5 comments about 101 Ways to Spoil Your Grandchild.

1. Gave this book as a gift and Nana loved it!



2. As a grandparent, this is a fun book to have...quite enjoyable and a great gift to give to a new granparent.



3. This is a great gift! I would recommend it for any grandparent, here's why:
   
   Cute: grandparents love cute things
   
   Cheap: even if it's not used for information, it's cheap enough to make the cute factor pay off the whole of the price
   
   Useful: it really does have good ways to spoil your grandchild
   
   I bought this book for my grandma, and she loved it because it's cute...the only problem is she hasn't really been spoiling me with it...I think it's because she must not really know how to read. I KNOW she loves me and we all know love = money, so it must not be that, so I think it's a reading problem. I also think that's why she laughed when she opened it, now I know it was a Nervous laugh! because she can't read. Some of you reading this may think it's mean to say all this about my grandma whom I love, but just don't tell her (Jeanette Ross), we all know she won't be able to read it herself anyway. Maybe someday she'll learn her "letters." Which makes me wonder, if when you die, you go to heaven, if you couldn't read before, do they teach you? Do you magically know? What about Chinese people? Can you talk to them in heaven? Do they get taught English or do you get taught Chinese? Or is there a "Heaven Language?" If there is a "Heaven Language," what is the closest one on earth to is? Is the "Heaven Language" the one Adam and Eve spoke, or did they speak something different? I can't wait to die and find all this out!



4. This little book has the most wonderful ideas for building a very special relationship with a grandchild. A wonderful gift for the grandparent who wants to focus on a quality, not quantity, relationship with their grandchild.



5. I was expecting a book that played more along the lines of humor, and was a bit more like what the title described. While there are many good ideas for ways to spend time with a grandchild and to do meaningful and fun things with them, very few are what I would call "spoiling". Based on the title, and even the cover illustration, this is not the book I was expecting. I would have called it "101 Ways to Spend Time With Your Grandchild". But I give it 3 stars for the activities it does give you to do with your grandchild.

5 comments about Dateable: Are You? Are They?.

1. A a seventeen year old girl struggling to balance relationships and Christianity I found this book EXTREMELY helpful. Justin and Hayley are direct so if that isn't your style or you aren't ready for the truth then this book isn't for you. I have already bought a copy for my bestfriend and lent my copy to one of my other close friends and both of them loved it. I really liked that it is written for boys AND girls and found that they gave a lot of insight into a boys mind. No book is perfect and although I cant say I completely agreed with all their ideas I did find it to be a balanced take on how to be in a relationship as a Christian teenager. I would recomend it to anyone who is seeking the truth about relationships no matter their age!



2. Great book with valuable information that can save your teen's life! It has made an impact on my teens and their friends as well.



3. This book is perfect for those who are of dating age. It makes clear how each gender approaches the other and helps teenagers to find their way through the maze of emotion and hormone-filled pressures with wisdom and purity. I sent one to each of the teenagers in my family.



4. My friend gave me this book to read after both she and her 15 year old son read it. I got through three paragraphs and almost demanded my daughter return home from a date so she could read it. See, my daughter thinks she's going to be with this boy FOREVER, and chapter 1 bluntly states that it's going to end. Thank goodness someone else is telling her and I don't have to be the bad guy.
   
   I wish I would have had this book as a teenager. Hayley and Justin are RIGHT. I love the Christian approach, although it's not shoved down teens' throats. It makes the so-called 'lectures' we give as parents a lot more credible when they're in print by two trusted authors. My daughter is already taking a more realistic approach to this relationship.
   
   Let's make teens read this instead of Shakespeare!!!



5. I thought this book had smart ideas like how some people have trained their brain that they must breakup, even when things are going good, they must find something wrong. But it also seemed like the authors were trying to brainwash. My friends were getting mad at me and hiding this book from me. They make ridicuous claims that laying horizontal or having tickle fights are NONOs cuz they can lead to more (sex.) It is made obvious that the authors are christians who do not believe in sex before marriage. THE BOOK WAS ABOUT NOT HAVING SEX BASICALLY. Being dateable had nothing to do with it, except they imply noone wants a used car type of thing.

5 comments about Living with the Passive-Aggressive Man.

1. Even though I have described my soon-to-be-ex husband passive aggressive many times, I didn't fully understand all of its complexity and manisfestation. I first learned about P-A in more details in Albert Bernstein's book 'Emotional Vampires', which led me to this book and Pattie Henry's 'The Emotionally Unavailable Man'. This book literally saved my sanity! I had so many Oh-my-god moments: the firm nice-guy persona, the fear of dependency, the denial of anger, the excuses and eventually outright lies. The list goes on. I am by no means perfect in the relationship, but I tried to re-examine myself according to all the rationalization he threw at me, which always implied that I was the reason why he couldn't do x, y, and z. The maddening thing was when I confronted him about how painful this was to me, he innocently and even lovingly explained that it was my trust issue, or misunderstanding--anything but him.
   
   After 7 years of maddening and confusing communication, I finally realized no amount of therapy will work if the P-A is not ready to be open, which is extremely difficult for them because the fear and control are at the heart of their denial. Setting bounary is the only healthy thing to do. In my case, it meant divorce. The way I see it is that it is sad to end a marriage, but having one's dignity and sanity is far more important. This book will give you the insight needed to make the best choice for you.



2. When purchasing a book I usual read reviews and try to read many of them to get a balance of opinions. I must say I was a little concerned with the negative remarks about how Wetzler blames the person with the passive aggressive man for his behavior. But after reading it with an open mind I have had a break through to see my own role much more clear. I am on a second marriage and both men are good men but very difficult to deal with on almost a daily basis. When it's good it good and then something happens and back at the power struggles. Almost like an oxymoron. One part is loving, ethical person and the other is just not available to the point of making everyday life difficult. Having 2 relationships similar says there is something about me that is choosing this type of person. For every good thing I can say about them there is the double edge sword. The most giving/selfish man I've ever met. Thank you for this book, I see my own role in both of these relationships much more clear and hopefully the current one may be salvaged. We should all take a bit more time looking at ourselves not to blame, but to grow. We are the only ones we truly have control to change. My only complaints are the examples are pretty extreme and I do think that sometimes passive aggressive behavior is more subtle. With extreme examples it's sometimes hard to believe it could be your situation.



3. I couldn't have written a better book myself that describes my husband exactly. It took me nearly twenty years to figure him out and thanks to this book, I am now enlightened!



4. I just finished reading this book and to say the least I was emotionally exhausted by the time I reached the last page. The book was incredibly helpful in identifying the behavioral patterns of the PA personality, how they manage to twist or avoid any emotional situation. The sneaky ways in which they are abusive and destructive toward building any meaningful connection toward the people who care for them. The book was incredibly helpful to me in identifing problem issues from a relationship with a PA man. Beyond identifying the PA patterns though I felt that the advice to those who must deal with them was inadequate or at best unreasonable. To quote another reviewer it was "walking on eggshells 101". There seemed to be very little constructive action indicated that we can take as the recipients of this kind of hostile behavior. So much of what was recommended was how to coddle the PA, and check your own needs or feelings at the door.



5. This book made a HUGE impact on my life. I had been in a 7+ year, live-in relationship with a man since High School. The descriptions in this book were DEAD ON. I would frequently jump up screaming after reading passages in the book because they were so accurate it was unbelievable. My favorite was the description of how they often "forget" their wallet in order to get someone else to pay their way. My ex used this one CONSTANTLY. I realized that not only was my ex passive-aggressive, but so was every other man I had ever been attracted to. I then realized that I was co-dependent.
   
   The next man I dated was obviously not passive-aggressive. I was not attracted to him but tried to break the cycle by dating him anyway. He turned out to be a psychopath, felon, registered sex offender, and stalker. So now I've given up, bought a house, and live alone. It's 100 times better than I could have ever imagined (I think I'm cured of my co-dependency now).

5 comments about Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships.

1. My partner and I have been considering adding a third person to our relationship, and this book gave me a pretty good idea of what to expect overall when transitioning from monogamy. I also found an e-book online that was helpful for this topic at Trinogamy.com.



2. This book is a good, comprehensive, frank and non-judgmental treatise on non-monogamy. What more can I say? Opening Up has sparked quite a few discussions amongst my friends and me, and has given me the confidence to sit down with my husband to discuss our own personal style of non monogamy. Of all books I have read on the subject, this is the one that my husband will be most able to stomach reading on his own (rather than getting the synopsis from me), cynical anti-self-help-git that he is. It will definitely be the book I will recommend to anyone else interested in reading up on the subject.



3. This is an invaluable resource for anyone personally interested in exploring non-monogamy, as well as for scholars, psychotherapists and others with a need to learn about alternative relationship models. Opening Up is far more than just a very readable guide filled with useful exercises. It's also a very thoroughly researched and scholarly effort to define various forms of non-monogamy. Taormino explains how open relationships function, while making a strong case that the healthiest approach to relating - whether one is monogamous or not - involves communicating and choosing consciously. The interviews are thought-provoking and engaging. A profound and important book.



4. The author has clearly done her homework. She covers a wide variety of alternative relationship styles (polyamory, swinging, etc.), and discusses benefits and difficulties with each. An excellent read.



5. If you enjoy fluff fluff and more fluff, plus frequent quotes from the criminally inarticulate restating the preceding subject matter only worse, you are so in luck. If you *don't* want a warm-fuzzy hand-holding navel-gazing piece of self-indulgent trash, read Polyamory - Roadmaps for the Clueless & Hopeful by Anthony Ravenscroft.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul: Stories About Life, Death and Overcoming the Loss of a Loved One (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

1. I have not read the whole book but boy is it good so far. Very soothing although still a tear producer - which is good for the soul and healing also.



2. What better time for that healing bowl of Chicken Soup than while one is grieving. The poignantly beautiful stories have touched me gently after the loss of the best son and friend one could ever have lost to death. I highly recommend this version of Chicken Soup if you have lost a loved one or as a gift to one you know. Each short story is a reminder that life truly does go on after death, and the healing for those living is possible.



3. This is an excellent read, as are all of Jack Canfield's collections on the Chicken Soup series. I gifted this to a friend who just lost her young daughter, recently, and suddenly, I might add!
   I am hoping she will find this a tool of sorts, and find that other folks of all ages and circumstances in life are making this same journey in testing their faith, and strengthening it, as well.
   I depicted a certain story on page 13 for her, and she came back to me with a smile in church, and said that after reading this short story, it really fit! Thank you, Mr. Canfield and various authors, for your wonderful collections, and showing us as "FOOTPRINTS" suggests, HE carries us in times of trials, with ONE set of FOOTPRINTS!



4. If you haven't read a Chicken Soup book buy one NOW. When you find one that fits your life it is inspirational and comforting to read.
   
   They definitely name this series correctly~It will comfort your soul while your read it.The grief process is hard, but necessary when you lose a loved one to death. This book is a wonderful support for a difficult time in life
   
   Bring your Kleenex!
   
   Merna
   
   Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!



5. I lost my father recently. I found the book very helpful in the grieving and great loss I was feeling. I would recommend this book to help anyone in need. It lets you know that you are not alone.

5 comments about Honor Thyself.

1. I found the script to be reminiscent of the repetitiveness found in many of her other books. The book could have been easily abridged without the loss of any content. I noted many sentences that were incorrectly structured and/or contained poor grammar.
   One of the themes in the book (very wealthy and important woman meets very wealthy and important married man)is recurrent. I find it rather disconcerting that in many of the books I have read, she seems to promote extra-marital relationships as healthy and normal (the fault resting on an unloving spouse, thus justifying the new, blissful relationship). I find it hard to identify with/sympathize with a woman who falls in love with a married man and is hurt when he won't leave his wife for her. I would like to see more books about "ordinary" "boy meets girl" who marry and stay married through sickness, financial difficulties, marriage problems, disasters... the stuff with which most of us can identify.
   As a medical professional, I was incredulous with regards to the lack of accuracy in the details surrounding Carol's brain injury and recovery. They are not believable and are technically incorrect, such as the effects of an injury to the brain stem, the process of removing her from the ventilator (not "respirator" as it is referred to in the book), etc. The post-injury recovery time was very abbreviated and unrealistic. Maybe I am being too picky, but when I read books that incorporate medical conditions, I expect the author to do the required research and confer with appropriate medical professionals before including such detail into a book (especially when it is a primary focus).
   I do not wish, however, to be totally negative in my review. I like the overall theme of examining one's life and relationships-past and present. I also think that the terrorist element is definitely relevant to this day and time and is something for everyone to contemplate.



2. Honor Thyself is the story of Carole (already forgotten her last name!), a Hollywood actress who is taking time off from the big screen to write a novel. She has a case of writers block and decides to take a trip to Paris to "find herself" so she can complete her book and go back to acting. On her first day in Paris she is in a victim of a terrorist attack that leaves her unconscious and unclaimed in the hospital. Once her ex-husband finds her, he, their two children and her assistant rush to her bedside. Carole comes out of her coma only to have amnesia. The rest of the story details her recovery.
   
   Honor Thyself is a poorly written book. Commas are everywhere and I would guess the majority of sentences are seven words or less. Some of the storyline left me shaking my head. Guards with machine guns in hand walking beside the wheelchair when Carole's dismissed from the hospital and then she's traisping all over Paris with her old boyfriend while the same machine gun-toting guards are in the car behind them or walking at a distance to afford them privacy??? Come on Ms.Steel, write something the reader can believe. I know it's fiction but this was quite a stretch. I kind of like my fiction to be believable. And how many times do we read that Carole loves her ex-husband as a brother. What??? Does one really love someone they were married to and had two children with as a brother?
   
   Honor Thyself is just more of the same from Danielle Steel. I honestly don't know why I keep reading her books. Thank goodness I get them from the library now and don't waste my hard-earned money on them. I guess I'm hoping that the newest DS novel will be like the great can't-put-them-down books she used to write. How disappointed I am each time! I have wondered why her books have been so bad lately and I happened to see the same interview as mentioned earlier. My advice to Ms. Steel is to quit writing five books at one time and just concentrate on one. Honor Thyself Ms. Steel and maybe then your readers won't be so disappointed.



3. I really enjoyed this book, it started good from the start . It continued on at a slower pace but you have to acquire a taste for the character and all involved . People who suffer from amnesia has to go through this process to try and remember stuff from their life , so i dont think it was repetive that she loved her ex husband like a brother , she just did not remember much details about her previous life with him . Overall it was a good summer read , and i enjoyed it during my vacation . I would still recommend Danielle Steele's novels . I am an avis fan of hers for over twenty years . Keep up the good work , and dont mind these negative reviewers they have personal issues .



4. It saddens me to say, but the phenomenal author formerly known as Danielle Steel no longer exists. She has hit rock bottom, although imo it would take just ONE quality, impressive novel to restore her former glory, with the condition that she CONTINUE to put out quality over quantity. The plot was interesting enough, but I must agree with other reviews in the fact that her writing has become atrociously elementary, repetitive and laughably unresearched. It shocks me that reputable publishing companies will put material like this out based on a "brand name", while truly magnificent material from thousands of would be/should be authors gets tossed to the trash heap before they even get a fair review. Before reading this book I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it couldn't be any worse than 'Bungalow 2'. I was right in that assumption, but not by much. My advice to DS fans is check your local library before parting sight unseen with your hard earned dollars. My advice to Steel is fire your editor and take a refresher course in writing 101. What do you expect when you churn out novels at an assembly line pace? Read your reviews and it will become crystal clear that the majority of your fans DON'T appreciate quantity over quality and are liable to desert you in droves if it continues. It appears as if you're sacrificing your God given talent as a writer for the almighty buck, and I, for one, don't appreciate being ripped off.



5. This is my first Danielle Steel novel and I felt as if I could write a better novel just by pulling out all the tired cliches and throwing them into a book. It seems that Steel is into recycling and that's okay. It's just a shame she makes the reader pay for it. Most of us like our literary plots to be new.
   
   The Tired Tricks Used in this Novel:
   
   Number one: Perfect woman/movie star - not a wart or hair out of place, Oscar winnner, looks ten years younger than fifty and, if that's not enough, she's nice and loving as well as interested in causes that protect the weak and innocent. This woman is boring.
   
   Number two: Has to rekindle her interest in life by retracing her steps in Paris (ho, hum, Paris? ) so that we can be spoon fed the descriptions of the Ritz, numerous Parisian landmarks and various designer lines and shops. Hopefully, the French names will blind the reader from the lack of original plot.
   
   Number three: Even her ex-husband loves her still. She's so perfect, he's loved her forever and always will. Poor guy rushes to her side, takes care of her and she runs off with the Parisian 'too perfect' old lover.
   
   Number four: Throw in an ex-French lover who's also too perfect-rich, famous, sophisticated-to be the 'real' love of her life. (Didn't someone tell her that French lovers are so sixties.)
   
   Number five: Give the perfect movie star/angel amnesia so that she has to relive and relearn her life(dragging us yawning and drifting all the way through it. The suffering isn't hers, it's ours.)
   
   Combine them and you have 'Honor Thyself.' If this is all Daniel Steel can give us, I'm glad someone gave me the book. I'd have been really upset if I had bought it. Save your money, more importantly, save your time, buy a new author and give them a start. Daniel's made her fortune. This book has the distinct feeling of a writer trying to meet her publisher's deadline.

No comments about The Secret of Play: How to raise smart, healthy, caring kids.

5 comments about The New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First Year.

1. I bought this book for my husband and I had to get rid of it. I ended up getting him "Be Prepared" which was much more practical and forgiving. The New Father author has very strong opinions and if this is your first baby and your husband is like mine and believes what he reads from an "expert" then this is not the book for you. For example, the author does not think you should use baby wipes for the first few weeks. Some babies have reactions to them, most don't, but the author doesn't say test them...he says don't use them period. My husband was turning into a backseat driver based completely on one person's word. My advice is to find a book that is written in a more suggestive than factual manner.



2. This book was a gift to a perspective father - he was happy to receive the book and said it looks like it will surely help him in his new role. I showed the book to a friend and she wanted one for her son-in-law who will become a first time father in March. Our daughter wants it for her baby's father.



3. This book is written for the new dad from a male perspective. Very well-written and to the point. Practical month-by-month chapters that cover what you are going through during the various stages. I highly recommend you read this once before your child arrives, then as they progress month by month.



4. This is an good book with a unique persepctive from the male side of raising a child. It is a little "out there" at times, but does provide a great perspective. If there is one thing I have noticed in all the info out there is how skewed to the mother's perspective it is so it is refreshing to have a straight forward/modern view from the guy's perspective. If you want to be involved with your child and understand what the child and mother are going through, this is a good read.



5. We received the "New Father" version along with the many other books that you get given at a baby shower. As a result, it went on the shelf like all the others ;) One day, we dipped into it and have found it to be the best "one stop" resource we have. Although written with a fathering focus, we have found the book to be an invaluable resource for us as our child has grown (he is now 18 months and we are using the Toddler edition). More than any other book, the developmental stages outlined at the beginning of each paragraph have proved spot on every single time; remarkably so in fact. Furthermore, these books cover issues that you really battle with as new parents (separation anxiety, sharing, etc., ) to great depth and with a pragmatic approach. eat. A great series!!

5 comments about Saved: Rescued Animals and the Lives They Transform.

1. Each chapter profiles a rescued animal-not just dogs and cats, but a variety of creatures-and the question becomes who did the saving, the rescued animal or the person? It's a win-win situation in these cases, and this is a book you will very much enjoy if you are an animal lover. An added bonus is that each story is accompanied by a wonderful photo. No matter how badly these animals have been treated, they are able to forgive, to forget, and to love again-a lesson many of us could learn from them.



2. As a human whose life has been transformed and saved by animals, I am delighted to read such wonderful stories about others who have also been touched by these four-footed angels. Winegar's writing is touching without being mawkish, appreciating the animals for who they are and what they do for us. Tenderly photographed by Judy Olausen, who captures the essence of the beautiful human-animal bond. Just a wonderful book. I'm getting a copy for all my animal loving friends and relatives.



3. I'd like to add my kudos to this terrific book. Certainly the rescued and other animals are the focus, and their stories were fascinating even to a non-"animal-nut" like me. But I found myself particularly drawn to the human characters, especially the heroes (in my view) who have devoted so much of their lives to rescuing, caring for, and often sharing so many of the unfortunate/fortunate animals with others. They are very special people, and I am SO grateful for them and others like them. I also reveled in Ms. Winegar's ability to make the scenes and characters seem as real as they undoubtedly are, with the crispness and clarity we should expect from such a seasoned writer, but seldom experience. My only regret is that I'd have enjoyed seeing even more of Ms. Olausen's photography.



4. Love the book. The stories are fantastic. In fact I liked it so much that I order more for Christmas Presents for friends overseas and have not received it yet. I ordered over 3 weeks ago.



5. A genuine compilation of stories about people that matter. If "Saved" were on the required reading list of secondary schools, our animals would need far less rescuing. Karin's writing is a flawless dance between storyteller and author. The pictures, both animal and human, capture the essence of the personalities portrayed. All are simply beautiful portraits of inspiring people and the animals that have been fortunate to enter their lives. Honest, informative... make that required reading for all.
   
   
   Cheryl O'Leary
   Founder
   Rescue Me Dog
   cheryl@rescuemedog.org

5 comments about 1001 Ways To Save Money . . . and Still Have a Dazzling Wedding.

1. This book is good for those that have never planned a wedding or have never watched all of the wedding shows.



2. As a bride2be I am very glad books like this exsist, because like many of you my soon to be groom and I dont have a large budget to throw this wonderful fantastic never to be forgotten wedding and reception, were both two hard working people with bills to pay. We want a wonderful wedding but within cost reason no sense in going overboard, were practical the $$ could be used best elsewhere, yet it is "my" day and I want it to be special, I want to be the princess I've always dreamed of being, and thanks to budget minded books like this one I can have my cake and eat it too with a lil $$ to spare.....!



3. This book has some creative ideas on how to save money and is worth looking at if you have a wedding coming up. I read it before my wedding, and I don't know that it saved me A LOT of money, but it did help me think of some creative personalized things to do.



4. In my opinion, it isn't worth paying for this book--all the same information is available, for free, at wedding websites. I bought a ton of wedding books--and never used them becaue I had all I needed online for free. If you aren't a computer-y person, then go for it...but if you know how to browse websites, save your money for the centerpieces, photography, or other wedding detail.



5. I have never seen a more offensive wedding planning book, especially one claiming to help save money. This author suggests buying or borrowing a wedding etiquette book, but it appears that she has never read one! She advocates greed, selfishness, and poor form in general. She masks this with statements like this one when discussing honeymoon and mortgage (!) registries: "Warning: it is never appropriate to ask for money as a wedding present, so you're going to have to be subtle about this kind of registry." ARE YOU KIDDING? She's basically saying, it's never acceptable but you can do it anyway as long as you're sneaky.
   
   Gross.
   
   She makes certain aspects of weddings sound essential and then talks about how to save money on them. Engagement parties, engagement announcements, videographers, favors... These are all wonderful things to have if you can afford it, but she makes it sound like you'll be so sorry if you don't.
   
   Don't waste your time on this book, and for the love of all that is good, don't follow its recommendations, unless you want your wedding and you as a bride to be remembered for all the WRONG reasons. Go for "Bridal Bargains" instead. It is honest, frank and doesn't read like it's been written by the money-sucking bridal industry as a whole.