Morning Is Dead [Paperback] Review

I've read about 4 of Prunty's books so I'm pretty familiar with his writing. One reoccuring theme in Prunty's work seems to be the fear and paranoia of losing a spouse. Another theme is the heartless consumerist society taking over. Jack and Mr. Grin took on the first theme in a close, personal way. Market Adjustment had to do mostly with the second theme and had a larger, almost Lovecraftian approach.

Morning is Dead is somewhere in between.

It deals with the fear and paranoia of losing your wife to someone who looks like you (but more attractive) while also dealing with criticisms of society, law enforcement, and so on. It's a downer of a book. It's not a feel good book by any means. But that's not a bad thing.

Morning is Dead is an emotionally devastating descent into bizarre horror. If Philip K. Dick wrote horror, I imagine he'd write something like this. It's the book to read when you want to feel paranoid about your marriage, your work, your neighbors, your town, and your life in general. Don't worry, though. You'll enjoy every second of it. This is a creepy page turner.

I suppose every honest review needs to have some bit of criticism so I'll try. Honestly, I can't think of anything real negative about this book except that maybe it could have had a few more pages in the beginning to set everything up a little better.

A bonus is the great cover art and the fact that this is number 000 from the new publisher Grindhouse Press. Get this while you can.



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Product Description:
Things went wrong for Alvin and April Blue. In a hospital at night, April sits next to Alvin, bandages covering his burned skin, listening to his heart beat on a monitor, and wonders how they ended up here. But she can never imagine the world of insanity, drugs, and crime that Alvin has fallen into. A place where fetuses are used to create simulacra, radiation victims prowl the streets looking for sacrifice, houses are arbitrarily detonated, and the police force is more like a marauding gang of thugs. A place where it's always dark and morning is dead...

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White Doves at Morning: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback) Review

The arrival on bookshelves of anything written by James Lee Burke is a reason for celebration in my household-- as well it should be, for the man is arguably the finest living craftsman of eloquent prose in America today.At my own book signings, my oft-repeated line is that I'd read a phone book written by James Lee Burke.
But I have to confess, I hesitated before taking home a copy of WHITE DOVES IN THE MORNING, Burke's most recent release.After all, it features neither Dave Robicheaux nor Billy Bob Holland; it is not a reprinting of what I consider Burke's Golden Age of fiction, the stuff he wrote in the 1960s (which still staggers, with its literary mastery) before disappearing for almost two decades.
WHITE DOVES is, rather, a Civil War novel-- not surprising, in a way, to any reader of Burke's other fiction. His fascination with both combat in general and the Civil War in particular is evident in much of his writing.Nonetheless, for the reader eagerly awaiting the next return of Streak or Billy Bob, the thought of instead plunging into a... historical novel? ...might give pause to even the most ardent James Lee Burke fan.
It shouldn't.Within a half-dozen pages, it is evident that the master is in rare form here. Burke's lyrical, evocative prosequickly sweeps the reader into a story that is impossible to put down.
It helps that much of the setting is familiar ground: Burke's beloved Louisiana bayou country, specifically the New Iberia of 1861 - 65.The smells and sounds of what will, in a century or so, be Dave Robicheaux country, will be immediately recognized by any Burke aficionado-- a timeless land of live oaks, hanging air vines and mosquitoes buzzing in the marshland shadows.
It also helps that many of the character names we've become accustomed to in the Robicheaux chronicles are also present-- this time, as living characters who flesh out the fables and anecdotes and events that later will be passed down to Dave Robicheaux and from him, to we readers. We meet the Negro freeman and slave owner Jubal Labiche, whose skin color will make no difference to the soon-to-be-invading Yankees.We meet brothel owner Carrie LaRose and her brother, the brawling, pirate-minded Jean-Jacques LaRose, both shrewd Cajun entrepreneurs who deal in contraband and live by their own rough code of ethics. We meet Ira Jamison, whose sprawling Angola Plantation will later become Angola State Penitentiary.
And while we do, we realize that we already know their descendants, themselves familiar from the Burke/Robicheaux series: the twin Labiche daughters of another generation, one of whom will be executed for the murder of her molester; the LaRose descendant, elected Louisiana governor only to die in a last effort to save his doomed wife in a pyre that was the LaRose mansion; even the Angola Prison which is so often plays a key dark role in Burke's Robicheaux tales.
It is a masterful device, this intermingling of our recollections from other novels and other storylines, that in less capable hands could have failed miserably. But Burke handles it with ease, even to the point of centering the story on his own ancestor, one Willie Burke.
If there is any flaw in WHITE DOVES IN THE MORNING, it is the distinctly too-abrupt conclusion with which Burke has provided us as an epilogue. Here, in a departure from the seductive rhythms, eloquence and rich characterization which Burke uses elsewhere so well, the author merely ticks off, one by one, a digest of the ultimate fates of the characters. It is a decidedly less-than-satisfactory conclusion for the reader; worse, it does a disservice to the characters in this novel. Burke's skill has turned them into living people about whom we now care, and whom he appears now to casually discard.
And it is in this sole failing that WHITE DOVES IN THE MORNING gives every James Lee Burke fan a reason for optimism.
We want more than Burke's closing has left us-- far more than the brief, tantalizing, much too incomplete information on the balance of these characters, these lives. We want the author to take us back: back to antebellum New Iberia, back to these characters, back to this compelling chronicle of a time and a place that he has drawn so well.
I don't know if WHITE DOVES IN THE MORNING was intended as the first in a new, ongoing series; given the amazing talent that is James Lee Burke, I can only hope so.
Earl Merkel

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Morning Glory Farm, and the Family that Feeds an Island (Paperback) Review

Morning Glory Farm and the Family that Feeds an Island is a true gem. The recipes that our family has tried have all been delicious, and we like the emphasis on local, naturally grown produce & meats. The baked goods are fabulous! This is more than a collection of recipes however. The first part of the book is the inspirational story of the family farm that began several decades ago on the island of Martha's Vineyard. The same family runs it still, and the farm...and the farmer's market and bakery... have certainly come into their own today. Exceptionally well written and with beautiful photographs, this book belongs on the coffee table as well as in the kitchen.

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Product Description:
Winner, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Best Local Cuisine cookbook in the United States.
Everyone on the the Island of Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts eventually ends up at Morning Glory Farm -- celebrities, Islanders, summer visitors, foodies.
Buying fresh, locally grown and prepared foods from Morning Glory is a rite of passage. Here, rich in detail and lush with the photographs of Alison Shaw, is the story of how the farm came to exist, the family that makes it happen, and the food that excites us all. The 70 recipes include favorites from both the farm stand and some well-known Island chefs.
The Morning Glory Farm story is a romantic one: A young husband and wife hailing from different ends of Martha s Vineyard, with different backgrounds and different expectations in life, carve a few acres out of woodlands and plant what turns out to be a crop of wormy corn.
Thirty years later, the worms are gone, and the couple plant, cultivate, harvest, and sell dozens of fruits and vegetables, prepared dishes and baked goods from a rustic farm stand that is the epicenter of fine, locally grown foods on the Vineyard. They supply restaurants with their produce restaurants that then brag about using Morning Glory products and they literally have people waiting in lines to buy just-picked corn and just-baked pies.
And they do this with the help of a large and loyal crew and two sons who work alongside them planting and harvesting by hand on this most traditional of farms. It is a lesson in sustainable farming that is not to be missed.
This book tells the story of those thirty years, and gives you recipes of the food they offer for sale, along with Jim and Debbie Athearn s own family recipes and recipes from some of the Island s favorite chefs.

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Joy in the Morning (Perennial Classics) [Bargain Price] [Paperback] Review

I couldn't believe that I didn't pick this book up immediately when I was sick with the flu ~~ this is one book you cannot just put down and go do something else. You have to devote a day to enjoy the rich characterizations that Betty Smith created with this book! It is incredibly romantic and upbeat!!
Just like Frannie in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, you'll fall in love with Annie. Annie moves west to Chicago from Brooklyn to marry Carl, her sweetheart. And the story is about her first year with Carl, getting pregnant and making new friends in a strange town and making do with little money. And throughout this whole book, Annie faces every challenge with an upbeat and cheerful spirit. And she will steal your heart too!!
I am almost afraid to watch the movie because the book itself is absolutely wonderful!! It's incredibly romantic and wonderful. Please don't hesitate to buy it ~~ it's a good buy and one that will warm your heart forever!!...

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A story about the difficult first year of marriage between a young girl from Brooklyn and a young law student.--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1) [Paperback] Review

I'm not usually a connoisseur of fantasy novels, as I often find them to be either too dark, or too hard to relate to the characters.But, since I love Lynn Kurland's historical novels and characters, I had to try this one out.

And it is fabulous.

Yes, it is fantasy, with the darkness of evil... yet you are not dragged down with lurid descriptions of the evil.Rather, you experience the emotions and thoughts and feelings of the characters as THEY deal with the evil that is thrown at them.And you share in their victories, just as you share in the conversation and laughter they share when they are warm and safe around the fire.

And of course there is magic... but it is a silvery ribbon that winds through characters that are still so human that it is easy to relate to them.They have magic and know spells... but they use them in the same utterly human ways that you or I use our knowledge and skills.

And then there's the romance.It is there, running beneath the surface and threatening to spill over any moment... yet it never does.That has been saved for future books.But its sweetness draws you into the story until you, also, have fallen in love with the shieldmaiden and the mage.

So read of Morgan, an orphan who has learned to shun magic in favor of the more visible and tangible skills of swordplay... while she slowly begins to find that magic is in her, she cannot run from it, and it does have its uses.

Read of Miach, the archmage of the powerful kingdom of Neroche, as he quietly defends the kingdom against far more danger than anyone realizes... as he is tempted the mis-use the power that few know he holds... and as he discovers a love that is more powerful still.

And escape to a world where men and women alike answer to the calling that has been laid upon them... to save the innocent masses that are unaware of the danger that threatens them.

(Number two in the trilogy, The Mage's Daughter: A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms, is now out, and it makes this book even better!Don't miss it!)

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Product Description:
From the USA Today bestselling author comes the first in a magical romantic fantasy trilogy.

Darkness covers the north, since the black mage has begun his assault on the kingdom of Neroche. Legend has it that only the two magical swords held by Neroche's king can defeat the mage. Now the fate of the Nine Kingdoms rests in the hands of a woman destined to wield one of those blades...

In this land of dragons and mages, warrior maids and magical swords, nothing is as it seems. And Morgan will find that the magic in her blood brings her troubles she cannot face with a sword-and a love more powerful than she has ever imagined.

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Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions (Faith Words) (Hardcover) Review

Relationships.They aren't easy and good ones don't just happen.If you want a good, strong relationship with someone, you have to work at it.You have to make a commitment.The more we invest in a relationship with another who cares for us, the better it will be.And the same goes with God.If we truly want a good, strong relationship where we can solely rely on God, we must make a commitment and work at it.

Joyce Meyer's Hearing from God Each Morning--365 Daily Devotions can help you strengthen your relationship with God through her daily meditations.This guide serves as a reminder to what is really important and to be able to recognize God's voice through all the noise of the world.

The readings are short and begin with a biblical quote followed by a short essay by Joyce.It ends with God's Word for You Today.I found these daily readings to be insightful and powerful.They applied to everyday life and reminded me where my focus needed to be at.Joyce writes in a down-to-earth clear cut manner, and really drives her point home.The readings are inspirational and positive.They really encourage you to grasp God's message and do His works.

I have many daily devotionals and usually find I read a few pages and the book gets pushed by the wayside.This one, however, will not.I was eager to read the next pages and will continue to reread this book.This devotional made me think more about my relationship with God and listen more closely to his Word.

This is a great book for yourself and would also make a wonderful gift.

Note: I received a copy of this book from Hachette Book Group for review purposes.The opinions in this review are honest and my own.


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In the hustle and bustle of today's busy world, sometimes it's hard enough to hear yourself think, much less take a minute to stop and listen for the voice of God. But learning to recognize God's voice and the many ways in which He speaks is vital for following His plan. This devotional; drawing from How to Hear From God, Knowing God Intimately, and The Power Of Simple Prayershows the reader through a daily reminder, how God speaks through their own thoughts and feelings, their dreams, and the words of other people. Joyce Meyer reveals the ways in which God delivers His word and the benefits of asking God for the sensitivity to hear His voice. Joyce asks the question, "Are you listening?" and shares how to do just that...on a daily basis.


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Earthquake in the Early Morning (Magic Tree House #24) (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) (Paperback) Review

This is an educational fiction book.It's about the earthquake in California in 1906.Jack and Annie need to save Camelot.They are destined to find the fourth special kind of writing to put in their collection of things to cheer up the king of Camelot.If you have a 1st-3rd grade reader, this book is on target for them.These books come in amusing fiction and in enlightening research guides.

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The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie to San Francisco in 1906, in time for them to experience one of the biggest earthquakes the United States had ever known.

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Morning's Refrain (Song of Alaska) [Paperback] Review

Another excellent book from Tracie Peterson. I wait for her "series" in particular as you always have something more to look forward to at books end. I feel she has great descriptive qualities of both characters and the scenic wonders surrounding the characters in this good read about romance in early Alaska. I felt this book sort of got boring toward the middle and had to urge myself to continue but I knew I would have a third in the series to look forward to. There is both romance and action in this book and characters you won't forget. I suggest this book to any non-stop reader as I am.

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As dark family secrets threaten the tranquility of the life he's come to love, Dalton Lindquist must make difficult choices about the future. To complicate matters, Phoebe Robbins falls into his life quite literally when Dalton rescues her after she tumbles overboard in the Sitka Harbor. He quickly loses his heart. But Dalton is not the only one who decides to seek Phoebe's attention--his best friend, Yuri, decides to court her when Dalton must travel from Sitka. But when Dalton realizes the depth of his love for Phoebe and returns, the two friends find that their battle for Phoebe's admiration is only the start of the problems that face them.

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Son of the Morning Star: Custer and The Little Bighorn (Paperback) Review

Evan Connell has written a powerful book.It is a balanced presentation of George Armstrong Custer, the post-Civil War Indian Wars, Plains Indians and the myth of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Facts abound.Istarted this book thinking it would primarily focus on Gen. Custer and thefight.While those topics are the framework of the book, Connell spendsquite a bit of time exploring various indian chiefs, indian practices,previous conflicts and the conditions that produced one of our country'smost celebrated battles.First person quotes are abundent and the authorusually produces two or more sides to every episode.These explorationsunderscore how difficult getting at a true history is, particulary whenpride and ego rest on a particular telling of an event.He has done verygood research.
This is a brutal book.American and indian savagry arelaid bare.Warfare and existence on the frontier were not pretty. The"rules" of war were abandoned by both sides with regard to thetaking of prisoners or the frequent butchering of women and children alongwith those unlucky enough to be in the path of maurading soldiers or indianbands.Connell's book leaves no doubt that American notions of racialsuperiority, mainfest destiny and economics created the situation in whichthe indians would fight in the extreme to protect their lands from whiteencroachment.However, the author also underscores that most of the indiantribes were brutal and ruthless when attacking other tribes, lone indiansand in their own rituals and customs.Had America respected it's indiantreaties, it can be argued that the indian lands still would have hadatrocities visited upon them as various tribes concentrated their full timeattentions on settling the wrongs each felt had been metted out by otherred men.His refusal to treat the indian as a politically correctmanifestation of mother nature is refreshing and allows for a very balancedtelling of the story.
The author has a unique writing style.He doesn'tcome to a fork in the road without taking it.These side tracks andtangents allow him to explore in full the charactors and milieu attendentto The Last Stand.However, they are presented in no particular order orchronology.The author paints a strong impression rather than presentingan ordered and structured telling of a compelling tale.This incohesion isso pronounced that the end of a chapter has no meaning other than to allowone to catch one's breath before plunging into the next twenty pages offree associations.
My opinion of this book changed several times duringmy reading.In the beginning, I found it hard to get into because of it'smeandering style. But the vignettes, characters, facts and writing are allcompelling.His style will require some adjustment to the frequent readerof history. But, by the end the reader will know that they have immersedthemselvs in a darn good story that fascinates.

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Saturday Morning: A Novel [Paperback] Review

Lauraine Snelling has produced another treasured book for and about women in Saturday Morning. It is the story of a group of women who band together to save a San Francisco women's shelter. Hope Benson tries to save the shelter from developers who want the property. Her pregnancy makes her unable to keep the shelter safe, so she is joined in the fight by three other women who meet at a farmer's market.

This novel, published by WaterBrook Press, is about the power of friendship. The four women who are the main characters of the story all have some dilemma, but they work together to save the shelter and to keep it in its original location where the farmer's market sets up. The forty-three chapters tell of Andrea's search for a happy marriage and career blend, Hope's struggle through a difficult pregnancy, Julia's search for her missing daughter, and Clarice's dealing with the disappearance of her husband.

One stirring episode involves a police raid on the shelter's Sunday church service and the discovery of drugs on the premises. Andrea, "Andy," is the strongest character and she starts a successful business selling herbs; just as the business takes off her husband decides to move. Andy's husband nearly dies with heart trouble, yet she takes care of him and they come to grips with some of the problems in their marriage.

The women become treasured comrades as they each struggle in their own unique set of circumstances, while ministering to the shelter's clients. They learn to trust God and each other. The characters are strong and believable, and it is written with good dialogue and scenes that portray the situation realistically. Saturday Morning infuses a spiritual message which makes it worthwhile reading. I recommend it to women who know that life is seldom of the "Leave It To Beaver" variety." - Elece Hollis, Christian Book Previews.com


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Product Description:
Broken by life's disappointments, four women forge a friendship that leads in unexpected directions.

Hope Benson is determined to do all she can for the broken souls who come to Casa de Jesus, a women's shelter in the heart of San Francisco. When a difficult pregnancy forces her to relinquish control, she draws support and strength from an unlikely group of women, each struggling with her own heartbreak.

Andy Taylor, a reluctant transplant to California, was compelled to leave behind her lavender-growing business and her home of twenty-some years to support her workaholic husband's pursuit of career success. Attorney Julia Collins is searching for her teenage granddaughter, believed to be living on the streets. And Clarice Van Dam's life has been shattered by the disappearance of her husband, who appears to have relieved her of all earthly possessions except a fur coat and her overnight bag.

Drawn together at the weekend market held in the shelter's parking lot, the women pool their resources to fend off an unscrupulous conglomerate that threatens to replace the facility with a commercial development. As they fight to retain this haven for women in need, they find their own longings for home answered by the solace of faith and friendship.

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Celtic Benediction: Morning and Night Prayer [Hardcover] Review

I've been using Newell's little book as guide for my prayer time. It has been wonderful for keeping my mind and spirit focused upon the glory of God.

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Product Description:
Daily prayers based on the spiritual riches of the ancient Celtic tradition.
This lavishly illustrated daily prayer book draws on the great spiritual insights and wisdom of the Celtic church, offering prayers and Scripture readings for every morning and evening of the week.
Each day Celtic Benediction invites readers to meditate on a different aspect of the creation story from Genesis. On Sunday the theme is light. In the morning, the prayers and readings lead us to seek the light of the life of God in all his creatures. At night, we meditate on the light that no darkness can overcome as we bring the world and its needs to God. And so on through each day of the week: water, the fruitful earth, the animal world, humanity, playful rest, and all that God has made draw us into intimate prayer. Related Scripture readings are also given for each day of the year, making this a book to use constantly.
Illustrated throughout with colored panels from the Lindisfarne Gospels, Celtic Benediction offers contemporary Christians a unique devotional experience to treasure for a lifetime.

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Beyond Morning Sickness: Battling Hyperemesis Gravidarum (Paperback) Review

Ashli McCall has written a superior book for women suffering from HG. Her sharing of personal stories as well as much valuable information and self-help suggestions on this awful illness will help sufferers and those who love them to bear down and get through these terrible days of illness. There is hope at the end of this tunnel and it wears a diaper! Ashli's book will give women the strength to persist in their pregnancies with hope until birth. HG DOES end!

Thanks, Ashli, for a really wonderful and helpful manual.

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Beyond Morning Sickness is a convenient source of helpful information for those suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum and for the people who care for them.The book consists of medical information and personal stories.

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Joy in the Morning (Hardcover) Review

P.G. Wodehouse could write a phonebook and make it brilliant.But this story is so incredibly good that words fail me.He weaves farce upon satire upon mystery upon suspense upon hilarious premise and delightful payoff until the reader is dizzy with laughter and awe.The usual suspects are here:Bertie Wooster and his butler, Jeeves, plus frightening debutants, pompous authority figures, shrill relatives, troublesome children, and yet another pleasant English country village...pleasant, that is, until Bertie & Co. come along. Wodehouse was the absolute master of the English language, of humor, and plot construction.This book is as good an example of his mastery as there is.My only regret is that the reading experience passes by too quickly.

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Trapped in the rural hell-hole of the Steeple Bumpleigh with his bossy ex-fiancee, Florence Craye, her fire-breathing father, Lord Worplesdon, her frightful Boy-Scout brother, Edwin, and her beefy new betrothed, 'Stilton' Cheesewright, Bertie Wooster finds himself walking a diplomatic tightrope. With Florence threatening to ditch Stilton for Bertie, and Stilton threatening to trample on Bertie's insides if she does, things look black until Jeeves arrives to save the day. One of Wodehouse's most sparkling comedies, replete with an attendant cast of tyrannical aunts, demon children and literary fatheads.

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The Morning Star: In Which the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine Is Illuminated [Bargain Price] [Hardcover] Review

Frankly, I'm disappointed. The original Griffin and Sabine series had a wonderful spark of originality. This series is just too derivative.
I wanted to like this new trilogy. I like Bantock's art. There is so much in each picture that I can barely pull myself away for the text. I like the new plot elements that Bantock introduced. The cat with a name, Isabella's roar - these could have been rich new elements in the G&S mythology. They never went anywhere though, and left us re-reading the G&S story in somewhat different words.
If you're new to Bantock, the first G&S trilogy is your best bet. It's fresh, mysterious, and exciting. I just wish that this series could have deepened the mystery or sustained the excitement.

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Morning Yoga Workouts (Morning Workout Series) [Paperback] Review

This will be a very useful book for me and for many others.The first two chapters provide a very succinct overview of the fundamentals and a detailed guide to good habits.My yoga library is fairly extensive and these two chapters provide more foundational guidance on more aspects in fewer pages than any book I can recall.Of course my short-term memory is not what it used to be!But even if there are other yoga books with this much guidance in such a short read, providing it in a book primarily aimed at the fitness market is fabulous, and you will find it to be clear and useful.

That the breath is fundamental to my experience of yoga is without question.That a morning practice (adapted to my time and ability) is not to be missed is also without question.These are now part of my enjoyment of life.

I should disclose that I have studied with Zack for nearly five years, so I am pre-disposed to write a positive review.I have also studied with Leslie Kaminoff, Mark Whitwell, Kausthub Desikachar, and T.K.V. Desikachar; and have read all their books and many others.And am currently enrolled in Gary and Mirka Kraftsow's teacher training program.I have read lots of yoga books.

Showing asana practice routines of three intensities and three time lengths is very useful.It addresses the principal obstacles to getting a home practice started - ability and time.Of course these two obstacles are issues of perception, but who knows that until we start to break the obstacles down.I bet this book will help more than a few people break them down!Thank goodness that in fact we all have all the time and ability we need, and that there are books like this and people like Zack, that are helping others to experience this truism.Life is good!

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Product Description:
A yoga routine to fit every morning schedule! You know that exercising in the morning is the best way to maintain a regular exercise schedule, manage weight, and energize your day. Morning Yoga Workouts makes it easy to find a way no matter how you sleep, what your energy level is, and how much time you have to spare.
Nine workouts include light, moderate, and intense sessions that last for 15 to 20 minutes, 30 to 40 minutes, and 50 to 60 minutes at home or in a studio. Poses include an in-depth exploration of the sun salutations and the full range of yoga asana and breathing techniques, which appeal to all levels of yoga experience, for building strength and flexibility, improving postural alignment, and stabilizing the inner core.
Warm-up routines are included so you can use your yoga practice to prepare for other activities, and visualization and meditation mantras improve the mind-body connection. Nutrition advice helps you balance eating and hydration with energy upon waking, and tips to improve your environment make workouts even more effective and enjoyable. With Morning Yoga Workouts, you will never tire of your morning routine again.
Morning Yoga Workouts is part of the Morning Workout series, books designed to help you get in tune with both mind and body, stay motivated, and improve your morning exercise experience.

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Morning Coffee with James [Paperback] Review

Morning Coffee with James is a delightful devotional that doesn't read like a devotional! Since I do like to read my Bible with a cup of coffee, it fit my quiet time perfectly. The appeal of this book is in its format. Renae presents the book of James in five main chapters: What We Have, What We Do, What We Say, What We Feel, and What We Give.Within those chapters, Renae provides morsels of truth that go so well with that cup of coffee.

The daily scripture is presented as the "first cup of coffee." After the first cup, the "cream and sugar" is a self-reflection question, followed by an encouraging prayer. Next there's the "second cup of coffee," in which Renae teaches through cross references, to be finished to the "last drop," which is a pithy quotation to finish that morning's coffee.

Renae has a conversational style that teaches rather than preaches to the reader. And every few chapters she throws in some interesting coffee facts or recipes that are just fun to know.

I'm so glad Renae chose James as her first in this series, as it is such a good book to curl up and get to know. Maybe her next devotional book will be on "He Brews!"

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Product Description:
Need more time to study God's Word? Morning Coffee with James is the perfect solution. With humor and conversational style, this book offers meaty insights that will satisfy the spirit and quench the soul.
Each Morning Coffee devotional includes a verse or two from the book of James, a few paragraphs of study and application, a prayer, and more. Fun coffee facts and recipes are interspersed throughout.

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Mornings with Henri J.M. Nouwen: Readings and Reflections [Paperback] Review

Henri Nouwen gives us all a wonderful way to start each day!His inspirational and thought provokingviews of life, both practical and spiritual, are just right for any Christian.Although Nouwen was RomanCatholic, his writings provide "soul food" for anyone looking forsomething more from day to day life.I would recommend this lovely littlebook to all.

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Product Description:
Here is a book of morning meditations by Henri Nouwen, one of the most popular, yet profound sprititual writers of our time. The book touches upon the themes that defined his life: prayer, solitude, community, and the unlimited love of God.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Waiting for the Morning Train: An American Boyhood (Great Lakes Books) (Paperback) Review

I never met Bruce Catton, but I corresponded briefly with him in the mid-1970's.The same qualities that marked him as a correspondent--courtesy, graciousness, and gentle humor--illuminate this lovely memoir of a great historian.
Catton grew up in Benzonia, Michigan, "a city upon a hill," as he correctly notes, very close to Lake Michigan, where the old certitudes held seemingly invincible sway over virtually every aspect of one's daily life.Catton's father was the superintendent of Benzonia Academy, whose main building is now Benzonia's library.
The memoir, which recalls the years between the author's birth and his graduation from high school, is a series of reflections on what it was like to be a boy just as Michigan's logging era was drawing to a close, when sleepy Benzonia, along with the rest of the nation, was about to drift into the maw of the violent twentieth century.Catton writes of boyhood ambitions and boyish pranks, of the rich history that made Michigan's Lower Peninsula what it was, and especially of the Civil War veterans whose stories would later prompt Catton to devote years of his life to recording the history of that great conflict in rich anecdotal detail.
Though unabashedly nostalgic, "Waiting for the Morning Train" is neither saccharine nor bitter.Catton was far too experienced a writer and historian to let his emotions get the better of him.This is, nonetheless, a rich and moving memoir of a time which, though it may seem virtually within reach, we will never see again.
I recommend this book highly as a gift for yourself and, perhaps, for that reflective friend who can appreciate personal history told with universal appeal.Bruce Catton was, quite simply, one of the greatest writers and historians this country has produced, and in many ways this deceptively modest little volume represents the zenith of his literary achievement.

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99 Activities And Greetings: Great For Morning Meeting... And Other Meetings, Too! (Paperback) Review

I use this book almost every day in my second grade classroom and have loaned it to several other teachers in my building. The games are easy to understand and teach and the students love them. The activities and greetings are easy to personalize and think of variations to be used over and over again.

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Product Description:
Magic Number, Chicka Boom, Mystery Word, Galaxy Greeting, Name Four, In Search of a Noun…These are just a few of the activities, chants, greetings, and games in this lively resource. Each activity includes: suggested grade level; academic and social skills practiced; materials needed; concise, easy-to-follow directions.

Using these activities, students will develop oral language skills, self-control, and problem-solving abilities. They'll practice risk-taking, reading, math, and cooperation, all while having fun and building community.

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Morning Strength Workouts (Morning Workout Series) (Paperback) Review

This is an excellent rendition on the rudiments of working out and
eating properly to support the exercise regimen. For instance, free
weights are easy to manipulate and the body contour easily adjusts.
Stability balls challenge the neuromuscular system. The ball may be
pushed up/down or diagonally. Hanging leg raises strengthen the
shoulder, forearm and grip. A strength of the work is that the
author depicts the exercises in a series of drawings. The acquisition
would be invaluable for anyone embarking on an intensive exercise
program.


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Product Description:
A strength training routine to fit every morning schedule! You know that exercising in the morning is the best way to exercise regularly, manage weight, and provide a strong start to your day. Morning Strength Workouts describes how to maximize the benefits of your early-day exercises no matter what your energy level is or how much time you have to spare.
Morning Strength Workouts provides 20-, 30-, 45-, and 60-minute workouts designed for endurance, size, strength, power, and general fitness so that you can choose the right workout based on your fitness goals and available time. Whether you're using free weights or machines, exercising at the gym or at home, this book allows you to customize workouts to achieve your individual strength goals. And, with information on nutrition, injury prevention, and program design, you can be assured that every morning session will be productive. With Morning Strength Workouts, you will never tire of your morning routine again.
Morning Strength Workouts is part of the Morning Workout series, books designed to help you get in tune with both mind and body, stay motivated, and improve your morning exercise experience.

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Mornings in Jenin: A Novel (Paperback) Review

What I write pales in comparison to what you will find in the writing style and story within the pages of this book. If I could adequately describe how this book made me feel, I still would not do the book justice.
Mornings in Jenin is the story of four generations of Palestinians living through the birth of Israel and the never ending war that follows. The story centers on Amal, a women who is born in a refugee camp. Her story is one of loss, love and redemption.
I asked to review this particular book because I have always questioned the war between Israel and Palestine. I am torn between understanding the need for a permanent homeland after living through the horrors of WW2 and the way in which the country of Isreal was settled. When I was younger I would ask my elders to explain the actions of the two nations but try as they might, none could truly explain both sides. The issue of the two nations within one setting is very polarizing. I would hear about the Palestine terrorist but not the people. As a result I know little about the human story of Palestinians and thought this book may offer some insight into their world.
Abulhawa's writing style is nothing short of amazing. Though this book is heartbreaking at every turn Abulhawa's words sing out. Yes, they sing out and you as a reader are caught up in her song. Never mind that at times the pain becomes unbearable, the song of her words compel you the reader to stay with her. A little past half way I wanted to give up; there was too much death and heartache, but I stuck with it as the story needed to be told. As much as it hurt to hear it, this story does need to be told. We need to hear about the aftermaths of war. Not because we need to take one side or the other, but because we should pause before we pick a side. Abulhawa shows us that war scorches the lives of those who lay in the path of triumph. No one really wins in war expect death and pain as Abulhawa so vividly tells us.
After finishing the book I sat for a moment trying to collect my thoughts. A part of me disliked having to deal with the emotions and questions that washed over me while another part was so taken by the character and lives in Mornings in Jenin I was almost sad to have come to the end of the tale. For a few moments I was not sure if I could recommend this book or not as it is so full of loss but it dawned on me that one of the reasons I kept reading was because it opened my eyes to what real sadness and pain are. Sometimes we Americans get so caught up in our daily drama we tend to forget we are blessed, even when we are struggling. Mornings in Jenin will make you think, question and maybe cry. It is a testament to a people that before now had no voice. I highly recommend this book.


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Home Before Morning: The Story of an Army Nurse in Vietnam (Paperback) Review

After reading a number of unnecessarily harsh and, from my point of view, patently untrue "reviews" that disparage this book and its author, I feel obliged to weigh in. I am a Viet Nam nurse vet; when I first read this book several years ago, I was amazed by its honesty and heartened that a sister-in-arms had been brave enough to tell it like it was. I cannot speak to the precise details in Van Devanter's fine and harrowing account of her life before, during and after Viet Nam, but I can say that her experiences during her service ring entirely true to me. I have heard her reputation slandered before, and have wondered why the denegration was so vehement and so personal. Do those who defend their greatly-amended version of our reputation as Viet Nam nurses by tearing down this excellent book feel that we must, for some reason, be portrayed as angels to the world at large? Such a picture would be as false as denouncing us as [prostitute]. We were human beings, with all the fine and base characteristics that entailed. We were young women--most of us still in that amorphous hormonal classification of "late adolescence." We lived on adrenalin and bad food, experienced heartbreak daily, dealt with entirely too manymales, and did a mind-boggling body of work to the best of our abilities in spite of the pain, frustration, sexism and distraction. "Home Before Morning" is the grandmother of female Viet Nam accounts, an important piece of literature, a first-of-its-kind window on the Viet Nam war. It is well-written and evocative, and its author--who certainly must now have earned the peace she found so elusive in this life--deserves our profound respect for publishing it at a time when she must have realized it would draw criticism from those who find such raw truths threatening.
As a writer of fiction that draws on my experiences in Viet Nam, I owe Lynda Van Devanter a great debt. The first among us, she whacked through the jungle of criticism, took the heat, and secured the road for the acceptance of a woman's unique view of what is, by nature, a testosterone-charged world. She deserves a medal, posthumous though it would now be, for grace under fire.
Susan O'Neill, Army nurse-vet and author: Don't Mean Nothing: Short Stories of Viet Nam.

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Product Description:
"This incredible story, which plunges us immediately into the bloodiest aspects of the war, is also a suspenseful autobiography that will keep you chewing your fingernails to see if Van Devanter survives any of it at all. She proves herself a natural storyteller. . . . The most extraordinary part in this book is Van Devanter's plight after the war-her attempt to retrieve the love of her family, only to realize they don't want to see her slides, hear her stories; her assignment to menial duties at Walter Reed Army Hospital. . . . How Van Devanter survives all of this to become, incredibly, a stronger person for it is what makes her book so riveting."-San Francisco Chronicle
"An awesome, painfully honest look at war through a woman's eyes. Her letters home and startling images of life in a combat zone-surgeons fighting to save a Vietnamese baby wounded in utero, the ever-present stench of napalm-charred flesh, a beloved priest's gentle humor and appalling death, the casual heroism of her colleagues, a Vietnamese 'Papa-san' trying to talk his dead child back to life, a haunting snapshot dropped by a dying soldier with no face-tell the story of a young American's rude initiation to the best and the worst of humanity."-Washington Post
"Moving, powerful . . . a healing book."-Ms. Magazine
"This book reads like a diary: unguarded, heartfelt. . . . [It] is both moving and valu-able, for reminding us so vividly that war is indeed hell . . . and that its most tested heroes are the doctors and nurses who doggedly labor not just to save life, but also to keep their respect for it, even as their surviving patients are sent out, once more, unto the breach."-Harper's Magazine
"In Vietnam, reality hit fast: Van Devanter's plane was fired on when it landed in Saigon; and after three days of adjustment, she was assigned to the 71st Evacuation Hospital, a 'MASH-type facility' near the Cambodian border. There, the casualties, . . . the personal danger, the fatigue, the heat, rain, and mud, the harassment of officers enforcing petty regulations, and above all the meaninglessness of American involvement rapidly put an end to Van Devanter's blind patriotism, her innocence, and her youth. . . . Van Devanter brings us face to face with the toll that undeclared war took on its combatants."-Kirkus Reviews
"If you read only one work about Vietnam, make this the one. . . . This is the way it was, as seen through the eyes of an army second lieutenant when she was twenty-two. I believe her completely, because this reviewer remembers Vietnam the same way, when he was a nineteen-year-old Marine PFC."-Deseret Sentinel

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Lavender Morning (Edilean) (Mass Market Paperback) Review

I love Jude Deveraux, and I am happy to see her start a new series.I liked this story and the characters very much, but I was somewhat disappointed in the book in several respects. First, I thought it was too similar to several of her other books, particularly "Holly," although Ramsey is not evil the way Lorrie Beaumont was and there are no Montgomerys or Taggerts in this book.

Second, the book ended very quickly, which just left me with a lot of questions.The story revealed at the end was simply not believable, given the characters involved.I kept reading the last few pages over and over thinking I missed something and wondering.Maybe future books in the series will supply more believable information about what actually happened in the past.

Third, I always have a problem with contemporary novels where the principal characters talk/plan love and marriage after only a few kisses.

Having said all the above, I still liked this book and the characters and can't wait to read the next book in the series.It's an easy, enjoyable read without murder and mayhem.

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Death in the Morning (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries) (Inspector Quantrill Mystery) (Paperback) Review

the opening sentence was worth the price of the book. the author has a wonderful way with words and an entertainingly wry and ironic attitude. she also has a wonderful way with character and dialogue.

the plot is better than average for a first mystery, with clues fairly presented. still, experienced mystery readers will probably guess the culprit's identity. however, the motivation is interesting and believable.

i enjoyed it enough to read the next in the series.

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Product Description:
It's a glorious spring morning in the village of Ashthorpe. Birds are singing, and sunlight is dancing on the river, where Mry Gedge's dress drifts lazily in the shallows and flowers mingle in her hair. The scene is so altogether lovely that some locals think dreamily of Ophelia, drowned for love of noble Hamlet.Chief Inspector Quantrill, though, has little patience for that kind of self-indulgence; he's got a murder to solve. And with a passionless marriage, a job that centers mostly on recovering stolen pigs, and the certain knowledge that he's missed his best chance for romance, he's something of a prisoner of pragmatism. Mary Gedge may indeed have died for love of the wrong man, but in his muddy English market town, that man is unlikely to be a prince of Denmark.

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Morning, Noon & Night [Mass Market Paperback] Review

Sidney Sheldon, the best author in the world, will not disappoint any of his readers with this book.Morning, Noon, and Night is another intriguing, fast-paced thriller.There are innumerable plot twists, and the end is no less shocking.As with most of Sheldon's books, every chapter ended with a cliffhanger, keeping the reader interested in what the next chapter will bring.
This book revolves around a very wealthy and influential family known as the Stanfords.When the father dies, his children, the three heirs to the fortune, are shocked to find that they may have and illegitimate sister with whom they must share their wealth.This family carries out all of the major components of a great action novel:murder, revenge, greed, blackmail, and a splash of romance.
Although shorter than the average Sidney Sheldon novel, Morning Noon and Night has no less an impact.The short nature of the book actually gives it a sense of urgency.A combination of these elements kept me constantly reading.I finished this book in a little more than four hours.
Morning, Noon, and Night is a masterpiece, even for an author as brilliant as sheldon.No Sheldon fan will be disappointed with this work.

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Morning Neurosis: The mostly true story of a girl trying to reconcile her rock n' roll roots with a new reality (Paperback) Review

This is a wonderful, honest and at times hilarious memoir.You really get the feeling she's bared her soul in this book, and the insights and stories are fascinating.A great read!

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Product Description:
Is there life after music?
Juliette Miranda isn't quite sure. While living out her dreams in Los Angeles, she is forced to make an unexpected return to her hometown where she must struggle to save her relationships, and sanity, from the long shadows of her rock 'n' roll past.
Despite her best efforts, some issues refuse to stay locked in her closet. By recounting tales of her past - like the rock star boyfriend who sang more romantic songs to his dog than to her, or being abandoned in Jamaica by a drugged-out Jim Morrison wanna-be - Juliette hopes to understand her present.
Her chronicle reveals an open, passionately honest look at a girl whose life isn't turning out exactly as she hoped. Her morning neuroses become the vanguard to a broader story that incorporates her loving yet crazy family, indelible friendships, and career mishaps.
Lightly fictionalized to protect the identities of the not-so-innocent, Morning Neurosis is more than a kiss and tell. It's an intimate look into Miranda's real life experiences as she strives to find love, music ... and herself.

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Shabbat Morning: Shacharit and Musaf, Morning and Additional Services: My People's Prayer Book--Traditional Prayers, Modern Commentaries (My People's Prayer Book) [Hardcover] Review

Having studied the previous nine volumes in the Hoffman series on prayer, I find this much awaited volume to be a great help.As has been the case in the earlier volumes Hoffman provides a wide range of perspectives from which we may extract greater meaning from the prayer service.Shabbat morning is for many of a difficult service to relate to.With only once weekly frequency and the various distractions of Shabbat it can be difficult to relate to the meaning of the prayers.Hoffman provides a wonderful introduction, although parts are often borrowed from previous volumes, and then a talmudic approach to the individual verses of prayer.I always found something new and something that enhanced my understanding of the prayer and this by a person that has been davening for years and also studying t'fillah with the help of many teachers and texts.

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Product Description:
Vol. 10--Shabbat Morning: Shacharit and Musaf (Morning and Additional Services) features the authentic Hebrew text with a new translation designed to let people know exactly what the prayers say. Introductions tell the reader what to look for in the prayer service, as well as how to truly use the commentaries and to search for--and find--meaning in the prayer book.
Framed with beautifully designed Talmud-style pages, commentaries from many of today's most respected Jewish scholars from all movements of Judaism examine shacharit and musaf from the perspectives of ancient Rabbis and modern theologians, as well as feminist, halakhic, Talmudic, linguistic, biblical, Chasidic, mystical, and historical perspectives.

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Bright Shiny Morning (P.S.) [Paperback] Review

I was the first to get the book from my local Barnes and Nobles and I know this because they told me this--I read a lot.I read Austen and Bronte.I read Hemingway and Faulkner.I read Mailer and Vidal.I read I read I read.You'll have to trust me when I say that I consider myself a literate person, a published writer, and a harsh and unbearable critic--of self and others--and I haven't read all of Bright Shiny Morning yet.I have read four hundred and ten pages of it.With the negative reviews that are to follow, I figured a partial review on my favorite place to buy books online would be appropriate to thin out what will surely be many an unjust review.Let's put aside that he's an embellisher in his memoirs (I could care less).Let's focus solely on the novel at hand.Let's start with the negatives.

Two Teens runaway from home to start a life together.(Cliche)
A blockbuster actor married to a beautiful woman is really gay.(Cliche)
A spanish nanny with a deformity who starts a relationships with the son of a client.(Cliche)
A homeless man who befriends a runaway.(Most assuredly cliche)
The writing is shoddily punctuated, annoyingly incomplete, and choppy.(You look and have to make sure you read it right).
The language is rough. (Constant swearing, difficult to read material)
The vignette excursions are sometimes annoying, sometimes interesting, sometimes boring, sometimes a miss, and sometimes a hit.(Some worked in the book, other's probably could've been left out).

Now I'll tell you why none of these negatives matter.

The cliche story lines could kill a book if not so beautifully put together that you become engrossed in the characters--the characters become the originals in a story that's been told a thousand times.
The writing is all his own. It's reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.It flares with an immediacy not seen in books anymore--or rarely seen in books anymore.The excursions from the story are necessary because without them, you don't get the major character, which is, LA.LA rings as the focal character, a land and place all its own that rings true to the world around us, the focal point for the American dream, the focal point for hope and decadance, the focal point for stardom and fame, the focal point for what drives American's home lives to the television each day, the focal point for these characters existence, the focal point for life in a sense.

I ask, and I hope, my only hope, that you who are angry at James Frey, let it go, and don't try and crush the book simply because you feel lied to.A believable lie, after all, is what good fiction is made out of, for if he could suspend disbelief well enough for us to believe everything in his memoir's (that he didn't even want to call memoirs, mind you, it's labeled, Memoir/Literature), he certainly suspends disbelief in bringing to life the characters.You will feel their pain and their defeats, their victories and their happines, at least to where I've read to.I don't know about the rest of the book... but he's never been one for the crapped out ending, so I'm quite sure. Buy it, you'll love it.If you don't buy it and you don't read it, then just don't write a review, for a review is not how you feel about the author, it's how you feel about the work he put out into the world, so be mature, grow up, and read a good book from a unique and new voice in the world of literature.

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One Morning in Maine (Picture Puffin) (Paperback) Review

This book, along with Blueberries for Sal and Time of Wonder, by the same author, were some of my favorite books as a child growing up in Maine.I loved them because the children did things I did---dug for clams, pickedblueberries, took boat rides to get ice cream, played on the rocky shoreand on and on!I loved the pictures because they are so detailed andrealistic.This book in particular was a favorite because it was about anolder Sal than in Blueberries for Sal, dealing with the universalexcitement of losing a first tooth.I love her relationship with heryounger sister Jane, who is drawn as one of the most adorable toddlersaround.If you are looking for a calm and wholesome in the best way bookfor your child, this might be one you want to consider.

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Product Description:
"As we follow the story of Sal and his lost tooth we feel as refreshed as though we had spent a day with his family on their island."--Saturday Review. Caldecott Honor Book. Full-color illustrations.

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First Darling of the Morning: Selected Memories of an Indian Childhood (P.S.) [Paperback] Review

First Darling of the Morning is a series of glimpses into author Thrity Umrigar's childhood, growing up in Bombay at a time when the country of India was still new and unstable. The stories start at a very young age with some of Umrigar's earliest memories and continue until she is twenty years old and leaving India for the great uncertainty of the United States.

This isn't a solid memoir, though; there are gaps in between each story, sometimes of a few days, sometimes of a few years. It allows the author to pick and choose which of her memories she wants to share with the reader. Sometimes they are humorous and sometimes they are incredibly painful. Each is a part of a larger story: the tale of Umrigar's coming of age in an uncertain time.

Though First Darling of the Morning is a memoir, it reads like literary fiction. This is the perfect book for those people who want to read more nonfiction but have trouble with writing styles or pacing. The book itself is relatively short and the words flow like a smoothly moving water; Umrigar's writing is simply beautiful. She writes with such longing, in some ways desperate to once again be the child she left behind, to correct all those mistakes she made. However, there is also wisdom behind her words, the realization that she can never return.

Her words also hold great passion. Umrigar portrays what it was to be a conflicted youth in Bombay at a time of unrest. There is no preaching here about what India was or what it has become; it is simply memories, thoughts and observations from someone who lived at a turbulent time. In some ways, India was coming of age at the same time that Umrigar was. And that's what this is at its core: a coming-of-age story. It has all the pain of what it is to grow up, to be a teenager. Anyone of any culture will recognize Umrigar's self-doubt and inner turbulence. You don't need to be Indian to sympathize with her and understand her plight; it is a story that has been told again and again since the beginning of time in a thousand different ways.

However, it is those Indian elements that make First Darling of the Morning special, in many ways Umrigar's tribute to her heritage, to where she came from. It is her signal that she will never forget and never push it aside in shame. She writes proudly with her head held high.

Between the poignancy of the stories and the gravitas and beauty of Umrigar's writing, First Darling of the Morning is a gem that is absolutely not to be missed. I can't recommend it highly enough; I only wish there was more to read. For now, though, readers must settle for this small but satisfying look at one girl's journey to adulthood.

[...]

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Summer Morning, Summer Night [Paperback] Review

Ray Bradbury loves to write stories of small American towns in the Midwest, swathed in colour, magic and sunlight. And that's basically the entire content of "Summer Morning, Summer Night" -- exquisitely written little nuggets of ordinary experiences, with an element of magic and mystery woven into them like golden threads.

A number are vignettes without much actual plot -- a young woman going for a nighttime stroll meets a lover, a loaf of bread brings back memories of childhood summers, a teenage girl have has first kiss with a new boyfriend, an aged woman looks through old calendars full of forgotten memories, old people recount important deaths, and a middle-aged man falls in love with a beautiful young woman he sees in passing.

Then there are the full-blown short stories. Here a chaste romance blossoms between a teacher and her brilliant young student, a beautiful woman's memory lives on long after her death, an elderly woman's long-lost lover may have returned, a spinster seeks perfume, and two old sisters make a secret "love potion" with some unwanted results.

There's no straightforwardly fantastical elements in this book, but there are moments of horror and comedy. On one hand, we have stories where a young girl hears a woman shrieking underground, and a serial killer's excited chase of a woman he's stalking. On the other, a family's scheme to get a pretty cousin married off backfires, and a couple of sweet old people have a day out shopping and having fun.

"Summer Morning, Summer Night" is sort of a Ray Bradbury mosaic -- lots of little fragments making up a sun-filled, warm, shimmering summertime filled with shady trees and warm nights. It's a little like visiting Bradbury's nameless small town for a week at its most lovely, absorbing some of the history of the people there, and then drifting back out.

One thing has never changed is Bradbury's vivid, lush prose ("they were a trio of black velvet and white ermine conspirators, half moon, half shadow"), which is steeped in nature metaphors ("as fine as a maple leaf between winds that blew just right"). His writing is precise enough that he can tackle a taboo subject -- such as love between a teacher and student -- without inspiring outrage.

And he drops in plenty of symbolism -- new shoes, dismantled porches, ribboned hats, first kisses ("it tasted like apricats and fresh apples and as water tastes when you rise at night...").

As the final touch, Bradbury's characters are a colourful, varied lot -- teenage girls, serial killers, legendary beauties, middle-aged men and small children vowing to never forget this summer. Bradbury seems a bit preoccupied with mortality, since many of his characters here are troubled by life and love in their middle or twilight years -- except maybe the Alexanders, who seem happy to frolic into old age together.

Warm, mellow and sweet as an apple, "Summer Morning, Summer Night" is a series of tiny portraits of small town life. But Ray Bradbury manages some surprises along the way.

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Morning and Evening - Matt Tan/Blue (Imitation Leather) Review

Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening has been our daily companion for 4 years and this sleek, easy to carry along version is an extra blessing. The leather feels good in the hands and the contents are life changing. We thank God for Spurgeon.

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Product Description:
He meditates on two portions of scripture each day
with applications that are very relevant for
contemporary Christians. Spurgeon's characteristically pithy comments hit
home with a wit and elegance rarely found in other
writing. Spurgeon was, primarily, a pastor and this is apparent in the concern he shows for the heart of the reader. Christians, young and old, will find his comments challenging, stimulating and direct.
This edition is in a high quality diary style finish
available in matt black, matt burgundy and matt
tan/burgundy. Each book has gilt page edging, a
presentation page and a bookmark.
This is the most complete and unabridged version
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You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning (Hardcover) Review

I love reading deep, thought-provoking novels; but every once in awhile I need a book that just allows me to escape. You know what I mean -- one of those books that makes you laugh out loud and possibly even snort soda through your nose! Well, YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY IF YOU DON'T START IN THE MORNING by Celia Rivenbark really hit the spot for me!

YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY is a collection of very funny essays that cover a little bit of everything -- from Christian action figures to High School Musical to Jon & Kate Plus 8. As a mother of a young girl who is about the same age as Ms. Rivenbark's daughter, I could relate to quite a few of her stories about being a wife and mom. There were times that I was shaking my head at her outrageous (yet hilarious) opinions about life in general, and there were other times that I was absolutely howling!

I loved Ms. Rivenbark's spot-on perspectives about life in general -- her essays were entertaining while also being extremely honest. Of course Ms. Rivenbark is Southerner, so there is a very Southern feel to this book. While I haven't lived in the South for over 20 years, her stories about the places and people came rushing back to me. But even if you aren't familiar with the South and its charm, I think you'll still appreciate her essays.

As a food lover, I really appreciated the recipes that were included at the end of some of the essays. It probably goes without saying that since Ms. Rivenbark is a Southern girl, many of the recipes were high in calories and fat (but of course that means high in taste!) and most of the recipes were extremely easy. Some of the recipes in the book that appealed to me were the Michelle's Belly-Bustin' Super Supper, "You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw" Apple Enchiladas, and Better-Than-Six-365-Nights Cake.

Prior to reading YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY, I'm not sure that I was familiar with author Celia Rivenbark (although something about her is awfully familiar.) I'm pretty sure that many Southerners will recognize her though! Ms. Rivenbark has written four other funny books as well as a weekly humor newspaper column. I definitely enjoyed YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY; and I'd love to revisit some of her earlier works, especially STOP DRESSING YOUR SIX YEAR OLD LIKE A SKANK -- that has to be one of the best titles evah!

I highly recommend YOU CAN'T DRINK ALL DAY if any of the following criteria apply:

- you are a woman
- you are a wife
- you are a mom
- you like reading essays
- you are a Southerner
- you like books with recipes
- you like to eat
- you enjoy funny books
- you like to laugh

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Product Description:
From the author of the bestselling classics We're Just Like You, Only Prettier, and Bless Your Heart, Tramp, comes a collection of essays so funny, you'll shoot co'cola out of your nose. Topics include such gems as: - Why Miss North Carolina is too nice to hate - How Gwyneth Paltrow wants to improve your pathetic life - Strapped for cash? Try cat whispering - Sex every night for a year? How do you wrap that? - Get yer Wassail on: It's carolin' time - Airlines serving up one hot mess - Action figure Jesus - Why Clay Aiken ain't marrying your glandular daughter - And much more! Complete with a treasure trove of Celia's genuine southern recipes, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning is sure to appeal to anyone who lives south of something.

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Son of the Morning [Mass Market Paperback] Review

Grace has everything to lose: a happy life with a loving husband, a wonderful brother and an amazing career. She loses it all in one moment. To save herself and avenge the murders of her husband and brother, she is on the run with the very documents that caused all this horror. The police, thinking she killed her husband and brother, and the killer, who wants the documents, are both after her, but she is a strong and an intelligent woman and she gets away...just barely . She learns "street smarts" and how to survive despite this agressive murderer on her tail.
When Grace discovers the mystery the documents hold, she knows she must travel through time as the documents explain to meet Black Niall, who she has been dreaming about since she first discovered the documents. He has shared her hot dreams and their lust for each other is so powerful all he has to do is kiss her to make her explode with passion.
With Niall's help, they travel back to 1998 to face the ruthless killer. Niall is almost God-like in his strength and the love he shares with Grace makes you wonder if they were made for each other.
I expected a romance novel but instead, this novel was filled with action, suspence and VERY little romance...but when she finally does meet Black Niall (65 pages away from the end of the book!) they share some amazingly HOT scenes!! The story reminded me of the movie "The Fugitive" mixed with the film "Mission Impossible," But I didn't find the lack of romance all that dissapointing because the story was so well-written and interesting.
This story should be classified as a suspence thriller. She doesn't even meet the hero until page 340 (The story ends at page 400). Most of the novel is about her running from the killers. It's exciting and you really come to love Grace and care about her character. She is so three-dimensional, she seems like a real person.
Black Niall sounds delicious but he also plays a minor role in the novel. He is like the supporting character and he comes across as 2-dimensional. I never fell in love with him but I did lust after him.
The ending was sweet but I had another ending in mind that never came to fruition. However, that made the novel UNpredictable and that's a good thing. This is my first novel to read by Linda Howard, and I see myself picking up MANY more in the future. I HIGHLY recommend!

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One Tuesday Morning (September 11 Series #1) [Paperback] Review

Jake Bryan is a firefighter with the FDNY, the only thing he has ever wanted to do. His Christian faith gives him the strength to get through each day, both on the job and at home. His wife Jamie has run from God most of her life. After a tragic childhood, she doesn't believe God would want anything to do with her or her failures. She worries constantly about Jake and his safety. The two have a daughter, Sierra, who is the light of their lives. Jake has been praying for God to make a statement in Jamie's life to bring her to know Him.
Eric Michaels is a businessman striving for success at any cost. And his greatest cost is his family. He has slowly shut out his wife and young son. His wife is at the end of her rope. When Eric returns from his business trip to New York, she is not sure whether she can continue marriage with him or not.
These men meet in the stairwell of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The tower collapses and only one survives, burned and suffering from amnesia. Jake's supervisor recognizes the man as Jake, but is it really him? Jamie works with him to re-gain his lost memory, and in the process learns about God and her husband through his Bible and journals. Which man survived the disaster? Can God redeem even those who seem completely lost?
I was touched by this fictionalized account of the calamity that affects us all.Ms. Kingsbury states that it was her way of working through the grief, and I am glad she wrote this book. The characters are very true to life, seeking God's will as well as running from it. Eric and Jamie go through tremendous transformation as God becomes real to both of them. It would be difficult to finish this novel and remain closed about God's hand in our lives.
I highly recommend ONE TUESDAY MORNING. It isn't a book that can be read all in one sitting. It takes time to experience, especially the scenes that take place on September 11. Ifelt as if I was right there with the characters in the book. For an emotional, yet uplifting look at God's everlasting love and mercy in our lives, ONE TUESDAY MORNING is not to be missed.

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Product Description:
A devoted fireman and a driven businessman, strangers with the same face. On that fateful Tuesday, one will leave the Twin Towers alive--but will he ever find his way home?Winner of the Silver Medallion Book Award.

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