A Certain Slant of Light Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book for my two older daughters to read due to the reviews and the subject matter being similar to other books they have enjoyed. However, I read the book before they did just to see what it was about, and I am so very glad I did! At the end I was just crying, but in such a good way.
I don't consider myself religious, more of an agnostic. Even though the book spoke about heaven, etc., it wasn't in such a way that made it overbearing. It actually questioned certain beliefs more than anything, so I did not think there were any sort of religious overtones in the book that tried to explain life, death, and what comes after in an arrogant, this-is-the-way-it-is-so-do-NOT-ask-questions-or-doubt-it-in-any-way tone.
What it was is an extremely touching, moving book with such a great conclusion. I most definitely did not think there should have been more, it was, as another reviewer called it, beautiful. It is an atypical love story which shows the power of forgiveness, all in a story that teens and adults can relate to.
Really, this is a wonderful book, you just have to read it. I know my children will love it, although since they are not adults, as the characters in the book are, they may not be able to relate to some aspects of the story, like how strong a mother's love is and why you would punish yourself for things you thought you had done wrong.
I hate to think there are people that think this book is only for older teenagers. If your kids are allowed out in the real world at all without earplugs and blinders, the sex, language, and drug references in this book are *not* going to surprise them. Sorry for having to say that, but it isn't cynicism, just unfortunately, reality.

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Rise and Shine: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Journey from Near Death to Full Recovery Review

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(More customer reviews)More than a book you can't put down, although it is that, Rise and Shine is an unforgettable ride that propels the reader through the roller-coaster adventure of Simon Lewis's recovery, from the deepest coma possible without being dead to his triumph over the naysaying doctors, the impossible door slams of the insurance industry, and the ineffectual healthcare quagmire. After 16 years of persistence, with the loving care of his parents and the shining healers he found among the many medical professionals he consulted, Mr. Lewis emerges with his humor, keen insights and gift of inspiring language intact. The wealth of scientific data he has assembled in very accessible form will help many individuals around the world who will be informed and uplifted by his stunning effort to share his discoveries with a global readership, particularly those who have suffered traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and believe they have no way out. For me, the most touching passages come near the beginning of the tale, where Mr. Lewis recounts the dream-like snippets that came back to him from his month in the coma. The book is a prodigious effort that has as much poetry and spiritual perception as it has revealing medical truths.

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Wisdom of the Mystic Masters Review

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(More customer reviews)This book contains the core teachings of the Rosicrucian order. This book is enlightening, just reading one paragraph causes a powerful lift in my conciousness every time I read it. They language is a bit antiquated but the meaning is very clear and concise. The ideas are complex, but they are broken down and expressed in the simplest way possible. There are no unneccessary details; it gets straight to the point.
But don't take my word for it. You can get "A Rosicrusian Speaks" for FREE on the internet. Just do a Google search for Joseph J. Weed, click on "A Rosicrucian Speaks", then copy the papers to your hard drive as a text file.
It is a collection of lectures given by Joseph J. Weed to Rosicrucian lodges in the 40's-60's. The wording is a bit unnusual but the ideas are the greatest treasures I have ever gotten for free, on the internet. If you read these lectures, you will want more, and want to get "Wisdom of the Mystic Masters".

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Darker Angels (Book Two of the The Black Sun's Daughter) Review

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(More customer reviews)***SPOILER WARNING***
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My inner curmudgeon nearly set _Darker Angels_ aside at about the halfway point. "I don't get this book!" said the curmudgeon. "The voodoo's all wrong. Legba isn't an evil serial killer! The good guys' plan doesn't quite add up, and is pretty unethical besides. And the interpersonal drama just ate the plot for lunch!"
"Sit down and shut up," said M.L.N. Hanover. "I'm telling a story here."
OK, so I've never met M.L.N. Hanover, and he didn't literally say that, but he might as well have. Because just as I was about to give up on _Darker Angels_, he threw in some twists that made me realize I was looking at it all wrong.
I must have been led astray by the extremely linear plot of _Unclean Spirits_. I was expecting this plot to be similar in structure, and so I wasn't asking the right questions. I shouldn't have been asking, "What did Hanover do wrong?" I should have been asking, "What might be going on within the plot to cause all these things to happen?" I think I also forgot that Jayné, despite being a narrator whose voice I really enjoy, is not a perfectly reliable narrator. She has biases and blind spots, and she doesn't understand everything she experiences. Jayné's preconceived notions got in the way of solving the mystery -- and so did mine.
_Darker Angels_ is much less linear than _Unclean Spirits_, and it's much better for it. The plot revolves around a voodoo spirit who manipulates its hosts into committing horrific murders. Jayné is hired by former FBI agent Karen Black, an acquaintance of her late uncle's, to help stop this spirit from killing a young girl. We visit New Orleans and see both the destruction left over from Katrina and the tenacity of its residents. The plot is full of great twists. Hanover yanked the rug out from under my feet at one point, and maybe I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. It's when the pieces start to fall into place that you realize just how carefully Hanover set them up.
I really enjoyed _Darker Angels_s and I think it's safe to say I'm hooked on The Black Sun's Daughter. Jayné continues to be a delight; she's no master strategist, but she has a lot of compassion, and she has more courage than she thinks she does. And to heck with the inner curmudgeon. By the end, this had become a "set the alarm early so you can read before work" kind of book, and I finished it with a smile on my face and maybe a few tears in my eyes.

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In the battle between good and evil, there's no such thing as a fair fight. When Jayné Heller's uncle Eric died, she inherited a fortune beyond all her expectations -- and a dangerous mission in a world she never knew existed. Reining in demons and supernatural foes is a formidable task, but thankfully Jayné has vast resources and loyal allies to rely on. She'll need both to tackle a bodyswitching serial killer who's taken up residence in New Orleans, a city rich in voodoo lore and dark magic. Working alongside Karen Black, a highly confident and enigmatic ex-FBI agent, Jayné races to track down the demon's next intended host. But the closer she gets, the more convinced she becomes that nothing in this beautiful, wounded city is exactly as it seems. When shocking secrets come to light, and jealousy and betrayal turn trusted friends into adversaries, Jayné will soon come face-to-face with an enemy that knows her all too well, and won't rest until it has destroyed everything she loves most....

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The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft Review

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(More customer reviews)Your average cocktail/bartender book is usually just the result of somebody gathering together as many recipes as they can find, prefacing it with the obligatory "how to stock your home bar" chapter, then selecting "File / Print..." Is it any wonder then that people these days are confused as to what a Martini really is?
Thankfully, Gary Regan has shown us that a mixology book can be far more then we have come to expect.
In "The Joy of Mixology", Gary lays out for us the results of what obviously has been many years of research into what cocktails really are, and how to make them properly. First he covers the common topics such as history, bartending, garnishes, glassware, but with far more interesting information then you most likely have seen elsewhere. Mr. Regan then dives into laying out the various styles of cocktails and mixed drinks, and how to understand them in ways that focus on the proper and well-balanced construction of each style. There is a lot of meat in how he organizes his lists, and a wealth of information behind their proper construction.
Cocktails really don't need to be as confusing as they seem to be to most people. This book goes a long way in not only making sense of the large array of cocktail selections available, but also in bringing to light the potentials of a "Quality" cocktail experience.

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An original book on the craft of mixology is a rare gem. Gary Regan's The Joy of Mixology is such a gem, one whose genius lies in Regan's breakthrough system for categorizing drinks that helps bartenders—both professionals and amateurs alike—not only to remember drink recipes but also to invent their own. For example, once you understand that the Margarita is a member of the New Orleans Sour Family, you'll instantly see that a Kamikaze is just a vodka-based Margarita; a Cosmopolitan follows the same formula, with some cranberry juice thrown in for color. Similarly, the Manhattan and the Rob Roy, both members of the French-Italian family, are variations on the whiskey-vermouth-bitters formula.In this way Regan brings a whole new understanding to the world of cocktails and how to make them. Not only will you learn how to make standard cocktails, you'll actually learn to feel your way through making a drink, thereby attaining the skills needed to create concoctions of your own. And as Regan explains methods for mixing drinks, how to choose bartenders' wares and select spirits and liqueurs, and the origins of many cocktails, you'll feel as though you're behind the bar with him, learning from a master. Plus, his charming and detailed history of mixed drinks raises this far above the standard cocktail guide fare.With more than 350 drink recipes, The Joy of Mixology is the ultimate bar guide. Ground-breaking and authoritative, it's a must-have for anyone interested in the craft of the cocktail.

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