advance" the first three babies she delivers every month to the Enclave. However, when her own parents are arrested and taken inside the wall, she decides to go look for them, and very soon she gets caught and imprisoned. She keeps working as a midwife, even from prison, and learns that not everything in the Enclave is as perfect as she expected it to be. I really enjoyed reading this, it was refreshing that it wasn't narrated from Gaia's point of view. The characters were layered and interesting, hardly any of them were black-and-white good or bad. There was a lot more we could have learnt about all of them, to be honest. I especially liked the development of Gaia's relationship with Leon, which wasn't the usual dreamy teenage crush, but actually came from a place of confusion and angst. I am currently reading the sequel to this book and still enjoying the worlds that Caragh O'Brian has created.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain; Author: Portia de Rossi; Genres: history, comics, graphic, biography, historical fiction, non-fiction, fiction; Review: I'm putting most of my review behind a spoiler cut because this book deals with eating disorders and I don't know what parts of my review could potentially be triggering to people. I knew that was what the book was about so I wasn't disappointed like someone who thought it would be all about being gay. I found it quite gripping and I just couldn't put it down. I have to admit, I never quite grasped the concept of "triggers" until I read this book. Occasionally, I would read something and toy with the idea of trying it. Merely for a question of putting myself to the test and seeing how I would cope, and partially also because I am one of those sad people who get a kick out of feeling in control. Look at me, I control my own weight, like a boss! If I think that, I can only imagine how someone else might see those qualities and actions as admirable and even desirable. I think this book has the potential to do so much bad alongside all the good. Because Portia talks about bingeing, purging, counting calories before you've even got out of bed in the morning, anyone who still has an eating disorder would class it as "thinspiration" more than anything else. They would use it as a guidebook, with tips on how to starve yourself and keep your calorie intake to about 1/5th of what's healthy. And there really is no way to stop those people from buying the book. Portia's illness was caused by many a thing. Partly, it was pressure although a lot of the pressure came from within her. Partly it was from the unhappiness of being closeted. And lastly, it had been instilled in her from the early stages of her modelling career, aged 12, by her own mother. I think this is the thing the shocked me the most. How this mother completely ruined her only daughter's life. First by encouraging her to starve herself before a modelling job or by using material goods to incentivate her weight loss. What type of twisted person does that? Especially considering she was hardly fat to begin with. I can understand incentives for studying, or even doing chores, but how is weight loss something that would give you long time benefits? Unless you think people only get anywhere in life when they are thin, which is wrong in itself. Secondly, Portia's mum used to stifle her sexuality and pretty much demand that she stay closeted; sure, once Portia was close to dying of what was basically unhappiness, she said "I'm sorry, I acted stupidly" but how is that a sufficient apology? Portia wasted years and years trying to keep her mother happy, and while it isn't exactly mature to worry about making mummy angry when you're in your 20s, I suppose the twistedness of her own mind at the time made her agree with her mum that coming out was a bad idea. I don't know what to think, in that generally I would; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Candor; Author: Pam Bachorz; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This book is kind of different from all the usual YA dystopia that's going around at the moment. While it might sound similar, it is actually set in the present, not the future, and it's not some sort of post-apocalyptic world. It is "only" a Stepford wives kind of situation, only instead of wives, it's the kids, and especially teenagers, who hide a secret. The teenagers in the town of Candor are programmed with "Messages": subliminal propaganda hidden in music that is played on speakers all over the town. This keeps them in check and fills them with good, old fashioned values. Imagine squeaky clean teenagers, who don't wear tight clothes, don't really have different cliques or styles. They all look the same and they all exclusively care about studying, helping their parents around the house and making them proud. I found this mental image very unsettling and wrong. Our hero is Oscar, son of the Mayor and the only teenager in town who knows what's really going on. Not because his father has told him, but simply because his nosey nature led him to snooping around and putting two and two together. He makes it his job to help some of the teenagers escape the town to which they never return, and it's a well paid job too. However, Oscar does fall for one "imperfect" girl and he doesn't want her to leave town, because she's the only good thing that's happened to him in his entire life. This is a guy whose father attempted to make him forget he had an older brother who died through subliminal messages . From the moment that Oscar falls in love with Nia, everything is kind of targeted to their future happiness and how they can resist the brainwashing while they present a picture of perfectly brainwashed teenagers to the outside. Unfortunately Nia is caught after an episode of vandalism and brainwashed completely. Oscar's world kind of crumbles as he loses the only person who ever knew the real him and he tries everything to get her back, not with much success. The reader would probably expect that eventually she will remember, maybe with one magic kiss, and everything can go back to normal, however destiny has something else else in store for Oscar. Something predictable, but equally saddening. I thought the narration in this novel was a bit jarring, because especially at the beginning, it's made up of so many short sentences that it feels very fragmented. It might have been intentional. However, this matters less as you start to care about the characters. I do think the author presents a slightly stereotypical version of a teenage boy, frequently mentioning sexual fantasies even when not entirely necessary, just to live up to the expectation that sex is all boys think about. I find that jarring as well, knowing that the narrator is a woman and I did wonder whether she researched the topic at all or just wrote what she thought a teenage boy would focus on. As a result, Oscar is kind; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Benediction; Author: Diane Salvatore; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: Interesting read! I was very skeptical that I could like this as it looked like one of those really cheesy, cheap books that get published just because the specialised LGBT publishers will publish anything they can get their hands on regardless of quality. But for once the bad title and cover graphics did not match what was inside. It's a coming of age novel about Grace, aged fifteen, who goes to an extremely religious school and is surrounded by nuns and the typical hypocrisy of Catholicism. It has some very common elements to this type of lesbian novels, for example, Grace's best friend is just discovering boys and sex and is extremely excited about it, and Grace just doesn't get it, and fools herself that it could be because she has "the calling" or isn't with the right person. In fact, when Grace begins a secret relationship with school mate Meg, she realises that she can in fact be very sexual and even ends up losing her virginity before her best friend who is described as more liberated and sexually positive. Eventually the relationship is discovered by Grace's mother, who sends her daughter and her girlfriend to counselling with a priest - the counselling is actually quite wishy-washy, with the priest not even careful to respect the mother's wishes that the two girls get separate counselling sessions. I thought that it was a bit of a plot hole that Grace's mother never bothers to check how the counselling is going and to verify that Grace is in fact not seeing Meg anymore. What is actually happening is that the relationship continues right under her nose, using school activities or other friends as alibis. What I did enjoy was Grace's reaction to Meg's betrayal, while she is deeply hurt and she feels like the end of the world, she is able to hide this from those closest to her and steel herself to confrontations with Meg, instead of taking her back which is something someone of a weaker disposition would have done. One thing that I thought was problematic with this book was that it was occasionally too descriptive and I found myself skimming some bits that were not terribly necessary to the plot. The final resolution felt a bit rushed and left me wanting more. Especially I would have liked to know what happened to Meg. Overall considering when this book was written, it must have been pretty groundbreaking at the time, and funnily enough one of the things that really struck me is the mail-order information at the end for similar titles. I can't imagine a time when books like these were not readily available and I'm sure that despite the very trite - and slightly annoying - "I love you but I'm not a lesbian" undertones, it must have been very comforting to a lot of people in its time. However I don't think I understood if it was mostly aimed at young adults or grownups, because for a mostly YA book I thought the sex scenes were a little; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend; Author: Emily Horner; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: I was looking through my Want To Read list and I was reminded of this novel, which I'd read about in a magazine when it first came out, but had never been able to physically find in a shop. I bought a used copy on Amazon for a penny, and I'm sad to say that I didn't love it as much as I was hoping to. The novel definitely grows on you - I felt like the beginning was slower, and once I got past the halfway mark I really did feel more compelled to finish the book and find out what would happen. But even so, there are some questions that I'm left with, that make me think like the storytelling wasn't the greatest. I realise that it might have been the author's intention not to answer these questions, or simply that she did but I wanted more than I was given. For example, Heather staying friends with all the 'mean girls' crowd was something that didn't make huge sense to me, and it wasn't really addressed whether as she began a new relationship this would help her free herself from these friendships which she knew full well had never been very good. I'm also a little irritated that by the final scenes Cass really does refer to Julia as her "dead girlfriend", and I think that this kind of depreciates what this book could have been about - a great friendship, a genuine friendship without a one-sided crush from either of them. The fact that right at the end Cass seems to acknowledge loving Julia as more than just a friend is just going to feed the ego of all the straight girls who, as soon as their friends come out, ask "but do you fancy ME though?" like it's a given. Additionally I don't feel that it's fair to use the term 'girlfriend' when the two had never been together, it's not the same as having a "confusing/undefined" relationship like you sometimes have in your teens where you're not sure what to call it - there is no shadow of a doubt that the relationship between Cass and Julia was just friendship, not romantic or sexual. Also I felt that, like it often happens with made-up songs and rhymes, the songs from the musical the characters are putting together and even the plot did not feel clear or relatable from the reader's perspective. It's not the same as reading lyrics on a page that you know the melody to and that you can hum in your head. These were original songs, and they just looked like, well... words on a page, with no reference whatsoever that would help them come to life. For me, they fell a little bit flat. I enjoyed the flashback chapters of the book a lot more towards the end and I especially enjoyed the sub-plot involving Maggie, somehow feeling that this side character was the most fleshed out, I could picture her clearly in my head. I didn't love how that sub-plot was resolved,; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Thinking Straight; Author: Robin Reardon; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: This was a very interesting read, and a lucky find in the Teen section of Bromley library. The title caught my eye immediately and I borrowed it even though the presentation of the book wasn't the greatest. It was either going to be a waste of the publishers' time, or a rare gem. It turned out to be the latter. This novel follows the story of Taylor, a teenager who gets sent to a Bible camp after he comes out to his parents, who are hoping to "make him straight". In Taylor we have a main character who has a strong faith in God but who is also resolved not to let the "program" change who he is and what he feels for his boyfriend. Taylor has to start by not talking for three days, and while on one hand he does not want to be brainwashed, some aspects of the camp and especially of human interactions really fascinate him. I really did enjoy all his theories about what motivated these people, because I'm also an overthinker, so I didn't think it was unrealistic or simply "too much". There is an outstanding cast of supporting characters, so many names to remember and yet even those who only get mentioned once or twice I thought were fleshed out quite well, making it easy for me to remember who was who. I am not religious but I was able to follow the religious talk quite easily, although at times I must admit it got a little intense. I do like religion when it's used as a basis for analysis of people's behaviour and how society has evolved. I think this book made me more sympathetic towards gays who choose to remain religious, while up until now I had dismissed them saying "how inconsistent is it to want to remain part of something that hates you?". I suppose I feel that more towards Catholics as that is the religion I was raised in, but the novel actually deals with a nonspecified Christian denomination in America. The only fault of this book is in the narration, occasionally, and jarringly, in the occasion of "circle" meetings it looked almost like scriptwriting (character name: "Dialogue") and it just seemed inappropriate in the middle of a novel. Also, the IM acronyms used throughout the book must have seemed all the rage at the time, but they are quite outdated at the moment, giving it a bit of a "distant" feel while the topic is still extremely relevant, with the common plague of gay teen suicides. The last 100 pages of the novel went really fast, as it was obvious that there would be a scandal of the "one of the camp staff is a pedophile" variety. I did think perhaps the attack towards Taylor was a little unrealistic, although I enjoyed Taylor's jibe about how in films the hero always wastes time telling the villain what he's going to do and that's when he gets overpowered. I thought that was a truly hilarious touch. It was also perhaps not; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Falling; Author: Sharon Dogar; Genres: young-adult, romance, children, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: This is a love story between two teenagers, Neesh who is of Indian descent and Sammy who is British, and the obstacles they have to face not just as an interracial couple, but also because Neesh is "weird": she stopped talking altogether when her dad left her family, she always wears a coat even if it's warm and she always looks somewhere above people's heads instead of in their eyes. Soon we discover that the reason why she is fixated just above people's heads is because she can see their auras and how they change colours according to their moods. She is believed to be a witch by her family and her mother takes advantage of her gift by inviting people over so Neesh can "heal" them and her mother can make money off of it. Her family just all round mistreat her, she has a bullying older brother who she has to cook for every day and I do think the book wants to show us the cultural differences where this girl is considered less than nothing, and being a "witch" she is not even good enough to marry off. There is a strong attraction between Neesh and Sammy ever since they've been kids and as part of Neesh's "gift", she does see certain images that she can't quite make sense of, involving a lake, a houseboat and flowers. As the story progresses we find out that Sammy's grandfather and Neesh's great-aunt were in the same situation, and the fact they were in love brought dishonour to the girl who eventually killed herself. Now this is where the story went a bit iffy because while we can accept that Neesh could be a reincarnation of her dead great-aunt and still hold some of her memories, Sammy's grandpa is still very much alive but he also has the occasional vision, even though this is not really highlighted too much in the book. Sammy's function is really to make Neesh come out of her shell and feel safe and loved, which she hasn't really been since her dad left home. The story is narrated from multiple points of view, not just Neesh's and Sammy's but also Sammy's grandpa and a boy called Kefin who is a sort of young criminal who is going slowly mad after killing his father and keeping this hidden from everyone. Neesh is in contact with the ghost of Kefin's dead grandmother and a lot of conflict results from this, from Neesh speaking in the dead woman's voice and terrifying Kefin, to the ghost herself haunting Neesh because she wants Kefin to be saved and find himself again. Now Kefin's part of the story was the weak link here I think. First of all it was narrated in third person as opposed to first, and as it progressed I think the author wanted to show how much deeper into madness he was descending, giving the knife his own personality and saying that basically the knife was controlling him. The Knife speaks in an exTreMelY anNoyiNg uppercase/lowercase alternation which is; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Fearless; Author: Tim Lott; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, paranormal, fiction, fantasy, mystery; Review: Interesting one. This book is presented as "dystopian" but it lacks some of the key elements in the current trend of teen dystopian novels. First of all, it's narrated in 3rd person, in a sort of modern fairytale style. It's quite formulaic (Little Fearless escapes, finds someone who does not believe her, then gets back). Secondly, the main characters are children of unspecified age, but we are talking about school age so I imagined them to be somewhat between 10 and 16. Thirdly, which I'm sure is a plus for some people, due to the younger age of the characters, there is no romance in the book at all. The story is set in the future, in what is basically a correctional facility for young girls, which however is presented as a religious school to the outside world. The girls find themselves enslaved in a workhouse and obviously victim to bullying and different ranks between them, until our hero, called Little Fearless, hatches a plan for escaping and trying to tell someone on the outside world what is really going on in that building. Other than the repetitions in the plot, the language is also sometimes reminiscent of fairytales. I agree with other reviewers that some of the supporting characters, namely Little Fearless's 3 Y-girl friends, were not too well defined and very interchangeable with each other. At the same time, description of what exactly was going on in the outside world was bland and, at times, even contradictory. There is talk about a war and bombings but whenever Little Fearless goes to the City it just seems an everyday evening, rather than a city at war. It was maybe even superfluous to try and update simple terms like "television" to "vidscreen" to give an idea that this is a future world. Creating a new language is typical in dystopian novels, but this seemed unnecessary. At the same time I found the novel very gripping and read it in half a day. I'm not totally convinced that it would belong in the "teen" section of a library, but it was definitely a good read and I especially appreciated the subtle anti-religious undertones.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: An Abundance of Katherines; Author: John Green; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: I could not finish this book, and ended up returning it to the library and taking it off my currently-reading shelf. Maybe my expectations were too high, due to John Green having such a loyal following of fans, so much so that upon opening the book someone had left a little post-it note hidden inside, promoting his Youtube channel. There were some good concepts in this book (like the difference between a genius and a prodigy) and some very powerful one-liners but they don't really make up for what I felt was lacking. The constant footnotes were really annoying and broke the flow of the writing, as well as the premise being a little too ridiculous for my suspension of disbelief (a guy who has been with or has loved only girls named Katherine, and 19 of them at that). When I read "Will Grayson, Will Grayson", I remember someone commenting that the characters were the "typical John Green stereotypes" and upon reading this book, I must say I completely understand where that reader was coming from, as it felt like I was reading about the same characters with different names. I don't think it's wrong to write about similar people or situations, but more could have been done to distinguish these characters as individuals, I think.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Free Love and Other Stories; Author: Ali Smith; Genres: fiction; Review: this is the second Ali Smith that I read, and while I liked it better than "Boy Meets Girl", I still think some of the stories were a bit hit and miss. There are aspects of her language that I love, and I relate very much to some of her imagery, but I think some of the stories fell a little flat. You can obviously tell which of her elements she re-uses quite frequently and so you can never quite believe that each story is about a different character; it seems like the same one over and over again.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Diamond Star Halo; Author: Tiffany Murray; Genres: romance, young-adult, fiction; Review: This was a good read. I really liked some of the imagery and I found the setting of Rockfarm very inspiring. There is a good set of characters, each with a clear, defined personality, but some of the elements of magic realism grated on my nerves a little. (I don't hate magic realism, in general, I just didn't think it was developed very well, that's all.) The only criticism I have is that the book is narrated in the first person for the most part, and sometimes the narrator presents us with details that they couldn't possibly know. As there are some passages where the narration changes to 3rd person, it maybe would have been best to insert these details in those paragraphs. But perhaps this only really bothered me because I am currently paying special attention to different types of narrators. All in all, I probably wouldn't reread it a second time but I enjoyed my first read very much, with a strong preference for the first couple of parts in the book that chart Halo's childhood and teenage years.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Uglies (Uglies, #1); Author: Scott Westerfeld; Genres: young-adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: I don't know if I've just read too many YA dystopias or if this one was particularly bad. I usually am most interested in how different authors envision "the future" and what kind of technology and slang they come up with for their novels. I enjoy the world-building, what they describe as the cause that made society change, whether or not they have that society divided into categories (like they have in "Divergent" or "The Hunger Games" for example) and what these categories are based on. Then there is a whole bunch of elements that seems to be pretty much the same in every single dystopian novel I've read in the past three or four years: * There is always an "inside", a fence/border/city limits and it always starts off with the main character thinking there is nothing out there, only to be proven wrong by about the middle of the story. * There is always a love interest in that "outside" whether it's a metaphorical outside or not. * There is always a special snowflake main character who is somehow destined to change humankind. Even if the book lacked the first-person narration typical of these dystopias, I still thought it was really badly written. I've read a lot of fanfic that had better sentence structure. Westerfield seems to repeat subjects a lot and at one point, even randomly plants red herrings that add absolutely nothing to the plot. Specifically, when Tally and David camp out in a cave for several days he mentions them having an argument but, conveniently, adds that "Tally doesn't remember what about". Which is a great way, I think, for him not to have to come up with a sub-plot for the argument. I reckon that's his way of introducing "tension"? All in all, I didn't like any of the characters in this novel, I didn't think anyone was likeable, it was the good old "you simply must like them because they are the heroes of this story". There was absolutely no build-up to the romance other than the good old "I knew from the moment I met you that you were different". Now, I'm not saying that doesn't happen in real life but it just doesn't make for very good storytelling, I think.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Every Day (Every Day, #1); Author: David Levithan; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I loved this book right up until the end, which is where it disappointed a little. Truth be told, I stayed up until about 1am just to finish it, so I wasn't fully alert as it came to its conclusion, but it was just very different from what I expected. Let's talk about the aspects that are safe to talk about: the premise, first of all, was extremely interesting. An entity that wakes up in a different body each day is the kind of idea I wish I'd had. Coming up with an idea like that means coming up with lots of rules, and it gives a lot of room for world-building (although towards the second half of the book, these rules seem to change and our main character A suddenly seems to have developed an ability to implant memories in the bodies he inhabits; add to that an earlier reference to him being unable to access feelings, whereas later the line between his feelings and the bodies' feelings becomes a little blurry ). In addition to that, all these different characters give the author a chance to explore some very current teenage issues, meaning that everyone will find something to identify with. There are gay characters, transgendered characters, depressed characters, an addict, an obese guy, and an extremely attractive girl, and to see how each one of them perceives their world, to see their struggles, can be very eye-opening. I also don't think these topics were presented condescendingly at all, and it is hard to get a depressed/suicidal teen down in a way that's respectful, I think. Several of the characters fall at various points on the LGBTQ spectrum, the narrating "entity" itself is not gendered, which obviously raises a lot of questions whether we fall in love with bodies or people. His love interest, Rhiannon, seems to hold back when A is in the body of a girl rather than a boy, so the author realises not everyone is completely blind to gender, even though he seems to be slightly judgmental towards it. I thought it was a beautiful cast of characters, in fact, the character I ended up caring the least for was Rhiannon, who was supposedly one of the two main characters. I found the moving from life to life the most interesting thing, and it must have been quite the effort for the author to forge each character in a way that was believable, and unique, and didn't all blend into one. The only reason this didn't get five stars is that I wasn't totally satisfied with the ending, I thought it was a little too rushed and the author omitted some very important information (A has an email exchange with someone like him, it is mentioned that he asks questions and the other characters provides answers, but we don't see either, and why he makes the final decision he makes leaves too much to the imagination, I thought ).; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares; Author: Rachel Cohn; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: Finished this today right after another David Levithan book and I couldn't have more different feelings towards the two. I'm not solely focusing on his half of the chapters, because both narrating voices in this book have that pretentious, John Green-ish type dialogue that makes or breaks a novel for me these days. I'm all for teenagers being educated, bookish, and having great vocabulary. Totally. I know 16 year olds like that and was one at one point, a long time ago. However - nobody speaks like that. And dialogue that doesn't ring true just puts me off. I could say, in addition to that, that it felt a little bit forced how these two characters had to end up together just because everyone expected them to. At no point did I get the impression that they were falling for each other, it just seemed like mild curiosity/intrigue on both parts. And so many events that happen to these characters depend on their wealth and privilege, which makes the story not more unbelievable, but harder to relate with for sure. I didn't dislike the book, it had some lovely descriptions of New York City and it was interesting, for me, to remember places, or learn about new ones I never visited. I even liked the two characters, individually, I just cannot consider this a love story, as much as an exercise in cuteness?; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Requiem (Delirium, #3); Author: Lauren Oliver; Genres: young-adult, romance, paranormal, fantasy, fiction; Review: I have read the last sentence less than two minutes ago and it's ridiculous how disappointed I am. It's bad enough that everything has to be in three parts these days, like standalone stories are somewhat lesser, but to write a trilogy and give it a rushed, open-ended finish is even worse. I didn't realise I was getting close to the end, as I was reading this on my phone and I thought I was several pages away (the several pages turned out to be an extract from Oliver's debut novel) so when the end came, it felt like a cop-out, there were so many unanswered questions and it felt like the author was too lazy to find a solution to them all. No doubt she has decided, in her head, how the story continues, but some of it would have made for interesting situation of conflict and it makes me think, did she simply not feel up to the task of tackling them? Specifically: What happens to Fred? Does he live? What happens to Hana? How does Lena eventually communicate to Julian that she chooses Alex? (if it wasn't irritating enough that every YA trilogy has to have a love triangle) Does the government get overturned and if so, is it just in one city? Are we supposed to believe this will inspire a large-scale rebellion? Was Hana's cure even defective? All I wanted was closure of some kind. Happy ending, sad ending, I'm not really bothered as long as I know what happens to the characters and I'm not made to decide it for myself. Lena, if nothing else, lacks the "speshul snowflake" characteristic that every other female main character in dystopia seems to have - she's not a natural born leader, she works as part of a team and doesn't have any special ability that makes her the Chosen One who will Make a Difference and Change the Course of History. Maybe that role was reserved for Hana, whose cure worked, maybe, maybe not, it's not really clear to be honest? I wasn't at all expecting Hana to be a second narrating voice, and what a surprise she is still kind hearted and almost fully rational, when she should be feeling a dull contentment most of the time after the cure. I didn't really feel any sort of sympathy for either narrator, they both seemed kind of annoying in their own ways. I feel like the author tried very hard to paint a scene for us, but the characters were just kind of describing what was happening to them with no emotional depth that would make me relate.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Eleanor and Park; Author: Rainbow Rowell; Genres: history, young-adult, biography, historical fiction, romance, fiction; Review: I started this book feeling very skeptical after reading "Fangirl", which I thought was problematic at times. From the synopsis, it sounded like a concept stolen from "Nick and Norah's infinite playlist" (a book I haven't actually read), but how much it ended up gripping me and how much it actually, physically made me cry in real life was completely unexpected. The thing I appreciated the most about it is just how human this love story was. At no point did I feel like the dialogue was cheesy or forced. It was simple, and it was natural, and it was real. I liked so much about it. The fact that although Park was madly in love with Eleanor, he knew she wasn't "nice", and therefore the implication that you don't have to be "nice" to be loved, you just have to be yourself, and everyone deserves to be loved. I liked how real the heavy atmosphere felt in Eleanor's house and I was so scared for her, and scared that something awful was going to happen, that I really didn't want to go on reading towards the end for fear that I wouldn't be able to recover from heartbreak. I like how it blurs the lines with gender, and it mentions that Park thought at points he might be gay, although for silly reasons. The author is not afraid to show that these thoughts crossed her main character's mind, and she doesn't make a big deal out of it. She is acknowledging that most people consider things like sexuality and gender at some point in their lives, although only a minority would ever admit it and talk about it openly. I feel like every character had flaws and redeeming qualities. Park's parents both came through when it was needed, he got a bit of tough love from them both. Even Tina comes across very human by the end when we learn that she, too, has a stepdad she hates, and maybe if she hadn't been so prejudiced towards Eleanor's looks, they could have been friends. I also liked how Park was unaware that maybe other girls might be interested in him, and he is presented as a character who is, if not popular, at least liked, but is completely unaware of it. And yet we can understand the reasons why he is liked and respected, unlike those Mary Sue characters who are adored by all their friends just because they are special snowflake main characters who are "just nothing special" but also adorable, obvs. I don't think I will re-read this book just because of how emotional it made me. It made me feel really helpess at times and like I was really empathising with the two main characters. But I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to read a romance that's not predictable and doesn't make you roll your eyes and cringe.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Fangirl; Author: Rainbow Rowell; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: I came to this book through a suggestion for another novel by the same author, "Eleanor and Park" (which I will be reading next). I thought "Fangirl" would interest me because, like me, the main character enjoys writing, but cannot come up with her own original characters and words. Overall, I had a love/hate relationship with the story all throughout. Ultimately, I enjoyed it, but there were so many things about it that made me cringe. I thought it would be best to separate positives and negatives into bullet points - I will start with the negatives so we can end on a happier note. - The constant description of what the characters were wearing. Wren, Regan, and Cath herself. I say drop the details if they're not relevant to the story. It just felt like it was happening too often and the author was blatantly trying to paint me a picture. - The frequent use of brackets to explain things. I found it really unnecessary and amateurish. Every time Rowell used brackets, she could have easily just fit that information into the main paragraph. It felt like bad fanfiction. - There seems to be two very extreme lifestyles depicted here, Wren's partying/getting drunk which clearly makes her The Bad Guy, versus Cath being an introvert and quite the "late bloomer" and ultimately The Heroine. Nothing in between, like you have to be one of these two things and you can't find a happy medium. - Cath's mental health is never really explored. She clearly has some form of anxiety but it's never clearly stated and she never thinks of seeking help, she just prefers moaning "I'm crazy, I'm crazy". Considering that Rowell is depicting an active fandom here, I am assuming that Cath has access to all the resources that modern 18 year olds have, particularly tumblr, which would teach Cath the correct terminology for anxiety disorders and for what appears to be asexuality. I feel like it would have been more helpful, if this novel was trying to be a role model, to adopt the correct terminology rather than just pile up issues onto each other and leaving the reader to guess the diagnosis. - The fact that Harry Potter is mentioned in dialogue. I would have preferred it if the novel was set in an alternate world where there is no Harry Potter, just Simon Snow. However it was very jarring to have Levi refer to Harry Potter. If HP and SS co-existed, "Gemma T. Leslie" would probably be accused of plagiarism. I thought SS would substitute HP as "the series of books with the huge fandom" in this world, and it just felt like a huge misstep. + I enjoyed the debate over whether fanfic is "stealing". + The best plot point, in my opinion, was that there was no tearful reunion between Cath and her mum. Her mum was, simply put, a villain, and she remains such right through the end, which I thought was refreshing. I had already been irritated by how quickly things get back; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Looking for Alaska; Author: John Green; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: John Green, I swear to god. I will never understand why people idolise this guy when he has one set of characters which he recycles in a variety of different settings. Yes, he sometimes can come up with a very relatable, easily quotable sentence. However, novels are not just a sequence of memorable quotes. There need to be other elements, such as relatability/likeability of the characters and I am sorry but I will never be able to relate to someone who does not speak like real people speak. Seriously, the guy is completely unable to write realistic dialogue - unless he's grown up surrounded by pompous a*seholes and he speaks like one himself. People speak in small bursts, short phrases, they go back on their words, they stutter and stumble. They do not use three subordinate clauses in one breath and talk like they are reading a lecture off of a cue card, ffs. Also, he really did enjoy making fun of the stereotypical "tumblr feminist" in this one, and I suspect that went right over some of those girls' heads, as they continue to love his writing style and I continue to despair.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: One of Us is Lying; Author: Karen M. McManus; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, romance, fiction; Review: This really just goes to show that even if you have a plot with predictable plot twists, you can still write an enjoyable, gripping story, with well-rounded characters that make you care about them. The two main points that I found were really obvious from the beginning were (that Simon committed suicide, and that Cooper is gay ), but as I got nearer the end I just wanted to read faster and faster and find out who the accomplice was. I feel like this was very much aimed at debunking stereotypes and showing how each one of the four main characters was so much more than the assumptions that were made about them, something that people forget all too often and that literature and film often like to remind us. Some of the secondary characters were also very well written with their own voices, Maeve in particular. I don't usually love alternating narrators, but it worked well here, and I do think each one of them had their own voice and personality, which many other authors struggle to convey when they opt for alternating narrators. My only criticism is that I would have liked to have a little more detail towards the end rather than a "fade to black - three months later..." I would have liked to know more about how Addy manages to survive the attack - I'm assuming Cooper called the police because sirens are mentioned, but it is a little bit of a cop-out not to show the exact sequence of events.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1); Author: Leigh Bardugo; Genres: young-adult, mystery, thriller, crime, paranormal, fantasy, romance, fiction; Review: This was the best thing I've read in a really, really long time, and I don't even know where to start with the compliments. I initially bought it because I was looking for realistic portrayals of PTSD for something I'm writing, and it came highly recommended on this website. However, it is genuinely beyond my comprehension how this can be considered a young adult book (I know, I know: lack of sexual content). There is a fair amount of violence and gore and the themes are extremely adult: swindling, slavery, trauma, war, murder, to name but a few! It was gripping, the world-building was amazing, the characters were very well distinct one from the other. Some of the dialogue was really witty and resembled real conversation, none of that artificial "the characters talk in paragraphs" crap that I really hate. It was an extremely "visual" book, I feel - the descriptions of the people and places were detailed enough that I could picture them in my head, but not so long that I would find them boring. It was very much like watching a movie or tv show. I was not irritated by the alternating narrators. I repeat. I WAS NOT IRRITATED BY THE ALTERNATING NARRATORS. They were genuinely their own people, and with this many protagonists it was essential that we would know what motivated each one. Also because of how many plot twists there were, it was essential that we would only know one character's POV at a time so that the surprise effect would be preserved. I enjoyed being reminded that these characters didn't even speak the same language as each other, sometimes - it is mindblowing that the author managed to come up with not one but several fictional languages, several fictional religions/deities/traditions, and I would absolutely love to have a conversation with her about the steps that she took to develop this system of languages and cultures and why she chose certain European languages as her inspiration over others. It's just such a cool blend of familiar and unfamiliar - some of the names used, some of the foods described, are everyday things that we are very used to, and some are entirely made up. The sexual tension between pairs of characters was believable and subtle, exactly like it would be on tv to keep that will-they-won't-they dragging for as long as they can possibly manage. If I had one criticism, it's that the characters seemed to pair off quite nicely two by two, which is maybe the least realistic thing about this book (and this is a world where some characters can manipulate the elements, lol). There was a notable absence of f/f romance, however, not even a passing acknowledgement, so I'm hoping for this to be explored in the sequel. I immediately bought the second installment after finishing the first and I can't wait to read it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Everything, Everything; Author: Nicola Yoon; Genres: fiction, young-adult, romance; Review: I kinda feel after reading this that I shouldn't worry if my own writing is too far-fetched, because few things can be as far-fetched as this story! I flicked through this in a bookstore and I considered buying it for research, but I then saw some reviews online about how it was "bad and/or outdated representation of people with SCID" and believe it or not, just by that, I guessed the plot twist. There's a film that uses the exact same plot twist - the main character isn't sick at all, she just has an overprotective single parent. I feel like the author of this book watched "Repo! The genetic opera" and just changed the plot to be more contemporary and then threw in a biracial protagonist just so it could be said that she was appealing to a wider audience. (sidenote - the character's appearance is referenced very little, and there is no mention of her two cultures playing any part in her upbringing - she could just as well be white!) I can see that other people liked them, but I personally find the little drawings, "screenshots" and attachments in the novel jarring, and also very difficult to read in .epub (I couldn't zoom in and the text was minuscule). I also get irrationally irritated with books that have far too many chapters that are no more than a paragraph long, and this had quite a few of those. It had maybe one or two memorable quotes, but the majority of it read like a repetitive stream of consciousness that anyone could've written. The language was not very evocative and I felt that it lacked detail.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Solitaire; Author: Alice Oseman; Genres: young-adult, thriller, crime, fiction, romance, mystery; Review: It's a bit convoluted how I even found out this book existed. Another novel by the same author was suggested as a potential read for LGBT YA book of the month, and I ended up in a clicking tunnel and ended up here. We all know what that feels like. The reviews for Solitaire seemed to be a very love-it-or-hate-it affair, which obviously pushed me to read it and make up my own mind. I place myself firmly in the hate-it camp, which is not to say it wasn't enjoyable at times. But those times were few and far between WTF moments, clunky dialogue and inexperienced prose. I can kinda see the message that the author wanted to give through the shambolic plot and characters who hardly had their own voices. I think she is tyring to tell us that no one can live alone, that it's good to have friends around you and to open up about things that might be troubling you, but I can't be sure. The execution left a lot to be desired, as did the writing style. There were some truly jarring sentences like "I cross my legs like you do in primary school". Just say "I cross my legs" ffs. Adults cross their legs too, Alice. There is so much repetition and desperate attempts to make "It's funny because it's true" the MC's catchphrase... except all it makes me think of is Karen Walker on Will&Grace, which predates this book by at least a decade. Every time someone said "like" in dialogue, it was actually written down. Sometimes THREE times in a single sentence!! Who publishes this stuff?? Who at motherf*cking HARPER COLLINS read this and thought "yeah, I think this author deserves money for this story"? I despair. Plenty of reviews have already mentioned the too many pop culture references that date the book instantly. Even though the word 'tumblr' is very carefully replaced with the more generic 'blog', we know fairly well that that's what she means. There are mentions of niche indie films that Tumblr is obsessed with to really drill home that this novel is set in the age of TUMBLR!!!! and will literally not make sense to anyone born 10 years either side of the author. It's also weird that something could be so deeply intertwined with tumblr culture and yet use certain terms that real tumblr would most definitely frown upon (retard, deranged). PLUS a very weird "homophobes are people, too!" subplot???? A lot of reviews also didn't like the "unexplained mental illness" of the protagonist - do you know what? A lot of the time people who do have a mental illness don't realise that they do, and the book was realistic in that sense. I can't believe that people have more of a problem with that than, for example, a group of teenagers with the technical know-how to hijack a flippin music festival, or burn down a school. If we're going for relatability, then surely it's not good to have a bunch of characters be so destructive that; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | goodreads |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Champion Big Boys' Six Pack Ankle Socks; Brand: ; Review: *79% cotton (impossible to find now with most socks being primarily polyester which stinks, literally and feels horrible) *Thick, cushiony sport-like bottom, great for sweaty, active feet *More versatile/less casual looking top (due to the high cotton content and not too elasticy) *Comes in packs of SAME colored socks (sorry sock monster) & in black! (also hard to find) *Perfect, versatile sock height: Lo-cut tends to slip inside the shoe and are tres casual, higher socks look lame with shorts and can be too tight and hot for sensitive kids. Note re: sizing - Med says 9-2-1/2 shoe size but are too big for my size 9 son. Were great for my size 11 son with room to grow. Exact fiber content break-down: 79% cotton 17% polyester 2% natural latex rubber 1% nylon 1% spandex; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Glow Alien Kids Morphsuit Costume - size Large 4'-4'6 (120cm-137cm); Brand: Morphsuits; Review: I bought a morphsuit for my 6 yr old and a SecondSkin suit for my 4 yr old. Here's a comparison: -The Morphsuit fabric is softer and better quality, although no complaints with the SecondSkin which is surprisingly well-made (strong seams...). -Morphsuit insists on putting "Morphsuit" in large font on the butt of their costumes, super lame as "realistic morphing" and "branding" kind of condradict each other. - Morphsuit head part has a separate pocket opening at the back and closes with Velcro which is kind of a pain to use (holds hair, hard to close) and looks a bit more bulky, but is designed to be easier for the wearer to take off (it also, as a side note, makes it impossible to "tuck" the face portion into the costume for events where the mask might not be appropriate; you CAN do this with SecondSkin which has a two zipper system). -The zipper puckers on the Morphsuit but lays flat on SecondSkin -The sizing is way off on the Morphsuit: The Small is a little too big (a bit baggy and the fingers are too long) on my son who is an average build 6 yr old (3'10") , the package lists Small for 3'4" to 3'10". The Small SecondSkin fit my 4 yr old (who's tall, 3'8') perfectly but was a little small on my 6 year old. Summary: SecondSkin fits smaller, lays flatter and has a lovely smooth double-zipper system we prefer. For the price, SecondSkin wins our vote and with the lame bum branding of Morphsuits, the better quality fabric still puts it in second place. Note: A third bodysuit arrived, made by Smiffy's and is by far the superior of the three suits. High quality fabric, single zipper up the back and an invisible pocket for the face portion at the FRONT (smart, right?). Doesn't look like they make kids suits but if you're looking for an adult one by this brand, search BOTH "Smiffy's bodysuit" and "Smiffy's second skin" to pull up all.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: AltSkin Men's Full Body Spandex/Lycra Suit; Brand: AltSkin; Review: I bought a morphsuit for my 6 yr old and a SecondSkin suit for my 4 yr old. Here's a comparison: -The Morphsuit fabric is softer and better quality, although no complaints with the SecondSkin which is surprisingly well-made (strong seams...). -Morphsuit insists on putting "Morphsuit" in large font on the butt of their costumes, super lame as "realistic morphing" and "branding" kind of condradict each other. - Morphsuit head part has a separate pocket opening at the back and closes with Velcro which is kind of a pain to use (holds hair, hard to close) and looks a bit more bulky, but is designed to be easier for the wearer to take off (it also, as a side note, makes it impossible to "tuck" the face portion into the costume for events where the mask might not be appropriate; you CAN do this with SecondSkin which has a two zipper system). -The zipper puckers on the Morphsuit but lays flat on SecondSkin -The sizing is way off on the Morphsuit: The Small is a little too big (a bit baggy and the fingers are too long) on my son who is an average build 6 yr old (3'10"), the package lists Small for 3'4" to 3'10". The Small SecondSkin fit my 4 yr old (who's tall, 3'8') perfectly but was a little small on my 6 year old. Summary: SecondSkin fits smaller, lays flatter and has a lovely smooth double-zipper system we prefer. For the price, SecondSkin wins our vote and with the lame bum branding of Morphsuits, the better quality fabric still puts it in second place. Note: a third bodysuit arrived, made by Smiffy's and is by far the superior of the three suits. High quality fabric, single zipper up the back and an invisible pocket for the face portion at the FRONT (smart, right?). Doesn't look like they make kids suits but if you're looking for an adult one by this brand, search BOTH "Smiffy's bodysuit" and "Smiffy's second skin" to pull up all.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Smiffy's Men's Mummy Second Skin Costume; Brand: Smiffy's; Review: I searched long and hard for a mummy costume that wouldn't be too scary (classic mummy). This one is better than expected. It's more of a cream/old bandage color than the white that appears in the picture and looks and feels fabulous. The quality of the fabric is excellent and the costume is well made with clever pockets for the face portion of the mask and for peeing. It also comes with a matching money pouch. I'm a woman, size 4 and fit the medium (although would have ordered small if they'd had it). We bought similar suits from Morphsuits and SecondSkin and this one is by far the superior of the three.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Posse Comitatus Dippers Blue Pine Tree Unisex-Adult Trucker Hat -One-Size Royal/White; Brand: Posse Comitatus; Review: Great price at $6/hat and in case you're trying to buy these for a Gravity Falls Bday party, they will fit children as young as 6/7 but you have to overlap the adjustable band and they are huge looking but still super fun and campy.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 8 Pcs 8 Colors Adjustable Jibbitz Croc Wrist Bracelet Band Party Gifts; Brand: Bracelet lokai bracelet bracelet for men pandora bracelet ankle bracelet bracelets for women paracord bracelet bracelet charms bracelet holder bracelet making kit bracelets for girls lokai bracelet set bracelet for women lokai bracelet set of 12 bracelet string bracelet set bracelet kit lokai bracelet purple lokai bracelet small lokai bracelets all colors; Review: These bracelets are on the big side. Even though they're adjustable, the smallest they go is not small enough for very young children. I would say more for kids 8+ to adults.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Skechers Kids Damager Game Kicks Light-Up Sneaker; Brand: ; Review: one of the lights broke within a few weeks. I expected as sketchers they would be cheaply made and as kids, the novelty would wear off quickly but for $50 I was hoping they would work at least as long as the shoes lasted (high hopes were for 8-12 months). alas, sketchers dissapoints again.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Haflinger Women's AR Jimmy Flat; Brand: Haflinger; Review: I like a slipper to stay on my foot. I'm a 7-1/2/8 and ordered the 38 which was too floppy. The 37 was perfect. Although a little scratchy on bare feet, the warmth and natural fiber aspect of these slippers win out. With a thin sock they are perfect. I like the felted bottom with grip as it does not make sound for my downstairs neighbors but is sturdy enough to run the garbage outside.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hybrid & Co. Women's Butt Lift Super Comfy Stretch Denim Skinny Yoga Jeans; Brand: HyBrid & Company; Review: These pants are a great value, are well made. fit nicely (very flattering) and very comfortable but the sizing varies a bit from color to color (as does the fabric content). Thankfully, the amazing return policy on these allowed me to go back and forth a bit until I nailed it. FWIW, the cream and white pants fit smaller and I had to go up a size (I'm normally a 0 or 1 and went up to the 3). The coral and light blue were a thinner/stretchier fabric and were more true to size. The black was in-between (so just a tiny bit big but pretty true to size). They do shrink a bit and tighten up in the wash but with the thinner/stretchier fabric of the coral and light blue a smaller size was needed as they also stretch out more during the day. Hope this helps! Very grateful to have found an affordable flattering pant that comes in a gazillion colors!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Clothing_Shoes_and_Jewelry |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: One Plus One: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Jojo Moyes Page; Review: I recently discovered Jojo Moyes. I have loved "The Last Letter From Your Lover", "Me Before You" and "The Girl You Left Behind". I think this one is her best. It's clever, funny and sometimes heartbreaking. She has a real gift for storytelling and the ability to provide characters that have depth. A page turner from beginning to end. I laughed out loud and cried too. I will probably reread it again and again while I wait for her next book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Three Wishes: A Novel; Author: Visit Amazon's Liane Moriarty Page; Review: Liane Moriarty tells a great story about three sisters that are triplets. It is funny and often entertaining, especially the family dynamics that most of us can relate to. I like the way in which her characters find their voices after a series of conflicts. We are all more than just the images that we create and sell to others.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson; Author: John Green ( YUE HAN GE LIN ); Review: This was a wonderfully entertaining book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sunday Morning Quilts: 16 Modern Scrap Projects - Sort, Store, and Use Every Last Bit of Your Treasured Fabrics; Author: Visit Amazon's Amanda Jean Nyberg Page; Review: Easy instructions and great pictures. Very inspiring book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Quiltmaker's Gift; Author: ; Review: A wonderful story and beautifully illustrated.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: A Month of Sundays - Family, Friends, Food & Quilts: Slow Down & Sew - 16 Projects, Precut Friendly; Author: Visit Amazon's Cheryl Arkison Page; Review: This is a nice book for quilters. I love both of the Cheyrl Arkison books. The first one is the best quilting directions I've ever had. This follows up as a nice companion.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space (Captain Underpants #3):; Author: Visit Amazon's Dav Pilkey Page; Review: Fun Book!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets; Author: Visit Amazon's Dav Pilkey Page; Review: Great for kids!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot (Astro-Activity Book O'Fun) by Pilkey, Dav (unknown Edition) [Paperback(2006)]; Author: ; Review: Great for kids!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot Book Set (7 Volumes); Author: Visit Amazon's Dav Pilkey Page; Review: Great for kids!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Residence Inn Washington DC Foggy Bottom; City: Washington DC District of Columbia; Review: Check-in took 35 minutes. First was told they had no room available. Then the staff decided to check in other parties that had arrived after me while I patiently waited outside to be called. Called the "careline" people to report a group of disruptive kids causing a ruckus due to their supposed late checkin. Told him that they'd been "checking in" for an hour and it was no excuse to be that obnoxious at 12:20am. The "careline" person told me he couldn't do anything because he had no idea who the chaperon was. Absolutely ridiculous. The amenities mean very little because the staff is just incompetent and rude. But the living area and bedroom are fine. The bathroom is smaller than a broom closet. The closet next to the bathroom might be larger than the bathroom, no exaggeration. The cookies that they give you at check-out should honestly read, "I stayed at the Doubletree Suites DC and all I got was one supposed fresh baked cookie" Should have stayed across the street at GWU Inn. Free is overpaying for this place.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Extended Stay America Los Angeles Torrance Harbor Gateway; City: Torrance California; Review: Convenient location, rooms are maintained but showing a little wear. No shampoo is a downer. Coffee and a grab-and-go breakfast bar in the morning is nice. It is an extended stay hotel and amenities aren't meant to dazzle. It is what it is.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Premier Ivy Inn Suites; City: Cody Wyoming; Review: Western part of town, or coming from Yellowstone, it would be one of the first hotels you see driving into Cody. A rustic lobby, a nice feature is that each floor has a television lounge near the elevators. There's a mini store in the lobby, which is priced rather reasonably. Front desk staff were courteous. Stayed on the third floor in a upgraded room, and was indeed a nice sized room. Coffee machine is K-Cups for those that are interested. Well furnished, plenty of room even with sofa and couch. Looked like most rooms (if not all) have balconies. The hotel's location (on hwy 16) is convenient, but we found it to be a tad loud only because the bikers where in town for Sturgis Rally. Not really going to penalize the hotel for that though. Definitely recommended.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Sunroute Aomori; City: Aomori Aomori Prefecture Tohoku; Review: This is definitely not the hotel to stay in if you're looking for new, shiny, or any other superlative adjective. This hotel is definitely dated. But what you will find here is great rates and great service. Short walk to JR Aomori Station, and Shinmachi shops, etc are real close. La-Rase Nebuta Hall is close by as well. Rooms are standard Japanese size and more than adequate.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Pacific Garden; City: Gardena California; Review: Keeping in mind the price paid, this place is not bad. However, this hotel has seen better days. Furnishings and environment very much dated. The bed was very hard. No joke, sleeping on the carpet was probably softer than on the bed provided. TV Japan available on the television so that was nice. Breakfast was better than I expected after reading some of the reviews here. Stayed only one night, can't imagine wanting to stay here extended nights. Hotel is located next to a strip mall so it can get loud early in the morning.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Accent Inn Victoria; City: Victoria Victoria Capital Regional District Vancouver Island Britis; Review: Good location, sad to hear the loss of the ABC Country restaurant next door (definitely leaves a void in terms of view) Great service at check-in/check-out, the room is a bit dated especially the bathroom vent and A/C. Decent-sized room.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Four Points by Sheraton Mall of America Minneapolis Airport; City: Richfield Minnesota; Review: Late arriving flight lead to me being a late-checkin late-checkout guest. Upgrades seem to have been made to make the lobby/common areas more pleasant. It shows, but it is very utilitarian. The rooms are very nice with many eco-friendly/eco-friendlier features. A very nice plus in my opinion. Only gripe is bathroom is a little small. Conveniently located to 494 and 35W which is a plus.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Holiday Inn Brownsville; City: Brownsville Texas; Review: Conveniently located near 77, rooms are nice with ample space. My Choice hotels membership was recognized at check-in and was also provided with a bottle of water and a granola bar at check-in. Staff is nice. The comp breakfast has slim pickings. My only main complaint is that given the atmosphere (humid), common areas and room itself lack air circulation. General sense of mugginess throughout, especially on fourth floor where I stayed.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Residence Inn Washington DC Foggy Bottom; City: Washington DC District of Columbia; Review: Having stayed here in May 2012 back when it was known as the Doubletree, there is a definite feel of familiarity with the hotel redesigned as Residence Inn, but there are differences too. Most notably the difference was the staff. Staff much more attentive and friendly than the Doubletree days. Lobby is definitely different and better suited. Thought the breakfast was more than adequate and stocked properly. The market and check-in counter is too wide-open, seems like it could have a better layout, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Market items seemed to be priced reasonably. There is basically no change in the rooms from what I remember from the Doubletree days to the current Residence Inn. Nice sized rooms. Clearly there is some retouching still being done (elevator, etc). Considering I think my previous review as the Doubletree was one of the most scathing I've ever given, I was more than pleased with the progress made as the Residence Inn.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Residence Inn Boston Tewksbury Andover; City: Tewksbury Massachusetts; Review: Staff was friendly at check-in/check-out. My MR status was recognized at check-in. Elevators are a little hard to find. Rooms are comfortable and a good size. Convenient location to the freeway, and being close to Cracker Barrel is a win in my book. I'd recommend asking for a room away 495. I was in a top-floor room in one of the buildings closest to 495 and could definitely hear the cars go by.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Old Colony Inn Alexandria; City: Alexandria Virginia; Review: Room is a little dated, which seems appropriate that it is the "old colony". Cozy and comfortable. BW status recognized at check-in. Usually stay in DC but the hotel rates were crazy as I had visited when Pope Francis was in town. Breakfast is included and adequate. Shuttle service to the Metro station is great, but my gripe is that it ends at 9pm. I returned from a night in DC about 10pm and was left with taking a bus from Pentagon metro so that I could get off at a bus stop relatively close to the hotel.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Miyako Hybrid Hotel; City: Torrance California; Review: Found this hotel to be very nice, with friendly staff and rooms that are spacious. Being of Japanese descent really enjoyed the amenities such as large shower/bath area. Only gripe is there really could be more light inside the hotel and inside the room. There's only so much eco-friendliness you can push before it become overkill. The wireless internet didn't seem to be working well but the wired in-room internet worked great.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Hotel Tokyo Higashi Nihonbashi; City: Chuo Tokyo Tokyo Prefecture Kanto; Review: The hotel is conveniently located near several subway/train stations, so you can pick and choose depending on where you're going (ended up using JR Bakurocho Station--technically below the hotel but the walk to the platforms take 3-4 mins, Higashi-Nihonbashi Subway Station--about 4-5 min walk, and Asakusabashi Station (about 7 min walk). Front desk staff is good, nothing spectacular. Choice Platinum status not recognized at check-in but then again not sure if the Choice Privileges US program is recognized in Japan because my stay hasn't been credited to my account two weeks removed from my first stay (4-night). Stayed in a twin room. Beds and pillow were quite comfortable. But the room was really small, especially because the two beds were double beds (i think) instead of single/twin beds. Space sacrificed with bed comfort with the use of the bigger beds. Wifi worked well during stay. Morning breakfast spread is very nice for a hotel breakfast. But stayed there six nights (four and two, non-consecutive) and the spread was virtually unchanged, so it does get monotonous. Coffee and newspaper availability in the lobby is great. Self-service laundromat and vending machines located on some of the floors. The 7-Eleven is next door as well.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Planet Bike Comet Shoe Covers; Brand: Planet Bike; Review: these help a little, but come 30 degrees or below and your toes will be freezing. Order large for sure!!; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Pearl Izumi Men's Quest Bib Short; Brand: Pearl iZUMi; Review: fit very nicely, good quality material; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pearl Izumi Men's Select Thermal Cycling Bib Tight; Brand: Pearl iZUMi; Review: Wish they were a little bit warmer on the legs, not much insulation as I had hoped; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: XLC Adjustable 0-60 Degree Aluminum A-Head Bicycle Stem, 1-1/8" Fork Tube Diameter; Brand: XLC; Review: Worked very well for my fuji absolute, helped me sit more squarely on my brooks saddle. Love how i can adjust my handlebars now!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Bright Eyes Newly Upgraded and Fully Waterproof 1200 Lumen Rechargeable Mountain, Road Bike Headlight, 6400mAh Battery (Now; Brand: Bright Eyes; Review: Mounted this thing on my cycling helmet , use the second bright setting which is not the brightest but it works. The brightest setting last for about 45 minutes, not quite long enough for me but if I need the 1200 lumens it definately lights up the roadway for me. I ride around 4:30 in the morning and am much pleased with the light.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brooks England B17 Standard Black Steel Saddle; Brand: Brooks England; Review: Thought I was getting the male version of this, ended up getting the womens version. Either way I like it and would recommend this seat for upright style bicycles. If your riding anything anything that requires aggressive posture , don't get this saddle.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SRAM Road Computer Mount; Brand: SRAM; Review: Got my garmin 500 on this, it has worked out very well for my fuji road bikes.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 4ucycling Windproof Athletic Pants for Outdoor and Multi Sports; Brand: 4ucycling; Review: Another extra layer for warmth, Not as warm as i thought it would be but I would still recommend it. Quality of the material is good and is holding up after many washes.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Kinetic Z Rollers; Brand: Kinetic; Review: Never been on a set of rollers before, I bought these for my first set. I was looking at the parabolic ones too, however these just take a little practice. I placed it between my fridge and a center island , after about 10 minutes I was doing it! I wouldnt worry about not getting a workout on these, unless you can hold 350-400 watts for 20+ plus minutes. I'm currently around 175 watts, I still have many gears to go before I would spin out. The resistance seems really good although I am using 32mm tires, would imagine 23mm tires would be cool too. I don't get bored nearly as quick as I do on my turbo trainer, but both have their place. These rollers really do fold up nicely, and the quality of them really does seem to stand out. I don't know if I would have gotten the same satisfaction out of a cheaper set of rollers but I wanted something that would last.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Brooks England Men's Cambium C17 Carved Saddle; Brand: Brooks England; Review: What can I say, its a Brooks. Very good quality. I move this seat around on 3 of my bikes. It works excellent on my fuji outland, Kestrel talon, and fuji touring bike. If your tired of buying a bunch of seats only to find out they hurt after awhile, I recommend this one or the C15 for a little narrower backside.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Roswheel® Uprated Vershion Comfortable Light Weight Mountain Bike Road Bicycle Hollow Out Spider Saddle Seat Cushion Bicycle Accessories-Black Color; Brand: ; Review: I bought this just to try it out, $16 is cheap, seat looks cool on my Kestrel Talon. Comfort is pretty good, rides past 30 miles for me I started to feel it. Very light weight, good construction. Much better to try this out versus some high dollar of the same shape etc. Would recommend this for your aggressive style road bike.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: SRAM Supercork Bicycle Bar Tape; Brand: SRAM; Review: This stuff is cost effective, especially vs. $45 lizard bar tape. Looks beautiful on my new zipp alloy handlebars. Had no problem wrapping it around the bars and keeping it sequential. Recommend for the price and the quality.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bikehand Pro Mechanic Bicycle/Bike Repair Rack Stand; Brand: Bikehand; Review: This thing is great!! Recommend , good quality, i'm constantly servicing all my bikes, 6 of them on this thing, makes it sooo much easier. Cant beat the price. I was looking at the more expensive ones as well but i'm glad I saved the money and got this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Life of Pi; Author: Visit Amazon's Yann Martel Page; Review: The first half kind of dragged, but the ending was good. Now all I have to do is watch the movie.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats; Author: Visit Amazon's Francesco Marciuliano Page; Review: This is a cute book for any cat lover. The poems are strangely accurate for the things cats like to do.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zombie Cat: The Tale of a Decomposing Kitty; Author: Visit Amazon's Isabel Atherton Page; Review: This is a cute book. Maybe not worth the price, but it is still great for zombie/cat lovers to have.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Boundaries: When To Say Yes, How to Say No; Author: Visit Amazon's Henry Cloud Page; Review: Make sure you realize it is the miniature version of the book. I neglected to make that realization, but it Is my own fault.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Gift of Fear : Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence; Author: Gavin De Becker; Review: I got this book as a suggestion from my professor. It is a good read for any female. And males should read it to understand why women should act a certain way.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cat Butts (Miniature Editions); Author: Visit Amazon's Blue Q Page; Review: These are a great addition to any cat lovers refrigerator. They are bigger than I expected which was a good surprise.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Domaine Madeleine; City: Port Angeles Clallam County Washington; Review: The best bed and breakfast I have ever been to hands down. They do everything possible to make sure it is an enjoyable experience. Chef Brian is world class and cooked some of the best food my fiancé and I have ever had. The views are stunning and the rooms are fantastic. We really liked how the furniture and décor were not old and antique looking like many of the other B&Bs in the area. I had put in a request as I was planning on proposing to my girlfriend and they pulled out all the stops to make it as perfect as possible. We even had a celebratory wine tasting the next night. If I could give this place ten stars I would!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tropica Island Resort; City: Malolo Island Mamanuca Islands; Review: We could have not asked for a more amazing stay! From beginning to end the staff made us feel like a part of the family and did everything possible to make sure we had the most amazing vacation. The food is incredible and we recommend getting the meal plan. We saw sea turtles and starfish just snorkeling off of the beach. The beach was a little rocky just from coral washing up on shore during our stay but this was the only area we could see this resort improve. The people and the food make this place the best place to stay in Fiji. We have already talked about going back and would HIGHLY recommend to anyone!! - Ronnie and Natalie; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Elounda Bay Palace; City: Elounda Lasithi Prefecture Crete; Review: Stayed for three nights and enjoyed our stay. It might be the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen as the landscaping is manicured very well and there is beautiful stone everywhere. The restaurants were very nice and the food was great however they do require trousers. My wife and I were traveling throughout Greece and most places were 90 degrees so I only brought shorts. I ended up having to go into town to buy a pair. A couple small issues we had was our room was quite warm even with the Air Conditioning on the highest it would go and we could hear kids yelling outside our room all the way until 1130 at night that kept us up. Other than that our stay was great.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Aqua Palms Waikiki; City: Honolulu Oahu Hawaii; Review: Great location and friendly staff. Easily walkable to the beach and many different restaurants. For a small boutique hotel my wife and I were very happy with our stay. The hotel is a little old so some improvements with renovations could make it excellent!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Volcano View Hotel Santorini; City: Fira Santorini Cyclades South Aegean; Review: Great location! We looked at many other hotels in Oia and Fira and decided on Volcano View based on the location and the views. Let me tell you it did not disappoint! We had dinner one night and ate breakfast every day at the restaurant and it was all fantastic. The hotel is just outside of Fira so it is close enough to walk but very quiet. Everything the staff recommended to include Argyros Estates winery, Argo restaurant in Fira, and Catch in Oia were EXCELLENT. The staff also goes out of their way to help you. My wife and I drove the whole island on an ATV we had rented and by the end of our 4 day trip we both were very glad we chose Volcano View over any other hotel on the island.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Comfort Inn Suites Airport; City: Reno Nevada; Review: Stayed for a total of three days with my wife. Good breakfast in the morning and convenient location to the airport and the highway. It was quiet and had everything we needed. I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick overnight stay!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Couple Didn't Know Why Car Was Running Strangely Then They Popped The Hood; Abstract: Earlier this week, Holly Persic was driving to work in Pennsylvania when her car suddenly started acting up. The engine was making a weird sound, and there was a faint smell of burning. Persic pulled over and called her husband, Chris. He suggested she pop the hood. And sure enough, this is what they found: Chris Persic Inside the engine compartment were hundreds of walnuts, along with some dry grass. A squirrel, it seems, had chosen the...; Category: lifestyle
Title: Discover the abandoned circus-themed house cloaked in secrets; Abstract: Hidden deep in a valley in New York's Catskill Mountains, this abandoned circus-themed house is the stuff of nightmares. We can just imagine Pennywise, the terrifying clown from It, roaming its haunting halls. Intrepid urban explorer and photographer Bryan Sansivero has captured the mansion, its outbuildings and grounds in all their eerie glory. Are you brave enough to take a tour?; Category: lifestyle
Title: 19 Mysterious Old Home Features That Aren't Useful Anymore; Abstract: Many old homes have perplexing features that baffle their modern-day owners. Here we've solved 19 of those mysteries!!; Category: lifestyle
Title: Jake Gyllenhaal heroically rescues Dalmatian in NYC; Abstract: On October 17, Jake Gyllenhaal heroically rescued a large Dalmatian from oncoming traffic in the middle of a busy New York City intersection.; Category: movies
Title: The Little-Known Airplane Feature That Could Save Your Life; Abstract: Remembering this tiny device could be a big deal!; Category: travel
Title: Cell Phone Forces Flight Diversion to Ireland; Abstract: When no one could identify the owner of the phone, the captain diverted the flight.; Category: travel
Title: Woman who made it on Delta flight without a ticket or boarding pass says 'it's not my fault'; Abstract: The woman who managed to board a Delta flight out of Orlando insists that she bought a ticket at a kiosk, accidentally chucked her boarding pass on her way to the plane, and was let through all the screening checkpoints with just a selfie on her phone. "It's their fault," she told WKMG-TV on Tuesday. "This is not my fault." She said she does not have a driver's license so could not show that as ID. But officials searching garbage bins for 45...; Category: travel
Title: Unlock the secrets of this puzzle house with 13 floors; Abstract: With 13 floors and no internal walls, the House in Miyamoto is breaking all the architectural rules. Step inside this puzzling family home in the heart of Osaka...; Category: lifestyle
Title: Why I don't hand out candy on Halloween; Abstract: ; Category: lifestyle
Title: How to Adopt a Retired Police Dog; Abstract: Help our brave pups in blue track down the perfect forever homes.; Category: lifestyle
Title: 25 photos of tiny living spaces around the world; Abstract: From "coffin homes" in Hong Kong to compact apartments in the US and Europe, here are some of the smallest homes from around the world.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Joe Biden reportedly denied Communion at a South Carolina church because of his stance on abortion; Abstract: Joe Biden has a complicated history with the Catholic Church.; Category: news
Title: Biden on being denied communion: 'I'm a practicing Catholic, I practice my faith'; Abstract: Former Vice President and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden refused to confirm reports that he was denied communion at a South Carolina church on Sunday because of his stance on abortion, referring to the incident as his "personal life."; Category: news
Title: Foie Gras Is Banned by New York City; Abstract: Lutèce served it seared, with dark chocolate sauce and bitter orange marmalade. Le Cirque offered it in classic terrine form, but also served it with rabbit and bacon and made it the scene-stealer in a ravioli dish. But Lutèce closed in New York in 2004. Le Cirque shut its last Manhattan location in 2017. And foie gras, the calling card of fine French dining, is about to follow suit. The New York City Council overwhelmingly passed legislation on...; Category: foodanddrink
Title: Former NBA first-round pick Jim Farmer arrested in sex sting operation; Abstract: Farmer, 55, was booked for trafficking a person for a commercial sex act.; Category: sports
Title: Video captures terrifying moment woman slips at Grand Canyon; Abstract: Emily Koford was visiting the national park with her mom when a step backward left her clinging to the rocks.; Category: video
Title: 30 Holiday Gifts You Should Be Buying Early; Abstract: It's only October, but you should be aware that some of the best holiday gifts might not be around by Black Friday at least not at these amazing prices. Pick up these presents with plenty of time to go and you'll pay less, be guaranteed your pick, and, when it comes to certain toys, have time to put them together.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Flight attendants reveal the wildest things they've seen at work; Abstract: From the overhead bin raining maggots to a physical assault over armrests, flight attendants reveal the craziest things they've seen on the job.; Category: travel
Title: American Airlines cabin crew fear return of Boeing 737 Max; Abstract: Lori Bassani, who leads the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, wrote to Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg about the ongoing 737 Max crisis.; Category: travel
Title: 82-year-old priest killed in flash floods after Halloween storm, police say; Abstract: Father Tom Connery, who served as a priest for 56 years, was killed after his vehicle became trapped in Herkimer County during the storm, police said.; Category: news
Title: Survivor Contestant Rudy Boesch Dies at 91 After Long Battle with Alzheimer's Disease; Abstract: Survivor's Rudy Boesch Dead at 91; Category: tv
Title: 200 Shocking Home Photos You Have to See; Abstract: We know a good DIY project when we see it, but these aren't them. Some of these are goofy, some are head scratchers and some are downright dangerous. Check these photos out, you'll definitely learn a thing or two!; Category: lifestyle
Title: Here Are the Biggest Deals We're Anticipating for Black Friday; Abstract: The Black Friday deals for 2019 have already begun leaking out. Get a sneak peek at what to expect from popular retailers like Costco, Walmart, and Best Buy. Browse our guide and use it to plan your attack for the biggest shopping event of the year.; Category: lifestyle
Title: Air Force airman missing after fall into Gulf of Mexico from C-130 aircraft; Abstract: A U.S. Air Force airman went missing Tuesday after falling from a C-130 aircraft into the Gulf of Mexico, according to reports.; Category: news
Title: Comics - 'Bottom Liners' by Eric and Bill Teitelbaum; Abstract: ; Category: entertainment
Title: Christopher Dennis Dies: 'Hollywood Superman' And Frequent 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' Guest Was 52; Abstract: Hollywood Boulevard is in mourning for a lost superhero following the death of the man known as Hollywood Superman, who frequented the Walk of Fame tourist attraction.; Category: entertainment
Title: One of FBI's Most Wanted fugitives offers surrender; Abstract: One of the FBI's Most Wanted fugitives says he wants to surrender but claims his offers are being ignored by the United States government.; Category: news
Title: College gymnast dies following training accident in Connecticut; Abstract: Melanie Coleman, 20, of Milford, was practicing on the bars when she suffered a spinal cord injury.; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Shiva Ganges View; City: Varanasi Varanasi District Uttar Pradesh; Review: Loved Shiva Ganges View and definately will be back, hope soon! The location is perfect, the room was clean, beautiful and super romantic, the view is wonderful, the staff and service are excellent and the food glorious. Very nice rooftop. I loved that we were received with a city map and explanations.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: WoodHouse Beach Resort; City: Varkala Thiruvananthapuram District Kerala; Review: The huts are all stuck together and people walk right in front of your door and view, we did not get a genuine ocean view even though it was an Ocean View Heritage Cottage, the ocean was way on the side (so it was in our view if we turned left) and what we did have in front of us was a littered grassland. The room itself inside was nice and comfortable and clean. The bathroom had a window that connected with the kitchen! So we had all the noise of the kitchen. There is a nice communal deck with beautiful ocean view were you can relax... but the surrounding is full of trash! There is a little hill next to the stairs to get there and its very littered. It was heartbreaking to see so much trash. There needs to be taken serious commitment and action to clean up the area and keep it clean. I feel it is overpriced. The staff was super polite, nice and friendly. It is a 5 minute walk to Black Beach. If the surrounding areas are cleaned up and kept unpolluted I think it would be a very nice place for families with children.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: V Resorts The Bohemian Masala; City: Varkala Thiruvananthapuram District Kerala; Review: It was definately a highlight in our trip in India. It was the place were we relaxed the most. Great place to rest, relax, pamper yourself, enjoy nature, meditate, enjoy with your loved ones. Also great to have fun if you love nature! The place is beautiful and super natural. We stayed in a very romantic mud hut. The hut has everything you need, it is super comfortable, and made of all natural materials. It is beautifuly hand painted with natural inks. The hut had our own deck, were we relaxed, had meals and used our computer to plan the rest of our trip (the wifi is fab!). It was hot in Varkala but our hut was cool, plus the place is surrounded by trees and vegetation, so it feels fresh. I love that the deck had an outdoors fan. The area is green and clean. The staff is wonderful. Excellent human quality, big hearts. The manager, Dulip, was super helpful with everything we needed, even using his own credit card to purchase our train tickets, since they were only accepting Indian cards. He also got us a nice scooter to move around. He helped us with everything we needed and was very happy to do so. We stayed there two nights and then left to Munnar before returning to the Bohemian Masala for one last night. So we left all of our luggage safely with them and were very warmly welcomed back. We were in our honeymoon and really wanted to have the experience of eating traditional Kerala Veg Tali served on leaves before leaving Kerala, so they made all the preparatives for our super romantic dinner for when we came back.... it was the best dinner of my life, no exaggerating. Everything was made with so much detail and love, it was a ceremony, a unique experience. We ate at the restaurant which is super beautiful. I loved the Ayurvedic treatments and massages. My favorite was Shirodhara. I really liked that the place has hammocks to chill out and a place to practice Yoga. The Spa is awesome, all made of mud, with many Ayurvedic treatments available. We hope to go back soon!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Yogahouse; City: Varanasi Varanasi District Uttar Pradesh; Review: It is a good place if what you are there for is Spiritual reasons-Yoga-Meditation. Accomodations are super basic, but you have what you need (no extra comfort). The bed is hard but it turned out to be exactly what I needed and I had a very good rest, I think it was good for my back. I would love extra bed sheets. It is very clean. Has a lovely paint color. Breakfast is wonderful. I had the oatmeal with dates and figs with black coffee (included) and added a bowl of fresh fruit (not included). It was super cozy and loved where I sat to eat. The place for Yoga practice is perfect, viewing the Ganga. There is a large beach/vacant lot that you have to cross to get to the place... Even though Varanasi is pretty safe, it personally did not feel safe to cross it at night, so I wouldnt recomend it if you are staying on your own and plan to return late... But if you are there for Yoga purposes you wont be getting back late. It is near Assi Ghat (the most southern Ghat) and very well located in regards to Sunrise, and has a rooftop (which would love some manteinance) which is very interesting to go up and observe the magic of Varanasi at sunrise... The beach gets lovely praying visitors and beautiful cows... by the way, watch out for bulls in Varanasi, dont cross the beach dressed in red (sounds like a joke but its not), keep distance and respect. The staff was super nice, and Habib was a wonderful host. They were very sweet to put flowers in our room because we were just married. They also arranged airport pickup with a wonderful driver named Santosh who welcomed us to Varanasi.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Embajador; City: Montevideo Montevideo Department; Review: I think for a business trip is OK, but you should check which room they are giving you as they are very different, varying drastically regarding views, comfort, bathroom type. Very well located for business, in dowtown. The room was comfortable. It could be cleaner, specially the curtains. The bedsheets and towels were super clean. Comfortable bed with good pillows. If you have to take a shower super early like I did (6am), calculate waking up 10 minutes earlier to heat the shower with the water running (this is because it takes long to heat early otherwise it does not happen). I had to wait some minutes to shower but once I got in it was very good, even though mine was small, but the water felt excellent. The staff was very friendly and pleasant. I had to keep the curtains closed because I had windows right in front. I know other rooms have good views. The wake up calls were right on time.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Fusion Food Drinks n Fun; City: Agonda South Goa District Goa; Review: We spent 4 nights including New Years. It was perfect, super relaxed, awesome music shows with very original chill music, the food was delicious. Im sorry I missed the Yoga classes. The drinks at the bar were very good and loved the local beer. We had fun and relaxed. It is a fun place without being a loud place, it is very well balanced and peaceful. It is perfectly located. The owners and staff are awesome, helpful, friendly, beautiful people. Breakfast charge is totally worth it. You have to love nature to go to Agonda, and if you do then you are in paradise. It is one of my favorite places in the world. We hope to go back soon!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gran Hotel Dora; City: Mar del Plata Province of Buenos Aires Central Argentina; Review: If this was a 3 star hotel I would give it a very good review. But it is a 4 star hotel somehow. When it comes to staff it is great, very helpful, polite, nice. The location is PERFECT. But the comfort leaves a lot to ask for. Also the closest thing to something natural in the breakfast buffet was canned fruit salad. Our view was not the best (even though some rooms have great views), and the curtains do not shut the light completely, our double bed was made of two small single beds with a very uncomfortable gap in the middle, only 2 thin pillows, loud air conditioning. Very good shower.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Posada Paradiso; City: Jose Ignacio Maldonado Department; Review: Whenever my husband and I go to Jose Ignacio we pick (and will continue choosing) Paradiso. It is perfectly balanced in comfort and simplicity with excellent taste. The staff is super friendly. The cousine is EXCELLENT. Great breakfast too with homemade granola, fresh juice and almond milk. The pool is great. There is a very peaceful atmosphere. Great location. Thank you for welcoming us with our dear India!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Hotel Canto Verde; City: Gramado State of Rio Grande do Sul; Review: We super loved this hotel. Cozy, clean, beautiful, relaxing. Even though it is located on a main avenue with lots of museums, stores, restaurants, it feels as it is in a oasis because it has been built inside a big garden with lots of nature, so it is practical and peaceful at the same time. Our room had a very romantic fireplace, a great shower, and the best bed ever (and I travel a LOT). What is very important for us is that we were warmly welcomed with our dear dog India, who was very happy to be there and felt very loved. My favorite spot was the Zen place, a place for meditation and Yoga... I practiced a very beautiful meditation I treasure in my heart, the energy there is very special. The pool-solarium are very relaxing and the gardens are very nice to walk and enjoy. The staff is super nice and helpful. The breakfast is superb! With all sorts of options, including all natural options with fresh fruits, gluten free bread, and even green juice. The pastries, cakes, jams, breads, etc are delicious and all homemade. We were greeted by the chef who showed us all the specialties and was very kind and you could tell did everything with love. We super loved it!! And will be back!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: New World Makati Hotel; City: Makati Metro Manila Luzon; Review: My Husband stays here a lot for business. Given we all came up to Manilla this time (2 kids in toe) I was wondering how this business hotel would cope for a family. The hotel is run in a very professional manner. Breakfasts amazing. The staff cleared the suit out so we could fit 2 beds in to the spare room. We very much appreciated this. The rooms are not big but A OK. While the pool surroundings are not the newest is a great sized pool and very clean. The location is excellent. We just had to walk across the road to Ayala Green Belt. Great restaurants and a good cinema right at your finger tips. Walking distance to all the best shopping areas. The hotel is being upgraded and the foyer is now quite impressive. They are yet to finish the club. The food offer in this area could be addressed, as nothing is available at all over lunch other than peanuts ,sultans and the odd juice, coffee. Generally a very comfortable stay; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila; City: Manila Metro Manila Luzon; Review: We stayed at his hotel for 4 days with our 2 kids. The hotel is a gorgeous, with spacious rooms and an amazing pool. Given Manila is a business city, this allowed us to have more a resort experience,which worked well for our family. The staff were all fantastic and we experienced excellent service. The Hermes body product were beautiful, orange blossom scent, delicious. The gym is great, fabulous equipment, stretching room and staff, apparently they have yoga session there too A few points to consider... You are a 5 min cab ride from any other restaurants ..ie mall of Asia. Eating at the hotel is not cheap., We were lucky enough to have a suite which allowed us access to the " club" and it was really good, this saved us a lot of time and hassle, not to mention expense. Although we really paid for it ,I guess. After a 12 hour flight, seats behind check in would have been handy to park the kids on. They ended up sprawled on the floor. Those beautiful shell lamps in the rooms are NOT designed for Fluoro globes. Consequently all the ambience in the rooms go,when their glare switches on. Really awful. The slides in the pool are so steep they are limited to above 12 year olds. Of course all the people who really want to use them are less than 12 !! The hall ways smell musty. Most rooms do not have baths. The rooms with baths don't have showers at all, not even a place to jam that spout thing into. Watch which side of the hotel your room is in. All the flight crew request the back rooms, as beach front is noisy !!!!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Pura Vida Beach Dive Resort; City: Dauin Negros Oriental Negros Island Visayas; Review: We just spent 6 days at Pura Vida. This resort was perfect for us. We liked the fact it felt connected to the real world. For tourists, yet not ridiculously so. The resort has all the charm and feel of the Philippines and the beauty and friendliness of the locals who all work in the resort.The Swiss owner makes sure the place runs like our Swiss friends do...well. Grass roofs, solid chalets, set in manicured lawns and gardens. Our kids loved frog spotting at night and seeing the cats, birds and dogs all part of the scene. Food was fine and the mango shakes/juice a must. Having a Padi dive shop on the premises made the whole Dive thing possible and EASY. Plus it was priced reasonably, unlike other places on the island. Our youngest worked hard and thanks to "Sir Tim" received her Junior open water cert. This meant our family if 4 dived together that entire week. We had not banked on this and it blew us away. Imagine Scuba Diving with whale sharks and the best coral reefs in the world with your kids..Pretty special.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Cordis Hong Kong; City: Hong Kong; Review: The best thing about Kowloon was the Hotel Cordis and their fabulous staff. Thanks to Dan, Mark, Kate and the wonderful person who look looked after our lovely room. I could not recommend you more highly. We had our team arrive from overseas and thank goodness, we chose to stay with you because you made our 4entire stay a complete pleasure. 5 stars from me!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Inner Mongolia Grand Hotel; City: Beijing; Review: This could be a very long review. We arrived at 2am after a 4 hour delay due to an electrical storm over Beijing Airport and a huge delay at migration. We arrived at 2am, entered a hotel with most of the lights off. This was daunting enough. We then had to contend with a single receptionist, who could barely speak English and could not see because of the lack of light. She informed us that our rooms had been cancelled, not by us but apparently, the hotel. We had all our documentation with confirmation for a late arrival in both languages Mandarin, as well as English. This did not help at all. Over the next 4 days and many sessions of speaking to different managers, we eventually claimed the original hotel rate. This took hours of stressful arguments with staff who spoke little English and would not take into account the written emails. Stressful and all unnecessary. Non-smoking seems to be an arbitrary concept in this hotel. Our entire “non-smoking floor” smelt like stale cigarettes. The last night we decided to eat in the hotel; a buffet meal. I am now on the plane home suffering from gastro. A parting gift from a stressful stay.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with news articles as follows:
Title: Cornell student, 18, found dead in gorge after frat party, reports say; Abstract: A top Ivy League student was found dead Saturday afternoon in a New York gorge after he left a fraternity party and disappeared Thursday night, according to reports.; Category: news
Title: Top 25 plays at halfway mark of 2019 season; Abstract: Check out some of the best plays of the 2019 NFL season through Week 8.; Category: sports
Title: Georgia authorities search for convicted rapist and child molester who was released 'in error' from prison; Abstract: Tony Maycon Munoz-Mendez, 31, was mistakenly released from Rogers State Prison on Friday, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.; Category: news
Title: Meet the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2019; Abstract: Prepare to be inspired: CNN has revealed the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2019 -- 10 men and women who are making the world a better place by helping families affected by tragedy, cleaning up the environment, protecting neglected animals, and so much more.; Category: news
Title: Tennessee clerk sentenced for killing teen who stole beer; Abstract: A Tennessee grocery clerk convicted of fatally shooting a teenager who stole a beer from a store and ran away has been sentenced to 22 years in prison. Thirty-year-old Anwar Ghazali was convicted in August of second-degree murder in the March 2018 death of 17-year-old Dorian Harris. A judge sentenced Ghazali on Thursday.; Category: news
Title: Forty years on, hostage crisis poisons Iran-US ties; Abstract: Forty years since revolutionary students stormed the American embassy in Tehran and took its staff hostage, the crisis still poisons relations between the arch-foes. - 'Strive towards peace' - "I, like the rest of my generation, believe we have never had a problem with the American people," said Khadijeh, a 19-year-old student in Tehran.; Category: news
Title: Frozen Raspberries Recalled for Possible Hepatitis A Contamination; Abstract: Frozen raspberries sold under the Aldi and Raley's supermarket private label brands were recalled Thursday due to possible contamination with the hepatitis A virus, the Food and Drug Administrati...; Category: health
Title: How the stock market ends the year is now up to President Trump, investors say; Abstract: Some Wall Street analysts believe any losses from now on will be on Trump after the central bank pulled off a complete 180, cutting rates three straight times this year.; Category: news
Title: Watch: 'The View' Versus Donald Trump Jr.: Loud, Low Blows, Politics, Scandals And Great TV; Abstract: Updated throughout, videos added Whoopi Goldberg wouldn't say his name, Sunny Hostin said he was lying, Abby Huntsman accused him of using "dictator" tactics. And Donald Trump Jr. gave it back, accusing Joy Behar of once wearing blackface and resurrected Goldberg's defense of Roman Polanski as not committing "rape rape," all in a; Category: tv
Title: Dog Learning to Talk By Using a Custom Soundboard to Speak: 'I'm in Constant Amazement'; Abstract: Stella the dog's owner, a speech-language pathologist, says the canine already knows 29 words and can form phrases; Category: lifestyle
Title: Iran downs drone over southern port city - IRNA; Abstract: Iran has confirmed that its forces shot down a drone on Friday and said it belonged to a foreign country, state news agency IRNA reported.; Category: news
Title: Hundreds arrested ahead of verdict on Indian holy site; Abstract: Indian police have arrested more than 500 people ahead of a Supreme Court ruling on a hotly disputed religious site in the holy city of Ayodhya, media reports said, with authorities fearing the verdict could trigger unrest.; Category: news
Title: Meghan Markle Says That Archie Has Two Teeth and Is Crawling; Abstract: The cutest? Or the cutest ever?; Category: lifestyle
Title: Ronnie Ortiz-Magro pleads not guilty to 7 charges; Abstract: Ronnie Ortiz-Magro pleads not guilty two 7 misdemeanors for an incident that occurred last month.; Category: tv
Title: They Are Racist; Some of Them Have Guns. Inside the White Supremacist Group Hiding in Plain Sight.; Abstract: In the hours after the slaughter in El Paso, Texas, on Aug. 3, a final toll emerged: 22 dead, most of them Latinos, some Mexican nationals. A portrait of the gunman accused of killing them soon took shape: a 21-year-old from a suburb of Dallas who had been radicalized as a white supremacist online and who saw immigrants as a threat to the future of white America.; Category: news
Title: Judge agrees Alabama Islamic State recruit is not US citizen; Abstract: A judge agreed Thursday with President Donald Trump's administration that an Alabama woman who joined the Islamic State group was not a US citizen, leaving the 25-year-old and her son in limbo in Syria. Reggie Walton, a federal judge in Washington, agreed with the government's position that Hoda Muthana's father was still a diplomat when she was born, making her ineligible for US citizenship, a lawyer for Muthana said. The lawyer, Christina...; Category: news | mind |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Stare Her Down (Stare Down); Author: Visit Amazon's Riley Murphy Page; Review: The second book in a series sometimes fails to take me to that sensual world where fantasies and dreams merge into reality. That was not the case with Riley Murphy's newest novel, Stare Her Down. From the moment I met Gunn and Bailey, I could feel the connection between the H/h as the sparks began to fly. What appears to be a perfect example of "opposites attract" becomes an exploration of how seemingly totally opposite personalities can complement each other and develop into a meaningful relationship. In no time, I was transported into their journey and took the steamy ride right along with them. Usually I have a hard time identifying with the heroine. Bailey became like a best friend right off the bat. The fact that she wanted to lose weight to please someone else and had a "relationship" with her food was like a sign that we would become bosom buddies. She had a sense of humor that made me want to join in the witty repartee between her and Gunn. The fact that she could be a little biddy witch at times, and constantly asking why appealed to the little devil residing inside me and my inquisitive nature as well. Gunn, also known as The Viking, made me forget to breathe as he showed Bailey his ropes... literally. I was not aware that ropes were for anything other than being restrained. Gunn acquainted me with sensations that I never knew existed through the skillful placement of his ropes. Not only could he tie a girl up in knots, but his words alone could send me over into orgasmic bliss. For example, he says things like "Do you know what I love about rope and tying up my woman? She's captured. Her whole body is caressed by my ties. And what does she experience? A rough, tender, twisted, smooth, tight ,and loose embrace all at once, that causes a rush of feelings." Seriously? "A rush of feelings" is definitely an understatement. There are many, many tender and mind-blowing moments in Riley Murphy's newest novel and that excerpt was just a little taste to whet your appetite. I highly recommend that you read it. I can guarantee that you'll enjoy it as much as I did. Just an FYI, as I previously mentioned, this is the second book in the series. The good news is that this is a complete novel with no cliffhangers. It's not necessary to read the first novel in the series, Stare Me Down, but after reading this one, you'll definitely want to. How else would you be able to decide which Dom is your favorite?; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Provoked (Make Me) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Riley Murphy Page; Review: Thank you, Riley, for allowing me to read this advanced copy for review. Imagine twins, Cat and Charlie, who just can't manage to stay out of sticky situations, a map where X marks the spot that was stolen from Jude, who has "connections". Then enter Neil, a gorgeous Dom who has no trouble corralling a sub, who doesn't know that she's a sub (at least at the beginning). To be totally honest, Neil has a little bit of trouble keeping Cat, or maybe it's Charlie, under control and out of harm's way. How can anyone pass up the opportunity to make this incredible journey? You'll laugh, shed tears of joy and sadness, search for answers to an unsolved crime, and discover a poignant Dom/sub relationship. A story where differences and opposites pull, attract, and draw together for one thrilling adventure.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Master No (Masters and Mercenaries) (Volume 9); Author: Visit Amazon's Lexi Blake Page; Review: Lexi Blake has been one of my favorite authors since she started her Masters and Mercenaries series. She has never disappointed me. I avoided any story involving mnage, but her book, The Men with the Golden Cuffs, is one of those novels I've read many times. Honestly, I wasn't sure how much I was going to like Tennessee's story. I should've known better. Read Master No, I'm certain you won't be able to put it down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reclaimed Surrender; Author: Visit Amazon's Riley Murphy Page; Review: The addition of a prologue and an epilogue to Riley Murphy's Reclaimed Surrender adds so much to the original version. Rene and Alexis renew their Dom/sub relationship and their marriage. Their journey brings them even closer together than before. If I had to choose my favorite part of the story, it would be when Rene apologizes for not valuing their partnership from the beginning. "I chose them. All the people that were expecting the church wedding and a reception at the club, over you. Over your life-long dream of being married outside with the sun warming your hair...And for that thoughtlessness I want to apologize. I should have chosen you. You are what's most important to me. You are closest to my heart. All those people outside of where we are together? They come in second, Alexis. From now on I'll only ever choose you." This book has always had a special place in my heart. It's the first glimpse I had of what a true Dom/sub relationship was all about. I highly recommend Reclaimed Surrender. It's sure to find a special place in your heart as well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Reluctant Surrender (Trust In Me) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Riley Murphy Page; Review: I need to begin by saying that I loved Reclaimed Surrender, Riley Murphy's first book in the Surrender series. There was no way that I believed Reluctant Surrender would be as well-written and capture my interest from the very beginning. Wrong! The chemistry between Ethan and Colin started in chapter one and continued all the way to the last page. The scene with the kale was hilarious. It even inspired me to give kale chips a try. Not bad by the way. Then I learned about tapas, not to eat, but definitely hot. Ms. Murphy makes her characters so endearing that I hated for the story to end, but then I look forward to her next tale of surrender.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Persuaded (Make Me) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Riley Murphy Page; Review: Riley Murphy's book Persuaded is the best of all three books in the series. Greyson was not exactly my favorite character in either of the first two books. Now? Can we say adore? Greyson and Peyton click from the very beginning. She has a secret and Greyson is determined to uncover said secret as they fight off the bad guys. One of the reasons I was so drawn to Greyson was the way he cared for Peyton's "gang". Two mothers-in-law, two kids, and a precious dog, Maggie. He and his guys protect them and provide a lot of laughs along the way. When the troops arrive at Hawke's cabin, I thought things would settle down, but I was very glad that I was wrong. This is one of my highlighted passages: "I should hate you for making me like this, but I can't." The soft admission made him grin, even as he stroked her some more. "I know." She sighed. "Why, because you read it in my future?" "No." This time when he circled, he used his thumb as well, stroking the rest of her sensitive flesh, as much as he could reach. "It was the first thing I learned when I pulled my Dastardly Dom decoder ring out of the box. The instructions read: If you force a woman to have more than ten orgasms in a row she may curse you, cry for you, and beg you, but she'll never hate you, because eventually she'll want you to do it to her all over again." Oh, I forgot to explain who Hawke was. Hmm...I guess you'll just have to read the book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sky Of Dreams (Passionate Hearts) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Jenna Jacob Page; Review: My favorite of all of Jenna's books. Couldn't put it down.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stare Him Down (Stare Down); Author: Visit Amazon's Riley Murphy Page; Review: I swore I'd never write this in a review, but OMG Riley Murphy's newest novel, Stare Him Down, is one of her very best. In the beginning I was concerned that James was going to be rigid and closed off from his emotions, but reading his thoughts helped me understand his motives for only wanting friendship from Michaela. I mean after all, she was young and so impulsive. Michaela, the wanna be sub of one dream Dom, James Barrington, has big plans for capturing James and reeling him in. Don't be fooled by James' seemingly endless patience. He has a will of steel and he does take prisoners, albeit a very willing one. There are poignant moments that will tug at your heart strings and others when you want to Gibbs slap one or both of them. The scene where the three Doms get together and let go should not be missed. Actually there's more than one part where the three amigos will have you ROTFL. Ms. Murphy even added a touch of mystery into the mix. Take the opportunity to get to know the Stare Down cast. You'll be glad you did.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Ruthless (A Lawless Novel); Author: Visit Amazon's Lexi Blake Page; Review: Lexi Blake is such a fabulous writer! Just finished Ruthless and I fell in love with Riley Lawless, an alpha male who is definitely bbf material. Although h Ellie would totally object. The synopsis pretty much gives the details of their story, but what it won't tell is the way Lexi's characters are so believable that they literally seem to spring to life. Characters from her Masters and Mercenaries are integrated into the plot since Case Taggart is the husband of Mia Lawless. Let's just say that you have to read Ruthless; you really will enjoy the ride.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Knocked Up By the Billionaire; Author: Visit Amazon's Tasha Fawkes Page; Review: I really enjoy M. S. Parker's books so I thought I'd try this novel by Tasha Fawkes. For 99 cents, how can you go wrong? The flow is very good and the characters were well done. I would have liked more interaction between the H/h and I don't mean just sex, although I reread a few of those moments. Even though Brady (H) seemed self-absorbed in the beginning, he became a man who any woman would love and treasure.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Terms: Part One (The Terms Duet) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Ruby Rowe Page; Review: I haven't spent all afternoon reading a book that I couldn't put down since Riley Murphy's "Make Me" series. The story flowed perfectly and the characters, even the supporting cast, were well developed. I honestly can't think of anything that I didn't like. Just bought part 2 and I'm hoping that it will be just as satisfying.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Billionaire's Secret Heart (Scandals of the Bad Boy Billionaires) (Volume 1); Author: Visit Amazon's Ivy Layne Page; Review: I just finished reading Ivy Lane's book, The Billionaire's Secret Heart, and I must say that I did enjoy it even though the end seemed a bit rushed. Spoiler Alert* The relationship between Holden and Josephine developed into love rather precipitously. Although, I must confess that I liked that better than pages of contrived angst. All that being said, her characters were well developed and very likable so I will definitely be reading more books in the series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Billionaire's Secret Love (Scandals of the Bad Boy Billionaires) (Volume 2); Author: Visit Amazon's Ivy Layne Page; Review: The second book in Ivy Lane's "Billionaire" series was even less conclusive than the first book. So I'm debating between a 3 or a 4 star rating. I'm not saying that it wasn't well written and a good read because it definitely kept me wanting more. Her characters are written so well that I feel more like a new friend of the family than just an observer. My only complaint is that the book just stops suddenly. None of my questions were answered. I'm hooked, so my only choices are to quit "cold turkey" or move along to the next book in the series. Guess I'll be reading The Billionaire's Pet next.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Billionaire’s Pet (A 'Scandals of the Bad Boy Billionaires' Romance) (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Ivy Layne Page; Review: The hero in this book, Jacob, started as totally irredeemable. To put a scared widow at his beck and call? Don't think so! Some reviewers said that Abigail, the widow, was a doormat. I completely disagree. She only selected the lesser of two evils. The great news is that this story was action packed with never a dull moment. This time Ms. Layne did give a little insight into the mysterious deaths. I just want more. Isn't that what a good writer does? I will definitely be purchasing the next book in the series.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Redneck Life Board Game; Brand: Gut Bustin' Games; Review: got it for my dad because it sounded funny but the charts are unnecessary because with the charts it's highly inappropriate for a family with young kids to play and those have always been my family's favorite kinds we're gonna give it a shot without the charts; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: LEGO CITY Tire Escape 60126, 47 Pieces; Brand: LEGO; Review: the crook is hard to put in the tire but it's an easy build and sure is fun when you put it all on a blue board to simulate water; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Ranger Squad and Weapons Set; Brand: Latigo; Review: i love all the weapon choices i get they look like real u.s soldiers; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: LEGO City Police Patrol Car 4436; Brand: LEGO; Review: easy to put together this is a 2 minifigure car the quality is typical lego so it stays together great i've dropped it a few times and nothing came off; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEGO City Airport 60101 Airport Cargo Plane Building Kit (157 Piece); Brand: LEGO; Review: Its a fun build the cargo plane has lots of room in the hold i put more than just boxes in it everything went together without alot of difficulty and fit tight and secure its a fun set to play with; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Lionel Pennsylvania Flyer Train Set - O-Gauge; Brand: Lionel; Review: my dad got me mine years ago at a hobby store runs just as good as it did 10 years ago well worth the money; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hasbro Pie Face! Game; Brand: Hasbro; Review: got this for my mom we had a lot of fun playing it the bigger volumes of cream tend to just slide off and not hit anybody but a normal amount works fine it's easy to set up and clean and very easy to play it's unlimted players so any amount can play perfect for family gatherings; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: GUND Classic Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit Stuffed Animal Plush, 9"; Brand: GUND; Review: this guy is so cute and fluffy reminds me of the stories i grew up with; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with hotels as follows:
Title: Country Inn Suites By Radisson Houston Intercontinental Airport East; City: Humble Texas; Review: I stayed for a new year's day marathon, and I found the staff very helpful in all ways. the room was very nice.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: AmericInn Lodge Suites Belle Fourche; City: Belle Fourche South Dakota; Review: I didn't like that they didn't have an elevator. Plus I am not a fan of stuffed dead animals for the decor. I liked the centrail location of the hotel. Many of the runners stayed here and it was nice we had a shared goal .; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Inn At Sundance; City: Sundance Wyoming; Review: second year at this hotel. We run marathons in different states. This hotel was very convenient and friendly. It was the perfect location for our event in Sundance. I will definitely come back to this hotel next year for our marathon event.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Hampton Inn Hartford Airport; City: Windsor Connecticut; Review: I was involved in a 7 day marathon trip and I stayed at this Hampton during the Connecticut portion. It was so nice and clean and the staff was great. I had travelled a great distance to get to this haven. It was by far the best hotel out of the 8 I stayed at during my marathon journey.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Best Western Plus Montezuma Inn Suites; City: Las Vegas New Mexico; Review: I was travelling from Las Cruces to Denver and stayed here in the interim to my final destination. The staff was very nice and my room on the first floor was great. I had a room with a tub and I took a luxuriating bath with bath salts. fantastic.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | hotelrec |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Slipcased Edition; Author: Visit Amazon's Yoshitaka Amano Page; Review: Absolutely stunning artwork collection. A must for any FF fan that is fond of Amano's work. The quality of the book is really good, there is some weight to it and it holds all 3 volumes. There is a lot of variety to each volume that spans the entire series with Amano's brilliant designs.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia; Author: Patrick Thorpe; Review: A must have for any Zelda fan. The illustrations and quality of this book is phenomenal. I really like that it outlines much in the franchise to include the timeline. This is by far my favorite gaming book that has been made thus far. I cannot recommend this enough, please buy!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Zero Dark Thirty; Author: ; Review: Zero Dark Thirty is an in depth look at the Hunt for Bin Laden and the War on Terror. It was an intense movie that really showed the lengths at which we went to get Bin Laden. From gathering intel, to setting up meetings, and actually infiltrating enemy strongholds, this movie has it all. It was very well done and intense throughout. The actors do a great job and it deserves all the praise it earned!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Grandmother Book: A Book About You for Your Grandchild; Author: Visit Amazon's Andy Hilford Page; Review: Wonderful gift I got for my mom for Mother's day. She absolutely loves this.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past; Author: Shotaro Ishinomori; Review: I am a huge Zelda fan, so this is a nice item to add to my collection. It is the original graphic novel and is well put together. Really solid item for Zelda fans that enjoyed Link to the Past.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison; Author: Haden Blackman; Review: A Fun Read for Star Wars fans!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Clean Eating Cookbook & Diet: Over 100 Healthy Whole Food Recipes & Meal Plans; Author: Visit Amazon's Rockridge Press Page; Review: Very good read, I love the recipes in here and try to keep with it!; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Baby Touch and Feel: Baby Animals (Baby Touch & Feel); Author: Visit Amazon's DK Page; Review: The different areas to touch are great for stimulating and our baby loves it. Another great buy!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MM25: Mega Man & Mega Man X Official Complete Works; Author: Visit Amazon's Capcom Page; Review: I am a huge fan of all things Mega Man. This should be a must buy for any true fan as it holds so much good art, history, and nostalgia. The book is rather large and contains all the info about every game. Pure quality.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Pentagon, Department of Defense Coin; Brand: Northwest Territorial Mint; Review: Great coin,,,,looks, feels, displays as equal if not better than all challenge coins in my display.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: U.S. Special Operations Command; Brand: Northwest Territorial Mint; Review: Great coin,,,,looks, feels, displays as equal if not better than all challenge coins in my display.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Despicable Me Jumbo Talking Minion Dave 16" Action Figure; Brand: Despicable Me; Review: Love it it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Despicable Me BEE-DO Fireman Minion; Brand: Despicable Me; Review: Perfect, made the sounds like it was real; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lifetime Monkey Bar Adventure Swing Set with 9 Foot Wavy Slide; Brand: Lifetime; Review: Great set. My kids love it. heavy duty, and even when they grow out of it, I know I can sell it on Ebay for at least 1/2 if not 3/4 of what I paid for it. A great and durable swing set, much better made than more expensive plastic or wooden models.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tonka Rescue Force Fire Rescue Helicopter Red and White; Brand: Tonka; Review: Great TOY my son loved it. No the rotors do not twirl , must be twirled manually.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tonka Steel Bulldozer Vehicle; Brand: Tonka; Review: You can never go wrong with Tonka products !!! My child loves it indoors and outdoors. very durable!!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tonka Steel Grader Vehicle; Brand: Tonka; Review: My 3 yr old love it. constantly want to ply in the sandbox with it all day. He would sleep with it if I would let him. You can never go wrong with Tonka products !!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 12 Random Lego Minifigures - Brand New - Excellent Assortment of Mini Figs w/all Body Parts; Hat, Hair or; Brand: LEGO; Review: Really small figures. Need to be for 10 yr old or more. My 3 yr old lost interest after looking at them for 5 minutes and started throwing them in the toilet.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Tonka Classic Steel Crane Vehicle; Brand: Tonka; Review: My 3 yr old love it. constantly want to ply in the sandbox with it all day. He would sleep with it if I would let him. You can never go wrong with Tonka products !!!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: ETI Toys | STEM Learning | Original 101 Piece Educational Construction Engineering Building Blocks Set for 3, 4 and; Brand: ETI Toys; Review: Not something that gets played with daily. hard to figure out for 3 yr olds. Maybe need to be older to play with.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Best Choice Products 4-Tier Kids Wood Toy Storage Organizer Shelves Rack for Playroom, Bedroom, Living Room, Class Room; Brand: BEST CHOICE PRODUCTS; Review: Great organizer. Sturdy, looks good, my 3 yr old easily knows which bin to store his Legos, matchbox cars, train set, etc.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gorilla Playsets Telescope Color; Brand: Gorilla Playsets; Review: Looks like and seems like a real one, until you look through it. basically a tube with a plastic lenses. Zero magnification. My 3 yr old played with it twice since ordering and hasn't played with it since x 2 1/2 months.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Climbing Cargo Net for Kids Outdoor Play Sets, Jungle Gyms, SwingSets and Ninja Warrior Style Obstacle Courses; Brand: Swing-N-Slide; Review: Great product. Looks fantastic, works as specified. Easy to install.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tonka Classic Steel Mighty Dump Truck Vehicle; Brand: Funrise; Review: Love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 10698; Brand: LEGO; Review: Love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Tonka Classic Steel Front End Loader Vehicle; Brand: Tonka; Review: Love it; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Toys_and_Games |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Makita MAC700 Big Bore 2.0 HP Air Compressor; Brand: Makita; Review: This is by far the best for home use. My first one was stolen from my garage, so, I bought another.......; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Compressor Inflation Kit, Accessory Kit, 25 Piece (Campbell Hausfeld MP520010AV); Brand: Campbell Hausfeld; Review: I had to purchase this item twice because some dope broke into my garage and stole the first one I purchased. I like the quality and durability; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bosch CC60486 6 In. Magnetic Bit Tip Holder; Brand: Bosch; Review: I lost the tiny retaining ring that is located at the tip after about my third use. Overall it is a quality product, but if you loose this retaining ring, even though it has a magnet inside, the bit your using will fall out.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Proxxon 27100 Micro Compound Table KT 70; Brand: Proxxon; Review: Now this is a quality tool. smaller than I thought it would be, but very well made. light weight alum body, very precision movement.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Shop Vac 901-15-00 Super Performance Dacron Cloth Filter; Brand: Shop Vac; Review: I love this product, I had a cotton one and the fine dust particles would stick to the cotton and slow down the vac, you could shake it out but it always remained a bit clogged. This product is great, slippery nylon that some of the very fine particles will stuck to only under the suction power while the vac is operating, once you turn off the vac the stuff fslls right off! Sometimes the superfine particles remain on the bag, but just wiggle the nylon bag and it all falls off.....; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Dremel 426 Fiberglass Reinforced Cut-Off Wheels 1- 1/4" Dia., .045" Thick; Brand: Dremel; Review: Dremel brand is always the way to go! At least so far for me....I have tried other brands but seem to find that the Dremel products last longer.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Normande Lighting JS1-650 64-Inch 3-Light Incandescent Trac-Tree Floor Lamp; Brand: Normande Lighting; Review: Not bad looking, works well and holds position verywell. I purchased for my wife for her photography business and she enjoyed the ease of moving it around, ( not too heavy), and repositioning the lamps to suite her needs.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: LEDwholesalers GYO2402 6-Inch 240 CFM Air Duct Inline Hydroponic Booster Fan; Brand: LEDwholesalers; Review: It works fine but does not move the amount of air I was thinking it would. The bathroom fan in my house blows more air than this! It is well built, over sized electric cord, but that is a plus, maybe...; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Dollhouse Miniature High Temp Wire; Brand: Kemper; Review: Bought three spools thinking this would work. It bent all the way down and stuck to pots...what a mess! Ruined all the earrings I made plus a few pots that had had the wire hanging over them. Do NOT BUY !; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Premium-Grade 6pc Diamond Needle File Set Soft Grip Stone Tile Glass by Protian; Brand: Protian; Review: Don't Bother....I used the equaling file for a few knives in the kitchen, and on some pottery that had burs that needed smoothing. Both files wore out quickly and on both sides. They look good and the storage case is ideal, but the quality is definitely not there. Go to Jantz.com and get the real diamond files, or gesswein.com.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | amazon_Tools_and_Home_Improvement |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, 25% Less Sugar, Chocolate Chip, 8 - 0.84 OZ Bars Per Box (Pack of 6); Brand: Quaker; Review: Yumy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: MiO Energy Liquid Water Enhancer, Black Cherry, 1.62 Fl. Oz; Brand: Mio; Review: Yummy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barilla Italian Entrees, Tomato & Basil Whole Grain Penne, 9 Ounce (Pack of 6); Brand: Barilla; Review: same price as the store but I don't have to go out and buy them.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lipton Iced Tea Mix, Diet Lemon, Makes 20 Quarts; Brand: Lipton; Review: Girlfriend loves it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pop-Tarts Breakfast Toaster Pastries, Frosted Blueberry Flavored, Bulk Size, 96 Count (Pack of 12, 14.7 oz Boxes); Brand: Pop-Tarts; Review: Gf loves them; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CLIF BAR - Energy Bar - Apricot - (2.4 Ounce Protein Bar, 12 Count); Brand: Clif Bar; Review: Love them. Careful on the price, never pay more than $9.99 for a case. My PCP who is also my Endocrinologist, endorses Clif Bar, he prefers the ones with less sugar, but, he does endorse them. Particularly for the protein, fiber, and rolled oats.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lipton Black Iced Tea Mix Diet Lemon 15 qt, 4.4 oz. (Pack of 2); Brand: Lipton; Review: I like this one vs peach but I bought both as the gf likes peach.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quaker Soft Baked Cereal Bar, Banana Nut Bread,5 Bars Per Box, 7.4-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6); Brand: Quaker; Review: Tasted good. Even warmed in microwave for 10 seconds.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: POWERADE ZERO Mixed Berry, 12 ct, 12 FL OZ Bottle; Brand: Powerade; Review: Great price $4.99 as a prime add on item. I need to stay hydrated as part of my health. Since this had low calories I thought I would give it a shot. Would purchase again; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kellogg's Breakfast Cereal, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Original, Low Fat, Excellent Source of Fiber, Family Size, 24 oz Box; Brand: Frosted Mini-Wheats; Review: Great breakfast meal, or great for dinner if your lazy; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Velveeta Shells and Cheese with 2 Percent Milk, 12-Ounces (Pack of 6); Brand: Velveeta; Review: Nice it's not too thick with whole milk, so they used 2% milk. Perfect to make for dinner, and take the left overs to work the next day. This is the only kind of Mac N Cheese that I will purchase as I don't like powdered cheese mix.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wheat Thins Ranch Flavored Crackers, 9 Ounce Box; Brand: Wheat Thins; Review: I love wheat thins; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Wheat Thins Ranch Crackers, 9 Ounce (Pack of 6); Brand: Wheat Thins; Review: I love wheat thins; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Deluxe Dinner, Four Cheese Sauce, 14-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12); Brand: Kraft; Review: Good cheap meals for college students.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Quaker Cereal Bars Variety Pack 48 Count,1.3 OZ (37g) each; Brand: Quaker; Review: Good tasting. Perfect.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Orbit White Spearmint Sugarfree Gum (Pack of 8); Brand: Orbit Gum; Review: great gum. nothing more.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Lipton Iced Tea Mix, Diet Lemon, Makes 20 Quarts; Brand: Lipton; Review: Good. Quick and easy to make; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: De Cecco Pasta, Potato Gnocchi No.401, 17.5 Ounce (Pack of 4); Brand: De Cecco; Review: Wow! I ate that soooo fast; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Bai5 5-Calorie Tanzania Lemonade Tea Naturally Sweetened Antioxidant Infused Beverage, 18 oz; Brand: bai; Review: Yummy. I must get some. This was a free gift.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Newman's Own Marinara Sauce, 24 Ounce; Brand: Newman's Own; Review: Perfect. I ended up ordering again and again shipped and sold by Amazon.com; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: fruitwater Black Raspberry Sparkling Water Bottles, 16.9 Fluid Ounce (Pack of 12); Brand: fruitwater; Review: Very refreshing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pop-Tarts Breakfast Toaster Pastries, Frosted Blueberry Flavored, Bulk Size, 96 Count (Pack of 12, 14.7 oz Boxes); Brand: Pop-Tarts; Review: meh, I bought because of a limited edition, but I wouldn't buy them again. I am not saying they are bad, just not to my liking.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: Barilla Collezione Pasta, Cheese & Spinach Tortellini, 12 Ounce (Pack of 4); Brand: Barilla; Review: love them, wish the price was right as I would purchase them more often. lately its around $17 which is too high for me. I bought them for $12. always prefer fresh pasta as cooking time is not much which is good for me when the lady is away or doing homework for college.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Barilla White Fiber Pasta, Spaghetti, 12 Ounce (Pack of 20); Brand: Barilla; Review: bought for girlfriend for use at our second home. she loves them. she will just add butter and light garlic and call it a day.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sparkling Ice Peach Lemonade, 17 Ounce Bottles (Pack of 12); Brand: Sparkling ICE; Review: I bought these for the GF who said at first it had a bit sour of a taste, she thought the peach would overpower the lemon, but she recalled the sparkling adds a tad tartness too it. she said it took a bit getting used to but she loves them and wants more. it has only been 4 days, so I guess she's drinking them like crazy, funny for a 110lb lady.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Gatorade Thirst Quencher, Orange, 12 Count, 20 oz Bottles; Brand: Gatorade; Review: Perfect packaging, perfect when chilled, great price. Pure bliss.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kellogg's Pop Tarts, Frosted Confetti Cupcake, 14.1 Ounce (Pack of 12); Brand: Pop-Tarts; Review: Perhaps too much sugar, I don't know. I can eat poptarts, I prefer plain strawberry but this sounded yummy. Not 4 me. So take my review with a grain of salt.; Rating: 1.0/5.0
Title: Mountain Dew Game Fuel Citrus Cherry, 16 Fl Oz (Pack of 15); Brand: Mountain Dew; Review: Little high on caffeine 97mg per bottle but that's personal preference. Tastes good. I won't buy again but I refuse to give a bad rating to a personal caffeine preference.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Stacy's Parmesan Garlic & Herb Flavored Pita Chips, 7.33 Ounce (Pack of 12); Brand: Stacy's; Review: Girlfriend lives em so I get them for home. I'm not a chip eater but these are good if you enjoy chips or specific brand top of line chips.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Chef Boyardee Overstuffed Italian Sausage Ravioli, 15 oz, 12 Pack; Brand: Chef Boyardee; Review: If I give 5 stars to a Progresso soup, this cannot get 5 stars. Nothing wrong with it, would get again. Fresh as can be.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: evian Natural Spring Water (One Case of 12 Individual Bottles, Each Bottle is 1; Brand: evian; Review: I cannot stand salinity (fertilizer runoff, wastewater discharge, natural salinity - into the Sacramento River & San Joaquin River) - our tap water ph is 8.7 - have to test for the pond and Aquarium. We have a 9 stage R/O system for the home, but on the go or handy to give to the UPS driver Jim - if I'm going to pay for water, I want what I get at home or better. So Evian it is. When I had a chance to grab 3 cases (12 X 1L ea) for $36 I jumped. Would buy again..... Nothing less than 5 star. I added photos of the case, the bottle for water quality Q&A, and where I keep it - a wine chiller stable at 55F just perfection.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: DaVinci Penne Rigate, 16-ounces (Pack of12); Brand: DaVinci Pasta; Review: I love Da Vinci. Can't go wrong.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Benchmark Bouquets Big Blooms, No Vase (Fresh Cut Flowers); Brand: Benchmark Bouquets; Review: Ordered a week early to suprise her. She's happy, therefore I am.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pace Ready Meals, Fiesta Chicken and Rice with Green & Red Peppers, 9 Ounce (Pack of 6); Brand: Pace; Review: An instant meal can't be 5 stars, so I gave it 4 stars. Yes it's a bit salty, but not overly salty. Good flavor otherwise, good balance of protein to carb ratio.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Quaker Instant Oatmeal Original, 12 Packets per Box (Pack of 4); Brand: Quaker; Review: So good I can eat it dry; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Pepsi-Cola 1893, Ginger,12 Fluid Ounce ( Pack of 12); Brand: Pepsi; Review: Ginger, is no good. Cola is richer, think Guinness as to beer for you adults. I can drink 1 cola a day, max, my doctor would be happy, but I'm letting you know that it's stronger, is all.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Glaceau Smart Water, 33.8-Ounce (Pack of 12); Brand: Glacau; Review: It's not your typical mineral water. Plain taste but good, bottle is a little thin so when you open it you may pop out an ounce if your not careful. Bottle is made from plant material (plant based resin [plastic]). Some water is from an aquifer, some water is filtered reverse osmosis, this water is filtered by distillation.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: CLIF BAR - Energy Bar - Apricot - (2.4 Ounce Protein Bar, 12 Count); Brand: Clif Bar; Review: Perfect. Just what we needed.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water, 5 Ounce (Pack of 24); Brand: StarKist; Review: At $1.25 a can, the price is reasonable. Compared to Kirkland Albacore - Kirkland is my preference. Something about it. I dunno. However, out of the national brands, Bumble Bee, Chiecken of the Sea, etc StarKist Albacore is better than the rest - in water always better. You can always add Olive Oil yourself. I don't get why it has Soy in the product though.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Grocery_and_Gourmet_Food |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: The Longest Ride; Author: Visit Amazon's Nicholas Sparks Page; Review: This was one of the best Nicholas Sparks ever. Stands very close to the Notebook. Better than the movie by far.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Embraced by the Light: The Most Profound and Complete Near-Death Experience Ever; Author: Visit Amazon's Betty J. Eadie Page; Review: What a moving book; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Impersonal Life; Author: Anonymous; Review: Easy read amazing inspirational, recommended by Dr. Wayne Dryer. Recommended to all; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Promise: God Works All Things Together for Your Good; Author: Visit Amazon's Robert J. Morgan Page; Review: I have not completed the book. I have started it and I am impressed with the opening chapteRs. This was a recommendation from a friend.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Don't Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle: How to Break Free of Negativity and Drama; Author: Visit Amazon's Doreen Virtue Page; Review: Very interesting way of approaching a change. Loved the book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: Adjustable Reflective Vest - Essential Running Gear for Your Safety - Best Used to be Seen at Night for; Brand: Govivo; Review: We really like the vest! Very comfortable, and we like the elasticity of it as well.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silicone Wedding Ring Band for Men Women - Enhanced Comfort, Superior Non Bulky Rubber Rings - Flexible No; Brand: Knot Theory; Review: Just got mine and love it. Looks like a real ring, and fits great! The 6mm size is perfect so it doesn't look like tire around my finger......; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: SWIG SAVVY Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle, Standard Mouth, Double Wall Design, with 3 Interchangeable Caps; Brand: SWIG SAVVY; Review: Great water bottle, specially for the price!; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: 2 Handheld Water Bottle Carrier for Running. Runners Can Now Stay Hydrated with our Water Bottle Band Strap; Brand: Product Stop, Inc; Review: I am very happy with my purchase. I have tried every hydration product on the market, and this handle was the cheapest, yet most effective product I have used; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Silicone Wedding Ring for Men - 3 Rings Set - Designed, Safe, Silicone, Soft Rubber Wedding Ring -; Brand: Rinfit; Review: Love the ring, has the look of a real ring.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_Sports_and_Outdoors |
Given the interaction history of a user with books as follows:
Title: Sunshine and Shadow (Benni Harper Mystery); Author: Visit Amazon's Earlene Fowler Page; Review: Another excellent book following the adventures of Benni Harper and her extended family. Love the references to quilting in this series.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Face the Rain; Author: Jennifer Denaughel; Review: Jennifer Denaughel offers great descriptions of the Oregon Coast. If you know the coast it is easy to recognize where she is writing about. I loved that part of the book best.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Broken Laces; Author: Visit Amazon's Rodney Walther Page; Review: While this is a Journey about a father-son bonding it is more about a father becoming a dad and discoveries about himself.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: The Kent Brothers Trilogy: All She Wants for Christmas\A Rare Gift\The Best Thing; Author: Visit Amazon's Jaci Burton Page; Review: A fun quick read.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Circle Eight: Caleb (Volume 3); Author: Visit Amazon's Emma Lang Page; Review: Well written story of family love lost and found. Circle Eight. Continues to be a good read. Hope you enjoy Caleb's story.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: What We Find (Sullivan's Crossing); Author: Visit Amazon's Robyn Carr Page; Review: Another story that draws you into the entire family and small town Robin Carr does so well. Send a quiet afternoon at Sullivan's Crossing.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: The Guest List; Author: Visit Amazon's Fern Michaels Page; Review: Just enough suspense, drama, humor and romance to keep you turning the pages. Fern Michaels has another well written book.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Find what brings you joy and go there. (Write Now Journal); Author: Steve Potter,Steve (ILT) Potter Compendium; Review: Perfect journel for documenting those things you want to remember. I like it well enough to give as a gift for travelers, newly retired or those who just love to keep track of ideas, places and people.; Rating: 5.0/5.0 | amazon_books |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: KONG Classic Dog Toy with Your Choice of Dog Treat (Combo Bundle).; Brand: KONG; Review: My Greyhound loves this. She pretty much attacks my wife and I in the morning to get to her kong. Keeps her entertained for hours so she doesnt wreck the house too much. Recommend this for any dog-owner.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Sentry Petrodex Dental Kit Cats, Malt Toothpaste, 2.5 oz; Brand: Petrodex; Review: Why did I buy this? It wasn't worth it.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: New Premium Pet Food Mat 18.5"x11.5" in FDA Grade Silicone by Tip-Top Petware; Brand: Tip-Top Petware; Review: Bought these to stick under the dog dishes. They do their job well, but wish they were a bit bigger for the price. They also tend to bow upwards and not lay flat on the ground.; Rating: 3.0/5.0
Title: AMIR Pet Nail Grinder, Gentle Paws Premium Electric Nail Grinder for Dogs and Cats/Pet Grooming Kit; Brand: AMIR; Review: Bought this, used it for 5 minutes, and returned it and ended up buying another one. just takes too long to do any sort of real grinding, and if you press too hard the grinder just slows down to a halt. And yes, we tried several out of box batteries. We are happier with the other grinder we bought.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: LPVLUX Pet Grooming Gloves Breathable & Comfortable for Cats, Dogs Washing Deshedding Massage 1 Pair of Gloves; Brand: LPVLUX; Review: Removes alot of hair, more than I expected, but hair doesnt stay stuck to the glove. as a result hair gets everywhere and I find myself repeating the same areas over and over again when brushing my dog.; Rating: 4.0/5.0 | amazon_Pet_Supplies |
Given the interaction history of a user with products as follows:
Title: WD My DVR Expander 500 GB eSATA External Hard Drive; Brand: Western Digital; Review: I bought this expander a few weeks ago and think it works great. I no longer have to worry about being glued to my TV set to watch things I have recorded in fear of loosing the stuff as my DVR filled up. My only problem with this expander was the hook up. I followed the directions exactly as they were written in the instruction book and it did not work. I tried it several times and ended up calling their technical support line. On the phone they told me to do it the opposite of what the book said. In other words, I was to plug the DVR in, then plug the cord from the expander into the DVR, and then lastly plug the Expander power cord in. Up until I did it that way, I couldn't get my DVR to recognize it. Once it recognized it, then I got instructions on the TV screen as to how to proceed to install it so I could have the additional memory.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kingston 4 GB Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card SD4/4GB; Brand: Kingston; Review: I bought this memory card to use with the Kodak Easy Share camera. It works well in that camera and produces good quality pictures. The company shipped it very fast and I am very happy with it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kingston 32 GB Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card SD4/32GB; Brand: Kingston; Review: I bought this memory card to use with the Kodak Easy Share camera. It works well in that camera and produces good quality pictures. The company shipped it very fast and I am very happy with it.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Kodak Easyshare M341 Digital Camera (Silver); Brand: Kodak; Review: I bought this camera to use for general picture taking. It seems to work well and is easy to use. I've had no problems with it and have been very satisfied. I like the fact that it is small and lightweight. The color is pretty too.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: RCA ANT1650F Flat Digital Amplified Indoor TV Antenna; Brand: RCA; Review: I purchased this antenna because it got good reviews and consumer reports recommended it. The problem is, I live in a somewhat rural area and it did not work for me. After receiving it and trying to get it to work, I consulted their website where I was asked to enter my zip code. When I did that, I was told that in my area the only type of antenna that would work was one that was mounted on my roof. I feel the website which is [...] should be included in the description so purchasers can make an informed decision as to whether this will really work for them.; Rating: 2.0/5.0 | amazon_Electronics |
Given the interaction history of a user with businesses as follows:
Title: Skull's Rainbow Room; City: Nashville, TN; Review: Absolutely fantastic. The staff members were all so friendly and accommodating, especially for a huge crowd on Saturday night. They make you feel like you are getting VIP service even if you don't know anyone in there. We were from out of town and this just made our trip. Drinks were perfect and the burlesque show was phenomenal. Well done, Nashville.; Rating: 5.0/5.0
Title: Piranha's Bar & Grill; City: Nashville, TN; Review: While it was fun to find a Pittsburgh friendly bar in Nashville, the service here was absolutely awful. Of course if you had big boobs (which I do but I didn't need to pop them out to feel good about myself) you get served right away. The owner seemed friendly but kept pouring himself drinks when the rest of the bartenders were struggling to stay afloat. The bathrooms were by far the most disgusting I've ever seen. I hope they can make it in Nashville, but I don't know how they make money only serving one customer every 45 minutes.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Millennium Maxwell House Hotel Nashville; City: Nashville, TN; Review: We enjoyed the location of this hotel and the free shuttle to downtown. That was a huge bonus! The customer service was wonderful, and our breakfast buffet was satisfying. The rooms need a facelift, for sure. I think if they can put some money into updated rooms it would be perfect, but we were less than impressed with the quality.; Rating: 4.0/5.0
Title: Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery; City: Nashville, TN; Review: We were surprised that the one TV available for our viewing section was turned the other way, near the area of the bar that had Several others available. For the Stanley Cup Finals game. The manager had the customer service experience of a gnat. He couldn't have cared less about our concerns. Our waitress was nice, but the food was so-so. Pretty generic selections. I did enjoy their beer, which is the only reason this is a 2-star and not a one-star review. We would have stayed longer and spent way more money had we actually been able to see the game, but we took our money elsewhere because of this.; Rating: 2.0/5.0
Title: Goo Goo Chocolate Co; City: Nashville, TN; Review: Great milkshakes and a cute place to check out. The guy behind the counter was a complete dick though. We weren't rude or asking anything difficult, but he was annoyed by a 21st birthday drunk chick who showed up - which meant he had to take it out on everyone else. I simply asked where the ice cream flavors were listed, as there were no large signs of where to order, etc. he slowwwwwly responded, as if I were completely unable to understand basic commands, "flaaaaavors are over heeeeere. Bathroom is oveeeeer therrrre," as an added response to someone asking where the restrooms were located. Dude, I get it. You're serving ice cream and goo goo cluster crap to tourists on a Saturday. Your job sucks. But at least pretend to be nice and stop projecting your hatred of people on those paying money to get diabetes.; Rating: 1.0/5.0 | yelp |
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