Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture Review

Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture
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Like Longitude, one of my most favorite books, Brunelleschi's Dome is a small gem. Author Ross King tells the story of the building of the dome atop Santa Marie del Fiore in Florence and along the way, treats you to a rich slice of Renaissance history. Much more than a great story (filled with details about everyday life in 15th century Italy, i.e. what they were eating, how they shopped, how bricks were made) this is a story of a man who used his intuition, faith and genius to propose a revolutionary method of building this famous dome. He used no wooden centering or flying buttresses which was totally radical for the time and he really had no way of predicting whether his plan would work or not. But it did and beautifully. If you're planning on visiting Florence, climb the steps to the top of the dome to see Brunelleschi's handiwork first hand. For example, he and his bricklayers used a unique herringbone pattern when laying the bricks that is clearly visible today. The story is also a human story. All the naysayers, competitiors, political enemies are here along with backbiting, and plotting. Brunelleschi himself had a wily streak and wasn't above lashing out at his competitors. One of the joys of this book is you actually feel like you're getting up each morning to see a day's work on the dome. And it's a very enjoyable way to spend some time. If you're interested, you can visit http://www.vsp.it/cupolalive/ and get a live view from atop the dome in Florence. A fascinating book.

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The Clockwork Rocket (Orthogonal) Review

The Clockwork Rocket (Orthogonal)
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One of the most daring authors in the field, Greg Egan may have just published his most ambitious and accomplished work yet. "Clockwork Rocket" brings readers a new kind of science fiction in which the laws of physics themselves are fictionalized.
Set in another universe where light does not travel at a constant speed but instead has a velocity that depends on its wavelength, Clockwork Rocket recounts the personal life journey of an inhabitant in this fictional universe. Born into a simple but loving rural family, Yalda eventually has an opportunity to go to school (not something that everyone gets to do in her society). The reader shares Yalda's experiences as she asks deeper and deeper questions about her world and how it all fits together. Along the way she becomes one of the eminent scholars of her generation. Egan skillfully describes some of the subtleties of scientific discovery and manages to impart a sense of wonder whenever Yalda finds and fits a new piece of the puzzle that is her universe.
The parallels between Yalda's society and western society are plentiful enough that we don't feel lost. (There's even an ancient philosopher, Meconio, to serve the role that our own ancient Aristotle serves in our world.) However enough differences exist to allow Egan some avenues for thoughtful social commentary. What makes this book unique is that it manages to accomplish the same thing with physical laws to provide a kind of "physical commentary"!
Egan has a gift for distilling mathematical ideas down to their essence and that gift shines brightly in this book. He manages to cover many of the essential parts of how our world works and (I think) does it better than any physics text book I've read. He then goes further by using these physical laws, true in our world and Yalda's, to build from them a physics that is not ours. The resulting physical system is simpler than "real" physics allowing the reader to experience the rushing sensation of going from high school to advanced graduate level physics in the space of only some 300 pages. It's like a "skydive for the intellect" and is immensely satisfying and thrilling. By the end of the story we haven't just been told a story but we've been guided through a new system of physics that, for all its weirdness, is simple and seemingly consistent!
If you've ever wanted to know what it might be like to discover something like Einstein's Theory of Relativity yourself then you'll definitely enjoy this book. If you're familiar with the history of science in our world then you'll appreciate when similar issues unfold in Yalda's. If you're just wondering what a universe with a different set of physical laws might look like then this book is for you.
And if this isn't enough for you there's also a host of interesting characters along the way; a world threatened by extinction; a massive emergency space travel effort to save the world; sabotage; intrigue; and a trip into the fourth dimension. Oh yeah, and there really is a clockwork rocket!
If all you are looking for is some easy prose that you can skim through and then forget in a couple of weeks then this book is not for you. (Might I suggest something in the "fantasy" genre?) "Clockwork Rocket" is a book to read, ponder, and reread. You will never forget it. You will use its lessons every time you look around our own world and wonder "Why do things happen *this* way?"

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In Yalda's universe, light has no universal speed and its creation generates energy. On Yalda's world, plants make food by emitting their own light into the dark night sky. As a child, Yalda witnesses one of a series of strange meteors, the Hurtlers, that are entering the planetary system at an immense, unprecedented speed. It becomes apparent that her world is in imminent danger - and the task of dealing with the Hurtlers will require knowledge and technology far beyond anything her civilization has yet achieved! Only one solution seems tenable: if a spacecraft can be sent on a journey at sufficiently high speed, its trip will last many generations for those on board, but it will return after just a few years have passed at home. The travelers will have a chance to discover the science their planet urgently needs, and bring it back in time to avert disaster.

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Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1) Review

Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1)
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In the town of Hawkins Hollow Maryland, three men have been best friends forever. They come from different families but were all born on 7/7/77. In 1987 on their 10th birthday Cal, Gage and Fox set out through the woods to camp at the mysterious location of Pagan Stone. They unleash an evil entity that dates back to 1652 and when they finally leave the woods the next morning, everything has changed.
Fast forward twenty years where Quinn, an author who specializes in things that go bump in the night, comes to the town to research what happened 20 years ago and what happens to the town and its inhabitants on 7/7.
I am a little disappointed in this story. It's not bad; it's just not that great, either, I wasn't wowed. Blood Brothers is a little reminiscent of the Three Sister Island Trilogy. I like the story premise; I love paranormal fiction, but feel this book is missing something. It failed to hook me like all other Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb books normally do and I think it is because of the characters; I never got that attached to any of them.
We have three men bonded by birthdays and deep friendship and then three women, Quinn, Layla and Cybil come along for various reasons. You know eventually they are all going to "couple up" and normally by book one in her trilogies while couple number one is steaming up the pages you can feel the chemistry brewing between couples two and three. It wasn't brewing at all for couple two and it's barely simmering for couple three.
I just don't think she gave us a real strong sense of who everyone was and where they are all coming from. Part of the reason why I love Nora books is because of her ability to paint the characters so vividly; normally we know the characters physically, emotionally, personally. I didn't get that with this one. I barely have a physical description in my head for the 6 of them.
I don't want to be all negative as it is not a horrible book by any means. I like the plot and think with a little more development I will love the characters. I think Gage and Cybil are going to be fun. I am hopeful that the next two books The Hollow and Pagan Stone will be a little more gripping and engaging. All in all not her best work or start to a series, but it's still a good read.


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In the town of Hawkins Hollow, it's called The Seven. Every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month, strange things happen. It began when three young boys-Caleb, Fox, and Gage-went on a camping trip to The Pagan Stone. And twenty-one years later, it will end in a showdown between evil and the boys who have become men-and the women who love them.

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Southern Gods Review

Southern Gods
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I'll tell you something: When I pick up a first novel, no matter who the author is, I expect to encounter a fair share of hiccups throughout the book. It's a first novel, there a bound to be some rough spots. And that's a fine and natural thing. But here, with SOUTHERN GODS, the fist thing I took note of was that John Hornor Jacobs writes with an assured and compelling voice throughout.
The prologue of this novel is as fine a piece of horror literature as any I've had the pleasure of reading. And when Jacobs moves us into the Arkansas of 1951, you know he's got it down cold. Ramblin' John Hastur is an engrossing character, Bull Ingram is a likable guy, all the characters are rich and alive in the pages, and I'll take odds that once you start turning the pages of this novel you won't want to stop. There are some nods to H.P. Lovecraft, but it's all filtered through a solid Southern Gothic lens and reads like nothing else I've read before.
Even if horror isn't your thing, you pick up this book, you'll be hooked, because Jacobs can flat out write. A true pleasure to read, this a book that has earned itself a permanent place on my shelf.

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Recent World War II veteran Bull Ingram is working as muscle when a Memphis DJ hires him to find Ramblin' John Hastur. The mysterious blues man's dark, driving music - broadcast at ever-shifting frequencies by a phantom radio station - is said to make living men insane and dead men rise. Disturbed and enraged by the bootleg recording the DJ plays for him, Ingram follows Hastur's trail into the strange, uncivilized backwoods of Arkansas, where he hears rumors the musician has sold his soul to the Devil. But as Ingram closes in on Hastur and those who have crossed his path, he'll learn there are forces much more malevolent than the Devil and reckonings more painful than Hell... In a masterful debut of Lovecraftian horror and Southern gothic menace, John Hornor Jacobs reveals the fragility of free will, the dangerous power of sacrifice, and the insidious strength of blood.------"A sumptuous Southern Gothic thriller steeped in the distinct American mythologies of Cthulhu and the blues . . . Southern Gods beautifully probes the eerie, horror-infested underbelly of the South." - The Onion AV on Southern Gods"A bit of HP Lovecraft, a touch of William Hjortsberg, Southern Gods is an effective combination of cosmic horror and southern Gothictraditions. John Hornor Jacobs will turn heads with this debut." --Laird Barron, Shirley Jackson Award-winning author of The Imago Sequence and Occultation "In SOUTHERN GODS, John Hornor Jacobs turns the classic blues horrorstory of the devil at the crossroads into a true Lovecraftian nightmare. Steeped in Southern Gothic - and not for the faint of heart! - this is a bold and mighty debut written with breathtaking assurance. Powerful,horrific and beautiful, Southern Gods is a revelation and Jacobs is anauthor to shout about. Both deserve to go very far indeed." -- AdamChristopher, author of Empire State (Angry Robot, January 2012)"John Hornor Jacobs' fantastic debut novel, SOUTHERN GODS, is bothterrifying and beautiful. His eye for detail and compelling charactersmakes this one you'll remember long after you've finished it." - Stephen Blackmoore, author City of the Lost (DAW Books 2012) "Compulsively readable anddefinitely memorable, Southern Gods will ensure that you'll never hearradio interference quite the same way again." -- 5-time Bram StokerAward-winner Gary A. Braunbeck, author of Coffin County and Far Dark Fields "Great Yuggoth, what a great debut novel! With a sure hand forintriguing characters and deft plotting, John Hornor Jacobs establisheshimself as an author to heed. The prologue to this exceptional novel isone of the most terrifying things I have ever shivered through. It willkiss your paltry soul with fear. With superbly handled echoes ofChambers and Lovecraft, we encounter the mystery of that Tattered Man,Ramblin' John Hastur, who escorts us to the arcane secrets beyond thesun, beyond the stars, beyond that long black veil!" -W. H. Pugmire,author of The Tangled Muse"Hell-hound blues! Zombies! Lovecraft! Jacobs' engrossing gris-gris will take ya down to the crossroads and on then to the Deep Places where the hungry Old Ones sho gon git'cha!" -Joseph S. Pulver, Sr., author of SIN & ashes"John Hornor Jacobs. Remember the name, because if there's any justicein the universe, he's going to be a big deal one day soon. John's prose is by turns lyrical and tough-as-nails. He effortlessly conjures aneerie southern landscape that will surely haunt the dreams of anyone who reads Southern Gods." --Bryan Smith, Author of Darkened and House of Blood

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Blogs. Wikipedia. Second Life. and Beyond (Digital Formations) Review

Blogs. Wikipedia. Second Life. and Beyond (Digital Formations)
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I read this book as part of my graduate studies in communication at the University of Utah. I stumbled upon the author, but when I read this book, I knew I was on to something.
Bruns covers a lot of ground in this book, providing a good overview of the current state of online information production. The book focuses on collaborative information production and how this is disrupting "industrial" forms of content creation. Anyone familiar with Bruns' previous book, "Gatewatching," will find this book to be an excellent extension of that work.
Bruns' key discussion in "Blogs, Wikipedia, Second Life, and Beyond" is how the audience has moved from users to "produsers," a term he coined. Scholars and general observers alike will find his analysis helpful and well written. Most of the book is composed of insightful case studies. It's definitely worth a look.

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We—the users turned creators and distributors of content—are TIMEÂ's Person of theYear 2006, and AdAgeÂ's Advertising Agency of the Year 2007. We form a new Generation C. We have MySpace, YouTube, and OurMedia; we run social software, and drive the development of Web 2.0. But beyond the hype, whatÂ's really going on? In this groundbreaking exploration of our developing participatory online culture, Axel Bruns establishes the core principles which drive the rise of collaborative content creation in environments, from open source through blogs and Wikipedia to Second Life. This book shows that whatÂ's emerging here is no longer just a new form of content production, but a new process for the continuous creation and extension of knowledge and art by collaborative communities: produsage. The implications of the gradual shift from production to produsage are profound, and will affect the very core of our culture, economy, society, and democracy. Building on an analysis of key sites including Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube, and Second Life, it explores the intellectual, technological, and social implications of produsage, as well as the legal and economic models employed by produsage projects. In doing so, the book highlights the implications of produsage for our culture, democracy, and society.

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Mr. Maybe: A Novel Review

Mr. Maybe: A Novel
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It's been awhile since I've had this much fun reading a British Chick Lit novel. I was expecting a fairly exciting but predictable read regarding the dating and mating plights of a twentysomething singleton. However, Mr. Maybe surprised me with its genuine storyline, pleasant humor, and characters that you care about.
Mr. Maybe begins in a typical fashion -- single and searching Libby Mason has a great job in Public Relations (natch!), wonderful and supportive friends, and an overwhelming desire to find the man of her dreams, preferably with a very large bank account. So, yes, I was bumbling along, enjoying myself, reveling in the familiarity, when suddenly this book turned serious (but in a lighthearted, fun sort of way....)!
First there comes Nick -- gorgeous, sexy, and unemployed. Lots of great chemistry happening here, but since Nick is trying to devote more time on getting his novel published, the relationship hits a dead end. But then Ed happens. And while he isn't much to look at, he's loaded, and that's what's most important anyway -- right? Well, figuring this one out is one heck of a journey....
Mr. Maybe is great fun. Jane Green writes sincerely about Libby's emotions. I recognized many of Libby's thoughts and trials as aspects in my own past struggles with relationships and commitment. The style of prose is very upbeat and easy to read. Ms. Green has created an exceptional character in Libby, a true heroine of British Chick fame and one I will always feel a kinship with. Mr. Maybe is an explicit detail of one single woman's process of deciding what counts in life -- love or money.

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Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) Review

Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)
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It starts off in a The Hangover-like way when April is jolted awake by her police siren ringtone (her dad's) to find a guy (who is not her boyfriend) laying next to her, and a mess of a house (beer cans and chips everywhere) and two barely dressed guys (one wearing a tiara) sprawled and snoring on the couch. And her dad calls to say he's fifteen minutes away as a birthday surprise. Can you tell I was hooked from there? Because I could barely blink.
The writing was easy going and the characters were very likable and fun. I was slightly flinching throughout the whole book from how real everything seemed. I was not a huge fan of the time-hoping bits. April went back and forth between time-frames and it felt a bit disorienting from time to time, but it did fit with the plot quite well, I just felt transitions could have been slightly smoother and clearer. But it worked.
It was unbelievably fun to read. I would laugh out loud from time to time and slap my hand on my forehead on other times too. April made so many understandably stupid decisions, that you just want to reach out and shake her, while knowing you might have done that same thing. Sarah Mlynowski is a genius on realistic teenage portrayal.
Overall, a very sassy tale of things we shouldn't do that ironically make our lives that much enjoyable and cool. A book you should not miss if you love fun contemporary YA.

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2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.


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Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism Review

Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
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I cannot say enough good about this book or the Hahns! As a self described "generic Christian" for many years, I found this book amazingly readable and very fair. Scott has definitely done his research. Although this book was not intended to dispel all the myths about the Catholic faith, it did answer a lot of my questions. I read all the reviews and was pleased to note that there were very few criticisms. Those that disagreed by claiming that his conversion was "intellectual" and not spiritual or that "he never really understood the reformed faith" are missing the point. If you study the subject with an open mind and heart, you can't escape how much sense the Catholic faith makes! I think part of the reason that these critics are so nasty and defensive is the fact that they are not only having to defend their position against the Catholic church, but also against the other 25,000 different Protestant denominations. No wonder they feel insecure! On a personal note to ALL Christians: Keep and open mind and heart and study your faith objectively and know WHY you believe what you believe! Too many Christians, Catholic AND Protestants are just "going through the motions" and do not fully understand their faith. I recently made the decision to convert to the Catholic Church and it wasn't a decision made lightly. I am continuing to study so that I can not only grow stronger in my convictions, but to be able to defend my faith. I highly recommend this book to cradle Catholics as well as recent converts or anyone who has even a passing interest in the faith. God Bless you all!

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The well-known and very popular Catholic couple, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, have been constantly travelling and speaking all over North America for the last few years about their conversion to the Catholic Church. Now these two outstanding Catholic apologists tell in their own words about the incredible spiritual journey that led them to embrace Catholicism.Scott Hahn was a Presbyterian minister, the top student in his seminary class, a brilliant Scripture scholar, and militantly anti-Catholic ... until he reluctantly began to discover that his "enemy" had all the right answers. Kimberly, also a top-notch theology student in the seminary, is the daughter of a well-known Protestant minister, and went through a tremendous "dark night of the soul" after Scott converted to Catholicism. Their conversion story and love for the Church has captured the hearts and minds of thousands of lukewarm Catholics and brought them back into an active participation in the Church. They have also influenced countless conversions to Catholicism among their friends and others who have heard their powerful testimony. Written with simplicity, charity, grace and wit, the Hahns' deep love and knowledge of Christ and of Scripture is evident and contagious throughout their story. Their love of truth and of neighbor is equally evident, and their theological focus on the great importance of the family, both biological and spiritual, will be a source of inspiration for all readers.

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Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder Review

Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder
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Rachel Reiland's deep, unflinching account of her psychotherapeutic journey from borderline personality disorder and anorexia to the wholeness that lay ahead is an absolute must-read for those with BPD and their loved ones.
While Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and other Cognitive Behavioral Therapy programs (generally touted as the most effective means of treating BPD) approach BPD symptomatically, Reiland's first person observations of healing BPD from the inside out give amazing insight into the fundamental developmental rift that creates "borderline behavior" -- an unmistakable inner rift that those with BPD will resonate strongly with as they read Rachel's book.
As well written as it is honest, this book stands alone in the body of BPD literature in its earnest and encouraging presentation of recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder and the recovery process.
While most may not be able to afford the therapy that Rachel was privileged enough to undergo (three sessions per week with her psychiatrist for the first two years or so), the insights gained into the illness and the healing process will undoubtedly benefit those with BPD who are ready to recover.
**If you are under the care of a therapist, I would recommend asking or apprising your therapist before you begin reading, as some of the content may trigger emotional reactions.**
If you have a loved one suffering from BPD, this book will give you a glimpse of how deep BPD truly is, and how much hope there is if your loved one truly wants to be healed.
Visit www.bpdresourcecenter.org or www.bpdcentral.com for more information on Borderline Personality Disorder. Also recommended (and available here) are Linehan's Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder and Mason & Kreger's Stop Walking On Eggshells. For those with BPD and addiction issues, read The Angry Heart: Overcoming Borderline and Addictive Disorders by Santoro and Cohen. For Christians, Behind the Masks: Personality Disorders in the Church by Pate & Pate.

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Borderline Personality Disorder. "What the hell was that?" raged Rachel Reiland when she read the diagnosis written in her medical chart. As the 29-year old accountant, wife, and mother of young children would soon discover, it was the diagnosis that finally explained her explosive anger, manipulative behaviors, and self-destructive episodes- including bouts of anorexia, substance abuse, and sexual promiscuity. With astonishing honesty, Reiland's memoir reveals what mental illness feels like and looks like from the inside, and how healing from such a devastating disease is possible through intensive therapy and the support of loved ones.


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Be Still My Vampire Heart (Love at Stake, Book 3) Review

Be Still My Vampire Heart (Love at Stake, Book 3)
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A human vampire slayer is wreaking havoc among the Russian Malcontents. Ordinarily, the death of these vicious vampires would be a good thing but their coven master, the deadly but beautiful Katya Miniskaya, has stated that if another Malcontent is found dead, she will declare war on Roman Draganesti's vampires who subsist solely on bottled blood. Angus MacKay agrees to stop the slayer, a member of the CIA Stake-Out Team. He doesn't expect to lose his heart to Emma Wallace, who despises all vampires for killing her parents. Unfortunately, Katya has other plans in store for them all....
Each book in the Love at Stake series just gets better and better! The trademark humor of Kerrelyn Sparks is once again present in BE STILL MY VAMPIRE HEART. The splendid mixture of action and humor will keep readers thoroughly engrossed in this fascinating tale that delves deeper into the war between the vampires. Readers unfamiliar with the first two books will easily slip into the fascinating world created by Ms. Sparks although this reviewer highly recommends reading the previous books simply because this series is so enjoyable.
Angus MacKay is an adorably sexy Scottish male. After all, who couldn't love a hero who checks under his kilt after teleporting from one location to another to ensure that everything is still in place? Emma provides the perfect counterpart to this Scottish gentleman, as she is definitely a modern day woman who values her independence. Emma's struggle over the concept that not all vampires are evil is a difficult one as she has an instant attraction for Angus.
Kerrelyn Sparks continues to demonstrate her ingenuity with each installment of the Love at Stake series. BE STILL MY VAMPIRE HEART is a must buy for vampire lovers, as it is sure to satisfy. Kerrelyn Sparks is without a doubt the master of the humorous vampire tale!
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

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If it was still beating. Angus MacKay has been undead for almost five hundred years and it's not often something, or someone, surprises him. Until Emma Wallace. The sight of this luscious agent from the CIA's elite Stake-Out team was enough to stop Angus in his tracks. But then he discovers that she's a vampire slayer, intent on killing the "monsters" who killed her parents. And it's Angus's job to stop her.

The only good vampire is a dead vampire. It's been Emma's motto since she committed her life to the destruction of these things. Now Angus MacKay wants to convince her differently.

Sure, he's a sexy Highland warrior who seems to have stepped off the cover of a romance novel, complete with brogue, kilt, and sword, but he's also one of them. And it's her job to kill him.

The war is on, but will it end in the destruction of one or both of them . . . or in total surrender to a passion for the ages?


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Sirensong: A Faeriewalker Novel Review

Sirensong: A Faeriewalker Novel
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"Sirensong" was a fitting end to this series and a good relief after the second book in the series, "Shadowspell". Black has some very unique and interesting ideas that I wish were executed more eloquently. Even though the voice in this novel was significantly better than it's previous there were still lines such as, "She looked at my hand like it was a dog turd and she didn't want to touch it." (Page 280) That line literally made me burst into laugher.
Finally, Black takes us into Faerie! Dana has been summoned to appear before the queen of the Seelie court and she takes a small entourage with her, which is pretty much everyone she knows in Avalon save her alcoholic mother. I was ecstatic to learn about Faerie and I don't feel like Black disappointed at all in her delivery of this fictional realm. The Green lady was one of my favorite and creative creatures of Faerie.
I feel as if the sexual themes in this series have not been very consistent. In the first novel we have reference to sex. Then, jump to the second novel where you have the bargaining of giving up virginity, near rape, and erect nipples. Finally, in the third novel there are all these build ups that lead no where because in the end *spoiler* we find out that Dana isn't ready to have sex. Groan! *End Spoiler Alert*
The Erlking is probably one of my favorite characters. How hot and sexy is that guy? I'm not sure I have thought of a character in a book before as hot and sexy but the Erlking definitely fits that description. I thought Ethan had great character development over the course of the three books even though this only spans like two months. It is sort of unbelievable that one character can change so much is such a short period of time.
I really wish Black would give her readers more credit and not stop to explain every minute detail. Yes, we get it the Fae are beautiful and yes we get it your mother is an alcoholic. And is it too much to ask to have a pretty protagonist? Does any one really believe that a girl who wears khaki pants and a button up to a ball would attract the attention from Keane, Ethan, AND the Erlking? No one even dresses like that any more!

I wish she would elevate her writing style and slightly alter her voice but oh well....the book really is what it is. Jenna Black had a story to tell and I sure found it interesting enough. Despite the turd remarks and comments to "get the hell out of Dodge" the book was a pretty solid success I would say.
I was even moved to tears once as Dana dealt with the struggles of her mother. I liked how nothing really resolved with Dana's mother, it was sad but realistic. Other than that, I wish Black had given us a better ending not one that seemed so neatly tied up. Is it too much to ask for a little romance?
Overall, once again I think the books are appropriate for older teens and is a fun and interesting read. There is only so much I expected out of this novel, after all I did read the first two and so I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. The book is super fast so even if it is a waste of time it doesn't waste much at least.


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When Dana is invited to Faerie to be officially presented at the Seelie Court, it's no easy decision. After all, everyone knows Titania, the Seelie Queen, wants her dead. But Titania claims not to be the one behind the death threats; and her son, Prince Henry, makes the decision a whole lot easier when he suggests Dana might be arrested for (supposedly) conspiring with her aunt Grace to usurp the Seelie throne. So she and her father better do as they're told . . . The journey through Faerie is long—and treacherous. Dana thought it would be a good idea to have friends along, but her sort-of-boyfriend, Ethan, and her bodyguard's son, Keane, just can't seem to get along, and Kimber's crush on Keane isn't making things any easier. When a violent attack separates Dana from their caravan, the sexy Erlking saves her just in the nick of time . . . and makes it clear that he hasn't given up on making her his own. Arriving at Titania's beautiful palace should be a relief. But Dana is soon implicated in an assassination attempt against Titania's granddaughter, and is suddenly a fugitive, forced to leave her father behind as she and her friends flee for their lives. Will she be able to prove her innocence before the forces of the Seelie Court—or, worse, the Erlking—catch up with her? And will she save her father before he pays the ultimate price in her stead?

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The 7: Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life Review

The 7: Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life
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Bought for Kindle PC and could not quit reading it. I thank God Glenn is so transparent and Keith is able to define each element with such clarity. The combination spoke to my soul and freed myself from the sins of my past. It's good to know I'm not alone. I feel one step closer - and eager to move on and live life to my potential for myself, my family, my friends and my God. Thank you Glenn & Keith.

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Radio and television host Glenn Beck has experienced the rollercoaster of life like few others. From the suicide of his mother when he was just thirteen, to his eventual alcoholism, depression, divorce, unemployment, and health scares—Glenn has weathered life's darkest storms.
Any one of those struggles could've ruined him, yet Glenn was able to keep moving forward. He saw past the darkness into the light; past his grief and addictions and into what his life could be.

You can do it too.

The process of finding happiness through personal redemption was not easy, but it left Glenn with a blueprint for how to confront future adversity. Glenn is living proof that these steps—he calls them "wonders"—don't just work on paper. They helped transform his life and can they can help to transform yours as well.

The 7 Wonders:

Glenn Beck and Dr. Keith Ablow—two of the most popular and influential personalities in American media today—have joined forces to present a powerful guide to personal transformation and fulfillment that is as unique as their own unlikely partnership. They are called the "7 Wonders" and they can be used by anyone who has made the decision that they are ready to change their life.

After the television talk show host and the bestselling psychiatrist struck up a fast friendship they realized that their experiences with life's struggles were complementary. What Keith had studied, Glenn had lived. What Keith had counseled patients on for years, Glenn had suffered through for decades.

The deeply personal insights they shared brought them to realize that their life stories had seven key principles in common; seven wonders that seemed to be essential ingredients for anyone attempting to transform their life.

Where does the courage to persevere come from when everything seems hopeless? Why is it nearly impossible to succeed without faith? How much do family and friendships matter in our journey? How do we break down our walls and reveal our inner truths? What does having compassion really mean? How do you tell real friends apart from those who are holding you back? If there's no one to blame for my past, what do you do with your anger and resentment?

These kinds of questions are the starting point toward fundamentally changing how you view past damaging relationships, toward breaking the debilitating grip of addiction and depression, toward injecting life with new meaning and purpose and toward helping you embark on a new journey based on hope, strength, and personal empowerment.

As you unwrap each of the seven wonders for yourself, you'll discover exactly what Glenn Beck found as he transformed his own life from darkness to light, from dead ends to endless possibilities, from addiction to freedom: it doesn't take a superhero to find the strength to change—it just takes the courage to take the first step.

This book, which was only possible by combining together decades of personal struggle with world-class professional experience, can be that first step for you.

The 7 Wonders grows out of a unique friendship that we've developed over the last five-years. It is unique because it brought together a psychiatrist who naturally burrows toward the truth, and a recovering addict who spent decades running from it.

As we spent more time together we began to let our guards down. Over time we reached a level of honesty with each other that is rare. As a result, we learned that the principles that have guided the well-honed healing techniques of one of us are precisely the same principles that instinctively guided the other to replace nearly unbearable pain with genuine happiness.

We believe that it was God's plan for us to meet; that it was God's plan for us to speak so openly with one another; and it was God's plan that we share with you the seven wonders we discovered together.

We also firmly believe that it was God's plan that this book now finds you at this exact moment in your life.

—Glenn Beck & Dr. Keith Ablow


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Just the Sexiest Man Alive (Berkley Sensation) Review

Just the Sexiest Man Alive (Berkley Sensation)
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I've been a little leery of reading debut authors lately after one too many bad experiences, so I admit I did hesitate in picking up this book (even though I loved the cover and it kept drawing me back to it). Definitely a mistake on my part. Just the Sexiest Man Alive is one of the best debut novels I've read in a very long time! As a fan of virtually every sub-genre in romance, I found it surprisingly refreshing to have a light-hearted, sweet, romantic storyline without a vampire or serial killer in sight. Contemporary romance seems to be on a downward shift lately and authors are more frequently jumping onto the paranormal bandwagon (which I am a fan of, but every now and then you just want to pick up a nice boy-meets-girl story without a lot of subplots and angst involved).
This book follows a somewhat simple premise, but puts a unique spin on it. Yes, boy-meets-girl, boy-ticks-off-girl, hate at first sight ensues, but the difference being that girl is a very successful lawyer and boy is "The Sexiest Man Alive" (three times over) and the biggest name in Hollywood. An unbelievable plot told in a very believable way. When Taylor Donovan finds out she is supposed to "coach" Hollywood playboy Jason Andrews for his new upcoming legal thriller that he's scheduled to film, she's initially star struck. But after a no-show (twice) on his part, she's not impressed when he saunters into the courtroom two days late and a dollar short.
These two characters start their first scene off with a bang and the witty banter (especially during their first meeting) kept me turning the pages. There is sexual tension in nearly every scene - although actual consummation of said tension is very limited. I finished it in less than a day and actually found it hard to put down.
If you're looking for a light contemporary romance, this is definitely a book I would recommend. If her next book is as good as this one, I've found a new autobuy author!

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Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes: Unforgettable Experiments That Make Science Fun (Steve Spangler Science) Review

Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes: Unforgettable Experiments That Make Science Fun (Steve Spangler Science)
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Dear parents and teachers: Steve Spangler's new book "Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes" is the best book of science experiments and information I've ever seen, and as an educator with over twenty years' experience, I've seen my share. I believe that the fact that Mr. Spangler was himself a classroom teacher for several years gives him an insight that is missing in other books of this type; he KNOWS how it is, with kids and classrooms and limited time and resources.
Shawn Campbell's pictures make this book even more spectacularly awesome. Just to look at the colorful examples and illustrations will make anyone of any age want to try these experiments himself/herself.
Steve Spangler makes sure we will learn the actual science behind each of his experiments, too. This book isn't just about having fun, blowing things up, and making messes, although those things certainly add to the awesomeness. Yes, you and your kids will have fun, blow things up, and make messes, but you will also understand why. Mr. Spangler is a master teacher who knows how to communicate his love of science and kids, and his audiences and readers sense it and respond accordingly, with that same enthusiasm.
"Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes" is the kind of book that belongs on every classroom's library shelf and every kid's bedroom bookcase. However, I seriously doubt that the book will stay on the shelf for long; once word gets out, every kid in the building will want to get his/her hands on it and start experimenting. It might even be a good idea to get a second copy to keep in the kitchen; many of the experiments use simple household ingredients that are found in any pantry.
My liking for and enthusiasm about this book are intense. It's absolutely fantastic!


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Birds Without Wings Review

Birds Without Wings
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BIRDS WITHOUT WINGS is a rare specimen in the genre of historical novels: a success. It is a compelling, readable, and historically credible tale of love and tragedy at the time of the Ottoman collapse in Turkey. Told from multiple points of view, with chapters narrated by the diverse cast of characters themselves and biographical segments on the career of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, this novel tells the story of how modern secular Turkey was forged out of the crucible of the Balkan Wars, World War I and the Greek War of Independence. The narrators are the ordinary men and women -- Christian and Muslim, Greek and Turk -- of a small village near Telmessos (now Fethiye) in southwestern Turkey. The stories they tell of war, loss and survival are fully human and utterly heartrending. I will not soon forget de Bernieres' sorrowful depiction of the cross-deportations of Greeks and Turks from lands they had inhabited for centuries. Neither will I forget the dignity and romance of characters like the aga Rustem Bey, his mistress Leyla Hanim and the village imam Abdulhamid Hodja.
If you're looking for old-fashioned storytelling with vibrant, lifelike characters who inhabit an artfully recreated historical world, I highly recommend Louis de Bernieres' BIRDS WITHOUT WINGS.


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Patient Zero: A Joe Ledger Novel Review

Patient Zero: A Joe Ledger Novel
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Congratulations, Jonathan Maberry. You have managed to combine two of my biggest fears - the fear of unchecked biological warfare and the fear that my brains will be sucked out by zombies.
Hardened, world weary Detective Joe Ledger has seen it all in the course of his job. He knows the very worst that human beings can do to each other. Then he's not-so-willingly introduced to the Department of Military Sciences (DMS) and its mysterious, powerful leader, Mr. Church, and he finally learns that he hasn't scratched the surface of the worst that people can do. Turns out that religious fanaticism and hatred of the United States have met up with big-money corporate interests, and *voila* the Sword of the Faithful is born - zombie weapons unleashed by terrorists upon the U.S. to purge the world of infidels.
Ledger is all man. He's tough. He has an eye for the ladies and a deep abiding love for his country. He knows weapons and military strategy, and he's a natural born leader. He's chilled to the bone by this new, hellish weapon, but he and his team push forward to try to save the country before this plague spreads to the world.
If you like explosions, fighting, tough-guy talk and scary, brain-munching zombies, you'll love this book. I was riveted from page 1, and I raced to get to the last word. The zombies are strong and hungry. The good guys are the best, and the bad guys are the worst. There is nail-biting action at every turn, and a surprising amount of humor thrown in. This is one of the best zombie novels I've read in a very long time.
Bring on the sequel! I can't wait to see what Ledger gets himself into the next time.

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When you have to kill the same terrorist twice in one week there's either something wrong with your world or something wrong with your skills... and there's nothing wrong with Joe Ledger's skills. And that's both a good, and a bad thing. It's good because he's a Baltimore detective that has just been secretly recruited by the government to lead a new taskforce created to deal with the problems that Homeland Security can't handle. This rapid response group is called the Department of Military Sciences or the DMS for short. It's bad because his first mission is to help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bio-weapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies. The fate of the world hangs in the balance....

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The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands and Teeth, Book 3) Review

The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest of Hands and Teeth, Book 3)
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Every now and then you might get a bit sad when you come to the end of a series that you loved so much, this is how I felt after reading The Dark and Hollow Places. I fell in love with this series unintentionally, I started reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth thanks to the high recommendations from book friends. Of course at the time they didn't know that I had a huge phobia about anything zombie related and well by reading the synopsis I wasn't aware that it would be about zombies because they are called the Unconsecrated. After reading a few chapters and even after figuring out that there were zombies in the book I couldn't force myself to give it up, it was too late for me, I was invested in these characters because this series was about so much more than just the creepy flesh eating undead, it was about survival, hope and love and I was in it for good.
In the Dark and Hollow Places we get taken to the Dark City, and see the story unfold through the eyes of Annah, the other twin. At first I was a bit sad that we wouldn't get to see it from Gabry's point of view, I wanted to know more about her and what happened after the end of The Dead Tossed Waves but I quickly got over that once I got to know Annah and her story. I really admired Annah for her courage and will to live, I mean this girl spends most of her time and spent pretty much years on her own waiting for Elias and she's still not willing to give up. I would've been freaking out in some of these scenes in the book and locked myself in a closet shaking with fear waiting for death, yeah, I'm a wuss. Not Annah, she was willing to fight her way to survive and sacrifice herself for her loved ones if she had to, the fact that she never gives up throughout the whole book is why I admire her so much.
In The Dark and Hollow Places Gabry, Annah, Elias and Catcher come together and we get to find out what happened to Catcher and Gabry after the end of The Dead Tossed Waves and also to Elias. In this one they struggle for survival through most of the story but not only against the unconsecrated but also against the people in charge of the city that are suppose to be protecting them but have become corrupted and are pretty much worst than the zombies.
The Dark and Hollow Places gives us a bit more of a closer look at what the world may have seemed like after the return, it is chaotic through most of it. We get a huge amount of up close encounters with the unconsecrated, and it was so much creepier that I got goosebumps and was at the edge of my seat through most of the story. It was so thrilling and intense that I was chewing my nails through most of this novel without even realizing it. I loved every minute of it, even if I couldn't read it at night and I would gladly take three more of these novels. I'm not ready to say goodbye to it yet, I loved Catcher and Annah and I want more.

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There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on hersister's face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Handsand Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life.But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left herfor the Recruiters.Annah's world stopped that day and she's been waiting for him tocome home ever since. Without him, her life doesn't feel much differentfrom that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then shemeets Catcher and everything feels alive again.Except, Catcher has his own secrets -- dark, terrifying truths thatlink him to a past Annah's longed to forget, and to a future too deadlyto consider. And now it's up to Annah -- can she continue to live in aworld drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escapefrom the Return's destruction?

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