2 comments about Fate and Destiny.

1. A cabin in the Rockies during a blizzard, a man and a woman trapped there? One of my favorite scenarios to settle in to read and the story didn't disappoint me. Claire Collins brings a fresh perspective to this romantic premise. She does it with laughter, strong believable characters, throws in some great suspense and voila, a satisfying read.
   
   The title is a clever play on words, as is the cover teaser. I've always appreciated clever. Her story is also clever in its execution. Her characters are strong and believable and best of all, they have a fine sense of humor. I hadn't even finished the first chapter before I was laughing. I loved Andrew's reaction when Shadow finds Destiny injured at the base of a large boulder, half buried in the snow. Andrew's reaction at finding that Destiny isn't dead, the conversation between Andrew and his dog, Shadow, as he's removing the wet clothes from Destiny, and Destiny's reaction when she wakes up in a strange cabin is inventive and funny. Shadow is a dog, but by no means a story prop. He is a real character, both in personality and as part of the story and he's claimed the right to be Destiny's protector.
   
   What I like about the characters is they cease to be names and a set of actions on the written page. You are immediately drawn into the story and pulled along to the end. The characters are well formed and very real. Shadow, as a character, reacts in a realistic manner--so many authors drop pets into their story as props but not Ms. Collins. Shadow is a dog you'd love to have for your own.
   
   The story isn't all fun and games, although there are some very nice touches of that. There is a flare of attraction and distrust between the two main characters, does Destiny need protecting or is she someone Andrew needs protecting from. Is Andrew her rescuer or part of the conspiracy? Can they trust one another to form an alliance against the real danger of a deceptive villain with an agenda, one that wants Destiny dead and collateral damage is no problem.
   
   If you enjoy a fast paced story with twists and turns, you'll enjoy this one. Claire Collins is skillful in building tension and notching it up as the story progresses. The ending has you going, yes!
   
   I'm eagerly awaiting her next book.



2. Light a warm fire, snuggle into your favorite pajamas, and open this book.
   From the moment you meet the handsome hero, Andrew and his intellegent Lab shadow you won't want to move until it's over.
   Collins does a wonderful job of keeping the story flowing over twists and turns. Realistic and enjoyable as we read of Destiny's path through life and the fate that dropped her, quite literally, on Andrew's front lawn and near death.
   While meeting a full cast of diverse charaters, you will witness a relationship built on trust, love, and of course FATE and DESTINY.

5 comments about JESSICA TAKES MANHATTAN (SVH SUPER #23) (Sweet Valley High).

1. This was a brilliant book. I thought that the fact that Lila got first class treatment for half the holiday was excellant. But when Jessica and Lila escaped, I thought that it was a bit far fetched as the kid-knappers would have just shot at them. But I still think that any fan should have this book in thier collection!



2. In the maximity of the SV books, I'd have to say that Jessica Takes Manhattan was one of the best. Probably what I wanted most was to see Lila actually carted off and never seen again. But after her drama in the SVU series, I regret my opinion.



3. This book is da bomb!:) And I want you to read it! It's a romantic and shocking book that you don't want to miss!



4. all that and more!!! i really liked the part when jessica and lila kept blaming each other for the kidnapping. i recommend this book to any true sweet valley fan. ...



5. Jessica finds herself sitting next to a rock star and Lila is mad at Bo because he won't meet her in New York. Jessica's plane almost crashes and it landes in New orlenes. She goes on a date with Ryder{the rock star}and he tells her that he is getting engaged in new York. Jessica got mad but they up on the trip to New York. Also Bo suprises Lila in New York. I could tell u wat happened next but u wouldn't hav to read the book. But i promise u it one of the best Sweet Valley books. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 comments about A Stranger on Shore.

1. If you like romance, suspense, drama, and books
   containing coastal folklore, this is the book for you!!
   Delia's travels keep you on the edge of your seat...
   Many can identify with her love lost and love found.
   The author's knowledge of local history is evident. "A Stranger On Shore" keeps you laughing and crying at the same time.



2. When I first met Delia I felt she was someone I had really known. All of the hardships she endured reminded me of one of my all time favorite books, A Woman of Substance.

   Ms. Hurst brought her characters to life. They are not simply people you meet and then forget; they are poeple you feel you have known or want to know.

   I would recommend this book to anyone from the South or who had a deep love for the South. I felt I was right back home when I read this book. I hope she writes a sequel.

No comments about A Boy From Atchee.

1 comments about Tyrant of the Badlands (The Accidental Detectives Series #4).

1. Ricky is surprised when his grandfather asks him to come a few days earlier then his friends for their vacation in Alberta. Ricky doesn't know why until he arrives. Then, he's asked to become Rocky, juvenile delinquent. Ricky's great aunt owns a mobile home park, but recently there's been trouble. Two young men are harassing the residence, and there's a strange rumbling at night. The two adults are hoping that Ricky will be able to get a little information that will help them solve the problem. But Ricky starts to uncover a problem much bigger then anyone knew about. Will he be able to figure out what's going on?

   As with all the Accidental Detectives, this book moves along at a brisk pace. The characters are vivid. In this case, there's enough going on that you don't really miss Lisa, Ralph, and Mike, but they add something major when they do show up. The opening few chapters are hilarious. I thought I remembered the plot of this book from reading it years ago, but I found I'd forgotten lots and was still surprised by the ending.

   This is a perfect summer reading book. It's fast and fun and will keep anyone entertained from the first page to the last.

5 comments about The Defiant Hero (Troubleshooters, Book 2).

1. I try to reserve my 5 stars for really awesome reads and, though, this was close, it lacked abit for me to be a 5 star. I thought the retelling of the WWII German invasion into France kinda dragged abit. Granted, it all came together nicely and told a good bit of history, it dragged in the beginning of that story. There are actually three stories working in this book. One with Meg and Nil (AKA John). The second with Eva and Ralph (WWII), and, the third, with Sam (AKA Roger/Houston/etc) and Alyssa (AKA Lys). LOL
   
   I enjoyed Sam and Alyssa's story the most and was dissappointed in how that ended. I see that their story will come together in book #6 (Gone Too Far) of this series.



2. I was hooked on Ms. Brockmann's characters from the very first book. You don't have to read them in the order they were written but do so if you can.
   Follow the same SEALS from book to book and you'll really get to know them!



3. The author has five different stories happening, 3 current day and 2 flashbacks. She frequently is telling one story, then stops at a cliff-hanger point, then goes on to another two stories before coming back to the first story. Notwithstanding the cliff-hangers, she is jumping around within these five stories for the entire book. It was irritating, annoying and offensive. It felt worse than tv commercial interruptions. Other authors can create suspense without resorting to this method. Aside from this problem, I did not like the choices and actions of the three main female characters. I disliked Eve's lying in her flashback story. I disliked the way Alyssa treated Sam and therefore I disliked her. I hated Meg's actions. She kept doing stupid things that put her own life and John's life in danger. I also didn't like the way she pressured him to tell about his abused youth. Nothing was fun about this book. I wanted it to be over. The story is primarily about Arab terrorists kidnapping two females and related Navy SEALS action. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: four. Copyright: 2001. Genre: romantic suspense.



4. First I must take issue with the fact that people keep insisting that you don't have to read the Troubleshooters books in sequence. I contend you do. I read The Unsung Hero first and then jumped to Into the Storm and frankly felt like I had ruined the series by doing so. It doesn't help that the books are in no way labeled as a series. I really missed out on enjoying the way the relationships between various characters developed throughout the series. Max and Gina, Decker and Sophia, and Sam and Alyssa.
   Secondly: Sam and Alyssa. Whoa. All I can say is chocolate syrup, handcuffs and a hot naked navy seal and Ms. Brockmann has my attention. I really didn't feel the main storyline between Nils and Meg. She annoyed me and their relationship seemed needlessly complicated. I did enjoy the WWII storyline. But Sam and Alyssa. Whoa again. One of my favourite romance novel couples (aside from Elizabeth and Darcy--really it's that epic people--lol)



5. I just fell in love with this book, I love the way that she mixes comedy, romance, and suspense all in one book. I have fell in love with all her characters and have a new respect for Navy Seals.

4 comments about A Wanted Man (Avalon Historical Romance).

1. Raves to Nancy J. Parra's second offering in her series A Morgan Brothers Romance Series - A WANTED MAN. I must tell you - I thought that Saving Samantha was great. This one is GREAT! This book is a keeper. One that you will want to keep on your shelf and read over and over again. You can't help but fall in love with Brianna and Trey, and the boys that she sets out to help in the beginning. This was a most tender moving love story from the beginning of her capture of Trey to the end. I loved the way that Brianna was a strong and determined woman. The way that Trey slowly falls for her and the admiration they both have for each other is so touching. The soft tension between the two makes you want to finish the book as soon as you begin it. I loved the part about the shave and the bath. Not to mention all the times he was trying to guess her name. The part with Trey and the boys was superb. This is a ten stars book, two thumbs up. You will love this book! A Wanted Man and Saving Samantha will delight every reader. Two absolute great books by Ms. Parra. I loved the way she gave Trey Morgan a heart of gold. I can hardly wait to see who will capture Taggart's heart.



2. Brianna McGraw is one impressive heroine. Strong. Courageous. Invincible--except when it comes to Trey Morgan. This tough, tender story set in the Old West is pure pleasure to read. Nancy Parra gives us an old fashioned tale of endurance, committment, incredible sacrifice and love. Pick up a copy of A WANTED MAN, and spend a few hours in the rugged West with Brianna and Trey. You'll be glad you met them and joined them on their journey.



3. This is a beautifully written western love story. Brianna is intelligent, tough and compassionate. The depiction of this woman, a recent transplant in the west from Boston, setting out to capture a wanted man for the bounty is absolutely believable. Trey Morgan, the "criminal" in question is a perfectly delightful hero. He tempers his own strength because he is so fascinated to see what his petite little captor will do next.



4. Bri captured Trey Morgan and with the ingenuity of a smart, determined and desperate woman set about bringing him to justice. For his outlaw body she could get the bounty of one thousand dollars, enough to buy back her orphaned brother out of bondage. But she didn't plan on losing her heart to the renegade. Trey could have escaped at any time, but his curiousity was piqued. Why would a mere slip of a woman need the money? And why did his heart do double flip-flops every time he looked at her? Pick up this delightful book and take a nine hundred mile journey with Bri and Trey; finding out the truth, getting to know them, and sighing when it ends. You'll love it. I did.

5 comments about The Collector.

1. Frederick Clegg is a social inadequate, yet a totally obsessed and
   painstakingly thorough Butterfly Collector/Bank Clerk.
   When he wins £71,000/$132,000 on the English Football/Soccer Pools,
   he purchases large remote Tudor country house, near Lewes, Sussex, England (Reading in the movie) with chess-like precision researches, develops and initiates a meticulously chilling (perfect?) plan to expand his collection ...
   
   This time it's serious ... this time he wants a human female specimen ...
   he wants one particular female ... he wants a beautiful young art student ...
   he wants the enchanting Miranda Grey ...
   
   An absolutely riveting, magnificently mesmeric psycho-thriller, superbly written by John Fowles and splendidly narrated by James Wilby, this is atmospheric story telling at it's very best.
   
   John Fowles delivers a terrific, incredibly powerful suspense thriller that is almost a love story, but which culminates in a frenzied, moving and hauntingly passionate climax that is shocking and terrifying - readers are universally captivated by intense brilliance of this literary masterpiece. A superb, spellbinding, chilling thriller that haunts the mind long after listening to the audio book, reading the book; or viewing the film adaptation.
   
   Written in the form of Diary entries from Miranda Grey's and Frederick Clegg's viewpoints - The Collector is regarded as one of the very best and most disturbing British thrillers ever written.
   
   The book was developed into a sublime feature film starring Samantha Eggar as the beautiful Miranda Grey - the fabulous female specimen, and Terence Stamp as Frederick Clegg is the unworldly unhinged collector, respectively.
   
   A magnificent, unabridged, uncensored, sexy, haunting, ferociously explosive, power-thriller - a 5 star masterpiece - very highly recommended.



2. The author keeps your attention throughout the book. Every detail of nearly every day of the relationship between a madman and this young woman is captivating. I wanted to know from page to page what was going to happen next. The way the author tells the story from two points of view is intriging. I thourougly recommend this as a good read.



3. I read this book over the summer and was entirely enthralled by it. I loved how Fowles was able to create such a strange and unique character as clegg. I thought that it was interesting to see how the collector himself compared Miranda to one of his butterflies. I also enjoyed how later in the book we were able to see the situation from Miranda's point of view. At times I felt I could entirely relate to her desperation. People always talk about Dan Brown's books being exciting, yet they never have even heard of John Fowles. He is able to deliver suspense with such brilliant writing. I can't wait to read another of Fowles' books.



4. I read this book in my early teens and have picked it up and reread it throughout the years and no amount of time has changed the impact it had on me. A very good movie was made from the book but didn't quite capture the horror of it, although Terrence Stamp was brilliantly cast. Before the term "stalking" ever came about, this novel did on the subject of unrequited love. An innocuous Englishman is hopelessly infatuated with a beautiful young artist he feels is out of his "class". He wins a vast amount of money on the pools, buys a house in a remote suburb outside of London and kidnaps the woman, hoping time will make her fall in love with him. The story is so unusual in that it is told in sort of two diaries. His perception and hers, which differ vastly. Anything more I say would spoil the end, but the book is beautifully written. One reviewer described it as "haunting", which is perfect. You'll never forget this book, either character, and it will leave you chilled to the bone.



5. I absolutely adore this novel. Fowles's treatment of the relationship between the kidnapper and the kidnapped girl is superb and the tension in the story never lets up. John Fowles was a writer of extra-ordinary talent to which The Collector is a testament.

5 comments about Alice in Jeopardy.

1. The jeop genre depends on a heroine who has no common sense and insists on proving that at every plot juncture. It's hard to imagine this came from McBain.



2. This book was to be the start of a new series of mysteries by Ed McBain - but, alas, he passed away in 2005 after only completing this volume.
   
   This book studies the crime from the perspective of the victim, Alice Glendenning, who must take charge of her life when her two children are kidnapped and held for ransom. Alice and her sister are well-drawn characters as is her sister's husband, Rafe, a truck driver and ex-convict. The plot is clever and the clues are difficult to spot and the mystery and the ending are very satisfying.
   
   I will miss Ed McBain/Evan Hunter very much.



3. Alice in Jeopardy, by Ed McBain (who recently passed away), is an exciting novel about family, kidnapping, police and the press and what happens when no one really knows what's going on. Alice, recently widowed, comes home from work and finds that her kids are not home. That evening, she hears from a kidnapper: "I have your kids, don't tell the police, or they die."
   
   Alice struggles with what to do, and decides at first to not call the police. However, soon the police, and the FBI become involved in an investigation to get Alice's kids back. McBain tackles the story from many angles, and spends a lot of time developing the character of each. There are quite a few scenes that are meaningless to the plot, but add a lot to the character development. The cast of characters include a well-meaning housekeeper/nanny, an older man who treats Alice like her child, a ditzy blonde involved in an accident that won't leave Alice alone, Rafe, the brother in law of dubious character, the well-intentioned police, and of course, the kidnapper(s).
   
   In Alice's opinion, the investigation is being messed up, and it is true that the police make mistakes, but I'm never really sure they messed anything up. Kidnapping investigations never go as planned. I think the FBI and police did a good job. If anything, McBain illustrated the problems law enforcement has sometimes working together.
   
   The primary problem I had with the book is I never really felt Alice was actually in jeapordy, nor her kids. McBain spends so much time on other characters, you never really get the sense Alice won't get her kids back. Almost no time is spent on the kids. A story line involving the kids and their dilemma would have added to the suspense. Another thing that bothered me is a comment made about Bush and the economy. It's fine for characters show political opinions and many did. But one comment struck me as ignorant: regarding Eddie's job as a stockbroker "...you used to be able to make good money as a stockbroker until Bush got elected and the economy went to heck." That bothers me for several reasons. One, presidents aren't powerful enough to instantly change the economy. Two, the economy has improved vastly since Bush got elected according to the numbers. Three, the 9/11 terrorist attacks are what did all the damage to the economy.
   
   Aside from my politcal disagreements, I really enjoyed this book and am sad that McBain has passed on. I've read several McBain, Hunter books that aren't part of his 87th precinct series and enjoyed them all.
   
   FYI, I can't believe this is only the third review of this book. I'd think more people would have read it.



4. Since the book's first part you'll know who snatched the kids. So that makes the book a little bit boring and disappointing at the end when you read what you already knew. The story has too many characters and stories that doesn't have to be there, for example:
   
   Rafe and his girlfriend.
   Alice's run over.
   The FBI implication.
   And the press implication among others.
   
   In spite of the above points you can read the book and have a fairly good time reading it albeit is not a good thriller



5. Since the book's first part you'll know who snatched the kids. So that makes the book a little bit boring and disappointing at the end when you read what you already knew. The story has too many characters and stories that doesn't have to be there, for example:
   
   Rafe and his girlfriend.
   Alice's run over.
   The FBI implication.
   And the press implication among others.
   
   In spite of the above points you can read the book and have a fairly good time reading it albeit is not a good thriller

No comments about The Story of Jack Ballister's Fortunes (Dover Books on Literature & Drama).