5 comments about The Lost Years: Surviving a Mother and Daughter's Worst Nightmare.

1. This book gives an excellent look into the uncertain feelings of a teenage girl, and how her choices changed her life. Her events and life walk are depicted from her view, and then from her mother's view. There is an instant snap back to that awkward teenage time. Where do you belong, how do you fit in, and how do you cope? The popular kids (the IT group) share the same fears as the ones who seem to 'not fit in.' It does not matter the way others see you; what matters is the way you see yourself! The way teenagers find comfort is the turning point...some bully their way through and others turn to substance abuse. Either way, it is a dark place that requires the courage and will to come out of (whether one is using bad behavior or substance abuse) or you will most certainly disappear (end up all alone in this world or die). The selfish part of life allows one to foolishly think he/she is the victim and put the blame on the people around him/her. This true view story illustrates how naive reactions and destructive behaviors can shatter a family. This is a must read for parents of approaching teens. This could happen to you!



2. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to any parent who is living in the throes of addiction with a child. It is a quick, easy read that evokes a multitude of emotions. Both the mother's and the addict's views and struggles are expressed well.
   I left the book out for my addict to read and she enjoyed it, too.
   This book also gave me the courage to let go of my daughter with the best of intentions......



3. Being a recovering alcoholic myself, this compelling story really hits home! It tells the REAL life struggles of addiction. From the first page to the last page, this a memoir you will not want to put down! I recommend "The Lost Years" to anyone who has struggled with addiction, or to any family member who has seen their loved ones go through the stages of addiction! When reading this book, you actually feel as if you are Kristina. The cold, lonely life on the streets. You can feel the fear, anger and the downward spiral into hell that she was on! You can feel a mothers' tough love with her daughter! This is an awesome read and it gives a person hope, and let's the addict know that people DO recover and the person suffering with an alcohol/drug addiction, can get better to live a happy, sober, productive life!! Thank you Kristina and Constance for a terrific, well written story!!
   Deb Earleywine



4. An amazing book. I read it in a little over 24 hours. I knew that Kristin had gotten better before the book was written so during the part where mother and daughter talk about the difficult years, I just could not put the book down until I knew she was ok again. As a mother and a daughter I could understand both points of view and the best part about the book is it's parallel recounts of the same experiences as described by mother and daughter. I felt every emotion there was to feel. I cried with the daughter during her difficult times, and I cried with the mother during hers. They are both such strong women, true survivors who show us that nothing is for granted, things can happen to everyone and that there is no stronger bond than family. One of the most emotional moments for me was when Kristin crawled through the window at night of her mom's apartment and curled up to sleep on the floor next to her bed after which Mom put her hand on her back and they lay there in silence yet having said everything there needed to be said at that moment. I think about what I would've done in those various situations. I don't know, I've never experienced anything like that (I am married to an addict, but in different ways, and I am going to learn more about codependancy). Yet I am elated and happy to know that both authors are doing well now and helping to get other people on their feet. Thank you for sharing your story with us and teaching us about hardships, love and forgiveness.



5. I highly recomend this book for anybody who has a family member or friend of abuse. It is very inspiring, and hopefull for those people who are also the addict, it proves your life can become normal again. The character Kristina found she could lead a very productive life and help many other families. I now have hope for my loved one.

5 comments about Waiting for Baby.

1. I LOVED this book and can't say enough good things about it. I loved filling it out and putting all my little keepsakes in it. Now that my baby is a year old I love looking back on it and remembering that special time that he was inside of me.
   I've bought this book for all of my pregnant friends and they've all gotten as much joy out of it as I have.
   The prompts are wonderful, the quotes are great.
   My only complaint would be that there wasn't enough space for journaling!!!



2. I really liked this book because it has a lot of open-ended questions in it so you can elaborate an idea, feeling, or emotion. This was exactly the book I was looking for.



3. Your own scrapbook would have more meaning. You'd be able to arrange and organize it however you wanted rather than following someone else's guideline. Some parts of pregnancy and childbirth mean more to some than others. Next time I'll just make my own so I can focus on what I want when I want.



4. I searched through a few journals before I settled on this one. It allows you to chart your progress as well as journal notes or letters to your baby. Finding a journal to suit your needs is tough, if you want a journal to be more data entry, this is the one for you. If you want a journal that has tidbits about pregnancy, this is not for you. 2 years later, and my 2nd child, I'm buying it again!



5. Not sure I would recommend this or not...You could probably find something better for the money. Maybe even just a regular scrapbook---i don't know. I just felt like I didn't have the time or patience to work on this book.

5 comments about Finding Your Way After Your Spouse Dies.

1. Helpfully reminds us that our grieving process is as unique as we are unique as people. Provides a reassurange hat where we are and what we feel in this loss is acceptable and will continually change and return to the moment as the time goes on.



2. After reading these reviews, I selected this book to give to my mother in the weeks after my father died. She said it was extremely comforting and helpful. She plans to use it as a resource in the coming months.



3. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has helped me in a lot of ways.



4. The book and the seller met my expectations.



5. The thoughtful daily meditations full of gentle encouraging words are extremely helpful and uplifting as one meanders slowly through the grief process.

5 comments about Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food.

1. This book is a collection of 46 brief observations on mindless eating. The observations are short, one or two pages, and include suggestions on how to turn mindless eating into mindfull eating. The observations themselves are diverse so every reader will most likely find several that relate to their specific problems with eating.
   
   However, very little of the book is devoted to the fundamentals of "mindfullness". The book causally quotes the Buddhist origins of "mindfullness" but does not expand on the topic. This causes the observations to feel a little empty since they're constantly referring to a "mindfullness" concept that hasn't been meaningfully explained.
   
   If you want a fundamental understanding of Buudhist "mindfulness" before you apply it to eating problems then I would read "The Zen of Eating" by Kabatznick. If you prefer a more 'thought for the day' type of format then this book is more appropriate.



2. The information in this book is vague, hazy and totally non-motivating. Please, before you spend $$$ on Eating Mindfully purchase The Seven Secrets of Slim People. It is focussed, dense with wisdom and EXCELLENT exercises that develop your sane sense of how, why and when you eat so that you can lose that obsessive relationship you now have with food. Eating Mindfully will leave you treading water with no shore in sight.
   The Seven Secrets of Slim People



3. This book was very helpful and actually changed my life in a way that no other book has! I recommend it to anyone who is an emotional eater!



4. I found the book well written, easy to read and understand the content. It provided helpful information concerning why/how we make choices about food and how we approach eating in general.



5. One of my FavS!!! bk is informative and captivating. couldn't put it down. short chapters/lessons explaining the basic concepts and tools. very helpful and life changer! recommended to those who want to learn how to eat consciously for the rest of their lives (in contrast to dieting).

5 comments about Love Will Find You: 9 Magnets to Bring You and Your Soulmate Together.

1. gypsydeva@trimaxxPublisher.com
   
   (5 out of 5 Trinities)
   
   "Love Will Find You" is a book that I recommend to my clients and have seen great results from using the various techniques to release the past, heal your perceived "Flaws," cleansing your heart, releasing old loves; teaches you how to send out the call for your real soulmate and is filled with hope.
   
   I had to add this book to the must read list and when you have it in your hand you will understand why! It is easy to read and gives you lots of exercises and meditation techniques to clean house and get ready to embrace the love you deserve!
   
   One of the Keys is to DO the exercises faithfully! Read the pages many times as you will find that you have more work to do on yourself. You will also find a variety of inspiring love stories from all walks of life that prove that Love Will and Does Find You!
   
   
   Deva
   Ecstasy News
   [...]



2. I've read many other books on this subject and no longer have any of them. I read this book and couldn't put it down. I read it a second time. It is my bible. I did all the steps Kathryn Alice has laid out. I am a totally different person and know my soulmate is on the way. This book has totally changed my life.



3. I used this book in our weekly women's group. Some of the women wanted to manifest a soulmate and others were there to support their friends. This is a great book on manifestation - everyone got a lot out of reading through the book and working on the exercises.
   
   Kathryn Alice is a born teacher. Her chapters contain exercises for the Soulmate Journal, well-defined points and affirmations. Everyone loved the examples she gave from her own experience.
   
   As a result, everyone in the group benefited. This is not only a good book about soulmates, it is a well-thought out book on manifestation.



4. The book title should be "Love Has Found You". It is a lovely way to show one how love is always in your life and when one mindfully lives this thought, relationships are just attracted to you....The perfect ones!!! After reading this book I am truly inspired by how much love I have in my life and the 9 magnets is a reminder of how that love inspires and attracts your soulmate. You become the light and love of the light and love of your life. When you are prepared for your soulmate and your soulmate is prepared for you-you just meet....READ THIS BOOK AND DO THE EXERCISES.



5. I have read a few books on the topic of soulmates, and found this one to be the best on the subject!
   It is written in a very uplifting tone, and in my opinion, covers just about any question you can have about soulmates. It shows you that all you really need to do is be yourself, be open to love, and believe the right person is out there for you.
   I've found other books on soulmates depressing in how they go on and on about how much 'work' you will have to do before even hoping to find 'the one'. They seem go on the assumption that something is wrong with you that needs to be 'fixed' first.
   This book doesn't do that, which is very refreshing. It leaves you feeling hopeful and helps you truly believe you can find the right person for you.

5 comments about Facing the Facts: The Truth About Sex And You (God's Design for Sex).

1. La Jolla Presbyterian Church uses this book as the basis forits sixth-grade sex education program. The program has grownremarkably over the last three years. To see how the book is used, go to www.datana.com/mary and use the "Sex Education for Christian Teens" link.



2. As a Christian Parent raised in a family that never discussed sex, I found this book (and the series) to be a great starting point. It hits all the right topics in a way that communicates a Christian view without using guilt or sounding preachy. Parents should read it themselves, then pass it on to their child. Don't wait for your child to hit puberty before you start talking about this important subject.



3. My husband and I spent a year preparing for the coming "talk" with our oldest when I came across this series. There is 4 books in all. We have used books 1-3 and have been extremely pleased with how the content and each topic was handled. At first I was worried that some levels where a little more than I was ready for my kids to know but we went ahead and covered each topic in the book. My kids LOVED them and appreciated having all their questions answered so throughoughly and lovingly. The authors do an outstanding job communicating the love God has for them and what His intenstions are for sexuality. I highly recommend these books for children of all ages.



4. First saw this book at a Family Life Weekend to Remember for couples (a highly recommended event). The book is part of a 4 part series, but if your kids are teens already, like ours, then it's good to just be able to buy the book that is for them.



5. This book had the information but the way it was worded was way to heavy and serious for the age group it is aimed at. They seemed to be trying too hard to sound grown up and knowlegable and just ended up making sex a boring topic.

2 comments about Family Violence Across the Lifespan: An Introduction.

1. This is a textbook that I need for one of my course for a degree that I am reading in Child and Family Studies. Unlike many other textbooks, this book is worth reading. It is full of very current and updated information and covers a broad spectrum of family violence. A good buy indeed.



2. I Do Not recommend this seller!
   
   The text book I bought was suppose to be shipped from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, and it took 2 weeks! One of the main reasons I bought from this seller was because it should have taken 2 days max to get it. I could have driven to San Fran in an hour and half and gotten the book!
   
   The seller was somewhat responsive to my shipping problem and offered to try and track the book and if it didn't show up by a certain day then a refund would be discussed. Well the book showed up the day before that refund discussion was suppose to happen.
   
   The book however was not in "Great" condition as advertised! When the book finally arrived it was extremely apparant that the book had gotten soaking wet, which may have been from the Postal service but not really sure. The packaging and the book was all damp when it arrived. As the book as dried out as you can imagine all the pages are now warped. The book is also very highlighted and has writing in the margins, which is not was I would expect for a "Great" condition used book. I've bought other "great" condition used books without a speck of highlighting in them and that was what I expected!
   
   After receiving the book 2 weeks later and being dissappointed in the condition of it, I e-mailed the seller and got absolutely NO response back! So thanks a bunch for being a caring seller who advertises "great" condition books that take over 2 weeks to get!

5 comments about Raising Adopted Children, Revised Edition: Practical Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent.

1. Be fair. Social conventions have changed markedly in the 20-plus years since this book was first published. So it's natural that the author would not have written all her chapters in quite the same voice she might have used in a new book, issued in 2008.
   
   Despite its age and shortcomings, however, this book has numerous useful sections from which adoptive parents (and ultimately, their children) can benefit.
   
   The chapter on Attachment, for example, is quite interesting and helpful--particularly considering the medical community's lack of awareness on attachment disorder, which frequently affects adopted children. As noted here, "both learning disabilities and conduct disorders can be signs of an unattached child," as can short attention span and poor impulse control. To this day, many psychologists are unaware of these basic facts. This book can help bring them up to speed.
   
   Another beneficial chapter is "Talking with Children About Adoption." Citing adoption expert Betty Jean Lifton, the book notes, "instead of worrying about the right time to start talking about adoption, parents should be concerned about setting the right tone." Allow the adopted child to express his or her doubts, fears, questions and fantasies. Sympathize, listen, let the child express their grief, and redirect their fantasies when they are completely off track.
   
   If the child thinks their birth parent lived in a castle and rejected them for their looks, obviously they need more information about the true circumstances. Parents can say, (for example) "We don't know much. But we do know your birth parents were young, and could not keep you safe."
   
   There are also excellent details about medical histories, and what to do in the cases of suspected mental or genetic disorders in the biological families. These problems can be detected, and treated.



2. As an adoption specialist for 20 years, I always recommend reading this book before, during and after adoption. Not everything applies to everyone, but on a whole, it gives the best and most accurate information about the adoption process. Just like any "manual" on how to do something, there are parts that won't be for you or about you. Take what you can from the book. Keep it on your nightstand and in years to come you will want to refer to it. I call it the "Dr. Spock of Adoption". Not every scenario about adoptive children will happen to your child, but when one does, you will be more prepared. She must discuss all the potential issues. There have been many books written since Lois wrote that book, but it is still one of the best. Make it part of your adoption library, along with some others.



3. Deep into the adoption process we are hungry for information on what our adventure in child-rearing will be like because of going with an adopted child. If you are in that position this book is worth skimming but not worth reading. It is a very dry book which would work better as a website where key topics are identified and you can skip to the parts of interest to you. Or rewrite it as a simple list of topics with 2 sentences under each ("oh I wonder how my adopted kids will react to X").
   
   Reading this book from cover to cover, on the other hand, will leave you feeling like every aspect of life is a potential threat to the mental health of your child. It took all my strength not to throw the book in the trash when the authors talked about the issues the adopted child might have dealing with seeing the baby Jesus at Christmas time. There is a point where simply outlining every possible source of stress may not be helpful. This book likely reaches that point. It's not that these things can't possibly be stressful but it feels like this book may be giving equal weight to every possibility. In many cases it feels like what is being shared are merely anecdotes which feel as solid as if a coworker said, "I heard on the internet that...."
   
   The book is probably good to have around during stressful times when you might want to find, in writing, proof that others have had these issues, too. And for that reason I can't be too critical of the book. It's reference pages also are very good. But this is a text not a book- a collection of thoughts rather than a well thought out guide for parents.



4. Good practical advice to set teh worried adoptive parent at eae about a lot of things.



5. It is a good book but not really what I needed. It is geared mostly towards infant adoption, both internationally and domestically.

5 comments about The Body Book: It's A God Thing!.

1. This book is an awesome book for explaining the pre-teen things that girls all face, it is faith based and was EXTREMELY helpful for my daughter.



2. This book was great!! Very age appropriate. My daughter and I went through it together and it answered a lot of questions for both of us.



3. A friend recommended "The Care and Keeping of You" - the American Girl book (which is good) and then I found this book on Amazon. I like it because it is Christian and filled with Biblical references while still providing helpful and detailed (age appropriate) information about growing up into a woman. It is very clear but very well written and not too blunt.



4. I bought this book for my daughter to answer her questions and to refer back to, as she is turning into a young lady. It is a great tool/resource for parents to use when discussing the "changes" that happen during this important time in a young girls life. My daughter loved the book and was glad to receive it.



5. This book is good for older teens but gives more information than tweens and younger teens need or want to know. It presents itself as an introduction to puberty but some of the information about sex is inappropriate for younger girls and should wait until they are past puberty. For a fun, positive, far less scary handbook to puberty, "The Care and Keeping of You" from the American Girl Library is a much better choice for tweens and young teens. "The Feelings Book" and "Friends: Making and Keeping Them" are very helpful and thoughtful books for girls.

4 comments about Relationships 101 (Maxwell, John C.).

1. This is a great book. Especially if you like John Maxwell books. This is a compilation of several chapters from some of Maxwell's other bestsellers, and it serves as a great refresher on key leadership principles. The chapters on integrity, and family are worth the price of the book. It is a great, and easy read.



2. Leadership expert John Maxwell is extremely good at expressing complex truths in series of simple sentences that individually seem obvious. As the pages go by, one realizes one is being exposed to a well-thought out comprehensive world view as to how people should lead other people in a manner than benefits society as a whole.
   
   Relationships are important to success, the author writes, because relationships are the glue that holds team members together.
   
   What a leader needs to know about others, the author writes, is that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.
   
   Leaders can encourage others, the author says, by believing in people before they have proved themselves. This is the key to motivating people to reach their potential.
   
   Leaders can connect with people, the author says, by always remembering that the heart comes before the head.
   
   Leaders can become better listeners, the author says, by treating every person as if he or she were the most important person in the world.
   
   Leaders can build trust with others, the author says, by having their words and actions match.
   
   The most important relationships, the author says, are at home. Succeed at home, and all other relationships become easier.
   
   A leader can serve and lead people at the same time by loving the people he or she leads more than his or her position, the author says.
   
   As the author always does in the many books he writes, he backs up his views with famous historical quotes and anecdotes.. He quotes longtime Reagan aide Michael Deaver on how Reagan managed the press--he liked people and succeeded in getting the press corps to like him--and his staff--he found ways to make clear to everyone how important they were to him.
   
   The author quotes President Harry Truman that "When we understand the other fellow's viewpoint--understand what he is trying to do--nine times out of ten he is trying to do right." He quotes President Woodrow Wilson as saying "The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people" and President Lyndon Johnson as keeping a sign in his office saying "You ain't learnin' nothin' when you're doin' all the talkin."
   
   The author quotes World War I hero Marshal Ferdinand Foch: "There are no hopeless situations; there are only men and women who have grown helpless about them."
   
   The author quotes Pennsylvania Revolutionary War era great Benjamin Franklin as saying that "Those things that hurt, instruct." He quotes Pennsylvania founder William Penn as saying "Never despise or oppose what thou does not understand."
   
   The author quotes philosopher-poet-longshoreman Eric Hoffer: "It is not love of self but hatred of self which is at root of the troubles that afflict our world." He quotes Jeff MacNelly's comic strip character Shoe, a crusty newspaper editor, as saying "When it comes to believing in myself, I'm an agnostic." He quotes the evangelist Bill Glass as saying "Over 90% of prison inmates were told by their parents while growing up, 'Thy're going to put you in jail.'"
   
   The author says that solid relationships are built by respect, shared experiences, trust, reciprocity, and mutual enjoyment.
   
   The author says that important things to know about people is that everybody wants to be somebody, nobody cares how much you know until he knows how much you care, that everybody needs somebody to come alongside and help, and everybody can be somebody when somebody understands and believes him or her.
   
   The author says that most people don't have faith in themselves, most people don't have someone who has faith in them, most people can tell when someone else has faith in them, and most people will do anything to live up to faith in them.
   
   To become a believer in people, the author advises that people emphasize their strengths, list their past successes, instill confidence when they fail, visualize thier future successes, and expect a new level of living.
   
   Leaders should recognize that the heart comes first, they should connect in public and in private, they should connect with people one at a time, they should expect the best of them, and they should recognize that the tougher the challenge the greater the connection. Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher is cited for the many ways in which he makes meaningful connections with his employees; Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton is also cited for going out of his way to have a long talk with a company truckdriver to both pay him respect and gain information from him.
   
   The author's advice for developing listening skills is: look at the speaker, don't interrupt,focus on understanding, determine the need of the moment, check your emotions, suspend your judgment, sum up at major intervals, ask questions for clarity,and always make listening your priority.
   
   Personal integrity is key to building trust with others, the author says. Integrity is not determined by circumstances, not based on credentials, and not to be confused with reputation. One can become a person of integrity by committing oneself to honesty, reliability and confidentiality; deciding ahead of time that you don't have a price; and each day doing what you should do before what you want to do.
   
   To build a strong family, the author says, both partners have to work to stay together, express appreciation for each other, structure their lives to spend time together, deal with crises in a positive way, communicate continually, and share the same values.
   
   To serve and lead people at the same time, one should have a servant's heart, put others ahead of one's own agenda, possess the confidence to serve, initiate service to others, not be position conscious, and serve out of love. To improve one's servanthood, one should perform small acts of kindness for others; learn to walk slowly through the crowd, making it your agenda to get to know each person's needs, wants, and desires; and to move into action and start serving.
   
   Anyone in a leadership position, or aspiring to a leadership position, will benefit from reading this book. All the wisdom of the world can not be summarized in lists and aphorisms, but the author's methods go a long way to bringing common sense to the uncommon responsibilities many people face on a daily basis. This is an excellent book for those who wish to use their power to do much, much more than advance themselves.



3. Always enjoy John Maxwell. The entire 101 series has lot of common sense reminders. Can apply in cross-cultural settings as well. I shared this with our VP of International and he is sharing it with his regional directors.



4. This book was truly essential as the chapters were quick and easy
   to read and understand. My existing relationships improved and many
   new relationships have developed. My career as a consultant has
   gotten hot since reading this book. It's also a book to keep for
   reference purposes.