Customer Comments

I implore you to have several boxes of Kleenex available whilst reading this.....that first chapter will hit you like a ton of bricks. Well played, Mr. Stein, well played...deliver a sucker punch to draw thr reader in. This story offers unbearable sadness as well as extreme joy, and the golden thread winding through it all is Enzo, a dog who wishes to be human. I don't want to give the plot away, so suffice it to say that there is unbelievable human meanness & duplicitousness present through a good part of the storyline. As a racing fan, I truly appreciated how the racing theme was woven throughout this book. It also reminded me of how much I really loved to watch famed driver Aryton Senna, amongst others. Even if the reader isn't a racing fan, the storyline keeps interest piqued because the constant turn of events drives it pell-mell to the hoped-for satisfying ending.

While I am not giving away any storyline elements directly, I will suggest that you have tissues at the ready close to the end of this book. As USA TODAY noted, this is a version of "Steel Magnolias," only set in Manhattan. The central character is a single mom-turned-entrepreneur who develops a deep sustaining friendship with an older widow. Other characters are introduced and are written vibrantly as you read their backstories. I love that this book offers various knitting tips sprinkled throughout that kind of shadow what life is really like. Truth be told, I have had this book for a long while and had started reading it, but then set it aside. I picked it up again this past Tuesday and finished it today. It is well-written and held my interest, especially because it interwove the characters' backstories throughout expertly. I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series. The major twist in the story was unexpected and sad, but brought this book to a satisfying if bittersweet end. I love when two or three loves come together in a great combination. I cannot wait to try Dakota's muffin recipe included at the end of the book. :-)

HOLY MOSES!!! Dan Brown sure knows how to take his readers on the ride of their lives!!!! Everytime I think he cannot possibly top himself, he surprises the hell out of me and tops his previous works. This latest installment in the Robert Langdon series deals with artificial intelligence (AI) along with religion. I suspect he might have taken a cue from the original 'Star Trek' series by foreshadowing tech advances, some of which certainly exist to a lesser extent today. The way the storyline unfolds is breathtaking as well as breath-holding (on the part of the dear reader!). The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat all whilst keeping you guessing. I'm NOT including any spoilers in this review, but suffice to say that the storyline plays out in ways that are so seriously unexpected and mind-blowing that you will definitely want to re-read this book immediately to see what clues you might have missed. I am eagerly awaiting the next book to see if this one can be topped. (...and waiting for Ron Howard & Tom Hanks to film this story, too...) Dan Brown, thank you for a most enjoyable read and the quickest one I've had in years, probably since 'Inferno.' ;-)

If you are a fan of Dame Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison, you will absolutely LOVE reading this book! La Plante sketches out the beginning career of Tennison whilst taking the reader on a rollercoaster thrill ride investigating the murders of a pair of young junkies intertwined with the story of a pair of criminal brothers, their imprisoned father and unwitting mother. I won't give away the ending but suffice it to say you won't be disappointed. BTW: La Plante pads the story with historical/cultural tidbits befitting the time period. Happy Reading!!!

Love the layout of this book...makes for easy reference. I love the way Rachel writes...it's almost like she is right there with me. Her recipes sound really yummy, and I plan on trying several very soon. The photography is bright and colorful, and I appreciate the photos with the ingredients laid out. I especially love the do-ahead tips included with many of the recipes as well as the 'Sides for Dinner' section. Overall, this cookbook is a great addition to my cookbook collection and would be a great one for everybody else's collection, too.

This is a wonderful cookbook!!! Ms. Macomber offers easy-to-understand directions as well as tips. The recipes are great for both those who don't cook on a regular basis as well as everyday cooks. Speaking of the recipes, this book is full of delicious ones. They are broken out into different categories to make it easy to find what you're looking for. My favorite one is 'Snow on the Mountain,' featuring a unique blend of ingredients, which as she notes herself, sound like they shouldn't go together. I know this recipe as 'Asian Stacks,' and it truly is quite tasty. Ms. Macomber also sprinkles in family pictures as well as stories in this delightful book that will be loved by everyone, especially if you enjoy her novels (which I do!).

Before reading this biography, I have to admit that my opinion of Prince Charles was not all that good. Of course, I based this on what I saw in the media as well as my own perception of his character. I really did not know enough about him, I am sorry to say. Based on his childhood as well as young adult years, I can understand to a certain degree his character. I know it cannot have been easy being the offspring of a monarch, especially one as formidable as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To be surrounded by staffers and servants rather than spending actual time with one's parents deeply affected his persona and was exacerbated by the principle that the royal family could not appear to display emotions or explicit viewpoints one way or another. I never really knew that Prince Charles harbored some of the unusual points of view and ways of thinking that he does. I think that some of those ideas might have been well before their time, and a couple of the others were suspect and doomed to fail. I better understand why his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales did not fare well, although I do feel that the author took more swipes at Diana than was necessary. I also understand better the relationship between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. The general impression I received of Prince Charles whilst reading this book is that he really had no idea how to make his way through his life. After reading this book, I believe he did the best that he could based on his life experiences. Being in line for the throne, I cannot imagine that is easy for him to have to wait, but now that he is older and his son is also an heir, I like to think that perhaps he has made his peace with this aspect of his life. Overall, the book was excellent and rich with details as well as photographs. It also gives a peek into the monarchy overall which certainly is enlightening. The historical background of world events was extremely helpful in highlighting events and milestones in the life of the royal family. This book humanized Prince Charles for me, even more so than the television specials he made to honor his mother's reign as well as the documentaries of the royal castles. Even born into the life of privilege as he was, he is human and he puts his pants on, one leg at a time...the same as the rest of us.

I picked this book up after reading the back. The synopsis was so vivid and intriguing, I really thought it was a true biography. I realized that it was a work of fiction about a third of the way through. However, this is a testament to the rich detail and the quality of the writing. The story centers around a young girl named Malka, who with her family, leaves Russia in the early 1900s. The family ends up in the squalid Lower East Side of Manhattan. As was so often the case in that time period, the family starts splintering. Malka is run over by a horse-driven Italian ices cart. Malka is badly injured, crippled and abandoned by her family. The Italian ices man reluctantly takes her into his household more out of guilt. Malka grows up and learns the ins and outs of the frozen ices business with her adoptive family. She christens herself Lillian and eventually meets Albert Dunkle, a handsome illiterate radical. They eventually marry and through serendipity, end up trading their broken down ice cream truck for a poor little store. Thus, begins their ice cream empire and Lillian becomes the self-proclaimed Ice Cream Queen. The story does weave in actual ice cream history details as well as other tasty tidbits to help set Lillian's life as she goes back and forth remembering her life story. Lillian, as the primary character is modeled somewhat on the true life 'queen of mean' Leona Helmsley. At various times, she is somewhat symphathetic but mostly she is blunt, outspoken and obnoxious.

Seeing the review of the day - Chesapeake by James A. Michener - reminded me of this gem, authored by another favourite writer, James Clavell. Like his contemporary, Clavell performed volumes of research to ensure his fiction rang true. I first heard of this book when the epic Richard Chamberlain miniseries was shown on TV in 1980. The show captured my attention with the great storyline and the colorful characters. On a visit to the library, I saw the novel and promptly checked it out. Yes, the massive page count could have been seriously daunting had the story not been so attention-grabbing and the details so captivating. I simply could not put this book down. BTW - The book was even better than the miniseries. :-)

This book is SO worth reading!!! Once you get past the history of the dinosaur age and the development of Chesapeake Bay, the story captivates the reader with all the twists and turns as well as the exquisite historical details. I believe this was the first book by Mr. Michener I had ever read, and I was in 5th or 6th grade when I read it for the first time. I think I have read this particular one at least half a dozen times; it's probably about time to reread it. James A. Michener became one of my most favourite authors of all time. I have read just about everything he had published, including other classics Centennial, Hawaii, Texas, Caravans and my all-time fave Sayonara. Besides constructing an engrossing narrative in each of his stories, he includes carefully researched details that make the reader feel as if they were really there and a viable part of the story.

I acquired this book as a free Kindle download several months ago. I finally opened this past weekend. The first few pages filled me with doubt, proving once again that you should never judge a book by its cover (or its first few pages!). Once I got into the storyline and the characters, I couldn't put my tablet down...LOL! The plot was well developed with all sorts of twists and tuns as well as red herrings, and the final outcome was not at all expected. I liked the cultural icon touches (i.e. having the lead character meet noted sugar hall of fame artist and Food Network icon Kerry Vincent) as well as explaining some cake decorating techniques. The characters were well drawn and interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed this book immensely. It was kind of a cross between the Greater Tuna plays, Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes and Lillian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who mystery book series all with Dan Brown and Scott Turow thrown in for good measure. If you enjoyed those, you will most definitely enjoy this book as well as the rest of the series.

I first heard about this book on Andersen Cooper's talk show when he interviewed the author. I just had to go out and buy it. As hard as it is, this is most definitely a MUST READ book. Although I live in Texas, my memory of September 11, 2001 is crystal clear, and it holds sadness for me on a personal level because I went to the top of Tower 2 back in the mid-1990s. Those were beautiful buildings and they were destroyed by hatred and intolerance. That attack caused broken lives which is the central theme of this book. The brokeness actually begins in World War II. The story kind of jumps around but stay with it. The ending is heartwrenching as everything is explained and story elements are tied together.

Steve Jobs was an eccentric and extraordinarily complicated individual. However, this is what enabled him to literally change the world. Walter Isaacson's book covered him from the good to the bad to the ugly. This biography is a MUST-READ for anyone who came of age within the digital era. Jobs was a fascinating individual and it is seriously cool to read about the behind-the-scenes actions which led to the electronic devices we now enjoy. I cannot say that my opinion of his personality changed much after reading this book, but I can definitely say that I have more understanding of his ...ahem!... quirks. It also deepened my appreciation of his innovations in the computer/electronics world. I am sad that he died so young...it would have been great to see what other goodies he could have come up with.

I have to admit that I was not a big Crue fan back in the 80s. You can't get really get any more extreme than this band. However, with the advent of easily getting information these days, fans get to learn the backstory of various people. Having learned the backstory of Nikki Sixx through various media outlets, I grew to appreciate him as an artist as well as a person. This book has further solidified my appreciation for this guy. It also further explained how he became the person he is today - both good and bad. No, I didn't always agree with his past behaviour, but he has grown up and changed somewhat in his almost 53 years of life. The thing about him is that he is extremely honest and forthright, perhaps to a fault. However, given the state of his growing up years, it is quite easy to see how he came to be as Nikki Sixx. Get the audio version of his latest book to hear him read his own words. There are parts that are laugh-out-loud-hysterically funny and some parts that reduced me to tears. The final few pages really had a huge effect on changing my thinking. He is loud and proud as well as talented - a modern-day renaissance man for the new millenia. These days, I am proud to consider myself a fan of whatever he does, from music to art to photography to radio host. Whatever else you can say about Nikki Sixx, he definitely is thought-provoking!

In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War [12 April 1861], also known as the 'War Between the States,' read Jeff Shaara's well-researched historical tome 'Gods and Generals.' This book explores all the events leading up to that fateful day which caused a long rift in our fledgling nation and pitted brother against brother, father against son. If you are a military history buff, you will gain insight into the planning and tactics employed during the Civil War that changed forever the way battles were fought. I am not particularly interested in military history, but I still enjoyed reading the character studies of the three principal commanders as they staked their claims in the annals of history, even at the cost of their familial relationships as well as their own lives. The reasons for this war are actually quite varied and the author explores every aspect of these. The effects of this war were immediate in the bloodshed caused as well as the vast property damage, but they are still felt to this vary day because of the changes in military tactics and technology of the time. Sadly, we as a country, and the world, still have much to learn from the cause and effect of wars like this even though we have traveled a great distance.

All I have to say is, "HOLY COW!!!! What a ride!!!!" I just finished this book, and it is even more mind-blowing than 'DaVinci Code' and 'Angels and Demons.' The plot twists and turns, taking the reader on an extremely-hard-to-put-down journey. Just when you think you have the secrets solved, something else occurs in the storyline which blows your ideas all to hell. The final two twists are absolutely guaranteed to make you feel as if someone cut a hole in the top of your head, stuck in a whisk and scrambled your brains. If you love reading a great book that takes you for a great ride, read this book! I am looking forward to reading more from him.

Neil Peart is the 21st century renaissance man - musician, lyricist, cook, writer, observer of life and travel guide. He is best known as the [still the 'new guy'] drummer and one-third of the trio that is RUSH. This book chronicles legendary Canadian band RUSH as they embark on their 30th anniversary tour in 2004, and is kind of a follow-up to Neil Peart's 'Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road' 'Roadshow' finds him in a much better state and with a renewed sense of life [thankfully!]. His sense of humour is more evident this time around and it is interesting learning bits of trivia about being behind the scenes for an undertaking as large as a world tour for a such legendary band. As with his previous books, Mr. Peart makes a great travel guide with his descriptive writing style and wry observances of the backroads of America. Even if you are not a fan of the band (why aren't you, though???), you will enjoy this book!

In honour of an award-winning documentary having been released as well as a celebration of their nearly 40 years of seriously, awesomely cool music, I recommend this book to everyone. Written by the talented drummer/lyricist of legendary Canadian rock band RUSH, Neil Peart underwent a series of unspeakable tragedies-the loss of his daughter in a tragic car accident and then the death of his wife due to cancer and a broken heart almost a year later. He was left to contemplate whether or not he was interested in continuing to live, and if so, what that life would be like. I cannot even begin to imagine trying to come back from something like that, but Mr. Peart did find a way. Due to circumstances, the band was on a five-year hiatus. This memoir details those tragedies as well the way he found to cope. He hopped on his trusty BMW motorcycle and traveled over 55,000 miles from Quebec to Alaska to the Antarctic Circle down through the western parts of Canada and the United States into Mexico and further down into Central America. During his travels, he slowly came back to humanity and eventually found the photographer who was to become his second wife. He did return to continue his work with RUSH bandmates Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee, releasing 'Vapor Trails' which featured several songs about his sojourn. The band returned to the road and ended that tour with three amazingly successful dates in Brazil, including one show performed for the largest audience ever in the band's history. Even if you don't love this band and their music, you will love this book. Mr. Peart's writing style is somewhat wry, but it is extremely descriptive and full of humour. As private a person as he is, he lets the reader into his psyche as he stuggles to cope with the events of his life. That storyline alone will touch the reader to the core. This book will also appeal to armchair travellers as well as motorcycle enthusiasts all over. Mr. Peart also has an insatiable interest in the world around him and constantly reads. He also recommends various books throughout this narrative-sort of like a book review within a book review. A plus is that he includes lyrics he has written and the band has recorded, some of which seem extremely applicable to his life even though they were written well before the tragedies. If you are a fan of this band, it is almost like a playlist in your head as you read the lyrical snippets. He also indirectly gives clues for areas to visit that are off the beaten track. No one could ever completely get over the pain of losing one loved one, let alone two. However, he has managed to find a way to survive and even thrive. He and his new wife celebrated the birth of their daughter in August 2009. The band continues to record and tour. Neil, Alex and Geddy have continued to be honored and their strong friendship is evident in everything they do together. The life-affirming outcome alone is so worth reading this book.

Personally, I love to read debut novels. I love the thrill of discovering books that most people haven’t read, yet. ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ by David Guterson is one great example. Released in 2005, ‘Midnight at the Dragon Café’ is another great debut novel. The cover picture grabbed my attention first, and as I began reading, the plot did, too. You can read the synopsis listed elsewhere on this page, but the synopsis really does not do this book justice. The division of an immigrant family trying to make their way in a new country while trying to maintain their culture makes for richly detailed reading. The main character, a young girl, tries to make sense of all the swirling events going on around her while trying to fit in with her peers. Set against the backdrop of the idealistic naiveté of a small Canadian town the 1950s, the reader aches for the young girl and her family as they struggle, although some of the strife is self-induced. At the end of the book, some hope is present as the family comes to grips with its situation and some not-so-easy resolutions.

I originally picked this book because the cover was intriguing, and then, I read the synopsis on the flyleaf. It, too, was intriguing. I will admit that it was somewhat difficult to 'get into' this book, but, trust me, stick with it to the end. You definitely will be rewarded. The story has so many layers, and each layer contains such detail, that you will be enthralled. The author described the settings and tragedies with exquisite and sometimes horrifying detail. On the surface, the story is about a volatile mother-daughter relationship in a bi-cultural family. The secondary characters (husband/father, nephew, old friend from Iran) are also somewhat befuddled as to what will happen next. It is also a love story for the ages as well as a tale of what is and what could have been. Although the ending is somewhat ambiguous, the reader will feel hope that this family will somehow be made whole again. Overall, this was a great first-time read. It is definitely worth reading more than once to take in all the details.

From being nearly frozen to death as a tiny dirty furball to becoming internationally known and universally loved (even by non-cat lovers)...What a compelling story! Weave that dramatic storyline with the story of the rebirth of a small town at the end of hope and librarians with dramatic events of their own as well as hearts as big as Texas. I could not stop reading this book. As a cat person, I know that cats can sense what humans feel/want/need/etc., and I know that cats become attached to a particular person. I laughed at Dewey's antics and mourned when he passed away. This book is definitely worth repeated readings. Even if readers aren't 'cat people,' this is an enjoyable must-read (or must-hear if listening to the audiobook edition) that underscores human resiliency as well as the healing power of having pets.

I absolutely LOVED this book! It is a must-read for any serious baseball fan, especially if you enjoy reading about the old-school players. The love and camaradie amongst these particular 4 players is very evident, even as one nears the end of a fruitful and full life. The author was very lucky to have had such intimate access to these players, and I am so glad that he was able to capture their story so vividly. This is one book I would gladly read over and over.