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I was about to give up this series after reading "The Last Victim." I'm certainly glad I didn't. "Middle Of Nowhere" is just as good (if not better) as the earlier Lou Bolt novels. Plenty of action and twists. Can't wait now to read the next book in the series. For those of you new to the Lou Bolt series, I would recommend reading them in order and skipping "The Last Victim."

I enjoyed all Lou Boldt books including this one with Boldt's same supporting characters who are enjoyable to read. "Blu Flu" situation is unusual in normal life which is something different in the story that makes it interesting to read that we don't see very often in other novels. I'm looking forward to read next series in "The Art of Deception" which I'm reading now.

I don't write reviews well. I don't care for endless superlatives that go on and on about "not much".
This is the first Ridley Pearson book I've read. I buy all my novels in paperback and from garage sales and from Half-Price Books. Hard backed novels are a waste of space and time.
So to rate Pearson's style, I'll do it this way: Comparative styles. If John Sanford's "Prey" novels are each a "10", then; 1/Tami Hoag's novels are a "10" and
2/ Clive Cussler's novels are a "10".
3/ Pearson comes in at a "9.4" while Stephen King is way behind at 4.7.
Do I like Ridley Pearson's characters?. Very Much.
Do I like his imagery. Again, very much.

Not that it ever will happen but I'd like to see some books based on investigations in the following locales:

Brownsville/Mc Allen, Texas
Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisana
Albany/Upstate New York
San Juan County (the all-Island County) in Washington State
The New Mexico Desert in the summer
Reno, Nevada
Greenville/Columbia, South Carolina
Anywhere in Maryland, Delaware or New Jersey
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A majority of Seattle's police force is on an unofficial strike when a string of violent burglaries and a brutal attack on a female cop happen. Detective Lou Boldt assumes that there is a common link and starts to investigate. But soon there are hints that cops might be involved as well...

Even if the book features good solid police work the story development is pretty slow. Furthermore the whole concept/story was never really able to grab my full attention.

It says a lot about this book that the story is not as interesting or gripping as the (love) tension between Boldt and psychologist Daphne Matthews.

On top of that the pure idea or remote possibility of cops bashing other cop's brains in because they are strike breakers was too far-fetched for me. (Strike breaker or not - they still are all COPS!)

When Boldt has its first solid suspect it results in a very long chase after the potential killer - almost in real time. With about a full quarter of the book this chase is way too long! It might have been great in a movie but started to bore me while reading.

In the end the final conclusion did neither come as a real surprise nor was it very convincing.

This sure is not one of Pearson's better books. And it is not a book I would recommend to get to know his writing skills! Pearson can do a lot better. You can read this story but you do not miss anything if you don't...

When Officer Maria Sanchez is brutally attacked outside her home and left paralyzed Lieutenant Lou Bolt is assigned to investigate her case. Lieutenant Bolt, normally a homicide detective, is now put on this burglary case due to the "Blue Flu" an unofficial strike of the Seattle PD leaving all departments very short handed. Now Bolt must try to figure out if Sanchez's attack was the unfortunate result of one of a string of burglaries or if there is more to this "Blue Flu" than meets the eye.

As I said in my introduction this novel was just simply not for me. It's gotten great reviews, so for police drama lovers you may really enjoy this book. However, even though Pearson did try to explain all of the police terminology, I found it to be a little too technical for my taste. I also found `MIDDLE OF NOWHERE' to be a little slow at times and I found myself drifting off and missing entire scenes. So really it just comes down to `MIDDLE OF NOWHERE' is not my type of book.

Poppy's family

The name of the book I read is Poppy by AVI. This book mostly takes place in Dimwood Forest Gray House which is where Poppy lives and New House where Poppy's family wants to move.

Mouse eater
This book is about a huge family that is trying to get past a dreadful owl named Mr.Ocax. Mr.Ocax thinks he is a ruler but really he is just a liar. On Poppy's way through Dimwood Forest Mr.Ocax is trying to stop her but she meets a porcupine
Named Ereth which Ereth helps Poppy by protecting her from Mr.Ocax. After awile Poppy finds out a secret about Mr.Ocax and that secret you can find out that secret by reading Poppy.

Wow!
I would give this book 4 stars because this book is really interesting and makes you want to keep reading since there are many interesting characters in the story.

How did that not happen
Something I want to tell you about this book is that when Poppy go's to New House she goes up to a cat named George and the cat doesn't even attack Poppy and they

A tiny deer mouse
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to know about a tiny deer mouse that is on its destiny to save its family. start talking, but when Poppy went up to the cat I thought the cat would eat Poppy.

I have read the entire Poppy series to my class for the past three years. It never fails that every year my class falls in love with every character Avi introduces. From fearless mouse Poppy, her gruff porcupine friend Ereth, to her brave former love, Ragweed, who she names one of her own after. Avi creates a special world, where one story builds on the next, to create a world of conflict, tenderness and hope. I will continue to read these books to my classes as they enrich their literary experience with delightfully heroic characters and action-packed plots.

I've always believed that bravery is not the absence of fear. Instead, it is doing something despite fear. In the book Poppy by the prolific children's author Avi, Poppy the mouse proves my point. Despite her fear of the owl and of disobeying her parents, this mouse does great things.

Poppy needs to find her family a new place to live. Just by being out in the open, she is vulnerable to so many dangers the greatest of them being Mr. Ocax, the owl. Poppy is quite nervous but, with the help of the 'friendly' porcupine Ereth, she continues bravely on her quest.

Having never been a big fan of animal stories, I was surprised at how much I liked this book. In this neat and compact allegory, the author expertly crafts his description of the bully and the bullied. From the opening paragraph, not a word is wasted as he pulls you into the world of this cute lovable deer mouse and keeps you riveted through to the last touching scene.

Another engaging aspect of the book are the many integral lessons about animals and nature. As I read the last page, I felt that I had been given a treasure of little secrets about the natural world.

If you are looking for a book where humans interact with animals, this isn't the one. Also, I wouldn't recommend this book for younger children, there are death scenes. But if you are looking for an animal story (targeted to the 9-12 age group) that's a quick read with a wonderfully engaging story line, this book is for you.

We are boys in the 5th grade and just read a good book.About a mouse and her boyfreind

The book was good and exiting and we think that all ages could rea this book

Do you want to read an adventurous, dangerous story that will keep you on your toes? Well, Poppy, by Avi is the the book for you! This story is about a family of mice that live near a forest. The main character is an adventurous mouse named Poppy. She has a BIG job to do! You see, her family is running out of food and Poppy must ask Mr. Ocax (the vicious, ruling owl of the forest) for permission to move. This turns into a harder job than she ever thought it would be. She has many dangerous adventures along the way.

All of us here liked this story because it has lots of adventure! There are some talking animals, dangerous predators, and even some fighting scenes!

This story would be perfect for people that have read other books in this series by Avi. This is only one of many awesome books! We hope you get the chance to check them out!

this book is about several people who tries to fight rome and one of them wants jesus to help but he doesnt

I don't think I have what one might call a huge interest in Jerusalem. I'm pretty religious and I enjoy studying the religion, but what mostly drew me to this book was not the Jerusalem/Judaisim/Christ aspect but the fact that this was written by Elizabeth George Speare. But it worked well and I have to admire the woman from stepping out of New England for a captivating portrayal of a young man torn between a vow of vengeance and the redeeming power of love. Daniel is someone with whom everyone should be able to identify, determined to do what he feels is right and just. Even with all his intentions of fighting the Romans, he still comes off as an eighteen year-old boy with all of those thoughts and feelings. The writing, as usual for this great writer, is fantastic and detailed without being overwhelming. There is plenty of adventure which is well-balanced with the sweet story of Jesus Christ. Even so, I would not call this a proselyting book, but a piece of historical fiction of a boy who happens to be touched by Christ. I was deeply moved and impressed.

This has got to be one of the best books that I have read. It started out a little slow for me, but once I got into it, I really liked it. It has a really good message to it, and it was really inspiring to me. I read some reviews about how it was too detailed or boring, but that is not true at all. It is not a total action book, but that is not what it is meant to be. I loved this book and it is part of my top ten.

There are a great deal of "Young Adult Fiction" books that I didn't get around to reading at the "right age." The Bronze Bow is one such book. I didn't read it until I was out of college and had a better understanding of the Jewish faith and customs, and I wondered what had taken me so long. This book is wonderful! It presents an accurate picture of everyday life in early Christian Jerusalem and reveals how family tragedy can scar young lives. Daniel's hatred of the Romans is an obssessive passion; it consumes him to the extent that he cuts himself off from other people and future relationships that he could have. "It is Roman blood I want!" he says and he lives for the day when the last Roman is driven from the land. He sees his relationsips with others, his feelings for his girlfriend Thacia, his sister Leah, and his friend Sampson as his "weakness", something to hold him back from this goal he is trying to reach, and he continually shuts them out, though he is very lonely and unhappy when doing so. Only when he is alone and everyone is slipping away from him does he realize that hatred will not fill the emptiness in his heart.

I have always enjoyed Biblical fiction and am presently working on a book of my own. When I knew that this took place in early Christian times, I grabbed it right away! The unusual thing is that it ends before the
Crucifiction, leaving readers to wonder how the characters of this story will react to it. It beautifully illustrates Christian truths, the power of love over hatred and the power to do all things, even impossible things, with God's help. A treat for fans of Biblical and historical fiction!

This is an interesting read for kids over the age of 10, and for adults as well. The main character depicts a Jewish teenager named Daniel living at the same time as Jesus. Daniel is very disturbed over the Roman occupation of Israel and the death of his parents. The book provides an excellent forum to teach children about religious tolerance and getting along with others. The characters are complex, allowing for deep literary analysis, and the historical context is educational, something that adolescents will associate with, given their background in world history. The story is both endearing and stimulating, with an active plot. My 11 year old is planning to read it again.

Vince Luca is a likable character who just wants to be a regular kid. While reading about his trials as the mobster's son, I was continually pleased when Vince made the right decisions in each situation, even when he tried to create a financial plan for Jimmy and Ed, and especially in the situation with his brother Tommy's "forgive me" present. Vince is overall a great guy with a good head on his shoulders.

The book contained some nice turns--Kendra's dad shows up at the mall, compromising pictures of Vince turn up even though he's been fighting the mob life, Ray turns out to be what he seems to be. And for all the strings that Korman lays down, he ties them up fairly well in the end.

A good read with a nice ending and a likable narrator. Not every young adult book these days can say that.

Very funny story about what a guy whose father is a mob boss does when he finds out his girlfriend's father is the FBI agent investigating his family. The story features many over-the-top hilarious scenes and is well worth your time to read. I would have given this story 4 1/2 stars if able, because I thought it was so well done. If you've read any of Gordon Korman's books, your will recognize his style of humor, but I didn't think this one was quite up to NO MORE DEAD DOGS or BORN TO ROCK. Recommended."

I have not found a book by Gordon Korman that my son who is 12 does not like.

The Son of the Mob is a great book about the hecttic life of a teenage boy. The weird thing is that Vinces the main characters dad is the Mob leader of NYC (the Godfather). Vinces love Kendra is a big part of his life but her father is a FBI agent trying to get Vinces dad away forever. Although this book is very slow it was lightly funny overall it was pretty good.

Vince Luca is the son of one of New York's top mob bosses. His Father's name is Anthony Luca, they call there business the "Vending Machine Business." Although the mob life offers many riches, Vince does not want anything to do with it. One way or another it gets into his life. For example when Vince was on a date he went to pop the trunk open and found a beaten up man in his trunk. A second example was when Vince was playing football no one would tackle him because the word got out that his father was Anthony Luca. Another funny example of the tribulations he experienced being the son of Anthony Luca was when he found out that his birthday present was a stolen vehicle, which completely ruined his date.

Son of the mob is a very original book because Gordan Korman makes a very interesting twist from Romeo and Juliet. When Vince finally finds the girl he loves, later he figures out she is the daughter of the FBI agent who has been trying to put his father away for good.

I recommend this book to young adults who enjoy reading about crime organizations or like an "old fashion Romeo and Juliet story".

Sarah
3/26/07


The book "Children Of The River" by: Linda Crew is about a young girl named Sundra and her aunts family, who are traveling from Cambodia to America. Sundra and her aunts family don't know what happend to her family because they were unable to escape from Cambodia. It was hard for Sundra to live in America because they had to work from dawn to dusk trying to make enough money to live in a house and to buy food. When Sundra turns 18 years old she has to get married because it's a Cambodian tradition and, usually her parents would arrange the marrage but since her family was gone her aunt arranged the wedding. Sundra's uncle is forbidding her from seeing the American boy because he is "white" But Sundra really likes the boy and he really likes her.
My opinion on the book is that it was pretty good because there was really good details and, the author really discribed the characters. But it was hard to understand since there were harder words in it. I also thought that the book ws a little bit borring at some parts. Maybe if there was more action in the book it would have been better. I would reccomend this book to people who like reading about culture and the different types of people and their historical background.

Allison
3/9/07
Book review: Children of the River


The book I am reading "Children of the River" is about a little girl and her family having to move to the United States, and them trying to fit in and trying to find there place in this strange new place. They really like to pick berries and they work in a market place for their monthly income. This is not the best book in the world but there are somethings I like about the book. The theme of the book is about history and I am not really big into history. So if you really like history this is the book for you. One of the things I like about the book is how they freak out about things that are really things that are good for them. For example in the story the family gets this letter about they are going to get money and they think that they have to pay this big fine. The kind of books I like are the ones about people my age and are going through break ups with their boyfriends, and this book is nothing like that.

Sarah
3/26/07


The book "Children Of The River" by: Linda Crew is about a young girl named Sundra and her aunts family, who are traveling from Cambodia to America. Sundra and her aunts family don't know what happend to her family because they were unable to escape from Cambodia. It was hard for Sundra to live in America because they had to work from dawn to dusk trying to make enough money to live in a house and to buy food. When Sundra turns 18 years old she has to get married because it's a Cambodian tradition and, usually her parents would arrange the marrage but since her family was gone her aunt arranged the wedding. Sundra's uncle is forbidding her from seeing the American boy because he is "white" But Sundra really likes the boy and he really likes her.
My opinion on the book is that it was pretty good because there was really good details and, the author really discribed the characters. But it was hard to understand since there were harder words in it. I also thought that the book ws a little bit borring at some parts. Maybe if there was more action in the book it would have been better. I would reccomend this book to people who like reading about culture and the different types of people and their historical background.

Jasmine
2/28/07
Review: Children of The River

"Children of the River", in my opinion, was not a very good book. At first it got my attention because the summery on the back cover, worded it, as a adventurous survival story. A story of a 13 year old Native American who flew off to Cambodia to escape the Khmer Ruge Army, and left her family behind, in search of a new life. And yes that did happen in this book, but the story was stretched out, long, and boring. I would not recommend this book to anyone, unless they have some time to waist. On a scale from one to five i would rate this book a two. Only because it may help some people with an idea of Native American history.

This book is wonderful and exciting ...... Its a warm tale about girl escaping from her country at war and dealing with the conflicts and changes of living in America. This story will keep you glued from the beginning to the end.

I gave this as a gift to a Potter fan and she was thrilled! I only wish that the final book had been available for inclusion in the set.

These are wonderful books, I purchased this set to replace the paperbacks I originally purchased. The paperbacks were a waste of money, the larger volumes started falling apart after the 2nd reading. My children started reading these and could not put them down I couldn't believe I had to tell the boys twin 11 year olds to stop reading and go out to play for a while. I had to purchase the hard covers because I know we will re-read this series many times over.

This item is AWESOME!!! I purchased the seventh year book in stores before i bought this and spent $34 for a hardback. I never thought I would be able to get all 6 hardbacks for this cheap! All in great condition and, as most of you know, Harry Potter is a FANTASTIC READ!!

I had been wanting to buy the entire set in hardback but didnt want to spend too much. This set is great and I couldn't find a better price anywhere, it's about half the cost than what the big bookstore chains charge.

The books arrived sooner that expected which was a great surprise and they were brand new just as promised. =) Overall Excellent buying experience.

I have the fondest memories of this book, and I was delighted to recently find a copy.

It's the ultimate "power tool" book that should please young boys--an old time steam shovel with a personality to boot that is out to prove she can still do her thing.

The drawings are detailed and gorgeous, and the end shall always be a classic.

This book is must for all dad's or grandpa's to read to their children. My kids memorized it and wanted it for their children when they grew up.
Great service from this seller.

This was a favorite book from my childhood. My wife and I recently found out we will be having a little girl, and I can't wait to share this book with her.

IT IS ONE OF THE MOST LOVED BOOKS OF MY CHILDHOOD(50'S),IT BROUGHT BACK GREAT MEMORIES.

Mr. Michael Mulligan and his faithful steam shovel, lovingly called Mary Anne, are working class heroes, fighting to retain their independence in the face of corporate technological prowess in the construction industry. Can outmoded steam power compete with the awesome strength of diesel? Conveniently, this book features paper (not plastic) pages, so your tot can decimate the images of the vile diesel shovels with all the rage that his or her small hands can muster. Don't' be upset about this, it's nothing a roll of clear packing tape can't fix.

Much like the story of Casey Jones, vindication of our heroes will require their demise. Tasked with one final job, the digging of the basement for a fancy town hall, Mike and Mary Anne find themselves trapped by the tremendous success of their labor. Unable to get out of the hole, Mary Anne is broken down to be made into a boiler for the new building, and Mike becomes the janitor. This is no happy ending. No longer are Mike and Mary Anne independent contractors, free to come and go as they please. Mary Anne's steam-powered feet have been bound, like a disobedient concubine. And Mike has become a low-ranking servant of the state, forever forced to feed coal into the mutilated form that was one his industrial lover. The life lesson here is that it doesn't matter if you are honest and hard-working. In fact, those are disadvantages. The only winners are the diesel shovels, destroying without remorse.

Good for tykes who like to play with blocks and toy trucks. Might as well let them know what they're in for.

I usually save long reviews for products that caused problems. So this one's short and sweet. This BOOK is Fantastic. It's short, and a dahl classic. Plus, I believe they're turning it into a movie starring Clooney, Murray, and Blanchet.

Love this book, found the same edition to read to my children, I hope they will read it to there children one day.

this is a good book because it makes you want to know what happens next. you will like this book if you like adventure books. there is some saspensfull parts in the book! you want to see what mr. fox's plan is. becuse three hunters are trying to to kill mr. fox for steeling there food that they hunted for like chickens and ducks. if you read this book will love the ending.


thanks for reading

I am 9 years old and enjoyed this book. I especially like how it is written and the story line. It is full of fantastic mystery all the way up until the last sentence. There ae three adults who are trying to kill a fox who is eating some of the food from their farms. The adventure is all about Mr. Fox trying to get away from the farmers and still trying to feed his family and friends. It was fun to live the life of each character from the adults to the foxes, moles, rabbits and all the other animals. If you like mystery and adventure you will love this book.

when the young foxes fearfully ask their daddy, the fantastic mr fox, how will we die? will there be dogs? I decided it was not for my 3 year olds. he's clever allright but this is probably a tale best told ( edited by you) and not read.

This book begins a new type of series for Brooks. Three hundred years into the future from where Wishsong ended, the Four Lands have changed dramatically. The Federation, just an upstart bureaucracy when last we left them, has basically taken over, ruling the country with a repressive, quasi-Communistic fist that "outlaws" magic. The Dwarves have been enslaved, the Elves disappeared off the face of the continent and the Trolls have retreated into the harsh landscape of the north, hoping to be left alone. This series for Brooks takes a new turn--although we again have a pair of Ohmsfords leading the way, and even an ancestor of the Leahs acting as protector (and also a few more bemusing ancestral connections I'll leave for the reader to discover) -this four-book series will follow the same cast of characters throughout all the books; no more generation hopping. In the first book, the shade of Allanon summons Par Ohsmford, his "uncle" Walker Boh and his "cousin" Wren to the Hadeshorn. There he warns them that, atlhough he thought the time of magic had died with him and the shutting away of Paranor, he was wrong. The magic, it seems, is part of the Earth and cannot be banished. And once again, someone has gone mucking around in it and disaster has resulted--mainly creatures called Shadowen that are feeding off the souls of people, most especially people with magic. Allanon sends the trio in search for talismans he says can destroy the Shadowen and save the earth from turning into a post-apocalyptic hell (the Shadowen, or their magic, are also destroying the landscape). Walker, who, as it happens, really hates Druids, is charged with bringing back the Druids and Paranor (he's not too excited about this idea). Wren is told to discover what happened to the Elves and then return them to Westland. Par is charged with finding what happened to the long-missing Sword of Shannara.
This first book is, more of less, just the opening scene for the four-part series detailing how these characters go about fulfilling their charges. We mostly follow Par and his brother, Coll, through the end of this one, but the ending is open and sends you plunging directly into the next in the series. The book is, again, plagued by some of the stuff that persistently annoys me about Brooks work (mainly, the constant whining and introspection about having to use magic, and people withholding secrets), but I found the parts that focused on Federation rule, the very-scary secret police Seekers and the fate of the Dwarves fascinating and very well-done.

i love the shannara series. i bought this for my nephew in hopes he enjoys it as much as i do.

Brooks returns with a great book with everything a Shannara fan is looking for. Highly reccomended to those who have finished the Sword series and are looking for more.

my first terry brooks novel, and purely by chance. since then, i was hooked. don't care if people say that brooks was a hack compared to tolkien. i like both authors--they have their own writing styles, and both are very good in their art.

what is great about brooks and his shannara series is that every chapter is riveting. there were times when i really couldn't put the book down--i just wanted to gobble up every scene, every confrontation, every revelation. besides having fantastical characters, there's also humor, romance, and even serious emotional turmoil. plus, the way brooks describes his characters and the world around them is so textured and rich: one can feel the beat of the sun on the characters' faces, the merciless twists and turns of the forests that they traverse, the pounding adrenalin as they are pursued, even the despair and exhilaration that overcomes them at salient points of their journeys. surely only something a master storyteller could execute.

i'll always be grateful that i discovered the shannara series thru the Scions--(well, after this novel, it was just romance between me and its other installments... ^_^ )

I thought this was a really interesting book. I'm glad I didn't have to wait two years or so to find out how the cliff hanger was going to be resolved.

Once again Terry Brooks takes the Omsford family and the Leah family on a quest to stand against a great evil in the land. Once again the characters are not sure they want to be part of this quest but once again they are told them must and come to realize that (although Walker Boh still wasn't sure at the end)it is their destiny to do so.

While the concept is a little repetative if you've just read the Sword of Shannara series, it still works. The story in this book and series are a lot more indebth than the SofS series. Not quite as much action but a lot more plot and character development but enough action to keep you on your toes. I'm glad he found a way to put Allanon in this book. I kind of missed that character from the SofS series.

Once again Terry Brooks has setup what appears to be a great series. He's got great characters, great villian(s) and heroes that you can real feel and love or love to hate. This book is also very clean, a little violent but that's what you expect from these kind of books, but no sex, no swearing and nothing overly fowl or vulger. It's a book you can have your kids read and not worry about.

I am looking forward to see how this series ends. Terry Brooks is an awesome writer.

I'll save a review of the book for others, but suffice it to say that I really liked it. As a narrator, Anton Lesser is superb. I've listened to a lot of audiobooks, and he is one of the best.

However... it was when I was referencing my place in the story in a paper copy that I noticed that a paragraph in a certain physical scene between two characters has been entirely omitted. Later, when the male is asking the female whether their encounter was painful, the dialogue has been altered. I don't know if the audiobook producers are responsible, or if this represents a rewrite by the author, but I was annoyed.

This book is so good! i love how dark and sophisticated it is. Sally really comes into her own and it leads perfectly into the next in the series. fantastic!

Realy love the way philip developes the story and carries on from the first book, many similitaries to his triliage of the Golden Compase

I loved Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy so much, so I picked up his Sally Lockhart series to keep my glow going. They're really good; not quite as incredible as the HDM books, but very interesting, engaging and suspenseful. I loved the first book in the series. This one, book 2, was a lot more confusing than book 1. I think there may have been too many characters to keep straight; I kept confusing their names and agendas. That said, it still gripped me and held me in the story through the end.

I greatly appreciate Pullman's tendency to treat young readers as capable of dealing with sophisticated ideas like religious controversy, drug addiction, violence, and sex. Indeed, youth deal with these things in their everyday lives, and they need literature that addresses them without the aggrandizement or gloss with which they are so often depicted on TV. This novel, with its vivid characters and life-like depictions of 19th century London, treats its young readers with respect.