No comments about Xavier's Fantastic Discovery (Cabbage Patch Kids).

5 comments about Hannah's Legalized Kidnapping: A rush to react took her away for 207 days.

1. Very well written book. How easy this could happen to others. So sorry you had to go threw this. I'm your mother first cousin.



2. Everyone who purchases this book should be applauded for expressing an interest in creating greater awareness for mentally and physcially challenged individuals.
   Here's a story that illustrates what happens when assumptions are made about those with special needs. This family had to bear the burden of those assumptions in a big way - with two innocent parents spending time in jail and a precious 18-year-old removed from her home for 207 days.
   The second best thing you can do is buy this book. The best thing you can do is share it with others in hope that it helps make a difference some day.



3. This Book is very well written. It's Hard to believe that something like this could happen. This book is a real eye opener to reality. more people need to read it. it could make a difference!



4. This book is the real life image of this families tragic episode which evolves into a foundation of faith. We all have our trials, but very seldom does the message spread as this publication brings forth. The characters are real, and the story is heart-wrenching. It combines feelings of emotion from the darkest anger, to the most unconditional bound of faith. It makes you want to cry, laugh, and get involved. I'm impressed with the writer's ability to put the situation in our perspective, and make it seem like it really could happen to anyone. This is a comfortable read, and good for all ages to understand misfortune, faith, and people.



5. We've all heard the phrase "bigger isn't always better". That rings true with the author's first book. Only 56 pages long you don't expect the emotional roller coaster that is waiting for you. In just a couple of hours you can relive 207 days that tore a family apart but did not break them. You will read one story about an overburdened legal system that is far from perfect and caused great pain when it was intended to protect. Intertwined with this story is an even greater story of a family's faith and love. In the end you will be left questioning how does something like this happen?
   Keep in mind as you finish chapter eight and set the book aside that the two hours spent reading this story will equal the two hours spent investigating young Hannah's injury. In the same amount of time it takes to read 56 pages those responsible for protecting a mentally challenged girl made a decision to take her from her home and away from the people in her life who she needed the most.
   Are we truly innocent until proven guilty? Does the system really protect those who need protection? By sharing this experience the author shows us all that this nightmare could happen to anyone.
   Please read this story and share its message before another family is torn apart - before another child must face days, weeks, and months without those who love them.

3 comments about A. Night in Hollywood Forever (Five Star Mystery Series).

1. Tired of being shot and heeding his mom's advice, Alex Night quits as a real private investigator to write a great novel. He even takes an office at the Writers and Artists Building in Beverly Hills.
   
   However, his former clients keep hiring him to sleuth so that the great American mystery has not progressed beyond the title, The Big Changeover. He vows no more sleuthing but cannot resist the lure of finding a missing Faberge Egg once given by Hearst to his lover Mandies, However, the prime reason is gumshoeing is his fiancée, prolific author Goldie Rose, has vanished with her office broken into and ransacked. Though Goldie keeps putting off their wedding date, Alex fears for her life so like Sam Spade begins investigating her disappearance; however, he will soon find himself over the edge of night as half of Hollywood and the former KGB crowd amongst others want him out of the way whether it is over an Egg or the writer.
   
   Fans of urban noirs will want to spend a night or three following the escapades of "retired" sleuth turned wannabe writer Alex. As with A NIGHT IN BEVERLY HILLS, the story line centers on Alex who once again uses asides to pay homage to classic pictures and actors. The investigation begins late in the tale, but the plot before, during, and after contains plenty of action. Andrew J. Fenady makes A NIGHT IN HOLLYWOOD worth reading.
   
   Harriet Klausner



2. In view of the lightning swift read full of noirish style, gut-humor, sex, hitmen, gorgeous women and a hero who is quite able to take care of himself in any altercation, these relevant details should be all that's really necessary to set forth on author Fenady's knockout punch of a yarn. It's a tight and antic tale that not only is a product of Hollywood, but helps, in its small, legend-provoking way, to define it. It's an insider's imagination taking a big gulp of fictionalized fact, factual fancy, and leaping in with a noirish mix of Hammett and humor--all descriptive barrels blazing.
   
   To get the title out of the way. "A. Night" is the abbreviated form of the central character's name, Alex Night, deriving from his real name, Nyktaas, Greek for --you guessed it-- night. Hollywood Forever is the new name for Hollywood Memorial Park, a final resting place for the Hollywood elite and those who want to rest near them. As a book sequel to "A. Night in Beverly Hills," it sounds like a series pattern to me.
   
   A. Night is tired of the P.I. game and has hung up his shield (or what serves as one) in order to put to use his knowledge of Hollywood lore, movie history and legend into a first novel. He calls it "The Big Changeover" and envisions it as the next Edgar Award mystery. But he never gets past the title when writer's block, a string of crimes, and other distractions lead him back to what he knows best.
   
   As part of his commitment to his new vocation, he takes an office in the famed Writers and Artists building which, in its day, "officed some of the most famous scribblers and celebrities in Hollywood history." But, even more exquisitely, he finds himself across the hall from Goldie Rose, a dame whose lips "looked like they had just licked something sweet--and fresh as a spring garden." He's a goner.
   
   Ms. Rose is not only a heart-stopper but a novelist who completes a murder mystery in precisely 11 days, knowing exactly what has to happen on each page and when she'll be writing it--down to the hour. With this productivity, she uses a string of pen names, most of them male. Among other feelings, our hero is envious. But, then, who amongst us wouldn't be?
   
   Not everyone from his past is impressed with Alex's new line of work--in fact, hardly anyone is. Mike Meadows, for example, studio boss at Tri-Art Pictures, prevails upon Alex (with a 5 grand fee) to get aging sex goddess Frances Vale to attend the premiere of his new film with the million dollar "Star of Good Hope" necklace around her still-beautiful neck. She's reluctant because she's only got a supporting role. But Alex understands the fears and insecurities of movie personalities, and persuades her. What Alex didn't count on, however, was the attempted robbery of the "Star", which he bravely and single-handedly thwarts by throwing the robber off a roof.
   
   But, that's just the start of Alex's wayward path to writing and it triggers a fusillade of violence, mystery and murder, involving a friend's exposure of secrets about an even more valuable piece of historical jewelry, "The Tear of Russia," one of the missing Imperial Faberge Eggs. Perhaps the most ornate of Peter Carl Faberge's creations for the Romanov dynasty, it was once given by William Randolph Hearst to his mistress, Marion Davies. Estimated value now, $10 Mil.
   
   No wonder the bodies are piling up along with personal attacks, rich men with gorgeous assistants and conniving ex-KGB agents. To further confound the intrepid investigator, his beautiful Goldie goes missing. And, once the trail leads to a Hollywood Forever mausoleum, Hollywood style mayhem ensues, with betrayals and shootouts.
   
   This is a crisp, endearing journey into the heart of Hollywood history and make believe that'll keep you on edge and engaged with the exploits of a hero who redefines the term "hard-boiled" while exploiting your taste for a thrill and a romp with your funny bone. Fenady takes us through a few very ticklish days with his A. Night.



3. This is Fenady's second novel featuring retired detective Alex Night -- and it was just as good as the first. If, like me, you are a fan of Hollywood mysteries, this is a fun read with a good puzzle. I hope Fenady's continues the series.

5 comments about Sweet Sacrifice.

1. Sweet Sacrifice by Crystal Rhodes is a dynamic and attention engaging novel about Sash Adams, an unemployed law school graduate striving to raise her young brother by herself. When her brother's sudden kidnaping turns her world upside-down, she must join forces with Brandon Plaine, a deceitful and dangerous media mogul, for any hope of her sibling's safe return. A tautly written novel, Sweet Sacrifice clearly documents Crystal Rhodes as a novelist of considerable talented.



2. Sash Adams was willing to sacrifice ALL for the love she had for her little brother Trent. This story was well written and very entertaining. Ms. Rhodes has a way of keeping you turning page after page. I am now impatiently waiting for her next novel "Small Sensations"



3. Sweet Sacrifice is the story of Sash Adams, an independent and feisty recent law school graduate who is raising her younger brother, Sweet. Sweet gets kidnapped and Sash has to make decisions and form alliances in order to get her brother back. Brandon Plaine enters and he is a suave, arrogant media tycoon. Sash enters his world seeking his assistance in raising the ransom. Why would Brandon help a stranger? With passions simmering in the background, Sash and Brandon must make compromises in a mission to bring her brother home safely.

   Sweet Sacrifice is a romantic suspense novel that enthralls the reader from the beginning until the final word. Rhodes has done a wonderful job of weaving the romance along with the suspense. The characters were realistic and well developed. I found myself lost within the pages of Sweet Sacrifice. I anticipate more literary offerings from Ms. Rhodes.

   Reviewed by Robilyn Heath
   The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers




4. Sweet Sacrifice by Crystal Rhodes has all the elements necessary to make it a "good read." Sash Adams is an intelligent, proud, and determined young woman who only recently graduated from law school. Although she is unemployed she is confident that it is only a matter of time before she makes her mark on the world. Then the unthinkable happens. Her young brother, Sweet, is kidnapped! More intriguing is the fact that the ransom is demanded from wealthy mogul Brandon Plaine. Sash and her brother have no connection to Plaine, so why demand money from him? How can she convince him to pay the ransom for her brother? And can she convince him in time to save Sweet?

   Both alluring Sash Adams and handsome Brandon Plaine are interesting characters individually but they are both headstrong and determined. Their personalities inevitably clash. As they battle their way through this horrifying experience the passion that both attracts and repels them is almost tangible.

   This book is a true page turner with a couple of really surprising twists. So, grab a cup of tea, retreat to your favorite reading spot and enjoy!




5. Grandmothers Inc is a delightful romantic mystery that takes the reader on numerous twists and turns. The excellent development of the main characters keeps the reader interested and waiting for more. The settings are quite vivid and enrich the storyline even further. I would recommend this book to males and females who (like me) have a curiosity about relationships and possibilities.

No comments about Rabbit in the Rock.

5 comments about Held Captive: The Kidnapping and Rescue of Elizabeth Smart.

1. This is a rather boring book...I picked it up after a friend of mine recommended it to me. Although it only took 2-3 to read it, it was boring. It took all I had to actually get through it. The writing is easy enough-but just in a vocabulary and level sense. My younger sisters and brother could read it with no problems. It's just that there's no real good flow.

   What Elizabeth experienced was harrowing, and one of the reason why she's home is because of all the media coverage...




2. I read part of this book when the hardcover version first came out. What a horrific experience for that family and how miraculous that they had a happy ending!! I still remember where I was when I heard that she had been found. I didn't read the whole book because it was too disturbing and I get nightmares easily. It really bothers me when people criticize the family for writing a book and allowing it to be put into a movie. Why shouldn't they share their miracle? I would! Not a whole lot of children/teens come back alive when they are kidnapped and so I think the family are doing right to share their story. I'm sure that it will help other families to have hope. And what is the family doing now? They are presently helping another family who has a missing family member! So many others would want to just forget about it, but instead they are out there trying to help and comfort another family. That's really quite commendable. I did notice when I read what I read, that they do include a bit of information about their belief system. Although I don't agree with their theology at all, I do believe that they have every right to talk about it in their book. All of us would do that if we were in the same situation. They were sharing how they got through the ordeal and of course their faith is going to be mentioned. I was certainly praying too and I even hung light blue ribbons (her favourite colour) in a few places. There are so few miracles in the news nowadays and I'm glad that the Smarts are sharing their story. I really think the point of the book is how good is coming out of such a terrible tragedy.



3. When i got this book i expected it to tell me what exactly happened to elizabeth whilst she was captured, it told me pretty much nothing!! and left me a lot of questions!! all i got what how they tried to get her back and the way they lived on the streets. i had to guess by the insinuations that there had been sexual abuse, but im not sure what else! i assumed that the author researched and interviewed her and was going to tell us things we didnt know but it didnt! maybe that was the intention of the book, as the title shouldve told me that but everything it did tell me was everything the media pretty much told us. i would love to know why she didnt run, other than speculations and what all happened to her when she was gone. if you want to know media info then i suppose this book is good but if u are trying to find out what happened to her you'll be very dissapointed!it was written well though.



4. My hand trembled with each and every page I read.
   With each word my mind went back to when I was kidnapped, beaten, tortured and raped in Moscow in January of 1992 by early Al qeada operatives.
   Maggie, you have written a spine chilling account of Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping and rescue.
   I applaud you for your writing skills.
   
   -Yvonne Bornstein, Author, Eleven Days Of Hell- My True Story Of Kidnapping, Terror, Torture and Historic FBI and KGB Rescue



5. Living in Utah makes this event too close for comfort which compelled me to read this book. This author's perspective was very interesting and exciting. I found the book to be full of interesting facts some of which I had not heard or read before. It also has reminded me that our society had changed in a frightening direction when we are no longer safe in our own homes.

5 comments about Abduction (A Shefford-Johnson Case, Book 1).

1. This book was fantastic. The author did a fantastic job with keeping this story alive through the entire book. I could not put this book down. The story kept taking on new life all the way to the final chapter. My only regret is that now I have to wait til Nov. to read the next book. I am going to learn one day to not pick up a series until the author has written the entire story line.



2. Abduction will keep you up nights with its expertly woven twists and cliffhangers! This thriller is unusual in that it has controversial issues to present. Nearly every character learns to view issues from others' perspectives and grows from this new awareness.
   If there is a weakness in Abduction, it is that Ms. Dyson presents too many issues which necessitates a few too many sub-plots. Sometimes the constant switching between story lines made for an anxious read.
   Regardless, I enjoyed Abduction tremendously and would recommend it to anyone who would enjoy a wholesome thriller!



3. THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD. I READ IT FASTER THAN ANY PREVIOUS BOOK BECAUSE I HAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK & WILL BE ORDERING MORE BY THIS AUTHOR!



4. This book had everything. Suspence, Romance, Serial Killer, Psychics, Abductions, Several Secrets, and a also a Christian element.
   I could not put it down for a moment. It kept you on the edge of your seat, yet at the sametime was also enlightening. It took a rather unique perspective on the psychic angle, but did it well. It stirred about every emotion possible and the banter between characters was hilarious. I won't spoil anything for those who haven't read it, but to those who have, You've got to love Donnie's creativity. How could anyone say no to that?

   An excellent book by far, and I hope the rest of the series are just as good. Wanda Dyson has the potential to take this somewhere great.




5. I am usually very good at figuring out whodunit. Not when it came to Wanda L Dyson's book ABDUCTION. I was at the very end, even after the main character knew who the bad guy was, screaming, "Who IS he???" I highly recommend this book! Bravo!!!

4 comments about Jimmy the Kid.

1. Westlake's Dortmunder books are his best. This is perhaps the funniest of those comic capers. A young genius cons the cons in this ironic, whimsical and hilarious adventure. Hard as they may try, Dortmunder, Kelp and the gang always lose, and though we empathize, we love seeing them do it.



2. This book is excellent. It is a well thought out, well written Comedy about the Troubles in the Dortmunder gang, A loveable and hilarious group. Donald E. Westlake is an amazing and talented author. Definitly worth the read.



3. All of Donald E. Westlake's Dortmunder novels lampoon the usual crime genre by portraying robbers as bunglers with bad luck. In Jimmy the Kid, Mr. Westlake really takes the gloves off to show his contempt for crime novels. The results are hilarious and you'll be glad you read this book.

   As the book opens, Dortmunder is looking to break into a warehouse in a neighborhood where people live . . . so he needs to be quiet. Suddenly someone is calling out his name and trying to get his attention. Dortmunder can't believe that anyone would do this to him. But it's only Andy Kelp who is trying to help. Dortmunder has slightly miscalculated where the warehouse is.

   Dortmunder takes a long time to get over being angry with Kelp about this incident. As a result, he's slow to take to Kelp's idea that the gang kidnap a child following the plot of a novel called Child Heist by Richard Stark. Eventually, Mae (Dortmunder's live-in girlfriend), Stan Murch (his favorite driver), Murch's Mom (the New York City cabbie) and Dortmunder agree. Mae and Murch's Mom go along more because they want to be sure that the child isn't harmed.

   The book alternates sections from Child Heist with what actually occurs. The differences make for grand humor. Dortmunder also has a problem with execution because by relying on the book, everyone becomes over-confident and makes easily avoidable errors.

   Anyone who has ever tried to reach someone on a cell phone with no success with how with laughter as Murch's Mom calls a car phone to direct how the ransom is to be dropped off.

   In the midst of this, Jimmy turns out to be a child genius who easily runs circles around the gang. The results are humorous and often unexpected. My only complaint about this fine book is that Mr. Westlake made Jimmy a little too much like Super Boy. I don't think there are many adults who could have pulled off elements of what he does in the story.

   If you have liked any of the Dortmunder novels, or like humorous books, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. It compares favorably with the best of the Stephanie Plum novels.

   After you finish enjoying the book, think about where you can add your own original touch to make life better for all.




4. Usually I don't care for detective/suspense novels where a child is in danger. Although "Jimmy The Kid" deals with the kidnapping of a child, Westlake handles it so well that at no time does the reader feel there is any peril for the child or concern by his parents.
   
   Dortmunder, against his better judgment, is persuaded to organize a kidnapping using as a plan the plot of a detective story. Needless to say, real life does not conform to the fiction. Also Dortmunder's gang aren't quite as smart as the fictional villains; for instance, Kelp puts up a detour sign reading "ROAD CLOSED -- DETURE".
   
   Somehow the kidnapping does manage to occur, but then as in O'Henry's "Ransom of Red Chief", the victim outsmarts the kidnappers.
   
   "Jimmy The Kid" is one of Donald Westlake's shorter books, and the madness does not grow exponentially as in other Dortmunder caper stories. Nevertheless, it is a masterpiece. Read and enjoy!

5 comments about The Abduction.

1. I'm in the middle of reading all of his books. They are all page turners. Bob in Virginia



2. The Abduction involves the kidnapping of the granddaughter of one of the two candidates for President and its investigation by the Attorney General, who is also the other candidate. The plot grabs hold of your attention and doesn't let go until the very end. The characters are interesting and pretty well-developed, although some aspects in their development requires you to suspend belief a bit. While The Abduction is not great literature, it is a very good choice for when you have a plane ride or a vacation coming up, or whem you just want to escape in a good book. Enjoy!



3. I listened to this book on tape and although the story was fairly entertaining, Mr. Grippando used the word "grimaced," so many times I was truly distracted. However, the reader pronounced the word, grim aced with a long "a," rather than grim uhsed. The word was used probably 40 times in the book and became such a distraction that I cringed every time I heard it. As well the major theme of the book was never answered in the end. Frustrating!



4. I began with his first two books, however The Abduction has caused me to think about the book all day, especially when I can't read it. Its a page turner, and I may say it doesn't contain any graphic descriptions the first two contained. Excellent writer, I will read on....



5. Allison Leahy is the Democrat's nominee for president - and the current U.S. Attorney General. She's in a tight race with the Republican nominee, African American Lincoln Howe, a retired four-star general and a war hero.
   
   Things heat up when Kristen Howe, the General's 12-year-old granddaughter is kidnapped. As the U.S. chief law enforcement officer, Leahy has ultimate responsibility for the nationwide manhunt to rescue the granddaughter. And the kidnapping opens old wounds of her own daughter being abducted from her home nearly ten years before.
   
   A situation that should be focused on finding a frightened little girl suddenly becomes the focus of the campaign as Allison's motives are questioned by her opponent and dark secrets begin to emerge on both sides. Leads are followed up and discarded as the Mob gets involved.
   
   Grippando does a wonderful job of painting pictures of both Leahy and Howe as flawed human beings struggling with past mistakes, even as they try to appear perfect in seeking the nation's highest office. You will feel compassion for both-as well as some anger, as political motivation outweighs the safety of a child and the healing of a family.
   
   This is a great read anytime, but especially with this year's political landscape.

No comments about The Kidnapping of Aaron Greene.