JO

This book started off like some other books by Roberts: some kids lost there parents, and were sent to live with relatives. It was pretty good, and the ending was surprising. The elements, events, and characters in the story were all well-developed, which made it more fun to read. I liked the book overall.

My 11- yearold son read this book to me. We both found it to be entertaining. Usually it is hard to get my son to read. He is a good reader but doesn't like to read. He was unable at times to put the book down. The action kept his interest. If you have a child that doesn't like to read I recomend this book.

I have to disagree with the above reviewer. When Jo Goodman is at her best (Tempting Torment, Violet Fire, Forever in My Heart, Only in My Arms, to give several examples), her books are wonderful--heartwarming, fun, touching, and very human, Midnight Princess, however is not one of her best. The plot is disjointed, making strange twists and turns out of the blue. Unlike the relationships in Goodman's best, the relationship here between Jenny and Christian seems baseless and unbelievable. He starts out treating her with cruely and suddenly they are in love with no journey or growth the explain why he changes his mind or why she loves or even tolerates someone who has treated her so badly. This book does intruduce the Marshall family who return in later and,in my opinion, better novels including the Dennehy Sisters series.

Good grief, can't believe I'm the 1st reviewer here. U wouldn't wanna miss this spectacular novel, if U know what's good for you. Ms Goodman's great writing talent is shown to the fullest this time. This book has one of the best premises & plot-driven stories I've ever read in a historical. 447 pages - and small fonts, mind U - filled with fantastic, sharp banter between Christian & Jenny consumed my attention 'till 5 AM. Some of the bone-chilling, disturbing scenes are mercilessly depicted. But, the sizzling platter of love-scenes & rich secondary characters are compensation enough. Christian is a bitter, restless war hero & reluctant heir to the newspaper tycoon. Jenny is the mysterious, striking beauty whom he saved from nightmarish stay at a mental hospital. Her presence is the turning point of his wretched life. I love it when Christian finally came to his senses & admitted that He loved her & asked her to marry him. What a nice change from the usual arrogant-know-all-to-the-end heroes. I never thought photography could be that interesting 'till I read this masterpiece. Jenny is very smart for her sex - too smart perhaps, 'cuz that was what landed her in the mental institution in the 1st place thanks to her evil stepfather & brother - but vulnerable too. Whenever the 2 of 'em are thrown together, the sprinkler system is in danger to go off. Simply an all-around terrific writing from the consistently high-quality novelist that'll churn your gut & I don't mean puking.....

I loved THE PRIMROSE CONVENTION, the first book in the series, but was disappointed by SWITCHBACK. CONVENTION featured a wonderful ensemble of distinctive, endearing characters, teaming up to locate a missing man. The relationships among these characters were charming and unique. In SWITCHBACK, the main characters are fairly isolated from each-other for most of the book. The story centers around one of them, who is subjected to enormous suffering, partially caused (unintentionally) by another of the formerly-likeable characters. The unremittingly bleak tone is a misstep in my opinion; it didn't work for me. And the qualities that made CONVENTION special are mostly absent from SWITCHBACK. I don't object to a somber book, but this one felt "off." CONVENTION wasn't sappy-sweet, but it did strike a hopeful tone, and SWITCHBACK's tone was... hopeless.

This is a really good series that is begging for better publicity. One small problem may be that it is currently being touted as a "cozy" series along the lines of a Miss Marple mystery, but it isn't "cozy" at all, and has a rather gritty and hard-boiled feel to the whole thing.

The series features Rosie Holland, an ex- pathologist and current agony aunt for the Skipley Chronicle. She's famous (or infamous depending on your point of view) for her 'shoot-from-the-hip" advice. This novel opens with the television show "You've Been Had" deciding to ambush Rosie with a fake crisis. "You've Been Had" is a show that manufactures a crisis, gives you a mini heart attack and then passes the whole affair off as a joke. Of course Rosie doesn't see the 'joke' and slugs the host of the programme while the cameras are rolling. The next thing to hit Rosie however is not news that the programme is suing Rosie for assault but that Shad Lewis, Rosie' s gardener, has been found concussed and bleeding next to a body of a young woman-- a researcher for that same infamous show.

At first Rosie is merely concerned for Shad's physical welfare, but then it begins to look as if he could have committed the crime. Shad is a very fragile young man with the unhappy gift of being able to psychically sense pain, fear and death; he has also suffered a nervous breakdown becasue of his'gift'. And being set up by such a show as "You've Been Had" is exactly the sort of thing that could just send him over the edge completely into madness and murder. And when it looks as if he is coming apart at the seams mentally, Rosie with the help of retired schoolteacher Alfred Prufrock tries to discover what really happened, esp since in spite of the evidence, she instinctively feels that Shad is innocent.

Rosie may not be everyone's cup of tea. She's loud, brash and domineering, but she's utterly charming as well. This mystery was alot more tautly written, and I enjoyed it alot more than the first, "The Primrose Convention". I think that this series deserves alot more consideration than it is currently getting, and recommend it as an enjoyable read.

The short editorial review of Savage Cut by Ingram has a couple errors. Ruby was divorced from her daughter's father when he was killed in the automobile accident which injured her daughter, so Ruby is not a widow. She was a receptionist for a private investigator who recognized her special talent and obtained training in graphology for her. She was not a graphologist for the LAPD.
I have loved Dereske's Miss Zukas' novels and am interested in this series as well though I do have problems with it. The motivation behind Ruby's friend's actions--her marriages, her affairs, her secrets--just didn't ring true. The descriptions of the daughter's condition and therapy are fascinating.

Good read. Highly recommended for those into "light" mysteries. Though I still prefer the Miss Zukas series. But then again, I am biased as I live in Washington state and am a librarian...

The author cannot be faulted for research, but the presentation is focussed entirely on such "male oppression" as nuns endured. Anyone looking for compelling spirituality, a full look at the incredible achievements of religious in any century, or even recognition of the fact that the professional and educational achievements of religious Sisters far exceeded that which other women could begin to hope for in recent centuries will be disappointed.

It is unbalanced, rather dismal, and not likely to appeal to anyone unless her philosophy of religious life is entirely one of a fight between the sexes.

One of the only books available to provide an overview of the orders from beginning to recent times. Readers are likely to be surprised by the diversity of the early orders, and the range of growth and the transitions they have made over the centuries. The majority of the text describes the development of the orders, providing fascinating insight to some of the practises that have come and gone over the years. Detailing social culture that surrounded the convents as well as the communities within the convents, it provides context to the lives of the nuns. This book may not present the ideally framed version of history many would like to see, especially if you're pursuing some notion of blissful cloistered weak women protected by the Church. Politics aside, this is a compelling view into the lives of women through the centuries who have exhibited strength in their dedication to their ideals with or without the aid of men.

Jo Carson lives and works in East Tennessee, and her work, in this book, has been taking overhard conversations around her, modifying the language into something that approximates folk poetry, and writing it down. Normally, this is a recipe for disaster. However, Carson's ear is finely-tuned enough that what comes out more often than not does resemble both rural dialect and poetry. And that in itself is more than enough reason to consider this a noteworthy book. But every once in a while, the stories she tells are the kind that tug at the heart without the naked appeal of obvious emotional manipulation (though there's certainly some of that here, too; if you go into this not expecting to find the cliched "boy, I wish people wouldn't treat East Tennessee folk like hicks," you're going to be disappointed-- but Carson does amnage to keep it to a minimum). A good, solid volume that's worth a quick read. ***

Don't dismiss the complexity of these "simple" poems too early. Jo Carson's STORIES I AIN'T TOLD NOBODY YET gives voice to an often misunderstood culture, and when we listen to this voice, we learn that economic differences are overshadowed by similarities of dreams, wants, and concerns. Carson's collection of poems might be described as an oral history in verse. These aren't the rhyming poems of greetings cards or the poised verse of classic poetry anthology. These are poems in the style of someone talking to you, or, perhaps even more powerfully, the style of overhearing others in a candid conversation. (Carson gives credit to overhearing many of these dialogues.) The result is simple language addressing complex themes. Loosely divided into main sections like Family and Work, the poems center on rural peoples' perspectives. Sure, economic hardship is a common theme, but more universal themes of family, responsibility, and dignity are also addressed. Yes, the simple language of the poems allows for a quick read. But a reader would be wise to give the collection a second read. And a third. And so on. There are layers to these simple dialogues, and even lessons to be learned. Literature can sometimes bridge the gap of misunderstanding between groups, cultures, etc. Although simple in language, this is literature that can do just that.

What a dull book, with a dull premise. The ladylike heroine and the rakish man has been done to death at this stage. There is no spark between the characters apart from the kiss, no sensuality, and dozens of characters mentioned never to be seen again. I find that the other couples in the book are all more interesting than the central one, which is not saying much since even Anne the heroine finds them dull. And crippled heroines have been done to death at this stage as well, as has the innocent and niave girl who asks a rake for tutelage in love.
I also saw so many grammatical errors in this book that the whole thing struck me as slipshod and yet another book churned out to try to continue a successful series at the expense of commonsense and quality.

Lady Anne Peckworth, the sheltered daughter of a Duke, finally gets her tale told. Having been left behind (can't say jilted) by the heroes in both "Forbidden" and "The Dragon's Bride," it was nice to see her get her own story. She is lovely, even with a club foot which is why she has stays away as much as possible from the society to which she belongs.

Enter Race de Vere, also introduced in "The Dragon's Bride" who is basically on a mission from the rogues and himself, to see how Lady Anne is taking the news of her latest beau's marriage and suffers no permanent damage. Race actually feels somewhat responsible, as he was the one that held back Com's letter of intent to Lady Anne knowing that his friend's heart was not taken with Anne. So, Race, being an honorable person, manages to attach himself to her brother in order to check in on the Lady.

Race is entranced by Lady Anne and even though he is attracted to her and she as well to him, they both know that the class differences would never be allowed for him to be considered as a suitable suitor. As is the way with all Beverley novels, where there is a will - there will be a way!

This is a wonderfully fleshed out portrait of two beautiful souls who come together, where the rules of society were absolutely aghast at this pairing. But better than that we are introduced to the Duke of St. Raven who's story I cannot wait to read! A great story told by this fabulous author. Definitely a keeper.

I've been a fan of Jo Beverly's books for years, but I'd been a little disappointed with the last few I'd read. However, "Hazard" was a stay-up-until-I-finish-it book, a definite keeper. This is much more a character study than an intricately plotted thriller, but the relationship between Anne and Race was touching and believable, and that's really all I ask here.

And after seeing Anne jilted by the hero in both "Forbidden" and "The Dragon's Bride," it was nice to see her as our heroine, significantly more fleshed out than in either of the other books. Hooray!

Putney is one of those "if I see it, I'll buy it" authors - she consistently produces compelling, involving stories about people you care for.

Unfortunately, Twist of Fate falls far short of the high standard she has set in the past - especially its predecessor, "The Spiral Path".

Most jarring is the switching of viewpoints without warning. You're reading a scene told from, say, Val's point of view while conversing with Kendra, then all of a sudden you're reading what Kendra is thinking. I had to backtrack to figure out what was going on.

Then there are the events that apparently occur simply because the Romance 101 textbook says so - Val and Rob's first romantic encounter seemed to come out of the blue, with no real buildup or tension, for example. A case of "It's time for things to get hot so let's put these people in the sack". Frankly, the relationship didn't seem to develop naturally at all.

And there's the fact that the entire novel is a treatise against the death penalty, very thinly veiled as a novel. Putney could find far better and more effective forums for her activism. At the very least, the topic deserves something better written and more compelling. I simply didn't care enough about the characters.

After reading the past two books in this universe (Burning Point and The Spiral Path), I was thrilled to see yet another continuation. Spiral Path especially was so beautifully crafted and richly emotional; it seemed Putney was just getting better and better! But this novel disappointingly fell very flat. It was completely predictable from start to finish. At the first mention of each plot point, I knew immediately what the end result would be -- hardly the most fun way to read a mystery! I enjoyed the character of Val at first, but her emotional revelations seemed very forced.

Overall, the book read like a very good sermon against the death penalty, with some romance and mystery elements thrown in as an afterthought. Not a bad read, but not at all what we've come to expect from the very talented Putney.

Val Covington, is a corporate lawyer in one of the more prestigious law firms in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Working the fast track and establishing herself as one of the hottest lawyers in the firm she'd finally been offered a partnership but disenchantment with the corporate type of law she was practicing was leading her to explore other options. Val wants to step back from the boardrooms and do more pro bono work. When a close friend points her in the direction of available office space in a restored church, the seeds that had been planted for some time of going into private practice blossom. Not only is the space ideal but there is a bonus of a handsome, rugged looking landlord who looks like just the type of guy she's attracted to.

Rob Smith, landlord, ex-marine, and many other hidden talents turns out to have investigative experience so that their paths become entwined both romantically and professionally, but the road to romance is filled with many pitfalls and a lot of baggage that make the romance quite secondary.

Offering her paralegal assistant the opportunity to come and work with, and for her Kendra Brooks agrees on the condition that Val would represent her former lover and the father of her child, sitting on death row. This being a last ditch effort to save him from execution, Kendra swears that Daniel Monroe was unjustly tried and convicted for a murder that he didn't commit. She should know, because at the time it was committed, he was with her.

While Ms. Putney's previous novels held me enthralled with adventure and romance, I felt that her purpose with this was more towards taking a stand against capital punishment than providing a romantic novel. While there was a romance going on, based primarily in Rob's mind - it took longer for it to click in Val's. I found there to be more emotional feeling in some of the secondary characterizations than in the lead couple. It is definitely a compelling read that gives the reader something to think about as to where they would stand on capital punishment, but as far as putting you in the mood for romance, it falls short for the love and passion that I've generally attributed to Ms. Putney's former books. Would I recommend it? Yes, it is a very good, compelling, and thought provoking read, but if you are looking for truly romantic love story, go and find any of her 'Fallen Angel series'.

Of the four books I read recently about reading people, this one was probably the least valuable. Most of the information given was pretty obvious, and her advice basically boils down to 1) Be aware of the other person's behavior and 2) trust your instincts. Most of the book contains such "in-depth" insights as "Honest people are generally relaxed and open. Dishonest people aren't." DUH! Her list of behavioral indicators for various traits is rather long, and she makes the basic mistake of pigeonholing certain characteristics as indicators of specific traits. She also doesn't deal with such topics as neurological problems or cultural differences. Some of her advice is a bit iffy, too; for instance, she says early on, "Learn to reveal something of yourself. To get others to open up, you must first open up to them." Not good advice if you're dealing with a conman or sociopath. If you really must, read the key points at the end of each chapter.

I read the book before I read the reviews online, and I must say that I'm quite shocked that there are people who didn't appreciate Jo-Ellan's book for what it had to offer. There are a few major complaints against the book, and I will address them as I recall them.

First, people say that the book reinforces stereotypes. Well, with a title like _Reading People_, I'm not sure how one can pretend that this is such a surprise. The whole point of the book is to categorize and identify different types of people in hopes of "reading" them, so the subject lends itself to stereotypical thinking. That said, there are NUMEROUS occasions on which Jo-Ellan points out that forming permanent impressions based on snap judgements obstructs your ability to accurately understand someone. Flexible and open judgement is best when it comes to predicting behavior. (And it wouldn't hurt when it comes to reviewing books online either!)

Second, people say that the book is filled with common sense. I could say this of several best-sellers in the same genre, and it wouldn't mean that the information contained within them is worthless. The world moves so quickly these days that it's hard to sit down and take stock of what is supposed to be obvious. Jo-Ellan includes the common sensical possibilities because, simply, the obvious can -- or does not have to be -- the case. For example, a man might keep his hair close cut because he is conservative, because he is forced to by a dress code at work, because he is in the armed forces, because the cut is flattering, or perhaps for some other less overt reason. It is important to list as many possibilities as possible, again, to keep an open mind, and those possibilities always include the obvious.

Third, there is talk that Jo-Ellan only accounts for American personalities. Most of her audience is American and would find that her focus on us is appropriate and useful. (Note: being a trial lawyer, she IS likely to talk about her area of expertise. Her references to trials are not at all complicated and are easily applicable to several "real-life" situations. Also, I don't think her choice of a career has much to do with the quality of this book, no matter HOW disgusting one thinks being a lawyer is.) If you are truly interested in knowing how folks in other countries think, feel, and behave, then take Jo-Ellan's advice: travel to the countries of interest, observe, and keep a database of information. Take note of common behaviors associated with telltale signals, but keep that mind ajar.

I found that the best thing Jo-Ellan's book has done for me is to increase my awareness and interest in people. Of course her book doesn't have "all the answers", but it certainly puts things in perspective. I find myself increasingly more attuned to other people's behavior, which has helped me understand their personalities.

I deny the book a five star rating because it isn't phenomenal. It is a fun eye-opener for people who aren't looking to know every detail about every person they will ever meet. Glean from it what you will. Approach the book knowing that it is not the definitive resource and that it will sometimes include what you think you already know, and you'll be pleased with the results.

Persuing a career in law, i never thought a simple book such as this one would captivate such a large part of my interest. This book covered things that we encounter on a daily basis. Because I am very much involved in the family aspect, I completely felt and understood Dimitrius when she mentioned struggling with her family life and was excellent in her professional life. Sometimes, we tend to overlook what we take for granted and this book goes great with coinciding both personal and professional life in understanding them both.

This book picks up where "The Prince of the Pond" left off. Jimmy, the prince's frog child must go to the castle where his now human father is holding the terrible hag's ring. It was mildly interesting to see Jimmy be turned into a human boy, but otherwise, this was just a boring and bittersweet story.

Have you ever read a book where a frog gets turned into a human? Well, I just read Jimmy, The Pickpocket Of The Palace and this is what happens.

In this book, an evil hag turns the main character, Jimmy (a frog), into a boy. She does this by using an evil ring. So now Jimmy is on a mission to find the ring and turn back into a frog. But, there are many obstacles in the way.

My favorite part in the book is when the hag turns herself into a rock. It is my favorite because it is when the pond becomes safe.

I think that this book is for 4th-5th graders because it might be challenging for someone younger. There are also words that they might not know. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because sometimes it was boring.

I enjoyed the book very much. What will happen to Jimmy? Will he ever be a frog again? Will his family be okay? Read Jimmy, The Pickpocket of the Palace to find out!

This book was really terrific! It had all the things I like and frogs too! Frogs are very interesting. The end was very sad, I almost started to cry. This book is about a frog named Jimmy, there is a person called the hag who puts a spell on Jimmy. She didn't finish the spell because she didn't have her magic ring. The spell will be broken when a girl kisses him. Who is the girl? Read this book to find out.