The Accidental Vampire (Argeneau Vampires, Book 7) Review

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(More customer reviews)Five years ago sixty-something Elvi, on a what was supposed to be a sun and fun filled vacation in Mexico, suddenly found herself turned into a vampire. With no maker hanging around to show her the immortal ropes Elvi turned to the movie, Bram Stoker's Dracula, to learn how to be a successful creature of the night. So for the last five years Elvi has avoided garlic and crosses, and worn only black. Elvi knows she shouldn't be complaining - she's immortal while her lifelong friends are all getting up in years- but Elvi is not looking forward to an eternity of sleeping in a dirt-filled coffin. Then again that may not be a problem.
After having lost his wife to vampire hunters centuries ago, Victor Argeneau has dedicated his life to eliminating rogue vampires as an enforcer for the vampire council of North America, so that no other immortal family will have to suffer the same crushing loss. When Elvi's friends place a personal ad seeking a male vampire to keep her company when they pass on, Victor answers the ad to investigate whether a real vampire or a just a vamp-wanna-be is responsible. Vamp law mandates keeping a low profile and the penalty for attracting human attention is death. Upon arriving in Elvi's small town for his "date," Victor is horrified to discover that the whole town knows about Elvi. After meeting Elvi, Victor finds himself torn between duty and the instant overwhelming attraction he feels for her. But while Victor is struggling to figure out how to avoid having to bring the woman who just may be his second chance at happiness in to face vampire justice, it looks like the ad may have attracted just the type of attention the council fears -- a vampire hunter and Elvi is the target.
Deviating a bit from Sand's usual formula, there was so much of Accidental Vampire that was fun and original. From Elvi's unusual turning, to the great bunch of supporting characters, including a couple that get romances of their own. But most of all I loved that Elvi wasn't the typical twenty year old vamp romance heroine. Being older, Elvi has had a lot of life experiences to give her depth. Also Elvi was a fun character with her single minded enthusiasm, neurotic charm and goofy vampire rules. Victor of course was incredibly hunky, but the hope that he will again have someone to relieve the unrelenting loneliness of his immortal existence makes him very vulnerable. While he sure of what he feels for Elvi, he's not the only sexy immortal to answer Elvi's ad. Even if Elvi chooses him, Victor still has good reason to fear he may lose her -- someone's trying to kill her and there's still the potential council death sentence hanging over her head. The only negative in the book for fans is a positive for readers new to Sands' vampire mythos, in order to make sure that her books are stand-alone reads, Sands explains in every book the whole reason why the immortals are immortal, need blood and can't go out in the sun. This is a very minor nit and it is easy to skip over. So, if it means more fans for Sands so that she keeps selling books and keeps writing more, I'm not complaining.
I just loved this book, it was the best of the Argeneau series so far and here's more good news for new and existing fans - Vampire Interrupted is just the first of three new Argeneau books to be released over the next three months. Look for Vampires Are Forever (Argeneau Vampires, Book 8), Thomas' story, in January and Vampire, Interrupted (Argeneau Vampires, Book 9), Marguerite's story, in February.
The Argeneau Vampire Series Contempory Vampire Romances by Lynsay Sands:
A Quick Bite ( Book 1)
Love Bites (Argeneau Vampires, Book 2)
Single White Vampire (Argeneau Vampires, Book 3)
Tall, Dark & Hungry (Argeneau Vampires, Book 4)
A Bite to Remember (Argeneau Vampires, Book 5)
Bite Me If You Can (Argeneau Vampires, Book 6)
And if you like your vampires in a kilt in a historical setting, try Sand's Highlander Vampire series -- these are collaborations with Hannah Howell:
My Immortal Highlander
The Eternal Highlander
Highland Thirst


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Ever since an accident turned her into a knockout vamp, Elvi Black's been catching her z's in a coffin, staying out of the sun, and giving up garlic. She knows there's more to being undead than what she saw in Dracula, but she can't very well ask her mortal friends about proper biting etiquette. But when her neighbors placed a personal ad for her in the local paper, she never imagined she'd meet Victor Argeneau, a vampire who could have his pick of any woman-dead or alive.

Rich, powerful, and drop-dead gorgeous, Victor's the perfect man for a novice neck-biter like Elvi. He's willing to teach her everything he knows, but he'll have to do it fast. Someone's out to put a stake through her new vamp life, and only Victor can keep her safe-and satisfied-for all eternity.

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Warm Bodies: A Novel Review

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(More customer reviews)WARM BODIES is a witty, original, beautiful, unexpected and entertaining book with tremendous heart, about a Zombie, "R" in a ruined world, who falls in love with Julie, a living girl who is one of the few remaining people, and the daughter of a harsh security minded General in charge of the city where most of the living reside. R meets Julie when he eats the brain of her long time boyfriend Perry, and appropriates his memories of this wonderful girl. In the middle of the feed, R sees her in the room, and manages to keep himself and the other zombies from attacking her and then brings her back to the airport where they live. The story has so many things going for it, it's hard to know where to begin. The character of R, a kind of Edward Scissorhands like saintly child, who begins to grow and learn from his newfound relationship with Julie. And Julie is pretty terrific too, assertive, tough but honest about what she needs and wants. I could go on and on about the intricacies and nuances of the novel, but I wouldnt want to ruin anyone's read of this beautiful book. It is really worth the time to get to know these characters.

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R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, noidentity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and stragely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world. Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead, and the blurry line in between.

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Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been reading Matt's blog since a couple of months after Madeline's birth and Liz's death. He and I have chatted via email briefly, as I'm also the dad of a 32-week preemie girl, born a couple of years before Maddy. Thankfully, I have no experience with what it's like to be a widowed, single father.
Everything that's funny, heartbreaking, emotionally raw and wonderful about Matt's blog is also here in this book. Part I of the book goes into a fair amount of detail concerning his & Liz's courtship and marriage, their careers, and their decision to start a family. I read with trepidation as Maddy was born, and reveled in Matt's joy for the 27 hours before his world came crashing down the next day. The book goes into greater detail (though not gory) about the circumstances around Liz's death, and that was a very hard chapter to read. I can't imagine what it would be like for Liz's family and friends to read it, and it's almost unfathomable to me how Matt could write it.
Parts II and III deal with the remainder of the first year, up to Maddy's first birthday and the first anniversary of Liz's death, with a short epilogue written a couple of years later.
Matt's rather "salty" language as found in his blog is echoed here in the book as well, and I was very pleased to see that. If his editors/publishers had forced him to tone down the profanity, the book wouldn't have been in his "voice."
A must read for any parent, and for anyone who's ever been in love.

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Matt and Liz Logelin were high school sweethearts. After years of long-distance dating, the pair finally settled together in Los Angeles, and they had it all: a perfect marriage, a gorgeous new home, and a baby girl on the way. Liz's pregnancy was rocky, but they welcomed Madeline, beautiful and healthy, into the world on March 24, 2008. Just twenty-seven hours later, Liz suffered a pulmonary embolism and died instantly, without ever holding the daughter whose arrival she had so eagerly awaited. Though confronted with devastating grief and the responsibilities of a new and single father, Matt did not surrender to devastation; he chose to keep moving forward-- to make a life for Maddy. In this memoir, Matt shares bittersweet and often humorous anecdotes of his courtship and marriage to Liz; of relying on his newborn daughter for the support that she unknowingly provided; and of the extraordinary online community of strangers who have become his friends. In honoring Liz's legacy, heartache has become solace.

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17 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)"Imagine, waking up tomorrow, all music has disappeared."
I read this over a year ago and just like all of the other books I've read by the author, I couldn't put it down. Finished it in 2 or 3 days. It probably would have been better to have read it slower because it made me think. But I couldn't stop reading. The same thing happened with "The Manual", "Wild Highway", "45" and I'm sure the new one that's coming out in April too. It doesn't matter what it's about. It's impossible to explain this multi-dimensional thinking anyways. All that matters is that it's a good book and your life will be better having read it.
The Tunnel EP

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In 17, Drummond analyzes the past, present, and possible future of music and the ways in which we hear and relate to it. He references his own contributions to the canon of popular music, and he provides fascinating insider portraits of the industry and its protagonists. But above all, he questions our ideas of music and our attitude to sound, introducing us throughout this provocative and superbly written book to his current work, The17.

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Elliot and the Goblin War (Underworld Chronicles) Review

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(More customer reviews)I saw this book on the table on a quiet weekend morning. The artwork caught my attention. The first chapter captivated me. This may be a children's book, but the comedic commentary left me laughing out loud. Even though I am an attorney, it was most delightful to escape into the world of Brownies and Goblins. Recommended for readers of all ages! No parent can read this to a child without interrupting the story with your own laughter. You will want to share this with all of your children and their friends - and your own. A delightful creation!!!

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How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country's Top Students Review

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(More customer reviews)I wish I'd had this book in college. There seem to be a million breezy, humorous books about college life on the shelves, but they're all about cooking, cleaning, reducing stress and buying futons. This one is better than most at breezy humor, but it gets five stars because it's about COLLEGE: the core tasks of getting good grades, an employable resume, and the critical thinking skills necessary for a richer appreciation of life. My little brother is starting Harvard next year, and I've bought him a copy. Hard to believe the college-survival genre has been around so long and this book is just being published now.

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The only guide to getting ahead once you've gotten in—proven strategies for making the most of your college years, based on winning secrets from the country's most successful studentsWhat does it take to be a standout student? How can you make the most of your college years—graduate with honors, choose exciting activities, build a head-turning resume, and gain access to the best post-college opportunities? Based on interviews with star students at universities nationwide, from Harvard to the University of Arizona, How to Win at College presents seventy-five simple rules that will rocket you to the top of the class. These college-tested—and often surprising—strategies include:• Don't do all your reading• Drop classes every term• Become a club president• Care about your grades, Ignore your GPA• Never pull an all-nighter• Take three days to write a paper• Always be working on a "grand project"• Do one thing better than anyone else you knowProving that success has little to do with being a genius workaholic, and everything to do with playing the game, How to Win at College is the must-have guide for making the most of these four important years—and getting an edge on life after graduation.

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The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared Review

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(More customer reviews)Alice Ozma's memoir, The Reading Promise, had my attention from just the brief snyopis I happened upon months ago. Alice's father, an elementary school librarian (which helps explain how the reading promise was even possible) and Alice decide to challenge themselves to read each night for 100 consecutive days. Once the hundred day challenge is complete, Alice and her dad decide to take it a step further and try to read for 1,000 nights without a break. And, upon completing that challenge, the two continue The Streak (as it is called) until Alice leaves for college nine years later.
While I wish that more of this book would have been about the books that were read, it is really more a memoir of Alice's childhood and a tribute to reading aloud and its importance. Alice's father, Jim Brozina, writes a forward for his daughter full bits I flagged to read and re-read later.
I do read to my daughters each night, yet I will admit that I have skipped some nights because it is too late when we get home from something, or someone is sick, or (and this I feel bad about) we have had some behavior issues and taking bedtime reading away really hits 'em where it hurts. I have also not practiced my reading ahead of time which makes me feel like a slacker compared to Brozina who read ahead each night before reading aloud to Alice.
While this book is a memoir, I would also consider it a tribute to Jim Brozina and his dedication to his daughter. Sadly, Brozina retired before he was ready when the schools he served chose to believe that reading aloud to children was unimportant and unnecesary. Instead of igniting a passion in children for reading, Brozina was supposed to teach computers, and as this book was published, Brozina is now looking to being elected to the school board. To carry on his love of reading aloud, Brozina now visits the elderly in nursing homes and reads aloud to his captive audience.
At book's end there is a list of many of the books that were read aloud during The Streak. Ozma admits not having kept records of what was being read, so it is possible that some titles were inadvertantly omitted. I enjoyed looking through the list and getting a few ideas for my own nightly read alouds. While I need to update my list, I did start a notebook for my girls chronicling the books we read aloud together. My mother, when I told her this, didn't understand the significance of this, yet perhaps someday this list will lead to a memoir about how reading aloud impacted our family.
I loved this book, and even more than that, I loved Jim Brozina, Alice's dad, for his love of reading and his ability to instill this same passion in his own child.


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Avatar: The Last Airbender The Lost Adventures (Avatar: The Last Airbender (Dark Horse)) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like any fan of the original series, I was crest fallen after the finale, having been left to wonder at what would become of our heroes. (Naturally, I was disgusted at Shyamalan's lack luster film that turned the first season into a Twilight-esque abomination!) This comic was a true piece of genius, bringing the apparently cannon comics printed by Nickelodeon Magazine - done in collaboration with the show's own talent - back to print and all together for the first time. These are the untold stories of the Avatar Universe, filled to the brim with the spirit and style of the show. As a fan from the very beginning, I was rapt in reading these stories - adventures with the Gaang I never got to embark on in the show's running. This comic is an overall refreshing and fun experience that every true Avatard should experience. My hat goes off to the artists and I wish them luck with the NEW ATLA GRAPHIC NOVEL SERIES coming next year!

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One of America's hottest shows returns! For three years, millions of eager fans tuned in each week to watch Nickelodeon's hit animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Ever since, fans have been hungry for more - and now their wait is finally over!This volume collects the long-out-of-print, fan-favorite comics previously published in Nickelodeon Magazine and with the Airbender DVDs, plus over 70 brand-new comics pages. That's over 26 stories set in Airbender continuity, by a host of top-notch talent, many of whom worked on the original animated series itself.

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Introduction to International Legal English Teacher's Book: A Course for Classroom or Self-Study Use Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're teaching the Introduction to International Legal English and don't have a copy of the teacher's book, I highly recommend you get one. It is well written for teachers who may not have a thorough working knowledge of legal terminology and as such is an invaluble resource for teachers.

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The Teacher's Book is an essential companion for any teacher wishing to use Introduction to International Legal English in the classroom. It offers invaluable background information about the law topics discussed, giving teachers the confidence to explore these topics with their students. It guides the teacher through the exercises in the book and suggests optional consolidation activities along the way. The Teacher's Book also includes 20 extra photocopiable activities and lots of ideas for discussion and role-play, which add a whole new communicative dimension to the course.

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Meditations in an Emergency Review

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(More customer reviews)If you wondered what Don Draper was reading and why he got that far away look in his eye then your curiosity is much like mine. I had to know. Meditations In An Emergency is that book. Frank O'Hara was the voice that spoke to the madness, the chaos, and the contradictions in the cultural transition between 50's and 60's America. He was one of the best poets of the twentieth century and along with writers like Denise Levertov, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Creeley, and Gary Snyder, a crucial contributor to what Donald Allen termed the New American Poetry.
O'Hara's poetry is vital, raw, gritty, and extremely moving.
And Don Draper is thinking:
Now I am quietly waiting for
the castastrophe of my personality
to seem beautiful again,
and interesting, and modern.
The country is grey and
brown and white in trees,
snows and skies of laughter
always diminishing, less funny
not just darker, not just grey.
It may be the coldest day of
the year, what does he think of
that? I mean, what do I? And if I do,
perhaps I am myself again.

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Frank O'Hara was one of the great poets of the twentieth century and, along with such widely acclaimed writers as Denise Levertov, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Creeley, and Gary Snyder, a crucial contributor to what Donald Allen termed the New American Poetry, "which, by its vitality alone, became the dominant force in the American poetic tradition."Frank O'Hara was born in Baltimore in 1926 and grew up in New England; from 1951 he lived and worked in New York, both for Art News and for the Museum of Modern Art, where he was an associate curator. O'Hara's untimely death in 1966 at the age of forty was, in the words of fellow poet John Ashbery, "the biggest secret loss to American poetry since John Wheelwright was killed." This collection is a reissue of a volume first published by Grove Press in 1957, and it demonstrates beautifully the flawless rhythm underlying O'Hara's conviction that to write poetry, indeed to live, "you just go on your nerve."

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The Monk and the Riddle : The Education of a Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Review

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(More customer reviews)I really enjoyed this book. I've been recommending it to friends and colleagues, but I've had a real struggle trying to summarize what it's about. Regardless, a big part of my enthusiasm is that Komisar has given a voice to so many of my core beliefs about my own career.
So, here's my attempt at summarizing the book. It's a story about a business plan being pitched by a budding entrepeneur that Komisar is reviewing for a VC friend. The (factitious...I presume) story includes Komisar's personal perspectives about how one's career interacts with one's life and passions, how his own career, life, and passions have evolved together, and how VC's look at business plans / ideas. The story is well written and not the typical Harvard Business School Press book, in that all of the wisdom and content are presented neatly within a story.
If you need more from your job than a wage, you will likely find some pearls of wisdom in this story. If you like what you read here, check out Komisar's article in the March/April '00 HBR. If you're interested in some insight into how VC's look at business ideas, there is certainly plenty of information within this story for you too.
Finally, about the five stars, the book is absolutely deserving of them. This story hit me right between the eyes in so many ways, was so elegantly presented, and so refreshing, that I highly recommend it.

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Athena the Brain (Goddess Girls) Review

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(More customer reviews)Athena The Brain is an adorable light take on Greek mythology. Athena has grown up as an orphan on Earth, living with her friend's family. She's always been different - smarter, better. Now she knows why - she's the daughter of Zeus! She is summoned to attend Mount Olympus Academy with all the other goddessgirls, godboys, and a few errant mortals.
Athena's story is relatable to any girl who has started a new school. She's scared and excited. Even though she's brilliant, Hero-ology, Beast-ology and other classes are new to her. Plus, there's all these new people. Nice girls like Aphrodite, handsome boys like Poseidon, strange girls like Pandora, and mean girls like Medusa. Plus Zeus, her dad, can be just as difficult as he can be charming.
This was such a fun book. It takes all the elements of Greek mythology that we all learn in school and turns it into a cute, fluffy story. I haven't studied Greek mythology since 6th grade and never really liked it that much, but I had no trouble keeping up with the characters and the stories. I especially loved Pandora, whose incessant curiosity made her a nosy yet loveable character.
I don't have any major problems with this book. It's meant for fun (and enjoyable education), so it's not exactly literary quality. But that doesn't make the book any less worthy. The only thing I wish had been done differently was a better depiction of Athena's life prior to going to Mount Olympus Academy. The beginning threw her into the plot too quickly. But such a preface probably would have just added unnecessary pages and plot set-up, so I'm not too troubled.
The story very loosely follows Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, two epic poems that I really liked in high school. The kids were playing with mortals in hero-ology and inadvertently create a huge conflict. It was fun to see how every little detail connected to Greek history and mythology. Learn the "real" idea behind the Trojan horse.
The first Goddess Girl is a quick, easy, light read. It's a must read for lovers of Greek mythology, but even people who have no particular affinity for it will find something to enjoy. I think it would be ideal as a co-read for students learning mythology in school.
Rating: 4 / 5


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The Raven Prince Review

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(More customer reviews)Wow! I am blown away by this debut novel. I simply could not put it down until I had read every steamy page.
Edward is a broody discontented earl that at heart is just lonely. He's not your typical hero. He is scarred, has a big nose, thin lips and is described as unattractive. He does have a gorgeous body, though. His scars run beneath the skin as well and he carries some real emotional baggage. He reacts by lashing out and throwing fits of temper thus scaring off his previous secretaries.
Anna has fallen on hard times and shows up for the position of secretary while Edward is away. Upon his return, Anna has firmly settled into her role and Edward is enchanted by her tantalizing mouth. She is plain, but he cannot stop thinking of her mouth. He has no one else to replace her so what's an earl to do when faced with temptation? He keeps her in his employ, much to his future...ahem...discomfort.
What follows is page after page of sexual tension that Ms. Hoyt cleverly builds to a climax that is so hot even I, who am pretty jaded, was left breathless. The love scenes are exquisitely and graphically written, however, not in a clinical way. For those who love hero-jealousy and emotional angst, there's a bit of that as well. As they fall in love I felt they were meant for each other.
The story moves quickly-too quickly as I didn't want it to end-and I never felt it bogged down at any point. I highly recommend this book. I wouldn't have changed a single thing.

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There comes a time in a womanrsquo;s life when she must do the unthinkable - and find employment. For the widowed Anna Wren, that means taking a job as female secretary for the Earl of Swartingham. Secretaries are always male - never female - as Anna well knows but the real downfall of her career is the realisation that she is falling in love with Edward de Raaf - the Earl. But when she realises that he is going to visit a brothel in London to take care of his 'manly' desires, Anna sees red - and decides to take advantage of the opportunity to also take care of her 'womanly' desires - with the Earl as her unknowing lover. But the Earl has another reason for going to London. He is formalising his betrothal and trying (with little success) to forget about a secretary that has no right being female. Unhandsome, he knows that no woman wants him. Except for the mysterious lady with whom he spent two unforgettable nights at Aphroditersquo;s Grotto, the most scandalous brothel in London. But when Annarsquo;s plan is revealed, a bit of blackmail is thrown into the mix, a proposal is rejected and even the Earl himself will be unprepared for the intrigues that ensnare them.

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I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Growing Up In The Holocaust Review

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(More customer reviews)If you've read a lot of books about the Shoah, sometimes it seems like they all start to sound the same, only with different names and locations, but most good memorable books and memoirs on the subject have things setting them apart. This book, for example, is the only one I can remember having read so far where the subject (Elli) went through the camps with her mother; all of the other books I've read so far have been about siblings or friends or cousins sticking together in the camps. Sadly, there aren't more books about the mother-daughter relationship in the camps because most of the girls who went there with their mothers were immediately separated from them.
Besides having the little-represented angle of how a mother and daughter supported and loved one another in the camps (particularly after Elli's mother has her injury), there are also other things in here making it a unique story. The family in this book is also smaller than most of the other families in books about the Shoah, with only Elli, her brother, their parents, and their aunt, as opposed to large families with several sisters or brothers. There are also many details about everything that happened to them in the various places they were in, instead of just giving vague descriptions of what they went through or just focusing on how they stuck together instead of dwelling on the specifics of what they went through. It's definite that Elli and her mother had their chances for survival improved because they were selected for the transport to the factory in Augsburg, where they got better food and treatment as opposed to being forced to do the type of things they did in Plaszow. However, since there are so many horrific details and specifics given, this wouldn't be the type of book for a younger reader, but rather a mature teenager. And I love books written in the present tense; it draws you right in and makes the action even more compelling, wondering what's going to happen next. Reading or writing in the past tense just doesn't have that same deep emotional impact.

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How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum Review

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(More customer reviews)Smith's newest book is the most recent installment in her passionate, ongoing process to distill life and the art process (indistinguishable to most artists) down to it's bare matter. If you can embrace playfulness, open courageously to the idea of art as life, are willing to turn off the television and look around you, love to challenge yourself to learn to BE and create from essence as opposed to trend or fancy, Explorer is for you.
As an author, she seems to live her life exactly the way she writes (as one can easily pick up when visiting her blog The Wish Jar Journal).

As an artist, she is apparently very well read on the subjects of art and life and willing to push beyond art school rules to find her own voice among so many artsy voices that seem to blend together these days. For an insightful, modern perspective on gathering the fodder to create amazing experiences, I was not disappointed with this book.
I completely disagree with other reviews which state that this book is not for deep thinkers. I find her simple, freshened concepts to be timely and revolutionary, just what artists have been missing from our creative processes.
I also recommend Wreck This Journal and Guerilla Art, also by Keri Smith.

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From the author of Wreck This Journal, an interactive guide for exploring and documenting the art and science of everyday life.Artists and scientists analyze the world around them in surprisingly similar ways, by observing, collecting, documenting, analyzing, and comparing. In this captivating guided journal, readers are encouraged to explore their world as both artists and scientists. The mission Smith proposes? "To document and observe the world around you. As if you've never seen it before. Take notes. Collect things you find on your travels. Document findings. Notice patterns. Copy. Trace. Focus on one thing at a time. Record what you are drawn to." With a series of interactive prompts and a beautifully hand-illustrated two-color package, readers will enjoy exploring and discovering the world through this gorgeous book.

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The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being Review

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(More customer reviews)Although I have read dozens of self-help books and attended weeks of self-help seminars, none of those books and seminars helped me in the profound way that The Sedona Method has.
The book's core observation is that we allow emotions based on old memories to block our minds and bodies from experiencing what is possible now. Many self-help authors make the same point.
What makes The Sedona Method different from the others is the proposed method for eliminating those emotions. I have learned many other techniques for changing memories (such as the Tony Robbins Swish pattern) and use meditation to withdraw from emotions. I have found that meditation has worked best for me in the past. While meditating, my head is pleasantly vibrating and I feel at mental peace. With The Sedona Method teachings, I find that my whole body shudders pleasantly into relaxation and peace. In other words, this process causes me to enjoy a greater release from old memories and emotions than I had thought possible. It's a wonderful gift.
So what do you have to do to enjoy this peace? You just need to ask yourself a series of questions (and the book is full of exercises to help you do that). I soon found that I did not need to ask all of the questions. With practice, I could just release negative emotions whenever I wanted to.
This book came to me at a very stressful time . . . just after my Father died. I find that the grieving process has been greatly eased by the emotional releases I can stimulate any time I want.
To get the most benefit from this book, you should practice every day to establish new habits. I read the book over two weeks to help make that transition. In retrospect, I would have done better to have read it over more weeks and practiced more each day. I plan to reread the book now to deepen my benefit.
What was most impressive to me was that I could get so much benefit without going to a class or listening to an audio version. I suspect the teachings would be much more powerful in those forms. But you certainly can experience great things from just reading the book, doing the exercises, practicing and remembering to use the teachings when those emotions well up.
May your days be filled with tranquility and a greater sense of what is possible!

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Foreword by Jack Canfield: I have been hearing wonderful things about the Sedona Method from clients and friends for about 20 years. Recently, I finally took the course with my wife and my 12-year-old son. I've been amazed at the simplicity of the Method and the powerful impact it has had on my life. Through my work with Chicken Soup for the Soul and through Self-Esteem Seminars, I have been exposed to many self-improvement techniques and processes. This one stands head and shoulders above the rest for the ease of its use, its profound impact and the speed it produces results. The Sedona Method is a vastly accelerated way of letting go of feelings like anger, frustration, jealousy, anxiety, stress and fear as well as many other problems—even physical pain—with which almost everybody struggles at one time or another.One of the wonderful byproducts of taking the seminar is that I have become friends with Hale Dwoskin. He is one of the calmest, clearest, most joy-filled people I have ever met, living proof that the Sedona Method works wonders. I am ecstatic about our friendship. During the seminar, I found myself constantly in awe of Hale's brilliant teaching style. I experienced one breakthrough after another. As a result, I've already referred many family members, friends, and business associates to the Sedona Method seminars, and I've also had the entire staff at Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises learn the Method through the audio programs that Hale put together.Now I am thoroughly delighted to be able to recommend The Sedona Method:Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace, and Well-being. Reading this book is the equivalent of taking the Sedona Method Basic Course and several Advanced Courses rolled together. Filled with practical techniques and enlightening true stories, Hale clearly and generously explains everything we need to know to master the releasing process and to continue using the Method day by day, moment by moment in real life situations, such as having more fulfilling and harmonious relationships, building financial security, developing satisfying careers, breaking nasty habits, losing weight, and enjoying good health. He reveals the Sedona Method's powerful secret for manifesting what you want in your life, while showing you how to be at ease and comfortable with what you already have. The Method also enables you how to have greater ease, enjoyment and peace of mind with all that you experience on a daily basis.So I highly encourage you to read The Sedona Method with an open mind and heart. Please allow the simplicity of its message and the power of this process to open you to all the wonders that life has to offer.It is one of those rare things in today's world that delivers more than it promises... way more. I urge you to pay close attention to Hale's message in this book. If you do, it will change your life.

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The Mammoth Book of Tattoos Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I usually don't like 'flash tattoo' books of any sort. Unless it's a very genre specific book with very high quality photos like
Bushido : Legacies of the Japanese Tattoo by Takahiro Kitamura.
Mammoth Tattoos is not a collection for the 'I must get this tattoo for my next inking' folks... Leave that for the flash books and various tattoo magazines out there.
Unlike all those though--The Mammoth Book Of Tattoos had me floored as I had never before seen such a staggeringly fresh and inspirational collection of art on almost every page. And certainly every genre. Each artist and their art represented by very high quality photos. I had to pick what I didn't like and came up with three out of the 80 artists represented.
This really is a fascinating (coffee-table/reference)book for anyone who appreciates graphic design, classic and modern and yes art which only happens to be on an epidermal canvas.

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This collection covers all styles of tattoos from bold tribal pieces, Chines characters, and hieroglyphs to delicate air-brushed designs. Included are striking images of tattoos ranging from all-over "body suits" to individual motifs.

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