Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Another great read from the best of British chic-lit
I always enjoy reading Katie Fforde. All of her titles are amongst my keepers to reread at leisure.
PRACTICALLY PERFECT has a very talented young heroine and mixes her struggles to renovate a a listed cottage with her feelings for two very different men. The story line also weaves in the difficulties of rehoming retired greyhounds and daily life in a small village.
I don't like to give too much away for those who haven't read PRACTICALLY PERFECT, but, as in all good chic-lit novels, there are issues beyond romance including friendships and family.
Katie Fforde writes stand-alone books, each having different themes and new characters. And each is well worth reading. Her female characters, regardless of age, remind of friends in England, the stories are told with humor. Each book leaves me satisfied and hoping there will be a new Katie Fforde out one out soon.

Love it
I love Katie Fforde's books! This was a great one, not my favorite of hers, but a great read. Entertaining, fun and I'm glad I purchased it.

enjoyable
I'm generally a reader of paranormal romances but enjoy something on the lighter side once in awhile. Practically Perfect is a lovely light chic lit novel.It's not terribly exciting; it's just a small story about Anna who is working on her designing career fixing up and selling homes. She is unsophisticated but capable and sweet.Practically Perfect has many elements that make British Chic Lit fun to read; picturesque English country side, cottages, local village and market.I pictured Rob (the love interest) as Colin Firth from Love Actually...big and goofy but strong and sweet.

A sweet story without a satisfying resolution
I enjoyed Katie Fforde's story and characters, although at times I felt the characters were a little cliche (especially the romantic male characters).The story, however, was sweet and peppered with references to adjusting to dog ownership, life in a small village in England, and the dilemmas that occur when a woman is in her mid-twenties.Not to mention the detailed descriptions of the renovation project undertaken by the main protagonist, Anna.

I felt that the resolution was a little too hastily reached, as if Ms. Fforde's editor called and told her she needed to finish the book and she wrote it in an afternoon.Overall, it is a sweet book, and worth reading if you have a lazy afternoon.

Pink fluff
Newly qualified interior designer and general all-round handywoman, Anna, sets about re doing the interior of a listed, working man's cottage. The fact that it's "listed" means that there are certain guidelines to which she must adhere, and that she must get permission from the local inspector of works. She's harboured a secret, schoolgirl crush on one of her college lecturers for years, building up in her mind, a picture of a romantic, heroic figure, against whom, no other man can compete, so when she finds herself becoming attracted to the local inspector, brushes it off in favour of her romantic dream. When she and "Prof. Dreamy" finally get togther, her childish dreams disintegrate in the face of his total self absorbtion and general selfishness (and the sex isn't that great either!) and so she redily falls for the charms of the earthier but worthier, inspector. Then this stupid twit of a woman reveals what an idiot she really is by imposing her ideas on to a project of the inspector's, when he is laid up in hospital, and proceeds to alienate him with her bossiness. It's a "pink fluff" story, ok for when you feel like something very light to read, but not at all attention holding. ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling author Connie May Fowler tells her own extraordinary story for the first time–the harrowing years of her childhood followed by the abusive relationship she endured as a young woman–and how the unconditional love of her dog helped her escape her physical and emotional bonds.
Before Women Had Wings, Connie May Fowler’s award-winning and bestselling fictional account of domestic abuse, touched thousands. In this piercing memoir, Fowler chronicles the emotional battery and physical abuse that marked her own passage to adulthood. She draws a searing portrait of growing up with her manipulative and needy mother, a woman unable to give the love and comfort every child has a right to expect.
And then, as a young woman, Fowler found herself involved with a man whose behavior disturbingly echoed her mother’s. The man she lived with alternately displayed a desperate need for her or rejected her as if she were worse than useless. With heart-wrenching candor, Fowler records the abuse she suffered at his hands, from his constant attempts to undermine her self- confidence to his acts of brutal physical violence.
The unconditional love Fowler longed for finally came–in the shape of an adoring Labrador puppy named Kateland. With Katie at her side, she was able to withstand her mistreatment and the crushing weight of her childhood and, miraculously, managed to create a small refuge from the horrors that surrounded her. This is the story of her decision to end the years of mistreatment and even to open her life to a new, gentle man, whose love and understanding helped to transform her.
Well known for her fiction and her work with victims of domestic abuse, Fowler now offers a strong helping hand to women everywhere in this startling, revealing, and ultimately inspiring memoir.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

It's not about the dog ...
I did not want to read a book about an abusive relationship but I did want to read about the dog. Unfortunately, the dog is more background to the author's story, which is well-written. As the author's self-esteem grows, the writing subtlety changes to to reflect the author's growing confidence and determination to leave her abusive partner (they were not even married). Disappointed that there was not more dog in the story, but a worthwhile memoir to read if you want some understanding of the thinking process that keeps an abused person in a relationship that is not healthy.

Superb!
What a brave woman this author is. She bears her soul for all to read. Her heart wrenching journey leaves you feeling hopeful in the face of any adversity and truly empowered as if all things really are possible.
I count Connie May fowler as one of my living heros!

Talk to his/her EX!
HAVE WE ALL, AFTER THE HONEYMOON ENDS, WISH WE HAD TALKED TO THE EX (or EX(s) ?!?!

Fowler's compelling memoir strikes a chord with anyone who has stayed far too long, and, finally, walked away from the carnage of a love/hate relationship, and of the fear that shadows us, "forcing" us to stay.

Anyone who has experienced this "crazy-making" life knows of the long, hard recovery, but failure to expose exploitaton is like an endorsement that permits him/her to move on to yet another target, whom he/or she will expertly convince that the former spouse,lover or colleague was "crazy" while presenting themselves,as the abused, not the abuser.

Recommended reading: "The Wizard of OZ and Other Narcissists."

A book that can change your life
There's no question Connie May Fowler is a gifted story teller and extremely talented writer. Some passages are so searing and full of truth I've gasped when reading them. Unfortunately, the story she tells here is not fiction. I won't go into the plot because other reviewers have.
But I will say that this book will open up the eyes of readers who wonder why rape and domestic violence can damage people so deeply. In telling her story, Fowler goes further - also showing how 'teasing' and discrimination against someone because of the appearance of their face can cause deep and life-lasting scars. So far, the latter is a problem barely touched on by authors and psychologists.
Read this book with an open mind, and you'll find her story underscores how cruelty, shaming and bullying can almost blow out the flame of a promising human being before she even gets a chance to realize her own talent.
Conversely, this book demonstrates how kindness and compassion can help a suffering soul survive and even bloom.
Fowler is never pitiful and pathetic, and even when the most degrading acts are done to her, she remains a person with dignity.
Free from cruelty and shame at last and embraced by love, the real Connie Fowler emerges in the end.

extraordinary recounting of abuse, despair, ultimate triumph
When you get right down to it, authors like Connie May Fowler are not much different than the rest of us.Fowler bears the scars of a horrific childhood and early adulthood, one strewn with the wreckage of a shattered self-image fueled by the alcoholic abuse of her mother and the degradation of a hideous relationship with an older man.She, as have many of her readers, has suffered through despair thick enough to reduce her to attempted suicide and has faced the depths of self-abdication so profound that she began to absorb the very evil identity her tormented partner imposed on her.

What makes Fowler different from us, however, is language.In her hands, words makeanguish palpable, sadness tangible, struggle imperative.As an author, Fowler is able to make sense of her life, and, in so doing, help us make sense of ours. "When Katie Wakes" may well be the most brutally coarse and ugly memoir you will ever read, but, at the same time, one of the most beautiful and impassioned pleas for individual integrity and indomitability ever composed.It is nothing less than a masterpiece.

Though Ms. Fowler credits her adoption of a loyal and loving dog, Katie, as the symbolic act of reclamation and reaffirmation of life, she sells herself far short.The grandchild and child of abused women, the child Fowler becomes the target of her drunken mother's rage.The Fowler children become adept actors, hiding the shame of family disgrace and brutality under the veneer of achievement.Keeping verbal assaults invisble, preventing others from recognizing the constant physical beatings absorbed by Mama, Connie's family life resembled "smoke and mirrors, deception and shame."A "wall of silence" shrouded suffering.As a child, Connie received sustenance from words and books, and her resultant triumph as an adult vindicates her choice.Her older sister, however, absorbs and internalizes the viciousness of her home, and, consequently, develops anorexia as an adult.

In a remarkable self-portrait, Fowler describes a wretched adult woman, unloved, unlovable, disgusting and repulsive.Her self-hatred is "untainted and unhinged."She believes herself "so ugly" that only an abusive, impotent, failed radio celebrity would be willing to love her.Yet, there is not a single note of self-pity in this wrenching memoir.Fowler reminds us that her mother's life, obliterated from a childhood rape, transcends her own in loss.Mama was "an angry woman who believed life had let her down.And it had."From disappointment to the target of her own husband's physical abuse, Fowler's mother recirculates and intensfies the pain, deliberately deflecting it on her children.

As a young woman, Fowler has not escaped her mother's imprint.Indeed, her chosen partner encapsulates her mother's jagged opinion.Tense is irrelevant when Fowler hears herself described as "stupid," or "an ungrateful whore," or a "lousy excuse" of a lover or daughter.When she hears her mother decry her existence, "I wish...I had died the day you were born," Fowler must come to grips with an essential life choice:descent into emotional self-immolation or ascent into a struggle for life and affirmation.

"When Katie Wakes" bravely portrays Fowler's battle for identity and wholeness.Her steadfast determination to "take responsibility for my own happiness, for my own sense of self-worth" is the best medicine for any person struggling to make sense of inner turmoil and despair.When she proclaims her need to discover "what my placer in the world should be," she speaks for any person on the cusp of a life-altering decision searching for the courage to embrace life's potential.This emotion-laden memoir is eloquent testimony to the ability of one person to wrestle life from death, hope from despair, the future from the past. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Endearing Ex-Geek Heroine
Katie McDonald, the heroine of Sudoku Murder, is an ex-geek who returns to her home town at the request of her old friend & mentor to help him, although she doesn't know what his problem is.She returns to find that he has basically escaped from reality into his own world of puzzles, while their beloved puzzle museum has fallen into disuse & disrepair.Soon afterward he is murdered.The new police chief, a transplanted Bostonian, suspects Katie; the two are instantly antagonistic.

Most of the older residents are delighted to see Katie, especially her Aunt Pru, who is determined to see that 29-year-old Katie does not end up an old maid, as she has.Pru sets Katie up on a number of dates with men who have good manners and substantial futures.However, Katie discovers someone she finds more attractive, whom Aunt Pru does NOT approve of.

Throw in the professor's estranged daughter, who wants to put him in a home, a teen-aged genius who has gone missing, and some extremely colorful characters, and you have a good, fun, fast read.Add some Sudoku puzzles to work after each chapter, and you've got a winner.

Two little things bothered me.One was the use of the word kibbutz, which means an Israeli collective, in place of kibitz, which means to watch a card, chess, or similar game; loathe (hate) was used instead of loath (reluctant).The author or her editor should have caught these.The other was the heavy sentiment for keeping the town "as is" instead of allowing the mall to be built.A townsman speaks of his family leaving because of lack of jobs; the mall might have been incentive for the young people to stay.The museum, Raynelle's cafe, etc, could have been moved to other locations.I can sympathize with the townsfolk, but I think they were wrong.It's obvious they're set in their ways, as they run red lights, park by fire hydrants, and don't bother getting a license to sell food.

I think that Katie will eventually get together with the right man, but I'm glad the author didn't rush into it.I can wait.I'm reading the second book & have ordered the third.If you're reading this review, you should, too!

Very much enjoyed this series
Well written, draws you in, internally consistent. I save 5 stars for truly superb books but this book and its sequels are well worth buying, even for folks like me who simply CANNOT do these puzzles.

Plot has too many charaters and is confusing to say the least
I see that a number of people have given this a five star, and my bet is they are all women.That's OK, this book is written for them.As a guy, I thought that the there were two many characters in the book and confusion about the plot, along with too many situations that were simply filler between the beginning and end.It turns out it is not the solution to the puzzle that matters but how to read it. At the start a character is introduced and then we don't hear about this person until the very end, and I had forgotten this was a large part of the story until s/he reentered.I got frustrated reading the book as I wanted to solve the murder, not hear about all the stuff in between, so gave it only a 3 star rating.I hoped to learn more about Sudoku but did not, although the descriptions of other puzzles are interesting.I would not recommend it to anyone who wants a better written novel and fascinating details.Get a Robin Cook book instead!

Sudoku and Murder
Katie McDonald's old friend Professor P. T. Avondale has asked her back home to help him with a problem.So Katie takes a break from her mathematical think tank job.In school Katie was a "geek" and never fit in.That is until the professor took her under his wing at his puzzle museum.

When Katie arrives, she finds the puzzle museum isn't looking so good any more.Plus the mean receptionist doesn't make visitors feel welcome.The professor tells Katie that the bank has threatened foreclosure, and he wants her help in finding where the payments went.When she finds the professor stabbed to death, she knows something is definitely amiss.

This was such a fun mystery to read.I found myself not wanting to put it down to figure out who did it and why.Katie is such a fun character, too.The author did a great job of intertwining information about Sudoku along with the fabulous mystery.It makes for such an enjoyable cozy mystery read.

I highly recommend this book.I can't wait to read #2.

Totally literate light cozy
The only thing I will add to the other reviewers is that this is the most grammatically correct mystery I have read in years!Even Kate Atkinson has fallen into the trap of writing that a character "try and ..."instead of "try to."
Pet peeve, yes, but this author even knows how to use "whom."I have to admit, as an English major of a certain age, I find errors in every newspaper, journal and book I read.But what a delight, whether it is the author or her editor, to find someone who knows the English language and who is truly "literate."You don't have to be highbrow to be literate!Bravo! ... Read more

Product Description
Katie Weldon catches more than just the bouquet at the wedding of her best friend, Christy Miller. She also snags a job offer that launches her into an adventure she never imagined. Katie eagerly accepts the job as resident assistant at Rancho Corona University only to find herself in a community of conflict. She thought this was where God wanted her, but how can God use her---love her---when everything is falling apart? Especially with her boyfriend, Rick.Katie turns to the women in her life for solace. In the safety of their love and encouragement she finally allows herself to spill her heart about her relationship with Rick. But even their advice can't postpone the decision Katie must face, a decision that will define who she is and the woman she's becoming. The first book in the Katie Weldon Series, Peculiar Treasures follows Katie as she struggles to believe that God can love her, faults and all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Bad book, even for free!
I downloaded "Peculiar Treasures" to my Kindle because it was free. I paid too much. This is a religious tract in the guise of a very bad novel with no plot. Don't waste your time!

I wish I could get the time back that I wasted on this book
I'm not a picky reader. Honestly, I'll read just about anything. But this book was painful the whole way through. From having no plot, to having flat, boring, and frustratingly stupid characters, I honestly wish I could get the time back that I wasted. The only reason I finished it was because I was hoping the book would pick up and the when I realized it wasn't going to, I told myself it would be dumb not to finish a book I was 80% of the way through. Thank God I didn't waste my money on this drivel.

Audience?
Maybe I missed something in the description, but where did it say this was for 10 year old girls? Thank god it was free, because this was very amateurish and uninteresting.

No redeaming literary value
and not even all that interesting.I'm not sure why I read the whole book other than at a 5th grade reading level and didn't take long.I downloaded it for kindle for free and it received high reviews.I'm baffled. Girl wants boy, girl doesn't understand why boy won't kiss her until she truely forgives some mysterious prior sin, boy kisses girl.

Got this only because it was free for Kindle
I didn't realize that it was Christian fiction until I started reading it. There are other works of Christian fiction that I like despite being a non-believer (for instance, Alaskan Summer, which was also available free on Kindle a while ago. That was a well written book). This book, on the other hand, was boring & trite. ... Read more

Product Description
A compassionate and comprehensive guide for the families and caregivers of Alzheimer's patients.

When people suffer from Alzheimer's disease, their family and friends usually must care for them and make decisions on their behalf, tasks that can be emotionally and physically draining. Backed by solid medical information about the specifics of the disease-from early signs, testing, and diagnosis to treatments and long-term care-this comprehensive guide will help family and caregivers alike be better prepared for the unique challenges ahead of them. An invaluable resource, Alzheimer's Disease explains how to cope with the many feelings provoked by the disease and provides practical care advice including ways to communicate and to make life safe and comfortable for the Alzheimer's patient. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Alzheimer's Disease:A Guide for Families and Caregivers
I found this book to be very helpful and I bought it for everyone in my family.It has great information regarding patient behavior, caregiver experiences, suggestions for caregivers, and prevention of this disease.I would have given it 5 stars except for the information regarding being sexually loyal as a spouse of an Alzheimer's patient, and the chapter about assisted suicide.I believe adultery and suicide are morally wrong, and just because a person loses their ability to remember or know things doesn't make it right to engage in the above practices.They are still worth being loyal to and worth receiving loving care until they pass on.I believe to do less than that would bring remorse in the future and it would dishonor the loved one suffering from this disease. ... Read more

Product Description
More delicious fun and romance from the author of Thyme Out.

On an art appreciation holiday in Provence with her friend Molly, Thea meets the gorgeous Rory. Accepting his invitation to Ireland, she discovers a studio full of wonderful paintings. Thea decides to open an art gallery to show Rory’s work. But will she end up with Rory, who wants her, or with Ben, who for some reason, doesn’t seem to?


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great Heroine; Often Unlikeable Hero; Unsatisfying Romance
If, like me, you're in the process of catching up with Katie Fforde's backlist, you might find this one worth only a quick read. The tone is absolutely breezy and fun, except when it comes to the romance, which really perplexed me with its clumsy and sometimes downright distrubing undercurrents.

Thea is extremely likeable--a 35 year old who runs a boarding house. She has a great sense of humor none of her friends appear to appreciate, and she's single but waiting for the right man. She meets Rory, an artist, while on vacation in Ireland and is immediately charmed by his talent, though not necessarily by him. She also meets Ben, the brother of her friend Molly (who, along with Petal and some other supporting characters, is completely uninteresting), but finds him to be stoic, grouchy, and hard to read. Over the course of the novel Thea grows and changes like a true chick lit heroine, and falls in love with Ben. But Ben never made sense to me, which ultimately killed any real sense of romance the book has.

For one thing, Ben is almost always rude to Thea, sends her mixed signals, and in one excessively unpleasant and completely unnecessary scene, almost hits her. He has a wonderful son, Toby, who is infinitely sweeter and more sympathetic than his father. What's really hard to follow or understand here, though, is why Ben just doesn't tell Thea how he feels and why he's acting the way he is. At the end, Fforde supplies a reason, but not an explanation as to why Ben felt he couldn't share that reason with Thea at any point in the novel. It's incredibly frustrating, and marred the whole book for me.

Grade: C

Love everything Katie Fforde writes
Got a book of hers at the library and realized I wanted every book she has ever written. Came here and found them. She is an amazing writer and should be read by everyone.

Disappointed
Having enjoyed the "light reads" of Restoring Grace, Stately Pursuits, The Rose Revived and Wild Designs I am disappointed in this Artistic License... I don't think I can even finish it. It just seems poorly written (grammar?), uninteresting characters, and as if someone else wrote it.... sorry;hope the next one I read is more like the former four.

Brit Chic Lit is fun.
A pleasant read but I'm not sure why Katie Fforde writes so often about women who are frazzled from juggling too many responsibilities.They are always tired.Still, I enjoyed reading "Artistic License", though not as much as "Second Thyme Around".

Not the best Ms. Fforde has written
Artistic License was not my favorite Fforde novel, but I didn't dislike it either.I enjoyed all the eclectic characters, especially Thea, and her relationship with small Toby was sweet.Into the mix of "characters" was Lara and her litter of puppies, and I found them to be charming.

One thing I notice about Ms. Fforde's novels is that the protagonist and the main male character, who she inevitably falls for, often seem to be at odds at first, and argue and fuss at each other a lot before they realize they are in love.While the banter can be enjoyable, I think that this device has seen its day in Ms. Fforde's novels.

I also found the Ben character a little more one-dimensional than I'm used to with Katie Fforde's books.Regardless, I do not regret reading this one and will always look forward to my next Katie Fforde book. ... Read more

Product Description
Sarah Walters, the narrator of GIRLS IN TRUCKS, is a reluctant Camellia Society debutante. She has always felt ill-fitted to the rococo ways of Southern womanhood and family, and is anxious to shake the bonds of her youth. Still, she follows the traditional path laid out for her. This is Charleston, and in this beautiful, dark, segregated town, established rules and manners mean everything.

But as Sarah grows older, she finds that her Camellia lessons fail her, particularly as she goes to college, moves North, and navigates love and life in New York. There, Sarah and her group of displaced deb sisters try to define themselves within the realities of modern life. Heartbreak, addiction, disappointing jobs and death fail to live up to the hazy, happy future promised to them by their Camellia mothers and sisters.

When some unexpected bumps in the road--an unplanned birth, a family death--lead Sarah back home, she's forced to take another long look at the fading empire of her youth. It takes a strange turn of events to finally ground Sarah enough to make some serious choices. And only then does she realize that as much as she tried to deny it, where she comes from will always affect where she ends up. The motto of her girlhood cotillion society, "Once a Camellia, always a Camellia," may turn out to have more wisdom and pull to it than she ever could have guessed.Amazon.com Review
Katie Crouch's debut novel, Girls in Trucks, is the hilarious, heartbreaking tale of Sarah Walters, a Southern debutante whose endless quest for love and fulfillment takes her around the world and back again. Orbiting Sarah is a cast of characters whose misadventures keep the story moving, even as readers grow frustrated with our heroine's inability to rise above her self-destructive tendencies and see the proverbial light.

We first meet Sarah and her friends Charlotte, Bitsy and Annie at the Charleston Cotillion Training School, where you're not allowed to dance with your cousin under any circumstances, and students are strictly forbidden from dancing the Shag. Sarah, who lives in the shadow of her brilliant, beautiful sister Eloise, is a reluctant debutante at best, and unsurprisingly heads East for college. She eventually lands in New York City, where she slaves away as an editorial assistant and ruins an impressive number of relationships with nice, and not so nice guys. Woven into Sarah's tales of romantic woe are Bitsy, Charlotte and Annie's struggles with infidelity, addiction and low self esteem, respectively. What saves this novel from becoming a cliched tale of failed romance and Southern excess is Crouch's amazing wit, which magically appears every time her characters' self-loathing threatens the affection we inevitably develop for each woman:

I loved the neighborhood: tiny streets peppered by angry painters with peacock-colored fingertips and sturdy women from Sicily clutching armfuls of warm bread. It took us a while to shed our Southern ways, but after a few months we figured out that one's natural height should not be enhanced by one's bangs.

Crouch's sharp wit and keen insight into the dynamics between mothers and daughters, sisters, friends and lovers make her an exciting newcomer to the Southern fiction genre. --Gisele Toueg ... Read more

Customer Reviews (114)

Not impressed
I listened to this audio CD on a work trip.I wanted to quit, but I kept hoping for it to get better, so I finished it. It was honestly painful.The writing was trite and often irritating.To call this "chick lit" is an insult to the talented writers that have written high quality entertaining stories in that genre.I almost bought this book to read previously, and I'm glad I didn't waste my money and just used my library card to rent the CD.Sorry Katie, but this didn't cut it.Hopefully you get a chance to get published again and can improve.

review of girls in trucks
I really don't know where to start.Sorry Katie, but I picked this up becuase I am from Charleston and went through the Cotillion and Deb scene that your character went through as well. I guess we could start with the poor job you do of setting the scene at the beginning of the book, and then we can move on from that to discuss the jarring shifts in Point of View, which goes from first person limited to third person omniscient.Then we could also discuss the poor job of creating any sympathy for the protagonist, because all she really is, is lazy.

I really wanted to support a fellow Charlestonian, but I can't.The story doesn't flow at all, and I can't figure out who decided it would be a good idea to publish it. It is very difficult to figure out where the book is going because of the shifts in point of view.There are several gaps in Sarah's life, and unfortunately I don't care enough to wonder how she got from place to place.I'd love to read about her friends who seem to have lived far more interesting lives.This book is about a boring, clueless, and lazy girl who feels like her life should be interesting.

I also think the cover is misleading, as one of my high school students suggested I read it, only to discover that at it's core the book is about driking, drugs, and sex.

Don't waste your time
When I was first started listening to this audiobook, I was a little disappointed and surprised at the author's voice. First, she read the book in a monotone voice. Second, she didn't sound southern to me (and I should know since I am southern born and bred.) The first half of the book was ok, not exciting, but it passed the time during my commute to and from work. By the middle of the book I found myself yelling "LOSER!" to the CD player where the main character is all about being stoned all the time and sleeping with anyone she can. Finally, near the end of the book I start thinking, "Maybe she's lived and learned and will now find happiness." No such luck, just an open-ended and disappointing finish. Don't waste your time.

Good and bad bits
I thought how she through lesbianism into the ending was ackward and forced.Like she had to include some kind of homosexuality to be hip and in the times so she tacked it onto the end.

The asian insults were also forced and unnecessary.I can see her putting off that demographic and never winning it back.

She's onto something though with this quick pace and interesting style of storytelling.I enjoyed the read just thought it needed some more substance and a better ending.

Just okay for me
I really wanted to like this book, it's funny and quirky in parts. But it is so hard to relate to the main character who just goes from one disastorous relationship to another. We all make mistakes, but she makes so many it starts to get really frustrating to read. I would have loved the ending to be a little more defined, I think I could have felt better about the story if it was. It was okay to read, not great. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Far from paradise
My initial reaction was that perhaps this was one of Ms. Fforde's early works before she perfected her craft, or an attempt at writing something "screenplay-worthy," because it was contrived, too cute, and the characters were ridiculous.I've read and enjoyed two books by Ms. Fforde - "Stately Pursuits" and "Wild Designs" - so I knew her style, but "Paradise Fields" was just too hard to take.Nel has been dating a man for six months, and has known him for years, but they've never had sex, and he's never indicated an interest in it.Really?Her daughter and friends all dislike the boyfriend; he seems to dislike Nel's children, her parenting style and her [lack of] housekeeping; and she doesn't really seem to enjoy his company [see - dating for six months with no sex] - but she keeps him around because he fixes things around her house?Every novel doesn't have to be a feminist manifesto, but please.And all of the "meet-cute" scenes with Jake just grow tiresome - of course, he runs the soccer league, and of course he's somehow involved in an incident in which a soccer ball ends up in an elaborate cake she has baked, and of course he and some colleagues run into her in London (must be a much smaller city than I thought).These incidents just seemed made for a movie - which isn't necessarily bad, but didn't play out well on the page.And Nel constantly - and I mean, constantly - disparages her looks and weight, when everyone else in the world, including hunky, younger-man Jake, thinks she's gorgeous.Between her willingness to have a loveless, sexless relationship with a guy she doesn't seem to like (but, hey, at least he buys her dinner occasionally), and her inability to see how gorgeous she apparently is, I thought she desperately needed some therapy.Hmm, guess I didn't like this book...

If you like european romances...
Nel has been a widow for ten years and is comfortable with life in her little village. Her two sons are at university and her daughter is almost finished high school. She is determined to remain unmarried until her children are independent so she has no complaints about her stuffy boyfriend, Simon, although her children do not like him and she never has lustful thoughts about him. She keeps busy with charity activities to support a local hospice. She is not bothered about the fact that she has not had sex since her husband died so Nel is surprised when a handsome younger man kisses her at the Christmas fair.

Nel is working hard to save Paradise Fields, the estate where she organizes a farmers market which supports the hospice. The new owners want to develop the land for cheap housing. Nel meets with the owners to oppose the development and discovers that their lawyer is Jake, the man who kissed her. Jake tries to date Nel, but she cannot believe a handsome London lawyer is interested in a plump, older woman and suspects he is just trying to get her to agree to the development plans.

When she ends up in Jake's bed one night, Nel puts it down to a mistake, but Jake keeps pursuing her and even seems to be trying to help her save Paradise Fields. Then Simon asks her to marry him and encourages her to agree to the development plan.

A charming story
Katie Fforde writes delightful stories about nice people.I was feeling particularly down one day (had just visited a much-loved family member who was dying of cancer) and needed something light and happy to read, so I plucked this book off my TBR shelf and settled down in my favorite chair.From the first word, I was immediately carried away into Fforde's fictional world.Nell is a lovely heroine--the kind of woman I would enjoy knowing.It was fun to read about her life because I knew that no matter how serious the problems were that she encountered, all would be well in the end.This is a great story told in Fforde's lighthearted style with both skill and charm.You'll enjoy it.

Very Nice Read
The first word that comes to mind after reading this novel is "pleasant" (a vastly underrated adjective IMHO).I haven't read this author before, and it was such a nice experience to read a book that was more about ordinary people, trying to live their lives as best they could, than about plot machinations and torrid sex scenes every other page (not that there's anything wrong with that).One comes to care about these characters and sympathize with their struggles of having to compromise about a real estate development, acknowledging that the children are really growing up and parents are really growing old.

So if you are looking for a well written book with strong character development, this book's the ticket.Nicely done!

Fforde At Her Very Best
There is no such thing as a bad Katie Fforde book, but Paradise Fields, her latest, is simply quintessential Katie: charming, funny, witty, engaging and a joy to read.

Here is the story of just-over-40 widow Nel Innes, who thinks of herself as an over-the-hill dowdy "old thing," a perception not shared by anyone else in her life, from her gorgeous best friend Viv to her twentysomething daughter Fleur to her dull-as-nails boyfriend, estate agent Simon (yawn). Nel halfheartedly thinks she will probably settle down at some point with Simon so she has a man around to do DIY work, when she gets embroiled in a community effort to safe Paradise Fields, a strip of riverfront land upon which sits the sick-children's hospice, a charity dear to her heart.

Nel is used to running farmers' markets and other charity events on Paradise Fields, all of whose profits go to the hospice, but now she is up against a real threat as a heartless couple and their equally heartless land developer plan to turn it into a housing development. As Nel plots and plans desperately to save the land, the landowning couple's nefarious (maybe) attorney Jake comes to muddy the waters. Literally. Nel knows better than to consort with the enemy, but Jake's charm is lethal.

Does Nel find love and happiness in Jake's arms? Or is he the devil? Will the hospice be saved? I found myself zipping through the pages, trying hard not to skip to the end to find out. It's that kind of book, as only Katie Fforde could write it. Enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
Life can be pretty tricky when you're a teenage girl.

New things matter: Clothes. Parties. Boys. Suddenly being liked and being popular don't mean the same thing. Your parents get completely bizarre when the subject of dating comes up. A friend you've had forever stabs you in the back for no good reason. Everybody you know seems to feel free to comment on your constantly changing body. Drugs and alcohol go from being what you see "bad" kids doing on television shows to what you see your friends doing when no adults are around. How are you supposed to deal?

Since life doesn't come with a set of instructions, it helps to turn to people who have been through the stuff that you're facing. Even parents can help. (Really!) In Boys Will Put You on a Pedestal (so they can look up your skirt), former teenage boy -- and current dad of two daughters -- Philip Van Munching helps guide you through some of life's most confusing topics. From Beauty to Grief, from Sex to Fate, Van Munching covers the things you most want to know about and, in his wise, warm, and funny way, offers advice on how you can become the young woman you most want to be.Amazon.com Review
Philip Van Munching sounds like a pretty cool dad. True, he’d rather his daughters steer clear of drugs and alcohol and avoid having sex until after he’s dead, but he’s well aware of the fact that they’re living in the real world. In Boys Will Put You on a Pedestal (so they can look up your skirt), this father of two offers practical advice to teenage girls in a series of fresh and funny chapters on everything from Fate to Faith to Boyfriends, The Internet, and How to be Happy. Consider what he has to say about Tattoos: "If you ever seriously think about getting one do yourself a favor first. Go to the drawer where you keep your T-shirts and take a good look at them. What’s on them? Got any designer names or funny sayings? Or do you have T-shirts with pictures of cartoon animals? Wait, of course you don’t: you had the animal T-shirts a few years ago, but you’ve gotten rid of them. You outgrew them." To further prove his point, he suggests checking out "your folks’ old high school yearbooks" for more evidence that what’s cool today won’t be forever. One thing his girls can likely count on to remain constant, however, is their dad’s obvious love and respect for them, as Van Munching appears infinitely curious about their current lives and the challenges they will face in the future. –Patrick Jennings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Sound, direct, and rooted in traditional common sense
With a title he took from an old Steve Martin routine, Phillip Van Munching has created a very nice, if not just a little out-of-touch book of advice from a father to his daughters.With a foreward from Katie Couric and a back cover testament from Dr. Phil McGraw, "Boys Will Look Up Your Skirt..." does a fairly good job with addressing tender issues about which the author would want his daughters to know his opinions just in case he was "hit by a bus tomorrow."

Out-of-touch is really not quite the right phrase, at least when it comes to the advice which I found to be sound, direct, and rooted in traditional common sense.That is not to say, however, Van Munching took the easy way out when he ploughs through on issues like sex or drugs or faith, for example.Rather than using the tired and increasingly less relevent argument that "the Bible says," or because "God made us this way," Van Munching generally uses reasoned rationale to explain the positions he has taken.For example, a young girl should not use drugs not just (or necessarily) because of the damage it can do to a young woman's body.Rather, drugs can make a girl lose her ability to make good judgments which, in turn, can lead to a series of other, rather significant and immediate problems.

The concern I have is more in Van Munching's accounts of his own experiences with each of his topics.The stories he tells are his own direct experiences with these topics, his own experiences (I believe) may be a little off-putting for the typical young girl reader.For example, to illustrate his experience with cynicism, the author uses the first Roberto Duran/Sugar Ray Leonard fight.I'm not sure any 13-year old girls will connect with that.On the other hand, if a father reads the book and then finds a way to share it with his own daughters - even if it is a way to break the ice with his teenage daughters relative to some meaningful or difficult topic, then Van Munching has done his job.

Good info for all teens
A lot of great information, I bought five books and gave them to my brothers and sisters who have daughters.Teenage boys could learn a lot of valuable information from it also.

The only criticism I had with the book was the section on religion.I don't agree with his statements regarding religion and felt he should have left that chapter out of the book.Buy the book, but before giving it to your teenager, I caution you to read the chapter on religion and consider whether you want to censor (tear out) this chapter or not.

41-year old mom of 2 daughters - thumbs up
I nearly put this back, but decided at the last minute "what the heck." I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. But more important than that, I decided that I would have my 14 year-old daughter read it, and I recommended it to my other "mom" friends. They also endorsed it and now there are several 14-year old girls reading it together. We've decided to give them an incentive ($$) upon completing the book AND having a group discussion - we've found that our kids find it easier sometimes to talk about this kind of "growing-up-stuff" in a group environment rather than one-on-one with mom.

Initial reaction from the kids was that the intro was "boring" but now that they're into the main chapters, they are finding it really interesting. The author has a way of relating to teenage girls, not expecting them to behave like Victorian-era young ladies, but accepting the fact that they will likely get into certain situations. This book emphasizes that they need to think and learn to be responsible, among other things. If you have a teenage daughter, niece, cousin, granddaughter, friend, BUY IT. I'm a single mom and I look for whatever resources I can get my hands on to make sure my kids stay on the right path. I love them too much not to.

I couldn't have said it better myself
Read this book from the library because the title caught my eye.Was so impressed with it's content and tone that I purchased the book and gave it to my daughter for her 21st birthday.Excellent book for a father to give his daughter as long as the daughter is still in listening mode and will read it with the love and attention that is given with it. I highly recommend it.Dads....don't wait too long. Good for giving anytime after your daughter has reached her teens.

From a teenager's point of view
I used to love reading advice books for teens about life, love, and all that jazz. Now that I'm older with some experience and ideas of my own, I can't stand books like these. Even while I enjoyed this sort, I didn't like Boys Will Put You On A Pedestal (so they can look up your skirt) by Philip van Munching.

There are some good points he makes about fate and astrology. As someone who used to invest their time in the meaning of dreams and the stars, I pretty much have discarded that as a waste of time and energy, so I could see where he was coming from there. And I was glad he pointed out on love and relationships because movies, music, and teen fiction tends to depict love as fluffy, cute, and easy. I'm in a relationship of my own and it's a lot of fun, but some times are hard and like nothing I saw on the Notebook or 13 Going on 30.

However, van Munching reflects on past experiences to drive the point home, but it came across to me like his perspective was very limiting and somewhat negative. That's fine if he's the type of person he is, but it's not fair to expect everybody else to be the same way. Everyone's life is personal and wildly unique, but he writes as if he expects all people's lives and experiences to be exactly the same.

I understand that for some girls this book would be a gem, if they don't have a father figure in their life. I live on the other side of the country from mine and I have a close, healthy relationship with him. He's able to talk to me as a person and I respect and honor the advice he gives me, but he never goes out to fix my problems. He's always encouraged me to make my own decisions and follow my heart, and I think van Munching should do the same with his own kids and stop focusing so much on guiding everyone else's daughter. I know many a father who thinks it's lowly and immature to meet a boy with a shotgun and play the role of the parnoid, overprotective dad, as if they're Steve Martin from Father of the Bride.

Girls, look to your legal guardians for support and, if not them, somebody you are close to and trust to teach you good, solid ideals. And make some decisions on your own once in a while to practice for those times when you can't find anybody to fix your problems. Be strong, have spine, be a real woman!!





... Read more

Product Description
Buying, improving, and reselling single-family homes for profit

Countless investors and do-it-yourselfers are eager to profit from buying, improving, and reselling homes. In Fix It and Flip It, two of America's leading home improvement authorities provide expert advice on how to maximize profit and minimize turnaround time on any remodeling-and-resale project.

Featuring unique, step-by-step project time lines for three types of investment properties, this comprehensive "fixer-upper" guide covers everything from the day-to-day workload to tips on tax issues, financing, and more.

Katie and Gene Hamilton present guidelines for choosing an investment property, leveraging investment dollars, and finding investment money. Readers will find clear explanations of the rehabbing-for-profitprocess and learn how to schedule work for:

• The 60-Day Fast Fix-Up--for quick resale or easy rental
• The Makeover Conversion--A 180-Day Wonder that expands living space and resale value
• The Live In, Fix Up, and Sell Later House--occupied by the investor for one year or more, which features architectural restoration and modernization

Customer Reviews (8)

flipping real estate book
The book arrived in a timely manner and in good condition and I went through to find if it had useful points of information within and it did.The book is on file for if we ever flip houses.

A little dull, a little obvious
I've read another book on flipping (Find It, Fix It, Flip It!: Make Millions in Real Estate--One House at a Time by Michael Corbett), and though that book was slightly gimmicky, at least it was entertaining.

This book is slightly dull, and a lot of the suggestions are sort of obvious.I have not gotten completely through the book- so maybe there is some saving grace in there- however I'm having a hard time picking it up.So far I recommend my previous read more.

A fount of information.
The information was def. worthwhile.... it provided some very needed tips. I recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of flipping houses.. but dont stop with this one..no one source of information is the know all of everything.. look everywhere..books, seminars, internet..

not good too general
way too general, and not updated enough for those who are not risk averse gen-xers

This helped us out a lot!
My husband (a carpenter) and I were looking to get into buying houses that needed work, rehabbing them, and re-selling them to make a profit. We checked out am armful of books from the public library -- most of them were mainly on buying property to rehab and rent out. This book was just what we were looking for!

It is very helpful on finding the right property, evaluating the property (we used the "property profile sheet" for all the houses we were seriously intererested in); and making and executing a fix-up plan. We got an accepted offer on our first house yesterday, and I am back on Amazon today to buy the book -- I can't renew it anymore from our library!!!

P.S. I'm updating my review after we sold the house -- we bought the house for $68,000 and sold it for $109,000. When you subtract fix-up and closing costs, our net profit was $20,000. Not bad for eight weeks of work! This book helped a lot! ... Read more

Product Description
The feisty little girl from I Hate to Go to Bed! is back--and scared stiff! And who wouldn't be? Snakes in her closet . . . monsters in the bushes . . . and you don't even want to know what else! What’s a kid to do?
Well, this girl has a plan--one that will make kids and parents alike burst out in laughter as she faces her fears and discovers they’re not as bad as she thought.
Scared Stiff is Katie Davis doing what she does best--taking an experience familiar to children and giving it an irresistible twist.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Ono!
Ono is the name of the big dog in the story and the name by which my son refers to the book. Ever since it arrived, he's asked nearly daily for me to read it to him. I'm not sure that it's helped with his fears, but it certainly aids in the discussion of worries and fears, how we all have them and how we can adjust our thinking to overcome them.

Fun and Silly
My girls love this book.They can relate to the fears this little girl has, and they love the ways she deals with those fears - especially the eyeball song.Great book!

Lesson Learned
This book helps children learn a lesson of how to face your fears. It also shows them that often the things they are afraid of are just silly harmless things or an animal that is more afraid of them. It is also a fun and silly book that kids love!

scared stiff
My children love this book we have read it everynight for the past month.I don't know if they will ever get tired of this book.Hats off to Katie Davis she is wonderfull and really seems to know what kids will like. I give this book two thumbs and two big toes way up. ... Read more

Product Description
Cal and his trainer, Riley, are on their way to Mexico for a make-or-break rematch with legendary fighter Rivera. Four years ago, Cal became the only mixed martial arts fighter to take Rivera the distance -- but the fight nearly ended him. Only Riley, who has been at his side for the last ten years, knows how much that fight changed things for Cal. And only Riley really knows what's now at stake, for both of them.

Katie Kitamura's brilliant and stirring debut novel follows Cal and Riley through the three fraught days leading up to this momentous match, as each privately begins to doubt that Cal can win. As the tension builds toward the final electrifying scene, the looming fight becomes every challenge each of us has ever taken on, no matter how uncertain the outcome.

In hypnotic, pared-down prose, The Longshot offers a striking portrait of two men striving to stay true to themselves and each other in the only way they know how. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Very good book, which could have been better without the rushed ending
If you are interested in mixed martial arts, like I am, there is plenty in this novel for you to enjoy. The story of the underdog that will fight the guy that already cleaned the floor with him, gives us good insights into the preparation for a fight, the training, the mental aspects, the fear and hopes, etc. The writing is very good too, which helps present the characters as real and not cartoonish at all, which is a common fault in novels of this type.

The only part that "spoils" the work (or at least does so in part) is the ending. And my comment has nothing to do with the events that develop at that point, but has more to do with the fact that we are reading a book in which the pace is slow, and we have time to observe the little things that make up the story. Then when we are reaching the climax, instead of taking advantage and delivering a full fledged ending, the author lets the story basically disappear in a second and we are left with a sour taste in our mouths. It's almost as if those characters that were full-fledged and real, turned into ashes in a couple of pages and left us with only the remains.

People interested in the subject matter will probably still find this novel worth their while, but if you are left with that sour taste too, don't say I did not warn you.

HE CLEARED HIS THROAT
The book says "he cleared his throat" so many times that I wondered what the author was trying to get at. You read it...and count the number of times that phrase is used...it is weird.

This was an ambitious book in one respect - it was entirely built around one fight -the build up and the fight itself. I don't know much about kick boxing - but I certainly know more now.

The author was able to build the suspense and to create the atmosphere of a fight night, with all of its electrifying momentum. I was mesmerised. As the fighter walked to the ring - I had butterflies in my stomach - my hands were shaking with anticipation and excitement. I can honestly say that the book had me gripped in a way no other book has ever done.

The book conveys such a love for the fighters and respect for what they do. I don't know whether our fighter died after the fight - such was the brutality of the encounter. But I certainly felt a renewed appreciation of what fighters at the high levels go though.

A superb book and a very compelling account of a fighter's art and his struggle.

About "heart", the fighting man's fuel
A few pages into the book this reader was reminded of John Huston's 1972 film "Fat City" starring Jeff Bridges as a lonely, journeyman boxer without a manager, travelling by bus from fight to fight, living wherever the promoters decide to dump him.
This book's heroes are Cal, once an unbeatable, natural-born fighter and Riley, his manager for the past ten years. Cal engages in a mixed form of martial arts, whereby boxing, wrestling and the use of low and high kicks, and knees are allowed. Cal is portrayed as the best in this type of fighting, until he loses on points from his two years-younger challenger Rivera, after three terrible rounds, four years ago. Since then Rivera has knocked out every contender in a matter of seconds or minutes, netting 8- or 900.000 USD per fight. Since the points decision, Cal has lost from opponents he should have blown away.
The rematch with Rivera is scheduled in Tijuana, Mexico. Cal and Riley drive to the venue by car and are billeted together in a cheap room (USD 46 a night) in a shabby hotel and advised to take their meals in the restaurant next door... Some manager, Riley.
The author never comments. Cal's and Riley's deep thoughts (often repeated)and their spoken words, always terse, push this curious and compelling book slowly forward. At three quarters into the book, readers still know little about Cal and Riley, except for some clues strewn around by the author. But by then they should really perk up and anticipate quantities of awesome drama... The best quarter of the book!
Ambition, rancour, doubt and fear are only a few of the feelings guiding the main protagonists in this debut novel written in the simple English fighters and their managers are expected to use. Deep book.

this book sucked
don't buy this book its boring, and the ending sucked which made a bad book worse.

Behind the scenes...Mixed Martial Arts
Having been a fan of Mixed Martial Arts competitions from the Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting, this book was a must read for me.Katie Kitamura, the author, made me feel as though I was the hero of the novel, Cal.Your senses will awaken with the firsthand feel of the life and experiences of the career of a Mixed Martial Arts contender/champion.

My only reservation about the book, for younger aspiring fighters, is the graphic and explicit language.

Overall, this was an excellent and insightful book in the world of full contact competition.A truly inspiring novel.

Highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
Athletic, outdoor type, good cook, good with people, wanted for work on the canals....

Newly not engaged and suddenly out of work, Julia Fairfax needs a new direction.The classified ad that catches her eye sends her on a delightful, hilarious adventure along the English canals on a rickety old hotel boat.Among the twists and turns, Julia encounters
a passel of persnickety guests, an irritating ex-boyfriend, the challenges of cooking in a galley kitchen the size of a closet, and a whole lot of rattling tea cups.Add some frighteningly narrow bridges to steer through, and you've got the makings of an unforgettable journey.

Part romp, part romance, part step-by-step guide to how not to see England's scenic canals, Life Skills will delight fans of intelligent romantic comedy, as well as anyone looking for a few tips on staying afloat.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Two different stories
I thought I was going to say this was my favorie Kaite Fforde book that I had read so far (I have only read five of them), but I got two-thirds through the book and felt a change of story.
I really enjoyed the boating story because I love boats and water. I learned alot about canal boating and would definitely be interested in doing something like this when I visit England again.
As for the characters and the story...Julia and the rest of the characters were likeable, although at times Julia might have seemed a bit boring. I honestly could not understand why she was so adamant about not having a relationship with Fergus, even after he had explained what had really happened in their childhood and teenage years in regard to his behaviour towards her and her sister. Suzy antics were at times entertaining. She was definitely a posh princess, but she showed that she was actually trying to get away from always depending on daddy for everything.
At first, I was enjoying the story, and then two-thirds through there was a change in direction. I sometimes felt like I was reading a sequel to the first half of the book. I thought it would have been better if the author had just continued the story with the setting of the boat for the remainder of the book. The add on of Julia's pregnancy and of her finding love could have been made into another book. At times, it seemed like possibly the book might not have been long enough and this was just thrown in to fill in space.
I gave the book four stars because I truly enjoyed it up until the change in direction of the story. I would recommend this book to those interested in boating and anyone looking for light reading.

Ok... but not the best
I have read several Katie Fforde books.. and although this one is ok, it is by far not her best.It concentrates too much of boat life, there are characters that are not completely developed and it seriously drags in the beginning.The last two books of Katie's I have read I could hardly put down and this one... I struggled to pick up.

Brit Chicks on the Water
An enjoyable bit of Brit Chick Lit, LIFE SKILLS has all the requisite ingredients:two very different friends (sensible, independent Julia and glamorous Daddy's girl Suzy), one unsuitable suitor, a suitable suitor who is rebuffed, an odd occupation (operating a canal boat hotel), and a couple of non-relationship-related crises. Fforde keeps the story moving, interspersing lots of information about canal boats holidays, which sound quite pleasant (Hmmm vacation idea...). There is some frustration with Julia's stubborn refusal to give her suitable suitor Fergus any sort of chance, but that's the stuff of Chick Lit.A fun read overall.

wonderful
I absolutely loved this book!!I swear, I started dreaming about boats after reading it. The second time I read it, I had read it in a day!It's still wonderful everytime I read it!It's very well written, and an absolute favorite.I even bought it for a few friends for Christmas!

laughed out loud
This book is not for everyone but if you enjoy tongue in cheek humor, great characters, a good setting and a romance that is not jaded you will enjoy it.Makes a great listen on tape also. ... Read more

Product Description
Hector is shy! So shy! He can't play with the other sea creatures and he simply wants to be left alone to hide away in his shell - just a little bit sad and lonely. But one morning Hector finds himself to be the very centre of attention when he finds to his alarm that some wonderful flowers have grown on his shell. Try as he might he can't get them to go away. And soon he finds that the flowers bring more than just some fascinated onlookers. Charming, quirky and utterly irresistible, this is a sensitive picture book for anyone shy - young or old. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Book!
My son is just 11 months old but I have been reading various books to him for many months. He LOVES this book. The illustrations are VERY "kid-friendly". He gives Hector "kisses" as I turn the pages. The story itself is also very cute and teaches the lesson that making friends isn't so difficult if you are willing to give it a try.

Overcoming shyness
This book is about a shy hermit crab named Hector.One morning, Hector wakes up to find that a flower has grown on his shell.He tries everything to get the flower off, but nothing works.Indeed, by the next morning, the flower grows even bigger.Hector is mortified by his odd appearance, but the other crabs seem to find it quite attractive.They gather round Hector, and soon Hector has a new group of friends.The story is quite cute and not at all scary.The book has about 200 words. ... Read more

Product Description
Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger.Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president.Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Would've been so much better if the main character weren't an utter cliche
This book SO would've scored a four if the main character hadn't been so damn hypocritical and annoying. She was a complete and total cliche. You know, one of those "I don't care what you think of me" chicks that end up doing stupid things that just prove "Yeah you do care what people think, you flaming hypocrite!"? Well, Alexis was that in a nutshell. She was just SO cool with her pink hair and her anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude. No, seriously, it's like they tried too hard to make her seem "hip" and "edgy" while being effortlessly cool. "A rebel without a cause." No. Just a bitch. One line in particular that just killed me. "Just say something real. Everyone tries so hard, and it all comes out the same. I just want someone to say something real." Seriously? Because the only REAL person in high school is you, Alexis. Everyone else is just fake, fake, fake. I like Kasey (yes, psycho/schizo, demon-possessed Kasey) more than I liked Alexis. Arrgh! She was so infuriating. Sigh. Now that I got that off my chest...

Bad Girls Don't Die had some seriously creepy moments. Like "chill up your spine while goosebumps are all over your body" creepy. Very effective. Sure, the whole the doll possessing thing has been done a little to death, but it was done particularly well here (not like in Dismantled: A Novel where I was rolling my eyes at the implausibility of the plot). I could actually see it happening. Dolls are just utterly creepy. It doesn't really matter how cute they are. They're evil, man. So, definitely good on the creepy (but not too creepy for all you semi-scaredy cats out there).

I loved Kasey. I just thought she was so adorable. I wanted more of her and her relationship with Alexis. The relationship should've been expanded on. In fact, the only time I was finding Alexis even mildly likeable was when she was with Kasey. Kasey definitely has main character potential. As it is the norm now for authors to release a book with the same plot and characters, but have a complete OTHER character narrate the exact same story, Alender should totally do this with Kasey. I would love to read this through her eyes. It'd be even more bizarre.

The romance between Alexis and Carter was completely and totally useless. I usually find romance useless in young-adult books anyway (unless your Sarah Dessen, that is or an actual romance book), but this was like really useless. Carter served absolutely no purpose in the plot. He was just there so that there could be a romance because every young-adult book needs romance, right? Wrong. It just came out stilted and forced.

Anyway, so as a whole, Bad Girls Don't Die was a pretty good book. I stand by what I said before. Had Alexis been a little more likeable, I would've overlooked the flaws and given this book a high four (or even a five), but her blatant unlikeability killed it for me (well not really but it did cause some major eye rolling by yours truly). Bad Girls Don't Die was truly creepy and an all around solid Halloweenish read. It did have some awkward and clunky moments (little discrepancies), but it is a debut novel, so that's to be expected. While it wasn't my fave, I am sort of looking forward to the next installment of this series. But seriously, does EVERYTHING have to be a series? This was a solid one book only novel. Why not start fresh with a new idea? How on Earth will a sequel work when there's no route to one? I'm not a big fan of the "Man, this book was an unexpected success! Let me see if I can milk it a little more!" type of spur of the moment series. Still, I'll read it. Um, yeah Bad Girls Don't Die? Recommended.

Good Girls Kick Booty
I blew through this great little story in half a day, unable to stop until I reached the final page.Ms. Alender has created a complete experience for the reader, filled with fleshed out characters, a vibrant backdrop and an appropriate mixture of teen angst, romance and suspense.Alexis and Kasey (sisters) have a dynamic and realistic relationship which adds the appropriate level of tension and emotion to the more action based scenes.

The protag in this story is equal parts funny, quirky, charming, snide, intelligent and rude, an interesting combination of qualities but appropriate for someone of her age.What kept my interest piqued was her responses to situations did not always marry with my expectations and it was clear that the character surprised even herself on a myriad of occasions.There was a true evolution of character that transpired between first and last page and Alexis' metamorphosis from closed-off, snarky, troublemaker to thoughtful, caring and selfless friend proved as big an element of the story as the unfolding mystery.This transformation also added a level of depth to a story which could have easily veered into campy lit.

Though at times a tad predictable, it's easily forgotten as you breeze through the well crafted narration and realistic dialogue.On more than a few occasions I found myself "talking" to Alexis as she navigated the maze of puzzle pieces in her quest for the truth, saying "no, not that!" or "you've got it all wrong!" or "get out of the room!".In my estimation, when you have moments like that, when you feel the character is real enough to shout at, you're reading a well crafted piece of fiction.

End note: I've read quite a bit of Y/A lit, as it is my job to do, and this is by far one of the better stories.

An enjoyable, fun book, not to be taken too seriously...
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender is one of those light reading horror books that you can't put down and just enjoy! The plot seemed interesting enough--Alexis thought she lived a normal dysfunctional life, but when and argument results in sisterly bonding, Alexis begins to realize her life is creeping from dysfunctional to dangerous. Soon, her little sister Kasey isn't acting like herself. Her eyes are changing, she can't remember some things, and she has constant mood swings.

I read through this book without many expectations, and ended up going on a fun thrill ride! Did any of this book really scare me? I can't say it really did. But did it thrill me? Absolutely. In terms of writing, Ms. Alender certainly has room to improve but it fits this type of book. The characters are somewhat believable even though the author depends a lot on stereotypes, and there isn't that much character development.

The ending felt somewhat rushed but it didn't overly detract from the overall book. Some people are complaining that this book isn't very original, but when you read a lot of the mystery genre, scarcely anything IS truly "original." So, overall, this book gets a solid B+ or 4 out of 5 stars for me. If you're looking for something that'll really scare you, pick up one of Stephen King's works because this isn't for you. But if you're looking for a quick thrill, then I would recommend this book.

Final Grade: B+/B
4 out of 5 stars.

Other recommended books similar to this are: Sleepless by Thomas Fahy, Dark Secrets 1 and Dark Secrets 2 by Elizabeth Chandler.

Devoid of Originality
This may be a bit harsh for a book intended to be only light reading, but everything about it was so painfully predictable that I feel like I have to issue a warning. I think that my biggest problem with "Bad Girls Don't Die" were the characters, which I thought were underdeveloped and very unlikeable. The main character is your typical woefully ostracized high school outcast who is probably so unpopular because throughout the book, she is consistently rude to everyone who makes even the most meager attempt to be nice to her, including the love interest (who she repeatedly tells to shove off, but ends up with for the sake of contingency anyway). My recommendation is that if you're in the mood for a ghost story, look elsewhere. There's nothing new to be found here, and there are hundreds of very similar titles out there that do it so much better.

Amazing book and author!
This book was fabulous! The writing was superb and the characters were so engaging! Alexis was just such a perfect character, even her imperfections were perfect! I loved every single page, no...every single word of the fantastic novel! Katie Alender is a great great talent, and a really sweet person as well! I wrote an e-mail telling her how much I enjoyed her book and she actually replied to me! I was so surpised and excited! I was really touched that she took time out to write to a fan! I'm so ready for book 2 to come out! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Katie Estill, Dahlia's Gone
I very much enjoyed reading this book. This fiction novel moved at a pace that was perfect for my attention span. Character development was not overly done, nor under done. It was never in danger of joining my small collection of 'started-but-not-finished, partially-read books.' It is like 'Baby-Bear's Porridge':"Just right."
Best regards; Wilson Craig.

deep mystery,
Well written, page turner.Story is almost more a commentary about our current religious and social conflicts than a mystery.

Poetic and melancholic mystery/suspense. Sad but awesome
Katie Estill's DAHLIA'S GONE tells the story of three women in a small Ozark town whose separate lives are joined by murder. Not a typical cozy mystery nor a typical suspense thriller in which all ends are tied up in a nice bow, DAHLIA'S GONE stands out as a poetic work of fiction, melancholic in voice, that looks at the lives of women through an almost spiritual eye. DAHLIA'S GONE will appeal to readers craving something a little different from strict genre formulas, readers who love multiple genres, and readers who want to put reading preconceptions aside and to enter the imagination of a book and to be led into new ways of seeing.

Norah Everston asks her neighbor Sand Williams to watch in on her two teenage children while she and her husband finally take some time out for themselves and a vacation. Sand agreed without thinking about it even though she had no particular connection to Norah and did not even like her that much. When an intense rainstorm threatens to wash out the bridge, Sand feels guilty for neglecting her promise. She checks on Norah's children only to find Dahlia murdered, her blood drained from the washed body and the mentally disabled son distraught. Unaware and almost detached from his sister's death, Timothy can only pray in a kind of franticness. Sand feels that in one moment of distraction, her word to Norah begins to create unforeseen bonds and complications. Norah now blames her for the horrible disruption to her family and fears the shunning of her fundamentalist church more than anything. Deputy Patti Callahan, the first officer on the scene, discovers that this case will alter her life in unforeseen ways.

DAHLIA'S GONE tells the story of how Dahlia's death reverberates in the lives of three women. Dahlia's death separates them from the past, and from others. Sand sees the world as if separated by a camera lens. Dahlia's death alienates Norah from family and church, the two things that have been her foundation and protection from the past. When everything is taken away from her, will Norah crash and burn or will she rise to the challenge? When everything is gone and she can no longer protect herself, will self-destruct or find a richer kind of comfort and spirituality born from sorrow? A sudden shocking revelation tears through the fabric of their lives, not once but twice as the mystery behind Dahlia's murder finally finds resolution. Out of the depths of sadness, can friendship and maybe hope be born?

DAHLIA'S GONE captivates with its sometimes eerie, poetic and melancholic narrative voice. Visual imagery is a key to this novel, allowing the reader to feel the character's separation and sadness. The river and water imagery permeates the landscape, building up a view of the deep emotional undercurrents, tinged with a poetic spirituality connecting the characters in this Ozark town.

DAHLIA'S GONE is an unusual mystery-suspense read --- and one I adore! DAHLIA'S GONE has a certain spiritual vision that emerges from the lives of its characters and the author's vision. It is not traditional nor religious. In fact, DAHLIA'S GONE shows some of the unhealthy extremism in dogmatic black/white religion. And yet, it has a spiritual vision of hope, of friendship, of poetic and spiritual beauty in the midst of something horrific and characters who experience separation from "normal" life.

Let me warn you. This is NOT a cozy mystery. This book is sad, and thought-provoking, a kind of mesmerizing soul read, a woman's poetry read in a mystery/suspense book. Quite unusual! If you want a light read to relax or a clever mystery/suspense puzzle with all clues tied up in a bow, or if you think of life or religion in black and white absolutes, this is not the kind of book to choose. If you crave an awesome poetic, melancholic suspense, something truly different, DAHLIA'S GONE is a great choice.

Small town suspense
Reviewed by AJ Cooper for Reader Views (4/07)

This is a story of three strong women brought together by the most horrific of circumstances.Sand is the married, free-spirited, next-door-neighbor to Norah. Norah is the mother of two, a son and stepdaughter. Patti is the divorced, local police officer.

The first line, "A promise can change a life." stopped me in my tracks and I realized just how true a statement that really is. The disappointment of the first line hits home when Dahlia, Nora's stepdaughter is found dead in her bed with her stepbrother, Timothy downstairs watching television. Norah the stepmother of Dahlia has made Sand promise she will check-up on her kids while she takes a trip with her husband. Sand thought she was doing the right thing in agreeing to help her neighbor since they had watched Sand's house while she was away with her husband. Because of the terrible storm that was going through the area at the time of the discovery Sand was enlisted by the local police to take the crime pictures.

The murder ripped the entire town apart and everyone expected that a stranger must have committed this horrible crime. This is an intimate view of the workings of a small town and how quickly the town took sides, many were against Sand because she was after all suppose to be keeping an eye on the kids. The revelation of the killer just about broke the back of the entire town.

I could not stop reading this book. The suspense grabbed me and never let go until I read the last word. No one ever expects something bad to happen in their small town and when it does it turns everything upside down. Anyone that enjoys a good mystery will find "Dahlia's Gone" a real pleasure. The words are so descriptive and I can really picture in my mind what is going on. I will be recommending this book to my family and friends.

Highly recommended
A young, beautiful girl is brutally murdered--and the lives of three women are forever changed.

Sand Williams discovers Dahlia's body. She sees her childhood Ozark home through eyes that have seen the world and has come to understand both its beauty and its shortcomings. Sand has a foundation of a wonderful marriage, even as she struggles to find her place in the home she left so many years before.

Norah Everston, Dahlia's grief-stricken stepmother, finds her entire belief system challenged, and indeed, her entire world altered after the murder. Her fundamentalist faith and son hold center stage, coming ahead of her marriage, and even the pursuit of truth.

Patti Callahan, the lone female deputy in the county, becomes responsible for the investigation. And for Patti, there's conviction and dreams--all wrapped up in one package.

The author's involvement in helping to stop violence against women lends credence to much of the story, and indeed, it's that personal involvement that eventually inspired the creation of Dahlia's Gone. The remarkable intersection of three disparate lives tells a separate story--of women, of respect, and of hope for a future.

More than an intriguing mystery, Katie Estill pulls us into the lives of these women who each must find her own way of coping with tragedy. Readers who've never experienced the Ozarks are exposed to their simplicity and intricacy through Estill's words.

Armchair Interviews says: This is a story you won't soon forget. ... Read more

Product Description
Jenifer Estess is a beautiful, successful, thirtysomething New Yorker with dreams of starting her own family when she is diagnosed with ALS, a fatal disease. Doctors tell her to max out her credit cards and prepare to die. That is precisely when Jenifer starts to live -- dreaming deeper, working harder, and loving endlessly. A girlhood pact with her sisters Valerie and Meredith -- nothing will ever break us apart -- inspires Jenifer as she faces down her most vicious enemy.

Beautifully written and wholly inspiring, Jenifer's memoir forces us to reconsider society's notion of "having it all," and illustrates, more than anything, the power of memory, work, and, most of all, love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

A Wonderful Journey, Beautiful and Unforgettable
What a wonderful journey this book is! I was so moved, so taken by the story and the inner beauty of Jenifer Estess, that I find myself still thinking about her days after reading it. I feel compelled to write a review.

Jenifer's strength and dignity and integrity is so admirable, you can't help but fall in love with her. Her personality and wit is such a delight. And the love story of the three sisters is nothing short of amazing. How incredibly tragic that this lovely young woman was taken away from those who love her, and that she had to endure such a terrible disease.

So many reviewers have raved about this book and there's no need to reiterate all the great aspects. But let me identify what I believe are the book's few weaknesss. First and foremost, she speaks at length how her family and her work are what enabled her to endure this terrible illness, this most horrific diagnosis. But what about those of us who find ourselves with neither? Not all of us have wonderful, loving siblings by our sides every day. Not all of us have the wherewithal or vision to establish a business through which we can find joy and purpose in this world. What about all those ill individuals who find themselves alone in bed, with nothing but their pain and fears? What are they to do? Is there any solace or compassion for those people? And how can they ever relate to Jenifer's situation, surrounded by loved ones and family and kids and incredibly rewarding work and private plane trips?

Second, how odd that she barely talks about her mother later in the story. Is the mother even around during the illness, or is she deceased? You never hear once about the mother visiting. Did their relationship fall off the map?

Finally, all the "childhood games in the yard with the sisters" stories in Rock Island and Harrison grew tiresome to me. I appreciate the reminiscing of her past but it bordered on too much. I would have rather heard more about college, career or adulthood in New York, which was barely touched on in comparison to all the silly childhood memories.

Valerie, I love that you, the writer who never really got started writing, were here to write this book. It's poignant, incredibly moving and unforgettable. And beautifully written. Wonderful job! A lovely read.

Filled To The Brim With Heart
In 1997, at the age of thirty-five, Jenifer Estess was forced to confront life and a debilitating illness head on. She did so with the help of her two sisters, Valerie and Meredith. Years before the diagnosis, the three sisters had made a pact with each other: "Nothing, no one will stop us." They never lost sight of that pact, nor did they lose sight of the powerful connection they had with one another even in the bleakest of times.

This is a memoir of life--of a life worth celebrating and a life learning the fine points of how to live while dying. Jenifer is diagnosed with A.L.S. (amyotropic lateral sclerosis), better known to many as Lou Gehrig's Disease. She sets the stage from the beginning. We know that there will be no "happily ever after" ending, but there will be a legacy of love and concern for mankind.

With a foreword by Katie Couric, we are introduced to Jenifer and her sisters as well as Project A.L.S.,the company they formed to combat this terrible disease. As Katie so eloquently puts it, "ALS robbed Jenifer of so much. But through it all, she continued to appreciate the beauty of life even when her ability to live it was so creully curtailed. ALS couldn't take away her brilliance, and the one muscle it could not destroy was her heart."

This book is filled to the brim with heart. Jenifer used her heart, even when the rest of her body was failing her, to champion the cause of finding a cure for ALS. Through Project A.L.S., the sisters became political activists for stem cell research, speaking before congress along with Christopher Reeve and other well known people. They enlisted big corporate sponsors to fund research for a cure. And they kept on living despite the obvious progression of a killer disease.

Jenifer is one of those uncommon people who exemplifies grace under pressure. She might have withdrawn from the world, hiding behind her failing body and the cruel fate with which she had been presented. Instead, she reached out to the world, to the healthcare community and to her friends and sisters. She was the strength behind them all, even as she could no longer care for herself or use most of her muscles.

To read this book is to feel as though Jenifer has become your friend as well. In the afterword, written by Valerie Estess, we discover: "For Jenifer, having it all was a simple, exquisite recipe... Combine love, work, compassion, and you will some day, in some way, get to the mountaintop. Making the climb is the ultimate honor and privilege."

Jenifer lost her battle with ALS in 2003. Her legacy lives on in the lessons she taught her sisters, this book which is a true inspiration to all who read it, and through Project A.L.S., which continues to work toward a cure not only for ALS but also for its "sister" diseases--Parkinson's, Alzheimers, and Huntington's.

by Lee Ambrose
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

A verymoving memoir
This was another memoir I wasn't sure I would keep reading. I am glad that I gave this book a chance. It is a very moving, sad book. I think about it fairly often.

LOVED IT!!
I've never been moved to write a review before, but this is such a moving memoir. Jennifer's story inspired me in every way. Although I'm completely healthy, I could relate to the book. Life is hard but we all should feel lucky for what we have, for what Jennifer didn't get to have. I want to kiss my kids more than I ever did before, after reading this book. And Jennifer was a great storyteller and writer. I'd recommend this to anyone in need of a good read in front of the fire. That's the kind of book this is. Curl up and enjoy.

Meh. Very sad and somewhat moving, but not entirely memorable.
First off, I have to admire how Jenifer used her illness and influence to educate others and raise awareness and money for ALS.

That said, I have to agree with the others who said that this book seemed to be heavy on the early-childhood memories and name-dropping than it was about Jenifer's self-awareness and feelings throughout her illness. I would have liked to know how more about how she created and structured Project ALS--it seemed like she just picked up the phone and called a few of her celebrity friends to organize a fundraiser. It might have been more powerful and meaningful if she had gone into more detail about her feelings and thoughts as the disease progressed.

I'm glad I read this book. I certainly do appreciate the courage that Jenifer and her sisters had around ALS, but I agree with the other reviewers who could have done without the list of her many celebrity friends and childhood stories. ... Read more

Product Description
For years, things have run quite smoothly for Perdita and her organic gardening business. So what if her hair needs a complete overhaul, her sweater has more holes than Swiss cheese, and there's no hope of a boyfriend on the horizon? The last thing Perdita wants is a meddlesome man in her life-but she's about to get one, in the form of her completely infuriating ex-husband, Lucas.

Lucas in disagreeable, curt, arrogant, and smolderingly gorgeous. He's also the new chef at Grantly House, Perdita's number-one customer. Worse, Mr. Grantly has the insane idea of starting a television cooking show that will put Lucas and Perdita together as "The Gourmet and the Gardener."

Now, things are heating up in the kitchen--and elsewhere. With the bright lights blazing and old feelings stirring the pot, it could be a recipe for disaster...or absolute delight. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

My husband hates Amazon...
Everytime I get a new book I bought through Amazon I just can't stop reading it. I forget everything, including my housewife duties ... My husband hates Amazon ...

Liked one of the plot lines
Didn't care for Perdita and Lucas' story.Liked Perdita and Kitty's story better.Seemed a little lost when everyone seemed to support Perdita in her hate towards Lucas, even Kitty seemed to hate Lucas.Then suddenly she loves him???Come on!This man humiliated Perdita as well as hurt her.Sure it takes two to make a relationship but the part that he blamed her for . . . . oh come on??She didn't stand up for herself at 18?Big tragedy!So since she was "passive" he slept around.Now all of a sudden, ten years later, she can stand up for herself?I didn't see that either.Seems to me that she was railroaded into having the tv crew over to her house, letting them use her kitchen, as well as various other things in this book.Especially the ending.She didn't seem to enthusiastic about that either.I didn't see any change.Of course we didn't really get to see her at 18.I was actually hoping that she would have another man and Lucas could do with eating humble pie!The whole relationship with Kitty thing worked the so called love story with Lucas . . . not so much!Would have been really NICE if Perdita got what she wanted and then walked away because I just didn't believe that those two loved each other.

Best Katie Fforde
Katie Fforde usually writes romances about ordinary, not-so-young English women who find interesting men to fall in love with them.Although her books aren't exactly a familiar formula in the genre, they do tend to be rather similar - cute, quirky women in slightly bizarre situations.This one is different, because it has an important subplot about the main character's relationship with her elderly mentor/mother-substitute.For anyone who's had a failing parent, this subplot rings really true and adds an important element of emotional connection that Fforde's books usually lack.It's a good one to start with if you'd like to give Fforde a try.

Fast Paced, likeable characters,surprises
A very real down to earth female and her believable pals and circumstances in a good story showing that a good dose of humor along with forgiveness and love can result in a happy ending.

Not my favorite Fforde
Overall this was a pleasant enough read.The author makes it obvious to the reader what to expect, but that doesn't take away the charm of the story.

I like Fforde's female protagonists because they are a strong bunch - no wilting flower among them.

Only thing I would gripe about was that this particular novel went on about 100 pages too long.Otherwise, it was a lovely story about commitment to friendship, evaluating one's self, and being open to possibilities. ... Read more

Product Description
We are all connected!This stunningly illustrated book will show children how everything in nature is connected, and how every single flower, tree and insect is necessary in order to survive. Children will learn to appreciate the delicate balance of nature, as the team guides them to understand important new vocabulary words such as "biodiversity" and "habitat." A fascinating book that children will want to read over and over again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

One of 2 year old son's favorite books
My 2 year old son LOVES Little Einsteins, and this book is one of his favorites.He interacts with it (it asks reader to buzz like a bee and to make other sounds).If your little one likes Little Einsteins, then you can't go wrong with this book.Oh, and it comes with stickers!

Disney's Little Einstein:Music of the Meadows
I had bought this for my 3 year grand-son and he is just delighted with it as he enjoys nature and repeatedly wants someone to read it to him.

we love our Little Einsteins
Little Einsteins are a big hit in our home---the show shown on DisneyChannel, the DVDs, the CD songs, the books---all are of high standards. Yes, the books are more expensive, but worth it (as other readers have said as well)

Disney's Little Einsteins: Music of the Meadow
Little Einsteins' Music of the Meadow is an interactive book that brings the child into discovering a depth of knowledge about the meadow through interactive sticker placement and comprehensive information.Based on the 4 characters of the Little Einstein series, and their familiarity to your child, the book gives a delightful and intelligent way to learn.My child is 2 years old and knows more about the meadow than most 6 year olds. Little Einsteins offers classic education in a delightfully fun way.
Cinda Marturano, Malvern PA

The best one yet!
My three year old loves watching Little Einsteins on television so when the books first came out I was thrilled.This book is a new story (not taken from an episode) and is written to appeal to a younger audience.It is not overly verbose or complicated.The focus is on the music of nature that is around us every day and children are encouraged to imitate the sounds as they read about them.I highly recommend this book! ... Read more