Product Description
Although Goldie is scared at first, she overcomes her stage fright to play Queen Esther in the synagogue's celebration of Purim. ... Read more

Product Description
In "Goldie's Garden" a yellow Labrador retriever and four siblings are born to "Daisey, in an animal shelter. the pups open their eyes, and each of them is tied with a different color ribbon, for identification. Goldie is adopted by Josh, 13 years old, a member of the Flowers family, who lives in Biloxi, Ms. Goldie becomes a larger part of the family as times evolve. Her main task is to watch over her adopted mother's fruit and vegetable garden.Josh drops out of college only 2 weeks after the tragedy of 9/11, joins the Marines, and is stationed in Afghanistan. The story shifts to and from fields of battle, where Josh becomes a young man, and the Flowers, now extended family, due to a death, and consequent moving to Biloxi by Josh's Grandmother, Doris,and cousin, Connie. Doris likes wine, cigars, and men, not particularly in that order, but she provides tons of comedy, without trying to. Josh's sister, Jessica grows from a spoiled brat, as a youngster, to a much more mature young woman, not without a few bumps in the road, after Josh leaves for the Marines. Josh gets wounded after two years and is discharged. Now, he, Connie, and Jess, have to figure out their long term plans. Josh is a few years older than the girls, but they are both Seniors in high school, so these decisions take place very close together.At different times in the book Goldie is faced with danger to one of the family members and always comes through, helping them weather a crisis. ... Read more

Product Description
In the wake of a thwarted career as a concert pianist and the accompanying emotional fallout, Gin accepts a marriage proposal from the peculiar Mr. Toad. But nothing from the albino Gin Toad's upbringing in the bourgeois drawing rooms of Perth has prepared her for a hardscrabble existence on a subsistence farm in the Australian outback. In her Wyalkatchem exile, she explores what it means to be a mother and wife, an underappreciated musician, and the town freak. She walks on eggshells to accommodate the cantankerous Toad and comes to accept her life without independence, music, or love until Antonio arrives. The Italian POWs forced into the Toads' service change the landscape of Gin's world. She is haunted by the memory of her first child's death; Antonio is exiled from a country and family he cherishes, banished to Western Australia while WWII threatens all he holds dear. In their mutual isolation and loss, the growing intimacy between Gin and Antonio becomes their escape from hardship but will it also be their undoing? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A work of heart-rending pathos and humor
I groped for words to describe //Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders//. Astounding.Original.Funny.Breathtaking.Engrossing.This is the best I could come up with: Goldie Goldbloom's novel is simply the freshest most absorbing debut I've read in years.

Gin Toad's life in the Australian outback is a mere existence. Years earlier, Mr. Toad's proposal of marriage offered her only possible escape from the mental hospital in Perth where she had been confined by her family. Dwelling on her husband's subsistence farm, shunned by the locals both for her albinism and her bourgeois sophistication, she has long realized her mistake, having merely traded one prison for another.Abandoning her passion for the piano and any hope for a fulfilling life, she steels herself raising her and Toad's two surviving children, even as she mourns for, and is haunted by, the one that died.

The novel opens in 1943. Gin's bleak emotional quarantine is breached when the Australian government sends two Italian POWs to serve the Toads as farm labor.Antonio, banished from the family he loves, sets his sights on Gin, even as she, never having known what it is to be truly desired, finds herself overwhelmed by passion for this dark, brooding, fellow exile. Likewise, the other POW John evokes in her husband thoughts long repressed.

If this sounds like the setup for a vanilla romance novel, rest assured that this isn't that book. Goldbloom's clarity of language, her dark humor, as well as her gift for plot and character, take this book someplace else entirely.That this is her debut novel, makes it all the more extraordinary. Gin's acid-soaked narrative voice possesses a revealing intimacy, taking us along as she is pulled like a rag doll between despair and hope. Her malapropistic husband Toad, stout, diminutive, and a proud collector of women's corsets, stands out as the sort of finely crafted character that will dwell in readers' minds for a long, long time. And this is plainly Goldbloom's gift: Characters so beautifully written and a setting so vivid, that one never feels the shadow of a hovering authorial presence; no, I found myself wholly absorbed in her story, a place and people superbly rendered and perfectly captivating. As with the best fiction, the writer of this work turns invisible, adding to the magic of the reading experience.

In short, //Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders// is the sort of book you will find yourself buying for friends, telling everyone you meet that they have to read, wanting desperately to talk about. Yes, it is that extraordinary.

Reviewed by Jordan Magill

A fascinating tale of small town life in Australia and romance, highly recommended
When you have nothing left to turn to, you find comfort in the strangest of places. "Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders" tells the story of Gin, an albino pianist whose hopes of a greater career are thwarted by fate. Living on a farm in western Australia, facing life in a nontraditional marriage until an Italian gentleman named Antonio arrives, and just may change her life forever. "Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders" is a fascinating tale of small town life in Australia and romance, highly recommended.

A work of heart rending (and heart breaking) pathos and humor
I groped for words to describe "Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders."Astounding.Original.Funny.Breathtaking.Engrossing. This was the best I could come up with: Goldie Goldbloom's novel is simply the freshest most absorbing debut I've read in years.

Gin Toad's life in the Australian outback is a mere existence.Years earlier, Mr. Toad's proposal of marriage offered her only possible escape from the mental hospital in Perth where she had been confined by her family.Dwelling on her husband's subsistence farm, shunned by the locals both for her albinism and her bourgeois sophistication, she has long realized her mistake, having merely traded one prison for another. Abandoning her passion for the piano and any hope for a fulfilling life, she steels herself raising her and Toad's two surviving children, even as she mourns for, and is haunted by, the one that died.

The novel opens in 1943.Gin's bleak emotional quarantine is breached when the Australian government sends two Italian POWs to serve the Toads as farm labor.Antonio, banished from the family he loves, sets his sights on Gin, even as she, never having known what it is to be truly desired, finds herself overwhelmed by passion for this dark, brooding, fellow exile.Likewise, the other POW John evokes in her husband thoughts long repressed.

If this sounds like the setup for a vanilla romance novel, rest assured that this isn't that book.Goldbloom's clarity of language, her dark humor, as well as her gift for plot and character, take this book someplace else entirely.That this is her debut novel, makes it all the more extraordinary.Gin's acid soaked narrative voice possesses a revealing intimacy, taking us along as she is pulled like a rag doll between despair and hope.Her malapropistic husband Toad, stout, diminutive, and a proud collector of women's corsets, stands out as the sort of finely crafted character that will dwell in readers' minds for a long, long time.And this is plainly Goldbloom's gift: characters so beautifully written and a setting so vivid, that one never feels the shadow of a hovering authorial presence; no, I found myself wholly absorbed in her story, a place and people superbly rendered and perfectly captivating.As with the best fiction, the writer of this work turns invisible, adding to the magic of the reading experience.

In short, "Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders" is the sort of book you will find yourself buying for friends, telling everyone you meet that they have to read, wanting desperately to talk about, a book in the vein of debuts like "Life of Pi" and "A Fraction of the Whole."Yes, it is that extraordinary.

Wow!
Goldie Goldbloom surprises and delights with her oddball characters, gritty landscape, and gorgeous prose.From the albino Gin whose piano playing and glory box finery are out of place in the wilds of Wyalkatchem (West Australia) to her corset-collecting husband, Toad, their dirty sweet children, the cruel-but-human townspeople, and finally, the gold-skinned Italian POWs who enter the scene and change everything. The landscape is harsh, the world is at war, and Goldbloom's writing reflects this.But, with richness and wisdom.If you long for fresh writing and characters that hook you (while breaking your heart), you'll love this book! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

"We have to think and be sorry."
This is a wonderful little story book about emotions. Nicholas is a toddler and Goldie is the big sister. Veronica is her doll. When Nicholas sucked on Veronica's head, Goldie yelled, "Veronica hates baby spit. I hate baby spit!"

When Goldie gets mad, she (and Veronica, of course) have bad thoughts -- like making Nicholas disappear. But, when Nicholas is good, Veronica loves him, and Goldie does, too! A time-out makes Goldie and her doll realize that they are really sorry.

This book deals with the real emotions that little children have. Addressing them in a humorous manner, which also shows that they are not right, makes Goldie is Mad a winner in any household with young children. Adorable illustrations and very clever writing make this book a must.

My 5-year-old got a kick out of it
She has a little brother (16 months) who she likes a lot but who still gets on her nerves and into her toys.

She thought the last page with Nicholas going after Veronica again was very funny.

Can't get beyond the hate.
This book was in an "emotions themed" pack sold by Scholastic.The other two books, Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My DayandThe Way I Feel were great.Goldie is Mad however will not be read a second time in our home simply because the girl in this story can not navigate her anger in any other way but to say that she "hates" her little brother.I know that my preschooler has used this word in the past however when the issue came up we discussed how we should not "hate" anyone or anything and thus she needed to find a new way to express her frustration.When reading this book for the first time we came to the page which states that "Veronica hates baby spit.I hate baby spit.I hate Nicholas!,"my preschooler gasped and said "That is not a nice way to talk about your brother, is it Mom?"Simply stated, we will not be keeping a book in our house which endorses the concept of hate.

Goldie makes my 2 1/2 year old laugh out loud!
This book really makes my 2 1/2 year old laugh out loud.He is a big brother and he can really relate to Goldie especially when she has to sit in a time-out to think about her actions. The illustrations are fantastic and my son laughs throughout the whole book.This is a great book about 'mad' feelings.

Not if you have a Nicholas
I ordered this book because my 3 year old has been having issues with her 1 year old brother.I was hoping it would help her learn to express her anger in a more acceptable way (she currently shouts, pushes & takes toys from him).All in all, it's not a bad book.Goldie's brother takes her doll & sucks on her head, Goldie gets mad & ends up in time-out with her doll (she projects her emotions onto the doll, so the doll is in time out too)."We have to think and be sorry"Eventually, they decide they are sorry & that her little brother really isn't so bad & that sometimes he does things she & the doll really like so they don't really want him to disappear.Unfortunately, I have one issue with this book that will cause me to pass it along to someone else's home.When Goldie is mad, she shouts (several times), "I HATE Nicholas".Now since my 1 year old is named Nicholas, I'd really rather not teach his big sister to say, "I Hate Nicholas".Amazingly enough, my 3 year old doesn't 'hate' anything yet & I'd just rather not introduce that word into her vocabulary if I can help it.I'm sure she'll learn it soon enough on her own.So, overall, it's an OK book if you use time-outs, need to teach your child to calm down & see the good things about a younger sibling (who annoys them sometimes), and perhaps already uses the word 'hate'.But not if the younger sibling is a Nicholas... ... Read more

Product Description
"Don't ever ride in a car driven by Mary Hill." That's what Carrie Brown, 14, was told by her mother, Olympic gymnastics coach Rita Brown. But, it was Carrie's misfortune to be riding in the back seat of Mary Hill's BMW on August 7, 2000 - the first day of school. With her were the driver's daughter, Amy Hill, 13, and fellow eighth-grader Zachary Rockwell, also 13. In less than one-tenth of a mile, Mary Hill has accelerated from zero to seventy miles per hour, tearing along roads posted at nearly half that speed. Mary Hill, 50, was a woman consumed by a rage that belied her outwardly picture-perfect life. Married to multi-millionaire Dennis Hill, 59, she lived with him and their two daughters in a mansion in the exclusive gated community of Wingfield North near Orlando, Florida. She crashed the BMW that day, killing her daughter Amy and Carrie Brown outright and leaving Zack Rockwell with brain damage. Hill herself escaped with relatively minor injuries - but she couldn't escape the law. In a series of sensational trials, prosecutors would pull out all the stops to put away the speed demon who turned her own car into a death trap for the most innocent of victims.. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

"The Air Was Tingling With Something"
Goldie Guttenberg's true crime book, SPEED DEMON, presents the story of drug addicted and alcoholic Mary Hill whose penchant for dangerously fast driving combined with one or another kind of downer resulted in the deaths of two young girls - one being her own daughter - who were passengers in her car. Anyone who reads true crime knows that a simple car wreck is not material out of which a successful book can be written unless there is something interesting- and preferably scandalous - about the major players in the tale. Mary Hill and her husband Dennis meet these requirements, presented as they are as being rich, unfaithful, abusive, kinky, and massively dysfunctional. Sounds good - right, my true crime loving friends?

WRONG. Because Guttenberg's presentation of the situation is such an unadulterated mess that it is barely readable. The research, such as it is, for SPEED DEMON is marginal. Besides a heavy reliance on police and court records - the eternal domain of the lazy and/or talentless true crime writer, the remainder of the book is based on the extensive quoting of two interviews - with one of Hill's grown daughters and with a woman who worked as a housekeeper for the family for about 6 months. Guttenberg uses virtually no other sources of information. The interviews amount to little more than gossip and hearsay giving the presentation of the Hills a throwaway quality.

Now that I've described the insufficiency of the substance of the book, let me deal with the manner in which it's presented. While I can say I've read more poorly written true crime than this one, SPEED DEMON ranks right up there. It is replete with the usual hallmarks of the non-concerned author. Some, out of many possible, examples:
1. Massive doses of mind-numbing but page-count-increasing filler -There are five consecutive pages describing the organizational structure of the Florida State Highway Patrol. And later there are 3 full pages describing the "old" Seminole County Courthouse. This is to distinguish it from the "new" Seminole County Courthouse which receives a similar treatment. Fortunately it quickly becomes clear that this is skimmable material.
2. Inanity - From page 65, "Culhane was curious as to how Wright had been able to determine that the car was decelerating at point E on the diagram. 'How were you able to determine that the car was decelerating?'" Pretty much what I'd have expected, but hey, that's just me.
3. Repetition - "As impatient as the members of the victims' families - Rita and Jennifer Brown, Mel Stevens and Keith Rockwell, with his son and also victim, Zak Rockwell- were to see justice done..." Since the whole sentence occurs on page 181 and since Guttenberg has already listed these people innumerable times, I can only assume that she repeats the names as a service to readers who may have missed the previous mentions, due possibly to having skimmed over them all or having simply fallen asleep.
4. Marginal literacy along with attempts at creative writing:
A. See the quote in item 3 above. "With his son and also victim Zak"? Nice.
B. "It seemed the defense team wanted to convince the judge that a downward sentence was appropriate." Downward sentence? Who says that? I assume Goldie Guttenberg means "lesser." Also nice.
C. Now about the "new" courthouse we learn that "The tall, classic,vaguely 'Gothic looking' building (probably neoclassical) peers down on the colorful buildings of the flea market across the street. People at the flea market are looking for fun; while those across the street look for justice." VERY nice.
But my personal Guttenberg creative fave - and I swear I'm not making this up - is...
D. "If you have ever heard the expression 'The air was tingling with something,' it was this day."
Has ANYONE ever actually heard that expression? I hadn't, but I plan to start using it whenever I can figure out a way to fit it into conversation.

There is no flow to SPEED DEMON. It is choppily written, lurching from place to place making it hard to follow the time frames; and the writing is often actually incomprehensible. Ultimately it's just boring.
It pains me to write a review this critical since I've always loved her bible, but Guttenberg has failed to deliver on that promise and has instead produced a quagmire of biblical proportions.

Not One Of The Better True Crime Books
This book detailing the Florida case of Mary Hill, found guilty of the vehicular homicide of her daughter and best friend, was at best a "so-so" read. The author included far too many court documents and her own biased opinion of the defendent in it's pages to fit my taste. (The author in one chapter describes Hill as looking like Aileen Wournos while sitting in court for one hearing - COME ON! - useless information) The book itself is kind of thrown together and never obtains a nice flowing narrative that would keep the most avid true-crime reader interested. Not RecommendedUPDATE: As of Feb. 26, 2006, Hill is still out of prison on a $50,000 bond while her appeal goes through the FL. court system.

Book Moves Very Slow & Researched From Court Transcripts!
Not really a known writer here, I live here in central Florida and remember the case well & the day this tradgedy Happened! How do you feel sorry for a "RICH" women driving at high speed and killing not only her own child but someone elses? Book not really the entire story and not a good read at all.I will add it to all my other FLORIDA TRUE CRIME library collection that I started sometime ago! My bookcase is getting really full though!
"ALOT HAPPENS HERE" ... Read more

Product Description
Lizzie and Charles Peterson are a foster family for dogs. Listen to see if they can find the perfect homes for a smart Labrador Retriever, a much-loved Beagle and a sweet but pesky Pug. 3 Paperback Books & 3 Audio CDs. ... Read more

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The truth of one's being is printed within the pages of this book. It points the way to uncover one's Unseen World. For eons of time, Man has not been aware of things unseen. This book provides the keys to open the door to your Unseen World. ... Read more

Product Description
Goldie at the Orphanage introduces a new hero for children aged 5-7.

Shipwrecked as a baby, Goldie goes to live in an orphanage where her golden hair gets her into trouble. Then a new girl called Lotta arrives and Goldie starts to have more fun, until the time comes for them to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. What will happen to the two friends?

The lively illustrations, reminiscent of Shirley Hughes, bring out the warmth and vivacity of Goldie. This story is sure to enchant. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

So Near, Yet So Far
I am so ambivalent about this book.It adheres to the genre that I really, really like:Romantic, erotic, paranormal fantasy.The story lines are exactly that.BUT I felt the stories, especially "Beauty Ravished," seemed hurried and the plots skeletal frameworks for the erotic scenes.I kept wanting all the stories to be more fully fleshed out; each had the potential to be a solo book.The erotic scenes are great.The endings, for the most part, are way too abrupt.When I finished "Beauty Ravished," my jaw just dropped.I couldn't believe that was the end!I kept saying to myself, "And then what?"Finally, unlike previous reviewers, I found the numerous misspellings, missing words, incorrect words, and grammatical faux pas to be really jarring.To sum up: a great idea for an anthology, great plot outlines, but everything seemed careless, rushed, and skimpy.

Ghosts and Magic
Beauty Ravished (Celeste Anwar): Cher Roman is planning on enjoying her weekend at an exclusive, invitation-only island resort, courtesy of her friend Sheri who couldn't use the invitation. She is surprised and insulted when the owner of the resort, Nigel Francoeur, tells her that because she wasn't invited, she must stay in her room all weekend and leave on the first ferry on Monday morning. What she doesn't know is that she has stumbled on a werewolf mate hunt--and tonight is the full moon.

This short story is fun-it is well-written with several hot werewolf sex scenes. The characters are interesting and come alive as the story develops. I really liked it, and was quite disappointed at its abrupt ending. I would have liked this story to be developed further in a longer format.

Dream Shadows (Angelica Hart): In a fantasy world governed by magic, Violet is a resident of the Seraglio, a "school" which trains girls and young women to be the wives or concubines of Mages of the Dark and of the Light. The nuptial auction will take place soon, and Violet will be sold, a fate she wishes to avoid. Can she escape? Will her fate link her with Lord Darth or Lord Ash? Which is the Light and which is the Dark?

This story is interesting in that its theme is that people are not always as they seem--that someone who at first glance seems to be one thing may be another thing entirely when one gets to know them better. How does one tell who is good and who is evil? I thought the story seemed to be a bit uneven--too much time was spent on setting up the story and not enough on the denouement. The character of Violet was charming, but quite naive. There are several sensual love scenes with an imaginary lover, but nothing too shocking.

Blackthorne's Light (Marie Harte): Adara Vansant is a magazine reporter looking for a human interest story. She thinks that a story on Vampland, a new & popular erotic fantasy Goth nightclub in the suburbs of Philadelphia, will fit the bill. The club is owned by Trey Blackthorne, who is fascinated by Adara at their first meeting. Trey knows that Adara is the woman who can save him from succumbing to the Dark forces that are overwhelming him. What will happen when Adara discovers that he is a real vampire?

This story is about a man who is in danger of losing his soul while doing what he is meant to do. Again, the theme is good and evil, and how it manifests itself in our lives. Is good pure good or does it have elements of evil? Is evil pure evil or does it have elements of good? I enjoyed this story because it was well-written and quite interesting. The characters of Adara and Trey were complex and well-developed. While the story was economically written--there aren't any extraneous scenes--it is well-paced and has a sense of completion. There are several very explicit love scenes-very hot erotica. This was probably my favorite of the stories in this book.

The Dark One (Goldie McBride): Samantha Lancaster has traveled from America to France to visit the Chateaux du Beauchamp [sic] partly to honor her late mother's wishes, and partly to see if she can get a glimpse of the ghost. The ghost is Gerard, Count du Beauchamp, said to have been a powerful warlock who was defeated and killed in a magic duel by another powerful witch sometime before the French Revolution. In reality, Gerard was not killed--he was thrown into another dimension where he can see the real world, but not be seen by anyone nor touch anything in it. Until he meets Samantha...

This is an interesting story that mixes ghosts and magic. The writing is good, and the story well-paced. I have to admit I was not very fond of Samantha and Gerard as a couple. She struck me as a very serene and calm heroine, and he is a very angry hero (but then, who wouldn't be when one had been stuck between dimensions for 300 years?), and the match of the two didn't really work for me. The sex scenes are sensual, but not explicit. -- Jean, Fallen Angel Reviews (courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews)

Dark and Dangerous
OH MY GOD!This book is truly Dark and Dangerous!And Delightful!!LOL LOLEach story is FAN-tastic!!Buy, Buy, Buy!LOL

An intense passionate collection of "dark" paranormal erotica
Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

This collection of stories is sure to entice the most selective of readers to venture to "the dark side" of romance and erotica in their books.

In Beauty Ravished, by Celeste Anwar, Cherry Roman has taken what little savings she has, after being laid off at work, and splurged on a vacation adventure that she hopes will help her relax and enjoy life; not worry about what happens next. When she arrives at her haven, she finds that strangely enough, there seems to be no women present and the manager of the resort is happy about her being there. Neither can deny the eruption of passion they experience upon meeting, and Cherry is in for the shock of her life when she discovers just what kind of man, or is it beast?, Nigel Francoeur is.

What a hot tale! Cherry and Nigel are immediately attracted to one another, their passion for one another a conflagration that is sure to singe the fingers of the reader. Ms. Anwar takes the world of the werewolves and shifts things around just a bit to satisfy her story and her readers. The descriptions of the behavior of the male werewolves show the animal instincts often lacking in shape shifter characters. The details of the mating game being played out in this story are well done, making one shiver in fear, or desire, at the concept and the events unfolding.

In Dream Shadows by Angelica Hart, the next foray into the dark side, readers meet Violet Haze, born of the sun caste, who has been trained to be a willing wife to some lord lucky enough to win her in the nuptial auction. She longs to be free to enjoy the life she so desires, and to use her magic to keep the Light strong. She prays that it will not be one of the Dark lords who feed on fear that wins her. During much of her life she has experienced such intense erotic dreams that she finds some escape from her unhappy life. However, when she meets the man from her dreams, how can she be sure he is of the Light and not of the Dark?

Violet is full of spirit and fire that reveals itself on every page and in every encounter. This reviewer laughed aloud at her antics to try and avoid being bought and mated at the nuptial auction. Her confusion is real when she is confronted with both Darth and Ash, and has to figure out who is the evil one and who is her savior. The electricity between she and Ash, both in dream and waking states, crackles with energy, burning them from the inside out, and will wreak havoc on the reader as well.

In Blackthorne's Light by Marie Harte, Trey Blackthorne is a vampire born of humans, whose duty in life is to rid the world of people with evil souls. His is an empty life, with no satisfaction for him, and he hopes to some day find what he needs and desires. Adara Vansant is a reporter for a racy women's magazine who is doing a series of articles on "bad girls" and their adventures in the dark and erotic sex scene. When she visits a nightclub, Vampland, which caters to this crowd, she never expects the erotic attraction to owner, Trey. But is he her sensual salvation or her worst nightmare?

This reviewer thoroughly enjoyed the slight twist on vampire lore found here. Trey was portrayed in a new light from what is ordinarily found in vampire tales. One is bound to empathize with him in his lonely and empty existence. When Adara comes into his life, the change in him is brilliant to experience, and the love they feel for one another is easily felt and understood. The plot is well thought out and flows smoothly, and will satisfy even the pickiest of readers.

In The Dark One by Goldie McBride, Samantha Lancaster heads to Europe for a tour of reputedly haunted locations, a trip she had planned to take with her mother, until she died in a car crash on the way to the airport for this very trip. She ends her travels at the Chateaux du Beauchamp in France and gets more then she bargained for upon arrival. Gerard, Count du Beauchamp was a powerful warlock in his day, cursed by fate to spend eternity neither living nor dead. When he meets Samantha, he finds out that not only can she see him and talk to him, but that she may be the very answer to his desires, and only she can break the curse he's lived with for centuries.

What collection of dark tales would be complete without a sexy ghost (or is he?) warlock? The story behind Gerard's existence is complex and developed quite thoroughly, giving enough information to make readers understand his predicament. Samantha's background is also intricate, making one feel for her and why she is so drawn to this particular site on her tour. These two characters are meant to be together, and the story proves that without a doubt. Their feelings for one another won't be denied and how their romance in concluded will make readers be thrilled for them.

It is hard to pick a favorite story out of this collection. Every one is delightful and will enthrall readers. They are all equally sensual, written so well that the passion leaps from every story to captivate and inspire readers. Be sure to have a cold shower, or a warm and willing partner, readily available upon finishing this collection of erotic fantasies.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, October 2004. All rights reserved.

For Fans of Paranormal Romantica
I bought Dark and Dangerous primarily for the Celeste Anwar story, but all the stories in the anthology are really good. There are a few annoying typos throughout--which seems to be a common occurance for books published through NCP, but it shouldn't stop you from reading if you're into paranormal romantica.

Dark and Dangerous does have a "carnal rating", so its expected that the sex scenes are going to be quite graphic, however one of the scenes in Beauty Ravished is so over the top it comes across as poorly written... I literally cringed while reading it. Overall, however, each story is well worth reading and contains a different paranormal element: werewolf, ghost, vampire, and mages. I give it 5 stars. A great book to carry with you out to the pool!

On the downside, I find it tedious to buy from New Concepts Publishing because it takes so long to receive their books. After three months of having Dark and Dangerous on order, the delivery date came and went without receiving anything. I ended up buying the book used on another auction site. It's a shame, really, because NCP have a lot of print books I'd be very interested in buying, if only they could get their product out in a timely manner.
... Read more

Product Description
illustrated with photographs by marcia moore and frank stork and line drawings inc. instructions on how to practice yoga. drawings by goldie lipson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent introduction to hatha yoga
I was studying raja joga when I picked up this book many years ago.The author provides an unpretentious look at his own experience with learning hatha yoga.After reading the book I began to practice the hatha yoga asanas given at the book's end.I found the instructions and illustrations easy to understand.Following the author's suggestion I started with the beginning asanas, taking my time, and gradually worked up to the advanced exercises.I probably spent about 30 minutes or so every morning, which was a great way to start the day.

I and about ten others used the book as a guide in our own "free university" hatha yoga class in which we participated for two years.I have loaned and lost three copies of this book to friends and acquaintances, which is why I am ordering two copies this time.

I recommend this book for anyone wishing to learn more about hatha yoga from a layman's perspective.

Great introduction to Yoga and other principals
I enjoyed the book tremedously. Jess Stearn's writing was easy to follow and I liked his non-judgemental way. He wrote about his own personal experience with yoga, and how his past projects influenced his way of thinking (The Sleeping Prophet), and his doubts with the concept of reincarnation. He touched up the benefit of yoga experienced by himself and the people he interviewed. I learned a lot about yoga, not just asanas, but also the yoga way of life. A great introduction to Yoga. If you are serious about yoga, you should read it.

A fine Yoga manual with beautiful photos of Yoga Asanas.
Jesse Stearn's account of his discovery of the discipline of Yoga. This NY Daily news reporter had been letting his health go after years at a desk job. He meets Marcia Moore whose Concord, Massachusetts Ashram was one ofthe first of its kind in the US. He discovers a way back to health and wellbeing which requires no special equipment and not much space, and unlikesports, can be performed by anyone in any condition with dramaticresults.

Considering that this book was published in 1965 before thesubsequent glut of literature on the subject, it should be regarded as thepioneering work which aroused an interest in Yoga in America.The black andwhite photos of Marcia Moore in various Yoga postures are both stunning andinspiring. ... Read more

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Includes the first fourteen books in the series: Goldie, Snowball, Shadow, Rascal, Buddy, Flash, Scout, Patches, Noodle, Pugsley, Princess, Maggie and Max, Cody, and Honey. 80-96 pages each. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Gift
I purchased these books for my Nephew.He is 8 years old and loves to read.He asked me to see if I could find these books in a set because he couldn't make up his mind which book he wanted.Of course, he wanted them all.I went to amazon.com and sure enought there they were the Puppy Place set.The price was great!I received a total of 16 books.My nephew was so excited when the books came, he could hardly wait to start reading.We can't wait until the new books come out this summer. ... Read more

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This study uses critical theory to investigate the history of how people have thought about the antipodes—the places and people on the other side of the world—from ancient Greece to present-day literature and digital media. Taking into account maps, letters, book illustrations, travel writing, poetry, and drama, Goldie reveals that the history of the idea of the antipodes might be seen as different modes or discourses: mathematical and geographical in the earliest era, cartographical and kinetic in the medieval period, social and sexual in the Early Modern, sartorial and littoral in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and bodily and humorous in the latest era. Using the theories of Eve Sedgwick, Michel Foucault, Epeli Hau‘ofa, and others, this book extends postcolonialism’s historical scope and challenges the theory’s approaches and perceptions: center-periphery, East-West, and mimicry.

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Bombshell bounty hunter Rally Vincent`s cat burglar pal Misty Brown just got out of jail, but Misty may have traded her steel-and-concrete cage for a pair of concrete overshoes! Misty has tapes incriminating a mafia boss, but the don has a towering Italian amazon assassin named Goldie to tie up loose ends -- with extreme prejudice. It`s up to Rally to keep Misty alive, and that means a nonstop blizzard of extreme car chases and pitched gun battles! Kenichi Sonoda`s Gunsmith Cats is ferocious, sexy fun pushed to the redline! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A New Villian for GSC
This is volume 4 of the series.

Misty has just gotten out of jail and is already in trouble. (We briefly saw Misty in volume 2: Misfire.) It turns out The Mob is VERY interested in some videotapes Misty has acquired from a friend who was in jail with her. We also learn more about Ken and Minnie May's past. Near the end of this volume, a new drug is being sold on the street. This is the first time kerasine shows up in the manga. This volume does end with a cliffhanger and is concluded in volume 5: Bad Trip.

Goldie is a highly skilled assassin who works for the don. She is ruthless and merciless. ...extremely merciless. She feels that the weak should die and anyone who makes a mistake deserves the consequences - even death. "Incompetents are better off dead... Don't you think?" (No page numbers - This quote is near the beginning of the second chapter,"Decoy.")

Goldie probably ends up being the one villian to show up more often than any of the others, and she is the best villian in the series. Much better than Radinov in the OVA (Bulletproof) but similiar to her too.

The action becomes more believeable starting in this volume. You still see great stunts, but it's easier to believe someone actually doing these things.

The story seems a little more developed this time. There's more time allowed for things and characters to be explained.

This is for mature audiences.

Kenichi Sonoda Rules! Go Mini-May!
You just can't beat Kenichi Sonoda for some serious action!One of the greatest Manga artists and Character Designers of all time, Gunsmith Cats is his masterpiece, a work of pure inspiration and a love of detail.Thisis the first part of the story, so everyone who so much as glances this wayshould be sure to have a copy if they like action, suspense, or just reallycool cars (I love that Shelby Cobra)

This book willl leave you pumped for more! You need it!
Car chases and bullets fly through the pages of this book! Its like a John Woo movie on paper! Oh, car chases CAN be done in comic! AND BEWARE: you will buy the next installment! ... Read more

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At the end of Goldie at the Orphanage, Goldie was sold to a farmer, the highest bidder at auction. What would happen to her?

In this much-awaited sequel, Goldie settles into life on the farm as a maid to the family that lives there. She longs to go to school, however, just like the other children. Will she get her wish, or will she be only a maid? ... Read more

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Había una vez una niña pequeñita y rubia a la que todos llamaban Ricitos de Oro, que un día fue al campo y se encontró con una casa... ... Read more

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A tiny chicken causes a big mischief when she goes shopping with her mother. ... Read more

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Charles F. Goldie (1870-1947) is one of New Zealand's best known artists, with mystique surrounding his work. His fame has been fed by newspaper reports documenting record-shattering prices, thefts, vandalism and forgeries. The book explores Goldie's career, his early still life paintings, his time as a student in Paris, his reign as Aukland's leading painter, the fall from critical favour, descent into ill health and distinctive late period paintings of the 1930s. ... Read more