3 comments about What Makes a Chil Lucky: A Novel.

1. 
   
   From the timeless, unyielding soil of rural Sicily springs the tale of a young boy who learns the harsh lessons of the world in the brutal slaying of a dear friend, followed by a dangerous mission that delivers him into the lair of the very criminals who very likely murdered his friend. His fate manipulated by jealous older brothers, Joseph is called by the crooked mayor to perform an impossible task, a trek into the mountains where a ruthless band of robbers resides. Unsure of his role, Joseph obeys, sheltered by a taciturn old woman who cooks bountiful meals for the outlaws and dispenses terse advice to her young charge. His innocence soon relinquished to desperate circumstances, Joseph elects to remain with these men, exquisitely aware of the precariousness of his position, in "the grip of perpetual violence". Gathering wild basil and asparagus for the old woman, Joseph also hoards the advice she sagely dispenses.
   
   The putative "Lucky one", Joseph endures the most heinous conditions, side-stepping the inherent brutality of his captors while gradually comprehending the greater truths of his existence vis a vis the world, balancing between survival and the pure joy of nature's bounty ("March sits like a knife, bitter winter on one side, spring on the other."). Guided by the words of the old one, a metaphor for the ancient wisdom of a harsh, beautiful land and its inhabitants, Joseph remains uncowed in spite of the ugliness he faces; he finds serenity in moments, absorbing the strength and vitality of the country. Cast into a challenging place where a lesser soul would wither, Joseph prevails. Given the animosity of his captors, Joseph is unlikely to survive; yet it is in his nature not to submit regardless of overwhelming evidence that he shall ever return to his home.
   
   In this haunting retelling of an ancient fable, the old woman signifying the wisdom of the ancestors and those who pass the stories from one generation to another, the boy defines the beauty of the human spirit pitted against daunting odds, triumphing over his oppressors. Poverty often delivers the weak to their baser natures, but one indomitable spirit, a young boy grieving a lost friend, mines the depths of his own heart, blooming in barren soil. Luan Gaines/ 2008.



2. Gioia Timpanelli's book "What Makes a Child Lucky" combines the power of traditional folk tale with the freedom of form that fiction allows, and the result is a multi-layered story that gets better with each reading. In fact we need to read it several times to taste the many flavors of this seemingly simple yet very complex tale. We follow the young hero's journey through the classic stages - separation from family, betrayal and loss. He faces great evil and yet survives through his inner goodness and with the help of the mysterious "other" so often present in folk tales and life, if we are lucky. Gioia's use of a language both colloquial and erudite interwoven with great skill makes this simple tale into a feast. The story's primal theme of hunger is the continuous thread that unsettles us and yet enriches us as well. The central character endures poverty and violence, as so many children in the world do, and he reaches the level of myth through his simple nobility and trust. This book is truly soul food and like Gioia's last book "Sometimes the Soul" we will want to return to it again and again.



3. This novella is charmingly told in an old world style of storytelling which makes it seem almost like a fairy tale. But it's far rougher than that, dealing with death, crime, familial issues, poverty and hunger. It's a tale of learning love from mistreatment, gentleness from violence, honesty from crime, among other things. Well worth the afternoon to read it.

5 comments about She Who Watches (McAllister Files, Book 4).

1. She Who Watches, by Patricia H. Rushford and Harrison James, is book 4 in the McAllister Files suspense series that will keep you guessing until the end. Sara Watson's day was already packed when she went to the parking garage and discovers her passenger window smashed. Ignoring it for the time being, she heads for home to collect all the information for the police and the insurance company. She never completes her plans.
   
   Scott Watson, Sara's husband, comes home with their daughter to find Sara's cousin, Claire, distraught and their kitchen in a mess! He immediately dials 911 and tries to control his emotions for the sake of his toddler, Chloe.
   
   Detectives "Mac" McAllister and Dana Bennett of the Portland Police Department are assigned to assist the FBI in the suspected kidnapping. When her body is found near the Indian Reservation, it becomes their case. Was it a kidnapping gone wrong? Does it have anything to do with her uncle, the state senator's stand on the new Indian casino? What about this cousin who has moved in with Scott and Chloe "to help take care of them" for a while?
   
   Meanwhile, Mac loses a good friend who is killed in the line of duty on the SWAT team, reminding Mac again of the dangers of his work. Then there is Phil, another detective, who is trying to get over a shooting by using alcohol. Mac's faith is put to the challenge both at work and in his personal life.
   
   Rushford and James weave a great suspense story with realistic characters, illustrating the problems caused by their work - not only physically, but emotionally and psychologically. It is a good read and a true challenge for those who love "Who Done It?" novels. - Linda Demorest, Christian Book Previews.com



2. Love a mystery? This is a very well done novel. The Mac Mysteries are all done well and worth your time. Hard to put these down once you start them!



3. Sara Watson has disappeared from her home. Because she is the niece of the state senator, this attracts more media attention and makes the case more high profile. Detectives Mac McAllister and Dana Bennett are called in to help the FBI with the investigation. When her body is found near an Indian reservation questions begin to rise about who the killer is and the connections it might have to her senator uncle. The final entry in the MacAllister does not disappoint.
   
   This was an excellent suspense novel. It was like watching a TV show, CSI comes to mind. The detective work is serious not cheesy with the police actually being competent and not bumbling characters. Mac and Dana make a good team and the secondary characters add more dimension to the story as well. The forensics team in this series is awesome. I've learned quite a bit from reading the descriptions of what the medical examiners discover. I will admit there are some grisly images but it keeps in with reality. Especially creepy was the scene where they dug up the body in the flowerbed. I honestly had no clue who the culprit really was and was quite shocked by the result. I had to flip back and catch up on clues. The writing is top notch with suspense, humor, and realism all blended together. I did like how Mac's relationships finally came to a agreement. Throughout the whole series you never knew who he was going to end up with. I also appreciated the explanations about Native American religions and ways of life. I'm really sad that the series is over. I love Patricia Rushford's novels and this series is definitely a favorite. I think it'd be really cool to have her four detectives get together in a book - Jennie McGrady, Helen Bradley, Mac, and Angel Delaney. She is one of the best mystery authors out there.



4. I read a book by Patricia Rushford (Sins of the Mother) several months ago and had been pleasantly interested, but nothing to be excited about. With James, Rushford, co-authors a series called the McAllister Files, which center around detective Mac McAllister. I just read She Who Watches and was quite impressed with it. Mac and his partner, Dana, start working on a missing persons case which turns into a homicide investigation with possible Native American ties. The characters are fascinating and lend lots of great moments to the book, as well as the plot, which keeps you guessing throughout. This is a later book in the series, but the books chronicle Mac's spiritual growth as well as his homicide cases. The book does have some draggy portions, but overall is a very good read.



5. SHE WHO WATCHES is the fourth and final installment in the McAllister Files from Patricia Rushford and Harrison James. When a senator is threatened, and one of his family members is kidnapped, Mac and his partner Dana Bennett try to unearth the truth before it's too late. Making the case even harder for Mac is the fact that they must share evidence with the FBI, delve into Native American tribal customs, deal with political red tape, and he must try to sort out the feelings he has for Dana without ruining their partnership altogether.
   
   The characters of the McAllister Files are genuine and believable, the protocol and procedures followed by the detectives factual and realistic. Patricia's story telling ability and Harrison's personal experience in law enforcement makes for a superb story with great characters and believable twist and turns

No comments about The Summer Camp Cyclops (Scooby-Doo Case Files).

2 comments about A Decent Ransom: A Story of a Kidnapping Gone Right.

1. 'A Decent Ransom' is a deliciously twisted story told by multiple narrators; these shifting perspectives keep the pace quick and the reader guessing. Bold, quirky and outrageously entertaining. Booklist, Sept 15, 2008 issue



2. A Decent Ransom is a seriously clever book. I literally could not put this down. The plot in this psychological drama is seemingly simple - a beautiful mentally fragile woman is kidnapped for a ransom that never arrives, leaving the kidnappers out of pocket and with a serious moral dilemma about what to do with the girl. The twists that follow are truly surprising and unpredictable. Just when you think you've got it worked out, the action takes an unexpected turn; I can't reveal what happens without spoiling it - suffice to say nothing in this novel is as it seems. The characters are well developed and multi-dimensional; with the exception of the young boy Phoebus who is the quintessential hero in every sense, there isn't a clear cut villain or hero, which is what makes the story so real. The multiple perspectives work a treat. This is a thoroughly entertaining and engrossing read.

5 comments about Motif for Murder: A Scrapbooking Mystery (Scrapbooking Mysteries).

1. I was introduced to Laura Childs scrapbooking mysteries after reading an ad for one of her books in a scrapbooking magazine. I haven't been disappointed. The continuity of the characters through the series is good. I enjoy the mysteries and the scrapes the main characters get into. I hope to keep seeing more of her series each year.



2. I can't say this is the most compelling, or the funniest, or the best cozy mystery series - but if you're a scrapbooker, it's "cute". I like the characters, and I love the idea of centering the story around a scrapbook store owner. This was not my favorite in the series. Carmella's relationship with her hubby is definitely getting annoying, and for someone bright enough to solve crimes (though often accidentally), she does some really dumb things. The cops in this series might not be the most effective, but Carmella "gets lucky" way too often - it's a miracle she's still alive. I will keep reading the series, and hope that Carmella grows into a more believable heroine.



3. I keep reading these, hoping they'll get better... after all, they are about scrapbooking! But unfortunately I keep getting disappointed. If the editing errors ("summersault??")and sentence fragments don't get you, the ridiculous plot will.
   
   The biggest letdown? Laura Childs is a pretty good writer. Her prose flows and the descriptions are fun and colorful. I suggest she get a better editor, one who actually does his or her job.



4. For mystery fans, Motif for Murder is no heavyweight. It's a somewhat fluffy but entertaining read. There is definately suspense for the reader though, and I personally didn't solve the mystery until Carmela did in the book. If you are a fan of fun mysteries, such as the series Psych on USA, you will like this book. If you are more a Law & Order type, you may find this a bit lightweight for your taste.
   
   Childs also pays a lot of attention to the personal life of her heroine Carmela and her troubled marriage. This was another part of the plot that served to relieve the typically heavy mystery feel of many mysteries, which pay little attention to the personal lives of their characters.
   
   One of the most fun parts of the book are the scrapbooking tidbits sprinkled throughout the book. They lend a unique flavor to the book but do not glaringly interrupt the flow of it either. For a person with little to no interest in scrapbooking, they won't be hit over the head with it in this book. But for a person with an interest in the topic, its presence is a very enjoyable element, including a section of scrapbooking tips at the conclusion of the book.
   
   Another special interest included in the book is New Orleans cooking. The book pays special attention to culinary details and also includes a segment of Cajun recipes at its conclusion. Not having tried the recipes, I can't attest to their quality, but they did make interesting reading.
   
   Overall, I will say that as a non-mystery fan and a scrapbooker, the book was a light and enjoyable read.



5. I can't say enough about the Scrapbooking Mysteries series by Laura Childs, each one is wonderful and entertaining and she never fails to please! Carmella is fast becoming one of my favorite characters! Each book contains scrapbooking tips and yummy recipes as well.

5 comments about A Window to the World.

1. Susan Meissner's newest book has followed suit with the first-Excellent. She makes it so easy to connect with the characters. Even if you haven't had the exact experience as Megan had when she was little, we all have things in our past that changed our lives forever and affect who we are today. Written with such compassion, emotion, and down to earth reality, it's an easy read that you won't want to put down. I've lost a lot of sleep staying up to read yet another great book by Susan Meissner.



2. POWERFUL. I can sum this book in a single word.
   
   Megan Diamond was a shy little girl, who was working on becoming invisible. No one really noticed her until the day a new girl transferred into Megan's grade one classroom and smiled at her. That smile changed her life.
   
   Jen Lovett was everything Megan wasn't. Outgoing, reckless and confident, but when the two girls met, there was an instant connection.
   
   When Jen is abducted off her bike right in front of her, Megan's whole life changes.
   This story is about the aftermath of tragedy and how people cope with pain in their lives.
   
   Oddly enough, this book isn't at all depressing, and I should know. I `m incredibly affected by what I read, and I try to avoid depressing books(or what I call Oprah books). I absorb mood and tension through the pages and I just don't have time to spend three days in bed, depressed, after reading a book. So, after reading the back cover of `A Window to the World', I wondered if I'd spend three or five days locked in my room with kleenex.
   
   When I finished the last page, all I could think was, WOW. The book was beautiful. I think the reason it worked so well for me, was that it dealt with pain as a part of life, just like happiness is only one part. It wasn't a mellow-dramatic recounting of a tragedy, designed to manipulate emotions, it was a clear, overhead view of how pain and tragedy fit into life. It's seamless. The threads of happiness and joy blend with the threads of sorrow to make something that is stronger than either could be alone.
   
   I was talking to a friend of mine a few days ago. She just finished her last round of chemo and radiation for breast cancer. We sat there and we talked about how her life has changed in the year since discovering she had cancer. It did change her life, no doubt about that. I hesitated before asking her what I really wanted to know, but finally I just blurted it out. `If you could change this past year, and make it so that none of this had ever happened, would you do it?' That sounds like a silly question to some, the obvious answer being yes, of course, who wants cancer, but she thought about it carefully for a moment before she answered.
   `We spend our entire lives trying to avoid pain, but pain, and how we deal with it, is what makes us who we are. If nothing bad ever happened, there would be no reason to thank God for our blessings, or cling to him in our weakness. So no, I wouldn't change a thing.'
   
   That's the same thing I took away from this book. Pain is a part of the world we live in and of who we are, as much as happiness and love are.
   
   I highly recommend this book, and applaud Susan Meissner for writing so eloquently what is almost impossible to put into words.



3. A Window to the World by Susan Meissner tells the story of a young girl, Megan Diamond, who begins as a shy, insecure, friendless youngster until she discovers a friend, Jen Lovett, who possesses her exact opposite characteristics. However, tragedy strikes, and Megan finds herself wondering how she should cope. Although she is a Christian, her faith is challenged and then strengthened as she learns to release the pain of the tragic event and to focus her life, not on the past, but on God.
   
   The novel is written in a simple style, making it easy to read. Yet, although the book can be read in a short time, the characters are effectively described so that they appear to be real, not merely flat and two-dimensional. They act, and react, in very realistic ways.
   
   The main character Megan only comes out of her shell after she meets Jen Lovett. Megan is timid, quiet, and attends Sunday school regularly, whereas Jen is vocal, confident and often questions God and how He works. Nevertheless, when Jen is kidnapped, Megan becomes lost in a swirl of fear, confusion, and a faint hope that Jen will return. She once again withdraws into her shell, opening up only to Jen's brother and an elderly woman, Adele. As she grows older, Megan finally stops behaving as if the kidnapping occurred only moments ago, as opposed to years ago, and moves on, allowing God to lead her life instead of being dominated by the memories of Jen. As time passes, she finally recognizes all of the blessings that she received because of the tragedy; blessings she would never have experienced without Jen's disappearance.
   
   I enjoyed A Window to the World, not only for its plot, but also because it was easy for me to identify with the characters. At times, one can be as uncertain as Megan and begin to doubt the actions of God. All people can understand the trials of being an indirect victim of a tragedy and feeling at a loss as to how to cope. But this novel also gives a sense of hope, a sense that God is in complete control of every situation, but that He requires our trust and faith. I would recommend this novel to Christian readers, especially those who may struggle with allowing God to take control of troubles in life. -- Naomi Sloan, Christian Book Previews.com



4. Women's fiction isn't my usual read but this book kept me just as riveted as the suspense novels I love so well.
   
   I would say Ms. Meissner's strong suit is story and characters. So many books are well written but the story is ho-hum. Not this book--I HAD to know what happened to these characters. Through her pen, Susan made them live and breathe.
   
   Read this with a warning: Tears will be shed, (yes, that means yours.)
   
   A Window to the World is an emotional story of love, loss and hope. An ideal book for best-friends or sisters to read together.



5. This was a powerful book. It is a beautiful illustration of survival and the hurt and pain of those left behind. Events in our past are with us and we have to learn how to move on and learn from the past and not let it cripple us and destroy the beauty of the present and the future.

No comments about Dangerous Plays (Nancy Drew: All New Girl Detective #16).

2 comments about 100 Days in the Jungle.

1. I do not doubt that the individuals characterized in this book had a harrowing and dangerous experience, but the accuracy of their adventure is brought into question by the obvious inacuracies of their discription of life in Ecuador. I found their description of the airport almost laughable. Airport Security Guards beating poor destitute locals with a stick!! I have lived in Quito for the last 5 years and have traveled through the airport many many times and have NEVER seen anything like what was described. I have also worked in the area they were captured. I agree that a certain danger exists in this area and one needs to be very careful. However, I have a hard time believing everything else when I found so many obvoiusly incorrect details. I think that the naritive would have been just as good and even more interesting had there not been inserted all the incorrect details to supposedly make the story more interesting. There a enough interesting stories here in Ecuador without all the literary license.

   Reader: Please take with a grain of salt all the violence and "agressively" poor people. I sincerely hope that the rest of the books narritive of the 100 days in the jungle is much more accurate that thier description of Quito. Despite all of this I found the book interesting and recommend it.




2. The airport at Quito is not that wild...does it need some order, yes? Are people getting hit by police? NO! That is absurd.

   I find the story intriguing, but craziness like the airport story, locals not telling the police about guerrillas, and the mere fact that the spanish used in the book is atrocious. Vamos means "Let's (we) go." Not "Vamoose" like Yosimite Sam. Also, Joto is called Hoto many times...where was the editor? There are other ridiculous translations and misuse of Spanish. It did not seem to be intentional because when the oil workers used their spanish it fit the situation...the other misuses did not fit.

   If you want to read a kidnap tail...read this. If you want to read about the real Ecuador...go to another source.

5 comments about Hostage.

1. This book is really boring, the only reason I read this book is because my teacher made us do a book report. The first three pages were somewhat interesting then the fourth page made me sleepy. The one part that was exciting was where the main character was kidnapped by two robbers. If you want to read the most retarded book of your life, BUY THIS BOOK!!!
   
   
   The main character gets kidnapped because she was a naughty girl and snooping around while two robbers were trying steal precious values from her family and her snooping around in the middle of the night. At the end she breaks free from the robbers and steals the cellphone in their kitchen and calls the police.



2. Hostage is a good book. It starts out with a girl named Kaci who moves to a new neiberhood Right before she moves there is a robbery right in front of house. My suggestion READ THE BOOK!!!



3. In the book Hostage, a girl named Kaci is about to move to Lofty Cedars Estates when a robbery occurs across the street. They never found the robbers, but soon Kaci will. A couple days after they move, Kaci comes home from school to get her allergy medicine. But when she arrives at her house, her house is being robbed. She tries to hide in a dresser, but a robber finds her. Now her and her neighbor are hostages. They have to ride with to robbers everywhere in the back of a moving truck. When Kaci decides to get something to eat from her backpack, she realizes that her and her sister got their backpacks mixed up, and that her sister has one of her parents cell phones in ther backpack! So she calls the cops and the robbers catch her talking on the phone. But the cops still find them and arrest them!
   Most of this book is taken place in the present, and at their houses'.
   So it starts out that Kaci's neighbor gets robbed, then she's getting robbed, and the robbers take her as a hostage. But it ends up that the robbers are arrested because Kaci found a phone.
   I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read suspensful and page-turner books.



4. In the book Hostage, a girl named Kaci is about to move to Lofty Cedars Estates when a robbery occurs across the street. They never found the robbers, but soon Kaci will. A couple days after they move, Kaci comes home from school to get her allergy medicine. But when she arrives at her house, her house is being robbed. She tries to hide in a dresser, but a robber finds her. Now she and her neighbor are hostages. They have to ride with to robbers everywhere in the back of a moving truck. When Kaci decides to get something to eat from her backpack, she realizes that her and her sister got their backpacks mixed up, and that her sister has one of her parents' cell phones in their backpack! So she calls the cops and the robbers catch her talking on the phone. But the cops still find them and arrest them!
   Most of this book is taken place in the present, and at their houses'.
   So it starts out that Kaci's neighbor gets robbed, then she's getting robbed, and the robbers take her as a hostage. But it ends up that the robbers are arrested because Kaci found a phone.
   I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read suspenseful and page-turner books.



5. Hostage captures attention
   
   If you like mystery books then pick up a copy of Hostage, by Willo Davis Roberts. It's not only a mystery book in some parts they are funny. I recommend this book for people in the age group of any older than ten years old.
   
   This book Hostage is about a happy family that is moving out of their neighborhood. And a girl named Kaci notices a strange car going by in their new neighborhood. She had also seen the same car in her old neighborhood. And the people who were in that car had robed the people that lived next door. So when day when she was walking to school she forgets something so she goes back to get it. Suddenly while she was at her house from walking back home from school, she looks outside the window and sees that same car she saw passing by her new neighborhood. It was parked outside her house. She quickly hides so the thieves won't find her. And the rest is for you to find out yourself to read it.
   
   This book is exiting the whole time you're reading it. You get descriptions good so you imagine as if it were real life.
   The ending turns out to be great. It may not be true but it feels like it. The genre of this book is fiction. But I say fiction books have a lot of more imagine to it than non-fiction.

No comments about Terry Waite and Ollie North: The Untold Story of the Kidnapping and the Release.