No comments about Warriors: Ravenpaw's Path #2: A Clan in Need.

5 comments about Warriors: Omen of the Stars #1: The Fourth Apprentice.

1. My son has been into these books for over a year (he's 9) and he thoroughly enjoys them! I've read some myself and think these are a great series for kids to get into!



2. I have read all the other series and this book is by far the best reading. It made me feel as if I was right there sitting with them at the lake. Cats are truly amazing animals. My mom buys me all the books. This is a collection that i will forever keep.



3. wow just like the last book it comes to a shocking end i think the third cat with the new kits was brokenstar



4. I love these cat stories and can't wait for each new one to be released. Wish they would come more often.



5. The book was exactly like the detailed description... hardback, new, no torn bookcover and the price was right along with the free shipping when I purchased enough books.

5 comments about Warriors: The New Prophecy Box Set: Volumes 1 to 6.

1. I Love warriors, I even just get on to see when the next book comes out but i'm not here to talk about new books, lets get to the review.
   
   I loved warriors when my friend introduced me to them and got a bad start reading the 3rd from the 2nd series so, a tip: read the first series or you'll be hopelessly lost! Anyways i loved the first then went back to restart this one and for the first four books i wasn't dissapointed. Then came the 5th one, (Twilight) and I found i could do with out. This one really disapointed me when it showed one of my favorite characters doing somthing she swore in the first few books she'd never do. So i had a hard tme reading the next one but wasn't disapointed.
   
   All in all this is a good series, not as good as the first one or the newest; Omen of the stars,(so far!), but way better then The Power of the Three. (I didn't like that one as much because it was confusing and the plot twist in the 4th book was bad but still read it or you'll be lost in the fourth series!) I would recomend reading it! I love it!!!!



2. A Christmas gift for my 12 year old neice. She loves this collection of stories. She loved this gift to add to her other collections. Wonderful price too.



3. My 7 year old absolutely loves Erin Hunter. She read the Warrior's box set in November and for Christmas she wrote Santa asking for The New Prophecy. She could not put these books down! She finished the New Prophecy and now reading the Power of Three.



4. My son is 10 and has been digging these books for over a year now. He LOVES cats and he has said that as a cat lover he enjoys the creativity in explaining cat behavior and thought. He's read almost the entire series. I'll be bummed when he reads them all, we'll have to find another to replace them. He's tried the Seekers series by the same author(s), and that might be what he moves on to next, but I know he doesn't like those ones as much as the Warriors series.
   
   This isn't a series I have read as the parent so I can't vouch for content or interest to adults when I selected "I love it" I was thinking from his perspective to be helpful to those looking for books for kids. We read together frequently but there are some books he loves that I just can't get into. This is one of those series.



5. I love this series. I have passed them on to a friend as I finished them and she loves them too. They arrived on time and in the condition I expected them to be in

5 comments about Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need.

1. My disclaimer: As with any opinion, it is only my opinion and these reviews will vary depending on who reads the book and what the reader is looking for. I look for ways to improve businesses, sales, and my life. This book falls under my life where I categorize my hobby of screenwriting. I've still got a ways to go, but I think that this book is very helpful
   
   On a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being the best:
   
   Readability: 5 The late Blake Snyder certainly can write and simplify things. This was easy to understand and read. A great read by all measures.
   
   Information and new ideas: 5 I've read a number of books on screenwriting, Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting, The Craft of the Screenwriter, and The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script. All are good books, but I felt that there were a number of new ways to think about how to write a screenplay that were presented by Snyder.
   
   Applicable Ideas: 5 With a new way to look at screenwriting I found many new ideas in this book. Not that the other books were bad, this one was in a form that I could understand better.
   
   Value: 5 Definitely. Because of everything I've said this is a must for screenwriters.
   
   I give it a 5 overall. Good reading and great applicable ideas. Also, a different style which worked better for me. (Remember that this was my opinion.)
   
   Great job Blake, I'm sorry to see you go.
   
   Rip Walker
   Author: Rip's Book of Common Sense Selling: Improving Sales Through Process Implementation



2. Snyder's book is, as another viewer noted, a guide to screenSELLING. Judging by Snyder's advice and illustrious career (yeah right), it's apparent that he believes in making cheesy, gimmicky family comedies with stupid premises, selling them for millions of dollars and watching the second-week box office nose dive after everybody realizes the movie sucks. That obviously doesn't bother him, because he's made his career on the types of movies that film-lovers roll their eyes at. To be fair, he states many times in the book that his emphasis is on writing family comedies with mass appeal, and the book is by no means directed towards writers of indie and arthouse films.
   
   That being said, there are certainly good kernels of advice in this book, including the importance of structure and pacing of a story, creating a likable and empathetic hero that the majority of people can identify with, etc. However his approach is awfully formulaic and closed minded, and you constantly get the nagging feeling that this guy has built a career on putting awful idea after awful idea over the same exact closed-minded framework, which explains why only two of his movies have actually been made and both have been major flops. He claims he's sold dozens of scripts and millions of dollars doing it. Great, but he's contributed nothing to the art of film and his scripts are obviously passed over on a regular basis after purchase in favor of better films. Everything in this book has been stated before in others, though I commend Snyder for his right-to-the-point writing style which makes Save the Cat a much shorter read than other screenwriting books.
   
   I'm currently trudging through the 'bible' of screenwriting, Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting, but it's a heavy read with lots of theory before you get to the practice. Ultimately I would recommend Syd Field's books (Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting)as the best marriage of theory, practice, know-how and good advice that can be applied to any writer of any genre, unlike Snyder's book that demonstrates the best way to write and sell forgettable garbage and make a fortune doing it.
   
   Save the Cat may be okay for your first screen writing book, but it definitely should not be your last.



3. I admit that I am new to the screenwriting game. Frankly, I'm just doing it because April is Script Frenzy and I'm looking for a new hobby. With that said, I've read over a dozen books getting ready for Script Frenzy ([...]), and Blake's book was by far the most entertaining and the most useful.
   
   I'm now the happy owner (and reader) of all three of the Save the cat books. I just wish I had the opportunity to meet Blake before he passed in Spring 2009. He is definitely one mentor that is worth having.
   
   Also, you can get up dates on the Save the Cat screenwriting method from Blake's website, so check it out too:[...]



4. I'm not so smitten with the legion of "how to" screenplay books that are essentially just restatements of the same tired formula that hasn't changed since Aristotle. But of all those formula books, this is most certainly the best. And that's not intended as a backhanded compliment.
   
   Lord knows we're talking about Hollywood here. If you think you're going to make it big in Hollywood as a screenwriter by not writing to formula you're kidding yourself (and if you say "Tarantino", #1: I'll laugh, and #2: I'll tell you he made them himself -- no one in Hollywood would have touched his scripts). We are talking about Hollywood. There are smart people there and the reason they make such dumb movies is because the film going audience is...well...generally pretty dumb (I apply the 80/20 rule here as in many things -- and there is no huge profit in making films for the 20% who rarely go to the cinema anyway. These people are readers). If you don't know (and obey) "The Formula" no one will give you the time of day in Hell A. It's not because they aren't capable of making or recognizing "art". It's because art doesn't sell. And movies are first and foremost a business. If you have a message, it damn well better be sugar coated, or no one is going to swallow it.
   
   So I highly recommend this book over all others as a tutorial for formulaic writing -- the kind movie goers demand. My only gripe is about process. Time and time again Blake hammers home the notion that you need the structure in place before you write. I disagree. Ideas don't come to you fully formed in your head, they come to you when you write -- as part of the writing process. And for the most part -- they only come to you when you write -- not when you're continually re-arranging your index cards. Maybe his workflow works for him, and that's fine, but to proffer that workflow as a rule I think does more harm than good.
   
   The time to implement Blake's process, in my opinion, is immediately after your first draft and in the re-write process. It is only then that you should take what you've written and try and mould it into something that is saleable in tinsel-town.
   
   By all means I think his advice is golden, I only take issue with his workflow. Either way, I think if a Hollywood screenwriter is what you want to be then you should save yourself a lot of time and hard feelings and not only read this book -- but follow it to the letter. You can use "the formula" as a structure either for you initial draft, or as a guide for your re-write. If you find this stifling to your "creativity" maybe Hollywood isn't the game you really want to be in.
   
   So I give it four stars. I would give it five if I didn't take issue with the details of his workflow which presents as if it were law. It's not. The formula, however, is. You may not like it, but in Hollywood it is the law -- violate it at your own peril. Three or four unsold screenplays down the road I promise you you'll come around to Blake's way of thinking anyway -- by sparing you that suffering and inevitable disillusion this book, in my opinion, is worth way more than the cost of admission.



5. This is a great book, especially when you say to yourself "stop it Robert McKee, I can't take anymore of your sh&*^%%&!" Blake talks to you like an old pal instead of a Harvard professor. And although I prefer a Harvard professor most of the time, Save the Cat is a great stray that strengthened my writing significantly. Thank you Blake Snyder... RIP!

No comments about The Black Cat: A Richard Jury Mystery (Richard Jury Mysteries).

5 comments about The Cat in the Hat.

1. This was my favorite book up untill about the age of 13. I must have read this book over a hundred times. When I wasn't studying for school, I was reading this book. I use to be able to say the entire book outloud from memory.



2. We've has this and other Dr. Seuss books since I was a kid, but watching my kids with these books is a very different experience. Even the 3 year old has come to recognize the brand and anywhere he sees Dr. Seuss he wants to read it. My six year old looks for the books for his reading assignments. Some of these books get rather long and the kids are not intimidated by it because they know they will enjoy it. Across the board it is a good way to get your kids interested in a series of books rather than one or two favorites.



3. I learned to read with the dull and predictable Dick, Jane and Sally books. And Spot. I mustn't forget Spot. Then one day I got my hands on The Cat in the Hat and reading changed for me forever. It became fun, lively and whimsical. In short, magical. And that's how it's been for me ever since. I couldn't read enough Dr. Seuss as a kid, and as a parent, of course I shared all his books with my own children.



4. I can't count the times that I have read this old standby to my children. They are grown now, but never seemed to get enough of it when they were little. It is simple, yet mesmerizing. Dr. Seuss sure got it right when he created this classic. It is a must read, and I will read it many more times to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.



5. I bought this book for my 2yr old son and in a single sitting he could listen to the whole book read aloud to him. He found the rhymes very interesting. He quickly caught on to the phrases - that bump made us jump (and will jump saying that), what a shame (and will laugh saying this), loved the thing1 and thing2 :). Overall i am glad i could get such a book for my kid.

5 comments about Dr. Seuss's Beginner Book Collection (Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, Fox in Socks).

1. Can not go wrong with these books! The children I gave them to love them and the parents enjoy revisiting their childhood days! Came very quickly! Thanks



2. Great collection. They allow my children 9 & 7 year olds to read on there own. These books have been around for years and never seem to grow old.



3. The books are great, very funny.. My son is 7.5, and he is in second year learning English. The books are simple enough even for him to understand. But there is one problem, international shipping cost is higher than the packet itself...



4. My children loved these books and now my grandchildren will too. Was very happy to find them in a set at a reasonable price.



5. Since we didn't have any Dr. Suess in our library so far, we figured this would be a good start. Our 21 month old son loves them. Entertaining for parents too. Nice set of the classics.

5 comments about Bite Me: A Love Story.

1. I've read several of Christopher Moore's books, including the first two in this series - Bloodsucking Fiends and You Suck. I enjoyed Bite Me just as much as his other books. It was funny, original, captivating and quick to read.
   
   Although one of the main characters in this book, Abby Normal, gives a synopsis of the previous two books, I would recommend reading them before reading Bite Me. Her summary is comprehensive, but can't substitute for the sheer enjoyment of reading the events that led to Bite Me. If it's been a while since you read You Suck, the synopsis is a great way to refresh your memory.
   
   Bite Me begins with Abby, first introduced in You Suck, and Steve, the medical student that can change vampires back to humans, living in Jody and Tommy's loft. Abby convinced Steve to bronze Jody and Tommy like Elijah had been bronzed before. In a nutshell - the vampires escape, Chet the huge shaved cat is a vampire and Rivera and Cavuto the cops, the Animals, the Emperor and his men, Jody, Tommy, Abby and Steve all try to save San Francisco.
   
   Different parts of the story are written from the perspectives of various characters and the result ranges from amusing to laugh-out-loud funny. There are a number of twists and turns, but the bizarre, supernatural aspects of the tale are always explained and the book has a well-designed resolution for all the characters.
   
   I love Christopher Moore books and this one is no different. I would highly recommend Bite Me.



2. When we last saw our heroine, Abby Normal, Goth girl sidekick to a couple of vampires, she had bronzed them. And now she and her love monkey are all that stand between San Francisco and a giant shaved vampire cat. Actually, a lot of vampire cats. She must also battle her mother unit, who has no sympathy with Abby's desire to become Nosferatu. Poor kid. It's tough being a teenage emergency back-up mistress of the greater Bay Area night!
   
   Typical Christopher Moore bizarre humor. (And it's not necessary to have read the preceding two books, Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story and You Suck, to enjoy this one.)



3. I wish I could write a creative, snappy review. I really do. Since I lack even the most rudimentary creative writing skills, I'll stick to the facts: Christopher Moore is one of the funniest, smartest Author Guys around, and I would read his flippin' grocery list if he published it. Fortunately, Bite Me is more captivating and substantial than I imagine his grocery list would be (but, Chris, if you're out there, I swear I'd still read the list).
   
   Bite Me: A Love Story continues the tale first introduced in Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story and continued in You Suck: A Love Story. (Dig it, readers; note Author Guy's astounding economy with titles.) Goth babe Abigail Von Normal, Emergency Backup Mistress of the Greater Bay Area Night, is still determined that Countess Jody and Abby's dark lord, Tommy Flood, will release her from this human prison and deliver her to her rightful spot as a luscious, love goddess of the eternal night. She and her manga-haired love monkey, Foo Dog, and her rodent-loving sidekick Jared are on a mission to save the Animals, un-bronze Jody and Tommy, and save SF from Chet. Chet is now a demented, shaved vamp cat, and he's not very happy, especially as his new-found powers evolve. As he surrounds himself with hissing, spitting minions - and as the denizens of San Francisco begin to disappear into piles of oily ash - our gang of intrepid heroes (kinda) set out to save their City.
   
   Whew. And that's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There are old vamps, rats, new vamps, fortune telling queens, dark corners, the Emperor and Lazarus and Bummer, rats, a Chinese artist-slash-martial arts master...did I mention rats...In other words, something for the entire family to enjoy! Abby Normal narrates a good portion of the tale via her journal/blog, and her entries are enough to split one's sides.
   
   Bite Me is hilarious, captivating fun. It helps if you've read Moore's other novels, but, honestly? If you haven't read the first two in this series (or Fluke or A Dirty Job), you'll be fine. Author Guy takes care of his readers and provides enough back story so that new readers can play along. Now that I've read this one, I'm not so patiently waiting for the next Moore novel. Bravo!



4. I stumbled upon Christopher Moore's novels by chance, one day, at a local bookstore. A Dirty Job was sitting up front, under the "Staff Recommendations" section and had a funny cover that immediately caught my eye. Since that day, I've picked up a number of Moore's books and walked away happy. Bite Me, Moore's latest book in Moore's "A Love Story" series of books, follows the continuing story of Jody, Flood and their minion Abby. As in Abby Normal. Get it?
   
   Okay, moving on...
   
   I haven't read any of the previous stories involving these characters, but in some ways Bite Me could be read by itself. There's some character development that I found missing, but it didn't get in the way of the story. This time, we find our protagonists beset by a vampiric cat. A very large vampiric cat named Chet. And, since Jody and Flood's romance seems to be on the rocks, Abby decides to seal them up in bronze so that they'd stay together for eternity, instead of bickering. Then there's also the problem of an ancient vampire (who, I guess, is the one who initially turned Jody in the first novel, Bloodsucking Fiends) and a legion of mist-turning vampire cats, turned by Chet, the aforementioned very large vampire cat.
   
   We're not exactly dealing with a literary masterpiece here. Having tore through a few of Moore's books (including Fool, Lamb, A Dirty Job and The Stupidest Angel), I've often found that the plots of the books are nothing special, but that Moore writes very interesting characters who find themselves in sometimes funny situations. His writing style is what keeps me reading: a conversationalist tone, filled with humor and fast-moving jokes that are sometimes hit or miss. But he keeps the plot and the writing constantly moving so that there's usually a smile plastered on your face as you wait to see what phrase or pop culture reference will be injected next.
   
   Ultimately, I find his novels have more in common with a typical sitcom in that each are fast-moving, oftentimes funny and contains maybe one or two really laugh out loud moments. But even when things get grim or dark, you can rest assured that, by the end of the show or book, you find yourself back at the status quo.



5. This is the final book in a trilogy that begins with Bloodsucking Fiends, and if you're a Jody and Tommy fan, you have to read this for the surprise ending.
   
   Jody and Tommy are back with their usual problems, plus a new one, vampire cats. The leader is Chet, the big fat cat, but as a vampire, Chet is even bigger and fatter and may be developing human intelligence. With his tomcat heart, Chet is turning San Francisco's cat population fast.
   
   Goth teen Abby Normal, who supplies much of the humor, continues as minion to Jody and Tommy and provides plenty of background for anyone who hasn't read the previous books in the series or needs a memory refresher.
   
   Other favorite characters are also back, including the Emperor and his men, the Animals, and bumbling cops Rivera and Cavuto and their new canine partner. Abby's boyfriend Foo, the college student/science nerd, plays a big role as he continues to experiment with his hoped-for antidote for vampirism. A feisty elderly Asian man also plays a big role and is my new favorite character. Other surprise characters help bring about the surprise ending and big changes for Jody and Tommy.
   
   I highly recommend this to anyone who likes a fun story told with a wacky sense of humor.

No comments about Warriors: Omen of the Stars #2: Fading Echoes.

5 comments about Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat.

1. What a wonderfully inspiring book! The book is written on the premise of a very unusual cat named Oscar and the physician who "studied" him. Dr. Dosa, a Gerontologist, is the primary physician on the dementia floor of Steele House, a nursing home. Being of scientific mind, he is a confirmed skeptic that Oscar would be anything other than just an ordinary cat. Mary is the head nurse in charge of the staffing and the well-being of Dr. Dosa's patients. Through Mary's insights and not so subtle nudging, she starts opening Dr. Dosa's eyes that more is going on with Oscar rather than just being an ordinary cat. Not one to ignore a challenge, Dr. Dosa starts to interview families who have had relatives as patients at Steele House. Through several in-depth interviews with relatives, and just plain observation, Dr. Dosa starts to begin to accept that there is much more to Oscar than he thought.
   
   However, the real story in this book is about how dementia (Alzheimer's) truly affects families and their caregivers. Dr. Dosa is an amazing physician dedicated to the care of older patients. But he learns so much more about the complete process and how families learn to cope and love their "new" mothers and fathers. Through Oscar he has learned there is much more to life that just what medicine and science can offer.
   
   Steele House is an amazing nursing home and team of professionals. And to think this all started with a cat (not Oscar).......



2. Those who have cats will probably not wonder about Oscar's divine talents. But the doctor that writes about Oscar is not only human, he is humane. A great read from the perspective of a doc recognizing his own mortality and phycial limitations and how an ordinary cat makes him question the medical establishment.



3. Oscar is one of six resident cats at the Steere House, and elderly care house that specializes in dementia patients. Although the original resident cat, Henry, was not really accepted when Steere House was first built, but he eventually grew on the staff and residence. Now, through studies of how people respond better with animals, the Steere House has six cats.
   
   Oscar was not known to be a friendly cat, rather hiding and swatting at people then cuddling. But, some of the staff and the residence started noticing that when someone was going to die, Oscar was with them. The main nurse, Mary, brought this to Dr. Dosa's attention one day after several months of Oscar's behavior. At first Dr. Dosa didn't think anything about this. He was not a cat person and figured that Oscar was just looking for a warm place to nap, especially after he tried to pet Oscar and Oscar took a swipe at him.
   
   But, once Dr. Dosa saw Oscar at work, he started to rethink him being an ordinary cat. At the urging of Mary, Dr. Dosa started contacting those that had been there when Oscar was helping patients pass. At first he learns how the family has to struggle to find information regarding dementia and care for the elderly. More time than not, they basically stumble upon the Steere House.
   
   From there it is a heart breaking journey seeing a mother or father slowly unlearn everything they knew until they cannot do anything for themselves. But it seems that although a patient begins to lose all aspects of themselves, but basic things still get through. Such as music, children, and animals. The cats at the Steere House seem to make the patients respond more than without.
   
   But it doesn't apply only to the patients. It is a comfort to the family members when they come for visits. Dr. Dosa hears how Oscar was not just around for the patients passing, but also gave hope to the family members. They new everything was going to be all right and that they could go on from the loss of their father or mother.
   
   This is a heartwarming book with several sad tales of Oscar's vigilance. It shows how doctors are human and don't always understand the workings of dementia and how the family struggles to find answers, help, acceptance, and loss. It also shows how animals are not as simple creatures that most people believe. They have feelings and know more about what is going on than what people give them credit for. This is one book that animal lovers should read. It makes you appreciate our furry children more.
   
   I would also recommend that you read the following books:
   
   Jack: The Christmas Collie
   
   Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
   
   The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel
   
   Shawn Kovacich
   100% Cat Lover
   Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence book and DVD series.



4. First, although this book title leads you to believe this is a story about Oscar the cat that is not entirely true. This book is also about a doctor and his learning to accept small miracles in his life. This book is also a little bit about surviving after someone you love has died. This book is probably more about Dr. Dosa's learning and others' experiences as their loved ones died than it is about Oscar.
   
   This book is written as a series of essays that are connected together with Oscar the cat.
   
   First, the cat part: Oscar is a cat that lives with other cats, and other pets, at a nursing home facility. The third floor of the home is for those patients who have Alzheimers and other forms of dementia. Oscar has become known as the cat that visits patients and stays with them as they are dying, passing away from their earthly body.
   
   When Dr. Dosa heard about this he was skeptical that a cat might know when someone was about to die. With this in mind he began interviewing relatives of those who had died with Oscar next to them. Through these interviews Dr. Dosa was able to, if not believe in Oscar's abilities, to accept them.
   
   I think more than being about Oscar though, this book was about the natural process of dying and accepting it as one more step in our lives. At times this was a heart breaking book to read and at times it was funny and at times it was interesting with fascinating tidbits about the process of death. Overall, this was a great book.



5. This book is NOT just for cat lovers, or care givers! This book will teach you about the small mysteries of Life and Death! This book is simply fascinating!