GA

It's March and I just finished the April section of Clippings from Orene's Garden. I am astounded at the wealth of information!
The flowering trees and shrubs and vines that are available for the South Carolina yard are described in color, foliage, and scent and include the names both local and Latin.
There is practical advice on perennials and annuals: where to plant them; how to prepare the soil; how to show them off in containers or beds, in masses for traffic-stopping color, or even between rows in a vegetable garden.
Perhaps the biggest delight for me was the section on tomatoes. The directions and suggestions here have given me the courage to try (after I find some sun in my much-shaded yard.) I was interested to read her sister Betty's method and am already thinking of people who might let me "raid" their pastures.
This is a fabulous book, and Orene was a gardener of rare ability and generosity. For years to come this book will inspire us to plan and dream and then rush to our nearest garden center.

For someone, like me, who does little gardening, Orene's book is a helpful guide in giving practical gardening tips.....some even in step-by-step instructions. In reading this book, the gardening ideas were written in layman's terms....easy to understand concepts. I appreciate Orene's added wisdom and humor pertaining to life and to the garden. Having known Orene for over thirty years, reading this book gave me a new appreciation for the depth and passion she had for gardening.

Orene Stroud Horton, renowned garden writer and true southern lady gives us a wealth of practical and artistic information in this book. It is a wonderful resource for novice to expert gardners, as well as pleasant reading. Espically important are the numerous plant combinations that provide guidance to southern gardners for beautiful color and texture. It wonderful to have her wisdom in one place and not scattered on many slips of paper. A special thanks to her family who have made this gift available to all.

I deliberately waited over a year to purchase and read Midnight Clear by my favorite mystery author, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. I've always paced myself with her books because there aren't that many to begin with plus it's been over 3 years since KHT last wrote one. I hope that she is working on something new, because all of us Callahan Garrity fans are anxiously awaiting the next mystery featuring Callahan, Edna & the rest of the House Mouse cleaning crew! As for Midnight Clear-it just doesn't get any better than this. Kid brother Brian, who had been in absentia for 10 years suddenly shows up at Edna's doorstep with a surprise in his truck-a 3 year old girl named Maura. There is a major murder mystery for Callahan to solve, but it looks like Brian is the prime suspect-his ex-wife is found murdered in her bed. You'll find yourself rapidly turning the pages until you reach the surprise ending, KHT pulls out all the stops with this one. Once you reach the very end, however, you realize you want more books to come out featuring Callahan Garrity & co. As the previous reviewer mentioned, if only Ms. Trocheck would write as often as Sue Grafton does! Very highly recommended-along with all of her other books. Enjoy!

In Atlanta, Callahan Garrity is looking forward to Christmas, which is only a few days away when disaster strikes. Her brother Brian, who she has not seen in over a decade, arrives, accompanied by his two-year old daughter. However, there are universal truths including that the life of Brian means trouble for Callahan. Her sibling kidnapped his child from his former spouse, who will use the law to get her daughter back and her ex-husband in jail.

However, instead of a kidnapping rap, the police arrive to arrest Brian for killing his ex-wife. Brian has vanished, leaving his child and his hopes for freedom with Callahan, who he expects to clear his name.

MIDNIGHT CLEAR, the seventh Callahan Garrity mystery, is the best novel in a very well written series. The who-done-it is a true puzzler filled with intriguing twists and the characters remain fun to read about, especially the hilarious Edna (Callahan's mom) and her cohorts. However, the insight into the star's brother adds depth to the interesting, but strange brew. Kathy Hogan Trocheck has become one of the leading authors of amateur sleuths, living in Dixie.

Harriet Klausner

It's a few days before Christmas, and sometimes disorganized Callahan Garrity, actually has things under control for a change. That is, until her deadbeat brother, Brian, shows up after 10 long years, with a toddler, Maura, who he says is his daughter. Callahan is always used to trouble following Brian, so when she finds out that he's actually kidnapped Maura from his estranged wife, she's not surprised. But, when Brian's ex-wife is found dead, the lead suspect is Brian. And though Callahan knows that he's many things, she knows that he's no murderer. So now it's time for her, her hilarious mother, Edna, and the employees of the House Mouse Cleaning Service to do some serious detective work around Atlanta, before Christmas is ruined for everyone.

This was my first Callahan Garrity mystery, and I was not one bit disappointed. Callahan, and her mother Edna are two hilarious characters, and the mother/daughter relationship between the two of them is absolutely fantastic. Whether you're a mystery lover, or a fan of family drama's, this is a must-have this holiday season.

Erika Sorocco

All out, my FAVORITE book! Mr. Dream Merchant was one of those novels that you could not put down and once you did, you wanted to read it again, and I DID! It touched on being human and being spiritual, one with God, and understanding life's parellels of being accepted. This book touched me in a way that I thought could never happen. I understand how one's dreams can come to life by the words written in this novel. I would highly suggest that you get this novel TODAY and READ IT. Thank you Mr. Bailey for putting together such a WONDERFUL and SPIRITUAL book. I have highlighted certain areas in the book to remind me of WHO IS IN CONTROL!!! May God Continue to BLESS you on your Journey's END......

A wonderful, inspirational and insightful book. This is a book to sit and read as a family, especially those with males. Truly awesome in my opinion.

Dr. Bailey has captivated an audience of adults and youth with "The Dream Merchant". Each page is just as exciting as the previous page. The pearls of wisdom that he has incorporated into his book have stuck with me. I even find myself using some of them when I am in discussions with youth.I have given so many away that I feel that I am the publicist! Whenever I take a nap, I just imagine myself meeting Junior and participating in the adventure! My hat is off to Erroll and the exciting future of "The Dream Merchant"! A movie would be fantastic!

When I first started reading this book, I felt that everything was a little too formulaic. It has the successful black business woman who's Miss Independent and looks like Tyra Banks, etc. She meets the white guy in a business suit who basically says 'Hey I'm not racist my best friend is black'...etc. The first chapter honestly made me want to just write this book off as just another "interracial book."
But wait! Read on. I'm telling you the book got spicy! It was hot! I had to go repent.....anyway, the way the relationship forms between the couple is spectacular. Plus Yvonne's history was so gripping, once it was uncovered, that it completely made up for the beginning of the book. I almost cried. I did cry. I'm about to cry now...where the hell is my tissue box....?
Now towards the end Ms. Glass lost me. After everything Yvonne and Michael had been through she listened to that dummy "friend" of hers. I felt like both of the characters were WEAK! It's like the author is saying that black men can excercise the power to break up that kind of relationship or put it back together whenever they choose. But whatever; I'm not the judge. After that the book captured my heart again. *sigh*
Overall there is a connection with this book that I cannot deny. It's a must read. Then when you're ready to move to college level go pick up The Time of Our Singing.

In NO COMMITMENT REQUIRED, Seressia Glass writes about two real people, one Black and one White, with real lives and real problems, who just happen to fall in love, after a real struggle against it.

Both Michael and Yvonne are successful in their own right, and appear to have everything they could want, but because of the past unfairness that fate has dealt them, they are unable to trust in love and in the ability to be happy.

What adds to the flavor of this book is that each one is emotionally scarred from past relationships. They have their doubts and their doubting friends, but with patience, love and understanding, they are able to overcome. Ms Glass writes with wit, humor and emotion and I look forward to other books by her.

I was intrigued with Sandra Kitt and Gwynne Forresters interracial romance novels. This book is outstanding. I could actually visualize the characters. I hope Ms. Glass will write another book like this one. I have read where other authors have written a sequel for their couples, maybe Ms. Glass wil do the same. The story was so good you want to see the characters again. I hope she may consider given them some other entanglement and letting their love shine through again. Excellent writer!

LEAVING ATLANTA, by Tayari Jones, tells the story of three children who are living through the Atlanta Child Murders of the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is fiction set in and responding to real and traumatic events of the time. Through the voices of Tasha Baxter, Rodney Green, and Octavia Harrison, the reader hears and sees the fears, concerns, and observations of fifth-grade children facing the disappearance of children like them.

LEAVING ATLANTA is heartwarming and heartbreaking.

It is a heartwarming read in the sense that it really takes adult readers back to the joys and dissapointments of elementary school years: cliques, hand-me-downs, the cafeteria lady, penny candy binges, black & white televisions, trying to listen in on adult conversations, and birthday party invitations among others. Jones has done a great job of capturing the details and language of fifth graders and of the late 70s and early 80s.

LEAVING ATLANTA is heartbreaking in the sense that the reader understands how kids try to explain the unexplainable to themselves. Tasha, Rodney, and Octavia all are trying to make some sense of their worlds and the events happening in Atlanta at the time. The characters' reactions and conclusions could lead adult readers to look at the ways they explain current events to or raise their own children.

Tayari Jones's debut is excellent. LEAVING ATLANTA made me laugh, remember my elementary school days, reflect on my parents and how I was raised, and most definitely cry. At just over 250 pages, the novel is both fulfilling and a manageable read. I highly recommend this novel. I look forward to future works by Tayari Jones.

Leaving Atlanta, Tayari Jones wonderful debut novel, brings to life one of the most terrible periods in Atlanta's history, the time when a serial killer was snatching and murdering children at the rate of one a month. While much has been written and said about the hunt for the killer, his probable motives, the impact on the city's image, this book takes a completely different approach by taking us back to that time through the eyes of the children who lived through it. Their fear, their vulnerability and their absolute "kidness" even in the face of the horror all around them come through clearly in Jones' book. Without sensationalizing the story in any way, she makes you feel the children's fear of a new crossing guard, even if he is an emissary from the guardian angels, come south to protect them. Jones' has a gift for the dialogue of her youthful characters and never strikes a false note when they talk to each other or to the adults scrambling to protect them. A pleasure to read and a unique perspective on those terrible times that still haunt all of us who could not find a way to protect our children from a danger we will never understand.

Tayari Jones' stunning debut novel, "Leaving Atlanta," is a work of bravery, insight and compassion. The author's fertile imagination invests her three sensitive youthful protagonists with grim humor, bewildered knowledge and understated fear as a consequence of the terrifying wave of child murders which traumatized the African-American community of Atlanta in 1982. By focusing on the emotional terrain of three marginalized fifth-graders, Jones permits "Leaving" to soar far beyond its setting. Indeed, Jones compels us to consider life's transitory trajectory, the acute pain of impermanence and the lasting residue of loss, all through the eyes and hearts of three kids already overburdened by crumbling families and outcast status at school.

Blending perfectly etched descriptive passages with utterly believable dialogue, Jones insists we observe fear's grip through child pariahs' eyes. Grim realizations that classmates and neighbors are disappearing (and presumably "gone" forever) compete with everyday slights that cause us to wince at the corrosive power sadness casts over the lives of the three protagonists. Tasha, Rodney and Octavia are shunned, disparaged and ridiculed; they cope by withdrawing, failing academically or combatting their adversaries, all depending on their daily internal barometer or the time and place. Each child, despite every manifest act directed against them by the popular in-crowd, yearns desperately for acceptance.

"Leaving" illuminates the thin but resilient membrane that African-American fifth-graders develop to protect themselves from societal racism and internal self-doubt. Despite all the pressures operating to impede their development, these children permit their yet fragile selves to grow. Tasha's quiet, unwelcomed fall into second-class social standing hurls her reluctantly into a recognition and identification with Rodney's unique status as class loser. Tiny Rodney -- the butt of everyone's jokes -- suffers badly at home as well. His distant, dismissive father humiliates him everywhere, including in front of his classmates while dishing out a vicious whipping to his numbed son. Rodney's sole solace is Octavia, whose dark black skin color earns her the epithet "Watusi" from her classmates. Born out of wedlock to a proud but struggling mother, Octavia bounces between being her mom's "Sweet Pea" to her classmates' bull's-eye for insults. Of the three characters, Octavia is truly fully realized.

"Leaving" contains much more than a sketch of the impact of serial murders on a frightened community. Jones introduces three distinct father figures, and even the father who is physically absent casts a significant emotional impact. The three mothers defy easy characterization; the fierce love of Octavia's mother contrasts sharply with the distanced, addled imbalance of Rodney's. The author also has her finger squarely on the pulse of schoolyard life; her classroom scenes are wrenchingly accurate.

Above all, "Leaving Atlanta" treats loss, the understanding "that people get away from you like a handful of sweet smoke." Tayari Jones knows that damage to the spirit and heart is much more difficult to treat compared to "tending to the wounds that I can see." Murder's terror augments the painful epiphany of life's brevity, even to children who ought reach that clarity much, much later in life. Full of integrity and authentic emotion, this novel is a triumph.

Millions of Cats Book Review

I think you should read this book by Wanda Ga'g because it is a very good book. It tells that some ugly things can be cute. This story is about cats. A man has a hard time deciding which one he wants. They are all cute. After they drank the water, they left. Then he saw one left behind a plant and it was the cutest of them all. So he took it .
He and his wife gave it love and took care of it...

"Once upon a time there was a very old man and a very old woman. They lived in a nice clean house which had flowers all around it, except where the door was. But they couldn't be happy because they were so very lonely..." So begins Wanda Gag's 1928 masterpiece, Millions Of Cats, and this little treasure is as fresh and appealing today, as it was almost 75 years ago. The old man, wanting to make his wife happy, sets out to find her a cat. He travels far and wide until he comes to a hill covered with cats. "Cats here, cats there,/Cats and kittens everywhere,/Hundreds of cats,/Thousands of cats,/Millions and billions and trillions of cats." But which one should the old man choose to take home with him? Just as he picks out one pretty kitty, he spies another he can't leave behind and then another, and on and on until soon he's bringing all "those hundreds and thousands and millions and billions and trillions" of cats home with him..... Ms Gag's engaging text begs to be read aloud, and youngsters will revel in "helping" you read the entertaining singsong refrain over and over again. Her charming black ink illustrations are filled with marvelous detail that captures the story beautifully. Perfect for kids 3-7, Millions Of Cats is a timeless classic to read and share now with family and friends, and with future generations in the years to come.

I'm ashamed to say that prior to a children's literature course I took, I was completely ignorant of the works of Wanda Gag and her elegant, "Millions of Cats" until the ripe old age of 25. As it stands, the book is amazingly timeless, accompanied by beautiful pen and ink drawings illustrating each and every scene. There are plenty of details per page for kids to point out on their own and the words will not tax the average child. The daughter of a Bohemian painter, Gag was a superb artist in her own right. Nowhere else will you find this as evident as in "Millions of Cats". It remains one of the best American classic picture books of all time.

The first of the series, a young Barn Owl named Soren falls out of his nest. Next thing he knows, he is at a St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls. Here he makes the best friend ever, and the two must stop themselves from being 'Moon blinked', and find out the secret of the so-called flecks!

Will they make it? It is up to you to dig up the truth!

Gaurdians of Ga'Hoole is looking like a really great series so far. This author has a very big imagination, and a very stretched vocabulary. This book, #1 The Capture, is very different and I'll tell you why.
There are no people in this book. Just owls. In this book, the owls have dialouge. They're regular characters in the story. It's very exciting to see and think what the owls see and think to each other. I thought that this was very interesting to see how the owls interacted like people. So I kept reading, and started to really like this book.
Soren is a baby owl, just about 2 weeks. He is a barn owl in the kingdom of Tyto. He has a newborn sister, Eglantine, and an older snobby brother Kludd. Soren is living a great life with his parents until he falls out of his nest onto the floor of the woods, or maybe, pushed out. Soren is then scooped up that night by an older adult owl, and taken to an academy for orphan owls. Soren does not like this, he's not an orphan. Soren meets a smaller owl around his age that was also captured. His name is Gylfie. Soren and Gylfie do not like this place, its weird, and scary for them. Soren and Gylfie figure out that this is not a good place to hang out for a while. They have to get out, but how. They have to fly, something that they are not capable of doing as an owlet.
I really recommend this book because, youm really do not want to stop reading. Theres constant action, and constant thinking between the owls. This book is not to long if your worried about that. It's only 235 pages with a chapter about the sequel, The Journey. It's deffinatly action packed when the owls escape. You definitally do not want to stop reading #1 The Capture, and all the other, Gaurdians of Ga'Hoole books.

> "Guardians of Ga'Hoole, The Capture," is a fiction adventure book
by Kathryn Lasky.It is the first of the series. The next book is "The
Journey."
>
> Soren is a barn owl who lives with his mother, father, brother
and new sister. They live in the forest kingdom of Tyto, in the southern
kingdoms of the owl world. Their life was the same as any other owl
family, until Soren fell out of their hollow and got snatched. He came to
St. Aegolius Academy for orphaned owls, where horrible owls take young
owls from their homes and have them help to lead the owl world to
them.They have them do something called Moon blinking, which hypnotizes
them so they do not escape.Soren and his friend Gylfie do not get
moonblinked. Together they try to go save the owl world from disaster.
>
> I think this is a wonderful book for people who love adventure
stories. The ages that people would most enjoy this book would be 8-12.
It has new excitement on every page, and you always want to know what's
going to happen next. There never seems to be a dull moment in this
book.

Ms. Ellis has created a timeless novella about love, faith, and family. Trusting God to guide all of your steps will ensure that even if you stumble, you will surely never fall.

I knew the ending before I'd even read it (it was predictable), yet it did not deter me from finishing this novel in one sitting. I enjoyed reading Marley, Pam, and Ma Grand's story told in words so eloquent and fluid it made you feel like you were a part of the family.

Finally, for those non-believers who are still not sure what the power of prayer can do for you; if you allow Christ into your life-HE can perform miracles exceedingly above and beyond any expectations that you ever imagined. Pick up a copy of this book! It will make you rethink how you view yourself and God, and the life you've been leading.

Blessings!

That Faith, That Trust, That Love revolves around three generations of women: Marley Shepherd, her mother Pam, and her grandmother Ma Grand. Marley has grown up watching her mother and grandmother deal with men in different fashions. Pam was unable to keep Marley's father happy so she ended up alone and after years of dominating her husband, Ma Grand found herself a widow. Pam blames Ma Grand for her faulty behavior in her marriage because she does not believe that love was ever truly shown during her childhood and the relationship between she and Ma Grand is bitter at best. Somehow, they manage to tolerate each other.

Meanwhile, Marley is engaged to every woman's dream: Gerrard. However, she has serious reservations about the marriage because the of lack of quality time spent together. Once she discovers the reason behind Gerrard's disappearing acts, the engagement is called off and Marley decides to devote her extra time to the church. She joins a new church and immediately falls head over heels for Lazarus, an extremely active member.

This book is wonderfully written, full of scripture lessons that don't feel preachy, and quite humorous at times. The bonding between the three generations of women and the journey of self-discovery that Marley endures will hit home with a lot of women. This is definitely a worthwhile read and there is never a boring moment.

Reviewed by Zane

Matthew 6:14 - For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Forgiveness is one of the hardest things there is to do in life, especially when you don't really understand what it is that you are forgiving.

Marley Shepard is blessed and highly favored. Living true to the scripture to whom much is given much is required she is a hardworking young woman. Engaged to Gerard, son of a huge real estate family all seems to be going well. She has great friends and a supportive family. Marley is truly living the charmed life.

Unbeknownst to her, Marley is being tested and it causes her to be unsure of her life choices. Should she stay engaged? Why is her family at odds? Why isn't she happy? These are questions that are plaguing Marley's soul. Turning everywhere but to HIM it seems that her spirit is even more unsettled than ever. In the midst of all her trials Marley is lost.

Marley crosses paths with Lazarus and her world instantly changes. Just being in the presence of this brother has a calming effect. Although there is an undeniable physical attraction, what holds her attention is something more. Lazarus is from the "old" church. He knows that God doesn't deal in coincidences and he prays for their situation. Slowly, there is a change. She is not just going to church, but she is seeking HIS face. Just by doing this and being steadfast in prayer her life begins to change. She is letting go of her hurts and asking God to change her. But the change in Marley is causing change in the people in her life and their situations. By the end of this novel Marley is on her way to receiving all that God has for her and claiming her just reward.

Jamellah Ellis has written a wonderful debut novel. She has decided not to follow the norm and follow God. That Faith That Trust That Love is going to be one of those books to which others will be compared to.

Angie Pickett-Henderson
Readincolor Moderator

Once again Virginia Lanier's riveting story of bloodhound sleuthing was worth the wait. I read it in 11 non stop exciting hours. Virginia Lanier manages to tell several different stories all wrapped together in one book. She also captures the essence of small town southern living. I'm sure I will think about the story and the characters for several months while I patiently wait for her next Bloodhound book. These stories pull you in and make you feel like your part of the story, running through the woods with Jo Beth sidden and her trusty man trailers hot on someone's scent. I hope Virginia Lanier will continue to write books about Jo Beth Sidden and her wonderful and colorful bloodhounds.

I read the first book in this bloodhound series while travelling through the Okefenokee Swamp on vacation in 1996. I have eagerly anticipated each subsequent addition. Anyone with a love of animals, a love of mysteries, a love of gutsy women, or a love of southern colloquialisms will relish each book. I do encourage everyone to read them in order. In fact, due to an impending birth , I have been homebound, and just finished reading the first four books all over. I wait with bated breath for the fifth one to arrive. Jo Beth, Jasmine, Wayne, Hank, and all of the other fascinating cast of characters are captivating and unique. However, it's Bobby Lee, Melanie, Ashley, and all of the bloodhounds who make the books come to life.

Just want to recommend this book, I actually enjoyed it more than the others. Well told, and after reading the other books in this series, you are really feeling like you know the characters and can identify with them. The very end is wonderful, and I can't wait to read the next.

My mom brought this book home one day after she stopped at the bookstore to get a book I needed for school. When I opened the bag to grab my book to go to school the next morning, and I saw a book with an apparently insane kid riding a book wielding a machete, I was a bit disturbed and concerned. When I got home from school, I read the back jacket and the book sounded pretty funny. When I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Being a sophomore in highschool and being in a private, Catholic highschool after going to nothing but public school before that, I could perfectly relate to the characters. Francis is almost entirely relateable, and funny. Tim Sullivan reminds me of a bunch of my friends. All in all this book was hysterical, until the end when the book suddenly shifted tone, and really became sad and moving, and I really sympathized for Francis. And I'm also really glad my mom didn't read it, like she was planning to. This book reminds me a lot of the movie "The Sandlot," both having real-to-life kids in a close group of friends, who you really begin like and feel like you know, and then ends in retrospect, telling of the kids' futures.

The Dangerous Lives Of Altar Boys is an epic coming of age story set in the south in the 70's. This was one of the most enjoyable novels I have ever read. Chris Furman has created a masterpiece that is definitely the greatest undiscovered novel of our generation. No one should pass up reading this book. I highly recommend it to anyone, no matter what reading style you enjoy. The novel also has special significance for William Blake fans, although no knowledge of Blake is necessary to appreciate his influence on the novel.

This book was like revisiting the past. Chris Fuhrman captured childhood perfectly.