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MBR Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 1 January 2004 Home | MBW Index

Table of Contents

Cynthia Penn's Bookshelf Diana's Bookshelf Kaveny's Bookshelf

Klausner's Bookshelf Laurel's Bookshelf Russell's Bookshelf

Shelley's Bookshelf Shirley's Bookshelf

Cynthia Penn's Bookshelf
Girl's Guide To Hunting & Kissing: Harlequin Blaze No 108
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373791127 $4.50 256 pages

The second of the Single in South Beach series! Recommended. In her first series for Harlequin, author Joanne Rock captures the vibrancy of Miami Beach with her own inexhaustible flair for scintillating romance. The first novel of the Single in South Beach series introduces the hedonistic Club Paradise and the creative women who run it. A wildly successful resort for couples, Club Paradise received an overall when its male owners absconded with the profits. Each of the women owners had a connection to those who nearly bankrupted the resort, and have worked together to turn it into a lush, provocative, uninhibited playground for singles. Their goal is a fat bottom line and sweet financial revenge. None of the women expect to find love! Attorney Jackson Taggart looks for a woman with the perfect mouth, finding it on Summer Farnsworth. Deftly avoiding clich‚ pickup lines, Jackson captures her imagination with a clever use of a cell phone and divine temptation. Jackson knows Summer's secret fantasy will do anything to get his girl. Indeed, Summer makes Jackson easily forget the controversy that dogs his every step thanks to father. She might not be a politician's perfect pick, but he is willing to risk his carefully starched shirts for her. Jackson risks his political career for her even as Summer prefers bad boys with tattoos. As Club Paradise's ambiance coordinator, Summer has created a sensual paradise culminating with a room that is straight out of a bordello. Her bustier and pink braids may not match the proper image Jackson usually pursues, but her fiery personality draws him irresistibly. While they are wildly attracted to each other, however, Jackson and Summer are truly proof that opposites attract, and soon they are attracting controversy as well. The wildly successful introduction to this series, SEX & THE SINGLE GIRL receives a perfect encore with GIRL'S GUIDE TO HUNTING AND KISSING. Jackson's outrageously ingenious method of meeting and pursuing Summer cannot fail to charm readers even as the sensuality between them sparkles. Richly developed characterizations spring to life, complete with a background dripping with decadence and sin. A marvelous read, GIRL'S GUIDE TO HUNTING & KISSING comes very highly recommended. Be sure to watch for the next installment, Harlequin Temptation ONE NAUGHTY NIGHT.

Sex & the Single Girl: Harlequin Blaze No 104
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373791089 $4.50 256 pages

A lavishly sensual experience! Recommended. In her first series for Harlequin, author Joanne Rock captures the vibrancy of Miami Beach with her own inexhaustible flair for scintillating romance. The first novel of the Single in South Beach series introduces the hedonistic Club Paradise and the creative women who run it. A wildly successful resort for couples, Club Paradise received an overall when its male owners absconded with the profits. Each of the women owners had a connection to those who nearly bankrupted the resort, and have worked together to turn it into a lush, provocative, uninhibited playground for singles. Their goal is a fat bottom line and sweet financial revenge. None of the women expect to find love! FBI agent Aiden Maddock arrives at Club Paradise intending to investigate the scandal that rocked it the previous year. Unfortunately, he was also the same agent in charge of Brianne Wolcott's stepfather's investigation ten years ago. Brianne was barely an adult then, and the investigation was devastating. She is now a much different woman who would prefer to leave her past behind. Unfortuately, her step-father was Aidan's recurring nemesis and the first case Aiden had ever worked. The fact that he still remains free spurs Aiden's interest in Club Paradise and Brianne. Brianne might have been na‹ve enough ten years ago to trust Aiden, but now she has attitude and verve. But Aiden is determined to not let her sexy looks deter him from this career breaking investigation. Brianne is equally determined to not let this hunky investigator get to her. He might think she is her now ex-step-father's puppet, but she is her own woman and hell bent on success. Aiden becomes a regular guest at the club and sexual tension escalates, especially as he becomes certain she is hiding something. Author Joanne Rock pens a sensual feast with SEX & THE SINGLE GIRL. An extraordinary introduction to a promising series, SEX & THE SINGLE GIRL is Rock at her best with scintillating dialogue, a brisk pace, and hard hitting sensuality. Her own years of living at Miami Beach bring the area alive with a vivacious celebration of night life and fascinating characters. SEX & THE SINGLE GIRL comes very highly recommended. Be sure to watch for next month's installment, GIRL'S GUIDE TO HUNTING AND KISSING.

Prognosis: A Baby? Maybe: American Romance No 978
Jacqueline Diamond
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373169787 $4.75 256 pages

Recommended. Heather Rourke resents the arrival of Doctors Circle's newest staff addition. Everyone knows she should have been in line next for the job but no one knows that is not the reason for her resentment. Only Doctor Jason Carmichael knows that they met at a convention more than a year ago and would have made love if he had not passed out. The humiliating experience has haunted her, but she does not realize that Jason does not remember exactly what happened that night. Jason knows that Heather has a secret. When he learns that she has a baby at home about the right age for their purported liaison, Jason becomes determined to find a way to spend time with his daughter. But he does not know how to orchestrate things without scaring Heather off. Eventually the truth will come out. Either Heather had his baby or she is keeping a darker secret. Author Jacqueline Diamond pens an entrancing story with PROGNOSIS: A BABY? MAYBE. Jason's inability to remember the events of fifteen months ago leads to the marvelous of conundrums, and Heather's determination to protect her heart and her privacy offers him no respite. Indeed, Jason's arrogance meets its match in Heather's protectiveness of her privacy. As they struggle with mutual attractions the sparks fly - and clash. A wonderful afternoon's read, PROGNOSIS: A BABY? MAYBE comes very highly recommended.

Their Baby Bond: Silhouette Special Edition No 1588
Karen Rose Smith
Silhouette
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373245882 $4.75 256 pages

Enchanting! Recommended. Victoria Phillips eagerly anticipates the birth of her baby, even if she is not carrying the child. Instead, a pregnant teen has agreed to allow Victoria to adopt her child. With the expected day less than a month away, Victoria prepares a nursery, inviting a contractor to provide a bid. She never expects Jake Galeno to show up. Years ago he took her to her senior prom and she has never completely gotten over her teen crush. But the years have not necessarily been kind to him. For reasons he refuses to reveal, Jake has traded his gun for a hammer. But this a job he best finish quickly if he wants to put an end to sleepless nights, vivid dreams and a hungry need for Tori. She is a forever kind of girl and with a baby coming certainly would want a wild fling, which is all that he has to offer. Albuquerque saw to that when he was still on the force. Indeed, Jake believes that he has been broken into a thousand pieces and his is a solitary road. Author Karen Rose Smith brings her enchanting gift for weaving memorable romance to THEIR BABY BOND. Smith does not shy away from tackling the most challenging of emotional situations, which presents her tales an opportunity for poignancy and healing that has become her trademark. Certainly, THEIR BABY BOND showcases this gift with an unwed mother and a hero with a painful secret. Add this one to you keeper shelf. THEIR BABY BOND comes very highly recommended.

Wedding's Widow: Cassidy McCabe Mystery, 7Th.
Alex Matthews
Intrigue Press
PO Box 102004 1310 S. Washington St., Denver, CO 80210
ISBN 1890768499 $24.95 224 pages

Winner of WordWeaving Award for Excellence (for a series). Despite her misgivings, Cassidy McCabe agrees to attend client Claire Linden's wedding. Claire had divorced an abusive husband and found new love in the three years she had been seeing Cassidy. But her fianc‚ seems a bit too good to be true. Tragically, Cassidy and husband reporter Zach Moran do not celebrate Claire's wedding but witness the groom's murder. Just as the couple begins to speak their vows a shot rings out. Max dies in his bride's arms. Having previously heard of Cassidy and Zach's sleuthing abilities, Claire appeals to Cassidy for their assistance. She wants them to investigate what appears to a professional hit. Soon they learn of a multitude of suspects who might want Max dead. Worse, their questions lead to a stalker who threatens Cassidy's life. In the seventh Cassidy McCabe mystery WEDDING'S WIDOW, author Alex Matthews once again proves her excellence at creating well constructed mystery and a cast of characters readers cannot help but love. The irrepressible cat Starshine makes her appearance with feline grace and Cassidy's marvelous grandmother likewise lends zest to the tale. As Cassidy and Zach's relationship matures, the inevitable strains of daily living take a toll even as their affection binds them tightly. Their teamwork as investigators continues to strengthen as well. Moreover, the antagonist proves to be a bit of conundrum, making it hard to hate such a likeable fellow. With the rich nuances and subtle paradoxes that make life such a marvelous challenge, we award the Cassidy McCabe Mystery Series the WORDWEAVING AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE.

A Baby...Maybe / How To Hunt a Husband: Duets 108
Bonnie Tucker and Holly Jacobs
Harlequin Retail
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373441746 $5.99 377 pages

Recommended. In the last Harlequin Duets, authors Bonnie Tucker and Holly Jacob team up for amusing comedy. Readers who have treasured such entertaining reads will be pleased to learn that Duets are becoming a new product line called Flipside, offering individual, longer titles. Certainly Tucker and Jacobs capture the flair and spirit that made Duets such a huge success. A BABY MAYBE? By Bonnie Tucker: Meddlesome mothers arrange a bet as whose daughter will marry first. But Cara wants no part of this competition to the altar, especially when her mother picks the date and begins to arrange the ceremony without a groom in sight. So Cara flees town on her spring break, only to decide that what she really needs a baby. But the man who is as the sperm bank does not exactly offer the exact product this hopeful mother needs. Or does he? A rollicking rollercoaster ride filled with unexpected twists and hilarity! The seamless blend of this story into the subsequent one by Holly Jacobs adds the unity of theme that characterizes the best of Duets. HOW TO HUNT A HUSBAND by Holly Jacobs: Readers who enjoyed the Harlequin Duet The Great Bridal Escape/How to Catch a Groom by Bonnie Tucker and Holly Jacobs will recall Mary Kathryn's sister Shannon O'Malley. Now featured in her own story, Shannon endures the pressure to find a husband since her sister ran off with the best man and left her groom at the altar. Now her mother intends to win the bet that will land her at the altar despite her reticence to marry. Nate also wants to avoid the altar, and suggests that he and Shannon team up to get rid of the wedding planners. She presents herself as a stripper and he presents himself as a biker to their respective families. But the plan backfires when each attempts to keep their emotions and desire in check. An hilarious read that will keep the reader in stitches, HOW TO HUNT A HUSBAND showcases Jacobs at her outrageous best.

Montana Twins: American Romance No 984
Charlotte Maclay
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373169841 $4.75 256 pages

Recommended. Sheriff Eric Oakes Stunned is stunned by the news that he is a father. He did not even know that he had a sister until the social worker informed him of her death, and of the twins he was about to inherit. That is, if he can rectify his single status. Eric had always wanted children, but this is totally unexpected. After his mother had abandoned him at the age of ten, she had had another family. Her daughter was also eventually relegated to the foster care system, becoming the foster sister Laura Cavendish, who has been raising the twin babies since their mother's death. Laura also loves the children, and is reticent about giving them up. As difficult as giving the children up is, however, she will fulfill her foster sister's wishes, if Eric complies with her wishes as well and gets married. So when Eric advertises for a wife who lives up to Laura's expectations, he is destined to fail. That is, unless he convinces Laura to marry him instead. Although Eric is convinced that he cannot love, he has many lessons to learn from his new family, especially Laura, who believes herself unworthy to be loved. Author Charlotte Maclay pens a tender story of self acceptance in MONTANA TWINS. Neither Laura nor Eric seeks out the biological father, thereby underscoring their own potential losses. Unfortunately, that casual disregard may bother some readers. Nevertheless, both Laura and Eric are damaged, each believing that they are incapable and unworthy of the love the other offers. Their unexpected passion brings them to understand the profound depths of emotion they are capable of, allowing their characters to grow convincingly. However, Laura's determination to cling to the belief that she is unworthy of love because she defines her worth by her ability to bear children can be a bit wearisome. On the other hand, Eric's struggles and her transformation lend the novel a wonderful poignancy. MONTANA TWINS comes recommended.

He Said Yes
Patricia Waddell
Zebra Books
Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue, New York NY 10022
ISBN 0821775006 $5.99 320 pages

Recommended. Marshall Hanley Bedford, Marquis of Waltham, looks forward to settling his family comfortably so he can one day marry. In the meantime, a mistress could easily meet his needs. But a simple seamstress captures his imagination and throws his plans, his future and his reputation into a tizzy. He intends to make Evelyn Dennsworth his mistress. Then she stands unjustly accused of theft, and Marshall feels compelled to come to her rescue. He hires a lawyer and has her released from prison under his protection until her innocence can be proven. In the meantime, Marshall sets Evelyn up in her own house. Despite tantalizing kisses, Evelyn makes it clear that she will never become his mistress. However, she does become his stepmother's assistant. During the days, Evelyn's influence draws Lady Waltham out of her deep mourning and helps her to live again. Nights Evelyn spends in Marshall's arms as his lover. Then horribly, she accused of theft once again. Author Patricia Waddell begins a wonderful new series with the Gentleman's Club. These fast paced Victorian romances begin with HE SAID YES, to be followed by February 2004's release of HE SAID NO. In HE SAID YES, author Waddell once again demonstrates her gift for matching a strong, intelligent, determined heroine with a strong, honorable, and extremely passionate hero. Indeed, Marshall and Evelyn's unconventional verve and remarkable honesty cannot help but capture reader's hearts. Moreover, their story absolutely sparkles, striking just the perfect note between tender and passionate, impossible and believable. Secondary characters are likewise believable, lending the novel wonderful depth. HE SAID YES comes very highly recommended.

Shadow Crossing
Catherine Spangler
Leisure Love Spell
Dorchester Publishing
276 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
ISBN 0505525240 $5.99 351 pages

Recommended. There was a time when Celie Cameron smuggled contraband all over the quadrant, surviving by wit and bravado. Now with Shielders safely settled in a new quadrant, questions of inequality and poverty seem to be solved. That is, until Celie takes an illegal shipment to the planet of Joba. The government certainly has failed to eliminate poverty and need on this desolate planet. And when she tries to make her delivery, things go dangerously wrong. Shocking discoveries once rocked Rurick and shook the foundation of his beliefs when he realized the failure of the Interstellar Council to uphold the life quality codes they established. Poverty and disease are rampant, and he intends to do what he can to help the planet of Altair. Indeed, he fears how many might die before he can bring much needed supplies. Then gunfire forces Celie, her assistant Raven, his robot, and himself to retreat to Rurick's ship, leaving Celie's ship behind. Celie soon finds herself intrigued by the robot that seems almost human, especially when she learns of his pleasure programming. But she and Rurick both have secrets and one is that Rurick dare not reveal his true identity. Author Catherine Spangler's gift for memorable futuristic romance absolutely sparkles in SHADOW CROSSINGS. While it works just as well as a standalone, SHADOW CROSSING takes its part in the series of books about Shielders with aplomb. As always, Spangler populates her universe with characters readers come to love. Celie and Rurick share a powerful passion even as they work at cross purposes. Seemingly insurmountable differences present challenges they most overcome. Secondary plots likewise dazzle, especially with the return of fan favorites from previous novels. An absolute reading pleasure, SHADOW CROSSING comes very highly recommended.

A Baby By Christmas: Superromance No 1167
Linda Warren
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373711670 $5.25 304 pages

Recommended. During her six months of marriage to Jake, Elise failed to consider the effect of having her deceased husband's picture by the bedside, or the effect of her emphasis on procreation at the expense of all of else. But when Jake suddenly discovers that he is the father of a special needs child, the very foundations of their marriage prove to be made of sand. She is not ready to be the mother of someone else's child. He is not prepared to give up his son. Only the fact that Jake cannot gain custody of his child without being married forces both he and Elise to confront their deepest feelings. Truthfully, somewhere along the way a marriage formed for the purpose of having a child had brought unexpected love. But due to the new stresses of their lives, now it has brought unexpected heart ache. But mutual love and love for a special child might just be enough to bring this unexpected family together by Christmas. Linda Warren pens a heartwarming tale of second chances in A BABY BY CHRISTMAS. She deftly exploits one of the best benefits of writing for the Superromance line by bringing together mature characters under unusual circumstances. Certainly they discover new love, but not through the traditional plot devices. Instead, she creates a masterfully fresh plot and wonderful, yet wounded, characters that discover marvelous possibilities. With such a wonderful storyline, readers will easily forgive a child that is rather too precocious for his circumstances. A wonderful read that belongs the keeper shelf, A BABY BY CHRISTMAS comes very highly recommended.

One Naughty Night: Harlequin Temptation No 951
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373691513 $4.25 224 pages

The third of the Single in South Beach series! Recommended. In her first series for Harlequin, author Joanne Rock captures the vibrancy of Miami Beach with her own inexhaustible flair for scintillating romance. The first novel of the Single in south Beach series introduces the hedonistic Club Paradise and the creative women who run it. A wildly successful resort for couples, Club Paradise received an overall when its male owners absconded with the profits. Now owned by a group of women, Club Paradise has been transformed into a lush, provocative, uninhibited playground for singles. But it is not the kind of place a girl like Esmeralda Giles might usually be found. Esme arrives at Club Paradise to meet a blind date orchestrated by her neighbor who has an eligible nephew. Her neighbor paid for a room at the club as well. Believing that her faulty judgment has led to her stint of bad luck, including loosing her job and her car, Esme is determined to do everything opposite of what her instinct might dictate. Otherwise she would never have gone on a blind date. When the woman stands out in a room full of outrageous outfits and do-me heels, Renzo Cesare decides to intervene. When he learns that Esme intends to meet a blind date, he steps in, not correcting his identity until he is certain she had safely made it to his room. Entranced by Esme, however, Renzo will have to work hard to find his way to her good graces. The third installment of the Single in South Beach series, ONE NAUGHTY NIGHT combines the success of this series with the ongoing delightful Harlequin Temptation's The Wrong Bed Series for outrageous fun. Author Joanne Rock's seductive prose consistently weaves a spell of romance and titillation that readers find irresistible. Esme and Renzo might meet under unorthodox conditions, but they discover wildly sensual exquisite temptation. ONE NAUGHTY NIGHT comes very highly recommended. Be sure to watch for February's release of the next Single in South Beach series, when VALENTINE VIXEN is packaged with Stephanie Bond's CLUB CUPID.

Listen to the Shadows
Joan Hall Hovey
Wings ePress, Inc.
403 Wallace Court, Richmond, KY 40475
e-Book ISBN 1590882377 Retail $7.50
Paperback ISBN 1590887190 Retail $15.95 296 pages

Recommended. Written with the finesse and grace of a master, Joan Hall Hovey's first novel, LISTEN To THE SHADOWS, is an engrossing tale of fear and danger certain to keep the reader awake, turning pages long after bed time, and listening carefully to everything around them. A man without a conscious stalks artist Katie Summers. She hasn't seen him, but she senses his presence. A tingling on the back of the neck, a flicker out of the corner of the eye, and an instinctual awareness of danger are her only warnings. Stood up by her date late one night, Katie leaves the restaurant alone to drive through a storm to her remote country home. She doesn't notice the headlights following her. But when she does glance in the rearview mirror, the sight of a dead man's sightless blue eyes staring back at her results in a nearly fatal accident. She doesn't know, as she lies unconscious and bleeding, with her car crushed by a telephone pole, that her stalker lurks close by, watching. After four days in a coma, Katie awakens in the hospital. There she meets Dr Johnathan Shea, a sexy, vibrant, man carrying a heavy load of guilt over the loss of a young patient. A romantic interest develops, spiced by fierce attraction, sexy intrigue and danger. But the question remains as to whether he will be enough to protect Katie from a madman. Joan is a powerful new voice in the world of suspense and mystery. Her tight plot, well-developed characters and originality will satisfy the reader's craving for tension and danger. I certainly look forward to more novels by the promising author with great eagerness.

Chill Waters
Joan Hovey
Wings ePress, Inc.
403 Wallace Court, Richmond, KY 40475
eBook ISBN-- $6.00
Paperback ISBN -- $11.95 274 pages

Evil stalks the unsuspecting --Recommended. Memories of idyllic summers spent with her grandmother motivate Rachael to buy the house in Jenny's Cove. Tired of the arguments and silences, she had tried to breath fire back into the dying embers of her marriage, only to discover her husband warming someone else's bed. Now at age forty-five and in the process of a divorce, Rachael longs for the simplicity of her childhood. Iris Brandt recognizes the arrival of evil, chilled by the malevolent energy that follows Rachael. The practical, no nonsense proprietress of local gas station feels compelled to warn her. Indeed, Iris would be correct, because from the moment of Rachael's arrival, a man watches. He has already killed, and mercilessly will do so again. And his stalking of Rachael has only just begun. Author Joan Hovey creates a taut thriller in CHILL WATERS. Woven with an uncanny magic, CHILL WATERS is rich in sensory imagery and dense with the darkness that lies in the heart of a madman. Hovey creates a rich cast of characters, each uniquely realized and memorable. At age forty-five, heroine Rachael provides a refreshingly mature viewpoint who still manages to grow and change with the flow of the novel. She has raised her children and fled a failed marriage to take control of her life only to confront a madman. With believable vulnerabilities and strengths, Rachael's innate goodness sharply juxtaposes the man who stalks her. Indeed, Hovey's masterful narrative style sweeps the reader into a dangerous world where danger masquerades as friend, and evil stalks the unsuspecting. CHILL WATERS comes very highly recommended.

Christmas at Shadow Creek: Harlequin Superromance No 1165
Roxanne Rustand
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373711654 $5.25 304 pages

Recommended. Two years ago Johanna Weston tragically lost her newborn son Hunter. Now divorced, she seeks healing working at the Enchantment Pediatric Clinic before restarting her career in California with the position she dreamed of while in medical school. Her soft heart leads the purchase of Galahad, a lame gelding. When Galahad escapes his pen, Johanna meets neighbor Ben Carson, the owner of Shadow Creek Ranch. Despite his better judgment, Ben was intrigued by Johanna from first sight. But he forsook his dreams of love and marriage when three years ago the woman he loved left him. Now he needs to concentrate in his ranch and raising their horses. There just is not enough time for anything else, no matter how enchanting his new neighbor might be. Good thing he has his priorities straight, or his interest might lead to trouble. Enchantment, New Mexico brings healing in Roxanne Rustand's CHRISTMAS AT SHADOW CREEK. Fans of the Birthplace series will be charmed by this beautiful tale about second chances. Both Johanna and Ben bear wounds from their past, but once they let their guard down, they discover the power of love to heal. A lovely tale whose beauty transcends the holiday season, CHRISTMAS AT SHADOW CREEK comes very highly recommended.

The Tiger & the Tomb
Bonnie Vanak
Leisure Books
Dorchester Publishing Co, Inc.
276 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10001
ISBN 0843952997 $5.99 352 pages

Recommended. In 1893 an arranged marriage pairs Lady Katherine Smithfield with an Egyptian family friend known as Nazim. Despite her dual English and Egyptian heritage, Katherine only fulfills the marriage contract because it was her mother's dying wish. Besides, her scarred left cheek assures a dearth of marriage proposals. The scar was left by tiger cub in her youth. Now her father is in danger. Unless she can steal a treasure map from a man known as Ramses, her father is bound for jail for a crime he did not commit. Her blackmailer assures her that her father will not survive the experience. Ramses deplores his half-English heritage. Like his sacred totem, Ramses is fierce and relentless as a tiger when he stalks something he wants, and he wants the mysterious woman for a night of passion before he signs his marriage agreement. Like his ancestors, as a Guardian of the Ages (those sworn to protect his sheikh), Ramses is a warrior sworn to sacred bonds of trust. Once he marries his English bride, he will take the name Nazim and must remain faithful to his wife to ensure an heir to carry forth his family's sacred trust. When they meet, both Katherine and Ramses experience an overwhelming chemistry, even though neither knows the identity of the one they are sworn to marry or that their missions put them at cross purposes. Bonnie Vanak weaves a captivating tale of love and intrigue in THE TIGER & THE TOMB. The sequel to THE FALCON AND THE DOVE, Both Katherine and Rames suffer from deep inner torment that finds love's remarkable power of healing. Vanak displays impressive flair for capturing the atmosphere of ancient Egypt, lending the exotic past a vivid presence that lingers with the reader long after the last page is turned. With a remarkable blend of eroticism, adventure, and humor, THE TIGER & THE TOMB belongs on the historical romance fan's keeper shelf. THE TIGER & THE TOMB comes very highly recommended.

Trick Me,Treat Me: Harlequin Temptation No 948
Leslie Kelly

Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373691483 $5.25 224 pages

Recommended. Author Jared Winchester has spent the last year researching the Glanovsky serial killer, and now he leaves behind frigid Russia for frigid Chicago. He has not had a serious relationship because most women cannot handle his career writing about horrific crime. Certainly no one has ever understood his fascination for the macabre. This weekend, however, Jared looks forward to his cousin Mick's murder weekend Halloween party to be held in his hometown at The Marsden Place. He assumes the identity of Miles Stone, a James Bond type stalking an international arms dealer. Although she and her aunt had not planned to open The Marsden Place until after the New Year, its reputation leads them to open it for Halloween weekend. Nearly every room is booked, including space reserved by the local real estate agent Mick. Aunt Hildy capitalizes on her gangster past to add atmosphere to the place. Indeed, Aunt Hildy insists that the place is haunted and that she talks to ghosts. So when Jared arrives in character, he assumes that Gwen is simply a part of his cousin's event. And when her aunt whacks him over the head with a stalking full of pennies, amnesia lends its own remarkable twist to the weekend's events. Author Leslie Kelly's talent for penning tantalizing, sensual romance sparkles in TRICK ME, TREAT ME. The tricks are delightful and the treats are sinful when Jared and Gwen cross paths in this installment of The Wrong Bed series. In keeping with the Halloween theme, ghosts and a haunted house lend the novel a supernatural element, but there is nothing ghoulish in this Halloween treat. The scintillating heat between Jared and Gwen clearly reveals why Kelly has established herself as one of Harlequin reader's favorite authors. A fun treat suitable for any time of year, TRICK ME, TREAT ME comes very highly recommended.

Someone Like Him
Karen Kendall
Avon Books
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street New York, NY USA 10022
ISBN 0060007230 $5.99 384 pages

Recommended. Lavender "Vinnie" Hart's boss fires her only fifty-nine minutes after beginning her new job. With a twelve-year-old brother who needs tuition money to worry over, Vinnie desperately seeks a new position. After several disastrous interviews, Vinnie meets with Nicholas Wright who seeks someone to care for his newly acquired dog. A wealthy architect, Nick knows more about design then he does the care of a four footed animal -- especially when his aunt bequeaths a detailed journal including instructions for pedicures and sweaters for the dog named Daffodil. The pooch turns into a powerful matchmaker, but even she may not be enough when the intrepid ex-girlfriend Dana Dvorak attempts to rid Nick of both his dog and Vinnie. Author Karen Kendall has a gift for the turn of phrase in SOMEONE LIKE HIM. Prose reads like poetry with gems like "In the evening, she'd swear the smell of weariness hung in the air." Yet the comedic elements of the novel likewise sparkle with her original style that readers will treasure. A wonderful cast of characters keeps the pages turning with outrageous and unexpected antics. Vinnie's self-conscious awareness of class issues weighs heavily in this otherwise light hearted romp, revealing unexpected depth of characterization. With Daffodil's antics keeping the tone light, SOMEONE LIKE HIM provides a delightful afternoon's read, coming very highly recommended.

Sheikh Surrender: Harlequin Intrigue No 749
Jacueline Diamond
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373227493 $4.75 256 pages

Recommended. When his brother is murdered on an American's doorstep, Sheikh Zahad of Alqedasr arrives in the small California town to claim the body. The small robbery-homicide department fails to meet Zahad's expectations so he begins investigating himself, meeting Jenny Sanger in the process. She claims that an internet stalker has been leading strange men to her door for sex, and the Sheikh's brother was only the latest victim of the joke that had turned tragically deadly. Soon Zahad is convinced of Jenny's innocence in his brother's murder. But that only leads to more questions. With a background in security, Zahad lingers for a few days staying with Jennifer until his brother's body is released. But with threats to his claim to rule at home, Zahad will quickly have to choose between the American and his country. Worse, the murder is still out there and they are both in danger. Author Jacqueline Diamond pens an unexpected tale of stalking, intrigue and love in SHEIKH SURRENDER. The novel surpasses this reviewer's expectations with its unique twist on internet stalking and its deadly results. Jennifer proves to be a strong heroine with the maturity of a divorce and a child to add her convincing maturity and responsibility. Zahad is likewise a pleasure with his roguish ways and exotic background. A quick read that will warm the cold winter nights, SHEIKH SURRENDER comes very highly recommended.

Sheikh Surrender: Harlequin Intrigue No 749
Jacueline Diamond
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373227493 $4.75 256 pages

Recommended. When his brother is murdered on an American's doorstep, Sheikh Zahad of Alqedasr arrives in the small California town to claim the body. The small robbery-homicide department fails to meet Zahad's expectations so he begins investigating himself, meeting Jenny Sanger in the process. She claims that an internet stalker has been leading strange men to her door for sex, and the Sheikh's brother was only the latest victim of the joke that had turned tragically deadly. Soon Zahad is convinced of Jenny's innocence in his brother's murder. But that only leads to more questions. With a background in security, Zahad lingers for a few days staying with Jennifer until his brother's body is released. But with threats to his claim to rule at home, Zahad will quickly have to choose between the American and his country. Worse, the murder is still out there and they are both in danger. Author Jacqueline Diamond pens an unexpected tale of stalking, intrigue and love in SHEIKH SURRENDER. The novel surpasses this reviewer's expectations with its unique twist on internet stalking and its deadly results. Jennifer proves to be a strong heroine with the maturity of a divorce and a child to add her convincing maturity and responsibility. Zahad is likewise a pleasure with his roguish ways and exotic background. A quick read that will warm the cold winter nights, SHEIKH SURRENDER comes very highly recommended.

Flash Point
Metsy Hingle
Mira Books
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9
ISBN 1551667142 $6.50 384 pages

Recommended. A chance picking up of a newspaper transforms New York photographer Kelly Santos life when she returns to New Orleans after Sister Grace dies. The nun had been the only loving influence in her life while she grew up in St. Anne's orphanage. Indeed, Sister Grace had given Kelly her first camera, thereby changing how she sees the world. The distance of the camera from its subject reflects Kelly's own struggles to live in a world where her psychic abilities have always ostracized her. Touching the newspaper brings about a viewing of the chain events that lead to murder. Kelly reports her knowledge to the local police who scoff at her information; that is, until a victim surfaces that meets her exact description. The police suspect Kelly of committing the murder except for Jack Callaghan, who has previous experience with Kelly's gifts. Further, when Kelly touches Sister Grace's rosary, she realized the nun had been murdered as well. Little does she suspect that she herself may have been the link between the murders and that she is in terrible danger. Fans of author Metsy Hingle will recognize her remarkable gift for creating gripping tales of romance against a richly realized New Orleans background. Once again Hingle demonstrates her marvelous talent in FLASH POINT as the city aptly frames Kelly's psychic gift. The pace of the plot moves quickly, despite its circular path revisits the crimes through Kelly's skills. Kelly and Jack develop a tender romance even as danger throws them ever closer together. Furthermore, combining the elements of a police procedural with the paranormal results in a gripping tale readers will find impossible to put down. FLASH POINT comes very highly recommended.

The Mudlark
Delle Jacobs
AweStruck E-Books
2458 Cherry Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
ISBN 1587494191,1587494213
eBook/Multiple Formats
Downloads $4.75 138 pages

Recommended. Tristan Trowbridge receives his first impression of Izzy Daventry immediately after her emersion in a local creek. He does not know that she has just rescued a kitten from certain death, but he does know that the mud-streaked girl manages to share the filth with his pristine white uniform. Such an improbable beginning can only lead to an equally challenging relationship when their fathers attempt to arrange their marriage. Years of planning culminate in their fathers' marriage arrangement. Izzy, however, wants to marry her beloved Donald. She takes Tristan aside and quickly learns he has his own marriage wishes. So they reach an agreement that will satisfy their fathers of their complicity even as they arrange to elope with their intendeds. However, somewhere between performance and scheming, Tristan and Izzy are going to learn that they cannot choose where love might lead. A delightful tale, MUDLARK rises above the usual conventions of Regency romance to present a tale with refreshing twists. Delle Jacobs successful creates willful, strong characters who maintain proper proprietary even as they manage unexpected schemes within the plot. Izzy's sassy spirit and her witty repartee with Tristan will keep readers amused until the last page is turned. MUDLARK comes very highly recommended.

Tides of Autumn
Pamela Johnson
Echelon Press
P.O. Box 1084, Crowley, TX 76036
Ebook (May 2003) ISBN# 1590801571
Paper (September 2003) ISBN# 159080158X
$4.00 Download
$5.50 3.5" Floppy diskette
$8.00 CD-ROM in Collector DVD Case
$10.79 Paperback

Captivating! Recommended. After twenty-two years of marriage, widow Darci Cunnigham begins her new life on Mackinac Island hoping to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an author. Still grieving, Darci longs for the healing the island provides, little suspecting the danger that lurks nearby. Meanwhile, she learns to live again when she meets photojournalist Tyler Landston. Tyler comes to Mackinack Island to capture images of its residents for his employers who are writing a book. Accustomed to moving throughout the world, Tyler has never had a desire to settle in one place. But when he meets Darci, Tyler finds himself longing for more than his rolling stone ways. Unfortunately, his inability to talk about the past makes him look terribly suspicious and causes a rift between himself and Darci. One of the greatest pleasures of small presses is the refreshingly "real" stories one encounters. Imperfect, older heroines who love and grieve and gain second chances provide the depth and maturity many readers seek in their heroines. Certainly author Pamela Johnson understands the need for unconventional heroines as shown in this first book of the Shores of Mackinac Series. TIDES OF AUTUMN captures the poignancy of loss and the promise of new beginnings even as danger lurks only a moment away. Johnson's ability to create a place replete with magic and rich in nuance makes TIDES OF AUTUMN come very highly recommended.

Femme Fatale
Doranna Durgin, Virginia Kantra, Meredith Fletcher
Silhouette
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373218508 $6.50 384 pages

Flirty, sexy, powerful heroines! Series romance finally achieves powerful heroines who approach living and loving with style and verve in the FEMME FATALE anthology. Rather than using tears revealing their femininity, these heroines rely on their abilities and their intelligence to express their feminine side. These heroines work for a top-secret agency called StonyMan Farm in this series of connected missions which keeps the heart pounding, the blood pumping, and the heroes guessing. In Shaken and Stirred, British agent Bethany Riggs finds herself framed for murder and running from the CIA when a Russian informant dies. The Russian woman had been betrayed by her terrorist lover, and sought both safety and revenge by coming to Beth. Instead, the informant found herself at the wrong end of sniper's rifle. Now MI-6 Agent Jason Chandler believes Beth killed the Russian, and follows the British spy through the streets of Cape Town in pursuit of the computer keycard to the terrorist's computer system. Beth and Jason find themselves at cross purposes even as they seek the same goals. A fast paced plot and pulsating chemistry keeps the story lively even as their chemistry really turns up the heat. Beth and Jason are evenly matched for wit and drive, allowing them both extraordinarily strong parts in the story. While the first story I've read by Doranna Durgin, it certainly will not be the last! In The Get-Away Girl, Kylee Swain uses her career as a stuntwoman as cover for her covert work for Stony Man. Stony Man assigns Kylee to obtain the computer of a programmer with connections to an international terrorist. Accustomed to life on the edge, Kylee still finds herself surprised when a sniper attempts to kill her while filming a stunt driving a car. An Australian mercenary and former CIA agent, Mick Stone is the programmer's bodyguard and has no intention of allowing Kylee fulfill her mission, whatever it might be. As these powerful characters clash, the result is fascinating spin on a traditional storyline. Kylee's career as a stuntwoman adds zest to this tale as she controls dangerous and deadly situations with finesse. Mick's Australian flair adds a touch of the exotic, even if occasionally overdone, resulting in a sexy hero worthy of Kylee's style. Author Meredith Fletcher's flair for creating tense situations and unexpected danger results in a memorable tale. In End Game, Victoria Grayson works undercover in the Cayman Islands trying to bring down a powerful drug lord. Her assignment forces her to cross paths with a former contact, DEA Agent Bishop Tyler, who knows her under a very different cover. As staid as Victoria is flamboyant, Bishop determinedly works toward closing a case of his own. Fans of Virginia Kantra will recognize her characteristic flair for witty dialogue and scintillating chemistry. While her tale is flavored by more conventions of serial romance, she successfully skirts the temptation to allow her heroine tearful recollections of the past. Instead, Victoria emerges with the strength her name suggests. Powerfully rendered, the heroines of FEMME FATALE lend the product line a remarkable freshness and unsurpassed dynamism. FEMME FATALE is an outstanding anthology that comes very highly recommended. If this anthology recommends their new series of intriguing tales with tough heroines entitled Bombshells, then it should be a tremendous success.

Cynthia Penn
Reviewer

Diana's Bookshelf
Trumpet Of The Unicorn
E. D. Detetcheverrie
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100 Lincoln NE 68512
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN: 0595191282 $13.95 173 pgs

New species are discovered all the time in the wild. Occasionally new species are found via archeology as well. Sometimes there are claims that a species that was formerly thought of as a myth has been dug up. What is so special about the discovery at the dig outside of Snakebite? That is what Geoffery McKenna is going to find out in E. D. Detetcheverrie's Trumpet Of The Unicorn.

Geoffery is a veterinary student in New York and loves what he does. He is right at home with the animals and his lovely superior Lillian McQueen, who also happens to be his lover. When she tells him that she needs him to go to Montana, to an archeological dig and pose as her assistant, until she can arrive the next day, he goes, despite the fact that he knows absolutely nothing about paleontology.

Of course, when he arrives, things go just as he knew they would. Everyone knows right off the bat that he has absolutely no idea what he is doing. Thankfully, he has arrived at a very exciting time and that should take the eye of scrutiny off of him long enough for Lillian to arrive, or so he hopes. It seems that they have discovered a new species; perhaps even a unicorn and now they are waiting on Dr. McQueen to come and verify the find. In the interim things start to get dodgy, the dig is tampered with, people get hurt and no one is above suspicion, the natives who's land this is, other parties who maybe interested in the value of the find, fellow member of the archeology team and even Geoffrey himself.

Trumpet Of The Unicorn is a fast paced who done it mystery, where thieves and murderers could be in a neighboring town or as close as sleeping in tent next to you. I was absolutely clueless regarding who was responsible for the attempted thefts and murders, until the author revealed it to me.

This work was a page-turner filled with a cast of realistically composed characters, who each came to life as the story unfolded. The story is so enthralling that the reader feels as if they are there at the site, with dust blowing and ruthless thieves stalking the night.

I recommend The Trumpet Of The Unicorn to anyone who likes a good plot driven mystery with strong characters, as well as anyone who appreciates a well-crafted story.

The Hand I've Been Dealt
A. P. Fuchs
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100 Lincoln NE 68512
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN: 0595299768 $12.95 99 pgs

I am not one to read poetry. In fact, I generally avoid it like the plague. However, I so thoroughly enjoyed Fuchs first novel, A Stranger Dead, that I decided I would give these poems an honest read. I am glad I did.

There are a lot of emotions one experiences in life. Perhaps the most intense is love. Often when we love someone in a deep and passionate way, just because the relationship ends doesn't necessarily mean the love ends. It is poems of this type of intense, lingering love that the reader will find in The Hand I've Been Dealt by author A. P. Fuchs.

The works in this book are the writings of 'the best friend,' 'the good guy' and as always, the one who always has faith that the one he loves, loves him as well, no matter what his mind says. Though the theme seems to be the same throughout, the range of emotion and experiences is wide, making each verse special.

There are also streams of thought, which are unique in that they are written just as a thought might play out in your head. Often I wished to reach out to the author and just let him know that the hurt and emptiness will pass and love will find him, again. Of course, coming from me, that means this work can reach even the most cold hearted of people, I was even cheering for the good-guy.

Just a few of the poems that I found especially moving were: She's The Kind Of Girl, I Thought and I Fell. The emotions in these poems touched me deeply.

It is my recommendation that this book be read slowly and each poem or stream be allowed to take full meaning. The words and emotions the author has skillfully penned in each word will move anyone with even a small semblance of a heart.

For more information please visit www.apfuchs.com

The House of the Temple
Brian Lumley
Endeavor Press
1515 Hickory Wood Drive, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
www.endeavorpress.net
ISBN# signed limited edition 0972865632
ISBN# signed lettered edition 0972865624
116 pgs Hardcover Limited $45.00, Lettered $150.00

The reading of the last will and testament of a dearly departed is never an easy thing to go through. True, sometimes you find out you are to be the recipient of jewelry, money, houses, and cars; sometimes items which have only sentimental value, but it rarely makes the passing any easier for friends and family members. However, in The House of the Temple by author Brian Lumley, the late Uncle of the main character John McGilchrist, left a will of a different kind.

John was not having a good go of things when he was contacted regarding his uncles passing. In fact, he had just relocated to New York, three months earlier, hoping to leave many of his worries behind. With his friend Carl accompanying him, he returns to his family's home in Scotland. A home, he can scarcely remember, except for the pool.

He must meet a specific condition in accordance with the will. However odd that condition may seem, it is nowhere near as bizarre and horrifying as what John and Carl will face should they stay at 'Temple House.' Will John decipher what the family curse was? Why the bizarre request from his uncle? What is it about the pool that caused it to stay in his mind, despite the fact neither he, nor any of his family, were swimmers? You'll just have to read to find out.

In addition to having the wonderful Cthulhu style feature story, the readers are granted a bonus short story, a humorous yet chilling dimensional tale, Swamped, also by Brian Lumley.

Lumley is a master of genre fiction, someone I always expect great things from each time I open one of his books. I have never been let down, and The House of the Temple is spot on. He not only sets the bar in the horror genre, but also raises it with each new release; his tone and style haunting in ways that only he is capable. No fiction collection is complete without Lumley, and no Lumley collection is complete without The House of the Temple. This is classy, chilling, and above all else, must read horror.

Note on the publisher: This is the first novelette published by Endeavor press I have read, although it is the second in their novelette series, and as a new small press, I was utterly amazed by the line up of authors. Even more impressive than that, is the quality of their product. These signed limited edition works will no doubt be a treasure for many collectors. Now is the time to get in on this series before it is too late, and you find yourself resorting to eBay: as if anyone would get rid of one of theses babies. I expect to continue seeing great things from this new press in the future.

Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits, and Haunted Places
Brad Steiger
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road #414 Canton, MI 48187
www.visibleink.com
ISBN# 1578591465 $24.95 615 pgs

Could that shadow in the corner be more than just a shadow? Was it really just a kid knocking on the door and running away? Is it the house only settling? Publicly we tend to write of strange occurrences as imagination, or as having a good explanation that we are just not aware of yet. However, when we are alone or in like-minded company, it seems to be human nature to wonder about the possibility of ghosts and spirits. Some people even make a career out of ghost hunting and/or paranormal investigation. Brad Steiger, author of Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits, and Haunted Places, brings the insight of nearly fifty years as a paranormal researcher to the topic. As well as, his experience of actually living in a haunted old farmhouse, adding an authenticity to his writing that many other research books of this type lack.

This is actually the most extensive accounting of true stories that I have ever seen. This all-encompassing work is a compilation of true first person accounts of haunting and phenomenon surrounding ghosts and spirits. Dividing the book into thirty chapters and including 125 photographs, makes the information easy to handle, regardless of if you want to read the entire work, or are just interested in one particular type of occurrence. Either way, the division makes it a perfect reference, or captivating read.

At first, you may be thinking why is there so many chapters, but then you begin to see just what an astounding collection Steiger has compiled. It covers a plethora of area hauntings such as, haunted houses, apartments, churches, cemeteries, mansions, plantations, and burial grounds. His work also breaks the types of occurrence down into categories such as, glowing entities, poltergeists, attacking shadow beings, possessions, animal ghost, and several more.

The stories are haunting, no pun intended, and their being true makes it even more disturbing. Even though ghosts and haunting has always been a fascination of mine, I still had to read this with all the lights on, and there were several occasions where I had to stop and allow the chills to pass.

If you are an enthusiast, just curious, or perhaps just love to read ghost stories, you cannot miss out on Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits, and Haunted Places. Without this extensive, fascinating, definitive book on hauntings, no paranormal collection will be complete.

The Haunted Queen Mary
Robert James Wlodarski and Anne Powell Wlodarski
G-Host Publishing
8701 Lava Place West Hills, California 91304
Phone/Fax 818-340-6676
ISBN# 0964908859 $13.95 106 pgs

When people think of the Queen Mary, generally they think of a stately liner that held the record of fastest transatlantic crossing. Perhaps it is even remembered as a war vessel by many. Of course, any liner that traveled over thirty years cannot be without incidence. With incidence comes the potential for haunting. It is the haunting of the Queen Mary that authors Robert James Wlodarski and Anne Powell Wlodarski cover in their book, The Haunted Queen Mary.

First the readers are given the fascinating history of the luxurious ocean liner, from her early years 1936-1939, the war years 1940-1946, straight to her post war years 1947-1967. The authors give an idea of what it would have been like to take a first class trip or perhaps to be among the crowded service men being transported.

With a general concept of the history now the authors share with the readers the liners haunted history. There are several ghost stories shared of the most predominantly, seen or felt, entities. There are stories sent in from guests, who stayed the night on the liner, which is now converted into a hotel, as well as stories from visitors who took the walking ghost tour. There is even a transcript of a s‚ance held aboard the ship in 1987. To close there are stories of more recent occurrences.

In addition to the ghostly information, there is also helpful information in case you do happen to have an experience to help you make the most of it, and a form to record it on as well.

The Haunted Queen Mary is a wonderful guide that everyone in search of a ghost story should pick up. If you are planning to stay on the Queen Mary, I recommend you read the book first, as it will enhance your over all experience. I have never personally been aboard, but after reading the book it is now on my list of places that I must go. Perhaps after you've read the book you too will visit the Queen Mary in search of a ghostly sighting of your own.

A Magical Journal
Von Braschler And Mari Coryell
Phoenix Publishing Inc.
P.O. Box 3829, Blaine, WA 98231
www.phoenixpublishing.com
Individuals- 1-800-326-0804
Bookstores, etc.- 1-800-593-9673
Internet - Amazon.com
ISBN# 0919345700 $24.95 254 pgs

Anytime I undergo anything new I start a new journal. When I was growing up, the best confidant I had was myself, via my journal. Of course, over the years I have used many things as a journal, from a stapled together stack of paper to a fully locking diary. What I am trying to say is that journals are as special to a person as they make them. A Magical Journal has the potential to be a very special tool for readers.

Let me start at the beginning and I think you will agree. The cover of this book is beautiful, rich blue with a silver moon and stars, and there are also stars along the spine as well. When I held the book in my hands, I could not resist the urge to run my fingers over the rich texture.

Opening the book you will find, Seventeen chapters on natural magic. Whereas I would normally call these instructional chapters, I think chapters of guidance, is more suited. These chapters give the readers just enough guidance so that they can form their own personal relationship with the earth and all of her gifts. They also gently guide the reader to their own personal experience with magic and spirituality.

Beyond those chapters the reader will find places to make journal entries. In each month there are several meditation and activities to help you along the way, as well as information regarding moons and special days of the year.

A Magical Journal is a thoughtful introduction into magical journaling, which allows the individual to stay individual in their approach to spirituality and magic. Authors Von Braschler And Mari Coryell, have offered a great deal of expertise, and done so in a way that makes this journal perfect for anyone, be it their first spiritual quest or not.

I recommend this guide/journal to anyone who is seeking to find a spiritual path or who is seeking to deepen their spiritual life and connection to nature. The beauty of the book will make it great gift and a treasured keepsake. Although it will be hard to part with, perhaps they should be sold in pairs.

Blood Canticle
Anne Rice
Knopf
www.aaknopf.com
ISBN# 037541200X $25.95 306 pgs

When I think of vampires, I think of a nasty horrid creature with a grotesque appearance that stalks the nights, killing humans. When I think of Anne Rice's vampires, I think of Lestat, sexy, witty, sophisticated, bad boy vampires. Vampires who faces inner struggles and are drawn to humans for reasons other than sustenance, as the famous vampire Lestat does in this, the latest and supposed last, of the Anne Rice vampire chronicles, Blood Canticle.

I'll be honest with you, I haven't read Anne Rice since The Vampire Armand, and I picked up this book with mixed expectations. I was pleased to see that Rice is back on her game, perhaps better than ever.

Lestat over the years has become much more reader friendly and apparently a little softer as well. In Blood Canticle, the reader finds him with Quinn Blackwood and Mona Mayfair, his newest children. Mona and Quinn are as vibrant as any charters I've seen, with lovely attributes and great charisma. Added to this cast is Rowan Mayfair, who seems to have seriously caught the attention of Lestat, in a way no person has before, and also her stunning human husband, Michael Curry.

With the cast in place, Anne Rice tells a tale where it seems everyone has a ghost in their closet, very often literally. The mixing of the Vampires with the Mayfair Witches lends itself to some very spectacular character interaction, and some heated emotions.

The story is tight, crisp and very face paced. It is a highly character driven story that had me griping the cover waiting to see what would happen next. I know what you are thinking. I know what I have said in the past; things change, as do writing styles. This book is filled with action, dialogue, intense situations and only the right amount of narrative.

Blood Canticle is a novel that will please and delight, all Anne Rice fans, even those who have fallen to the wayside, as well as readers who are new to The Vampire Chronicles. The lovely thing about Blood Canticle is it can be enjoyed even if the reader has never read and of the other books in the related series, Vampire or Witches.

Anne Rice has created a gothic style novel that is sure to please lovers of vampires as well as lovers of a great story. If it truly is the last of the Vampire Chronicles, at least it is one you can really sink your teeth into and drink deep of the words told by an author that hasn't lost her bite.

The 13 Colonies
Robert Shuster
Sevenacide
www.sevenacide.com
ISBN# 0970698925 $10.00 83 pgs

If you've been reading genre fiction as long as I have, then you know by now we should have a robot in each house or inhabit other planets. In The 13 Colonies by Robert Shuster, the reader will find thirteen tales that explore the 'what if' of inhabiting other planets, or beings making their way to Earth.

I am not sure if the author intended it as such, but each of the stories is not only entertaining, it also has a moral.

A Primitive Race, is about the tendency man has for arrogance; it is applied when a crew lands on a new planet to discovery it inhabited already by a 'primitive' race.

What a Deal! Is a very old theme, buyers beware, with a fun new sci-fi twist.

The Native Feast, my favorite story in the collection, is about compromise, and cultural differences.

The Last Earthling is a haunting tale, about standing behind ones decisions.

The First Born reminds readers things aren't always as they may seem.

Survival of the Species, reminds us that when survival is at stake, no relationship is sacred.

Knee High By the 4th of July is a harsh reminder that sometimes rules, are actually there for our own good!

Goodbye to Earth, presents a hard situation. Would you stay or leave or even care at all, when the day comes for the Earth to pass?

Escape From Planet X, I have always said, if they harm none leave them be. Perhaps I need to rethink that.

Eenie Meenie, sacrifice is often necessary for the good of all, so long as it is fair.

Animal Vegetable or Mineral is the question at hand, and that is all I am saying.

Almost Perfect proves yet again that 'almost' just isn't good enough, except in horseshoes and hand grenades.

A Delicate Balance, is an exceptional choice to close with, as it serves as a firm reminder, that history does repeat itself, when we don't learn from the past.

You may notice I have barely given any description of the tales included and I have a reason for that. To set up stories that are written in this manner is to give away all of the fun. This is a snappy little collection of old style sci-fi presented in fast paced short tales. Whether you are looking for reading that is just good fun or something a little deeper, you will find it here.

Re-Configuration Heroes from Outerspace
Olga Altstatt
Xlibris
1-888-795-4274
www.xlibris.com
ISBN# 1413425631 $17.84 191 pgs

Humans only use a small percentage of their brains. This is a much-debated myth; the percent we use is estimated at around 10 to 100 percent. I do however agree that humans do not take advantage of all the abilities they are capable of when it comes to thought processes. Ever wonder what would happen if we, humans, were to use our brains to their fullest capacity? Perhaps we would use the common sense we all have to know better than to destroy both our bodies and our environment. That is the basic premise of Re-Configuration Heroes from outerspace, by Olga Altstatt.

Five college students, Oleg, Tina, Tom, Lena and Jack, from various parts of the earth, met at a beach in Europe and decide to go to a party together. At the party, they do what today's fun loving young adults typically do, live it up. After consuming too much alcohol, which was laced with drugs, they find themselves near death. While they lay on the ground unconscious, aliens take them aboard their ship and head for Galaxy 575-X. The students undergo procedures to increase their brain function and it is soon decided that the fate of mankind rests on them. Unfortunately, due to adjustments to environments, they cannot go back to earth themselves and therefore they are cloned. The clones are then instructed on what they need to do-for now.

This is a fascinating fantasy geared toward young adults. It delicately, yet with high moral points, touches on the matters that are faced by today's young people. The unique thing I found was that the message was full and clear, yet so was the story, nether overpowering the other.

Altstatt has chosen a hard audience to write for, but I feel she has done so in a way that will capture and hold the attention of the young adult reading population, which is no small feat.

If you know someone who seems to be struggling with the hard questions life throws our way, pick them up a copy of Re-Configuration Heroes from outerspace, by Olga Altstatt, it can provide them with hours of reading enjoyment, as well as guide them to do the right thing.

Condensed Chaos: An Introduction To Chaos Magic
Phil Hine
New Falcon Publications
1739 East Broadway Road #1-277 Tempe AZ 85282
www.newfalcon.com
ISBN# 156184117X $14.95 191 pgs

They say that as we grow up, something is lost due to the limitations we learn, first from our family unit and further, pounded home from society in general. Despite needing a degree of open-mindedness to practice magic in the first place, we still manage to apply confinements on ourselves, and it is the intent of Chaos Magic to strip away those boundaries.

All too often it is human nature to think that something can only be done one way and that our way must be right. Where does that leave those of us who do not wish to practice every aspect of any particular theology? It leaves us to invite in a little chaos, and then have the fortitude to do what works for us as an individual.

I have often wondered why it is, when someone has a great message, he or she will strap it with a title that right away turns off quite a few potential readers. I might hang for this, but I first wondered that after reading the work of Anton LaVey, a very misunderstood man. However, after reading Chaos Magic, it hit me. As with most profound messages, they can sound very simplistic; the potential to be over the head of many readers is high. When a message regarding reducing limitations is misunderstood, the results can be horrible. By giving something a name such as 'chaos', the readers to whom the message would be lost are eliminated.

Author Phil Hine has taken away the double speak and laid Chaos out so that any who are ready, can begin their travel to illumination. Do you have the gumption to pave your own way through life and spirituality? If so, just read, ponder, and decide if Chaos Magic is for you. I invite my readers to apply the principles of Chaos magic not only to their magical dealings, but to their daily dealings as well. In a world where the only thing that limits us, are boundaries we have accepted an applied, it is high time we decided to push against those self-inflicted boundaries and see what our individual potential is.

If you have ever felt, there must be something other than the daily routine; perhaps you just do not feel satisfied with the level at which you exist. When you get ready to shed the boundaries, you are ready for Chaos Magic.

Post Modern Logic
Constantin Virgil Negoita
New Falcon Publications
1739 East Broadway Road #1-277 Tempe AZ 85282
www.newfalcon.com
ISBN# 1561841676 $16.95 253 pgs

With the amount of reading I do, it is very rare when I have to admit something was just over my head. In fairness to my readers and the author, I will give my best understanding of what I read, and hope that I am not too grossly off the mark.

In Post Modern Logic, Constantin Virgil Negoita traces the roots of the Anglo-American. What we have is a journal style recounting of findings and various conversations on this and other topics the author had with a myriad of scholars and associates. There is a myriad of fascinating historical points of reference, as well as theories on the effects of said points.

I dare not venture into the greater meaning of this work, less I risk sounding like fool. And I cannot judge a piece of work that was simply out of my area of expertise.

In giving a recommendation, I can see this as a great piece of work for a reader who is highly versed in history or whose philosophies are based with historical sciences. The target audience will love it. It just wasn't for me.

The Greatest Diet In The World
Dolly Dimples
Chateau Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 20432 Orlando, FL 32814
ISBN# 0884350029 $3.95 (subject to seller) 239 pgs

Now I know what you, my dear reader, may be thinking. Why are you Diana, you who are such a lovely woman, reading a diet book, and one published in 1975 no less? Well the answer is quite simple. I was asked to. Actually I am quite glad I did, as now I can bring this gem to your attention.

Celesta Geyer, otherwise known as Dolly Dimples was a former 'circus fat lady', peaking around 555 pounds. By today's standards that would be an average weight of a morbidly obese person. This makes her story not only still relevant, but also more pertinent in today's times, when obesity is increasingly common.

As she shares with the readers her life story, it becomes clear how a woman can, not only reach such weight, but also how she came to put herself on display in a sideshow. Despite all of the talk we have in today's time regarding discrimination, it seems to be politically correct to discriminate against large people. One can only imagine how horrid the treatment was for her, yet not only was she an excellent person, she used her 'problem' to secure a livelihood.

Thankfully, she had the love and support of her husband, along with the great will needed to lose enough weight to place herself in the Guinness book of world records. She was a world-class dieter and a world-class lady.

Anyone who is seeking inspiration, be it for dieting, or any other seemingly insurmountable task, can find it in the pages of The Greatest Diet in the World. A charming autobiography of a classy lady, regardless of size.

The Karma in Your Relationships
Karl Schlotterbeck
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100 Lincoln NE 68512
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN: 0595261396 $12.95 127 pgs

Ever wonder why you always seem to be with the same type of person? Or perhaps why you always behave the same way in a given situation, no matter how hard you try to alter your behavior. These questions and many more are addressed in Karl Schlotterbeck's The Karma in Your Relationships.

Often it is said, behavioral patterns we learn as children carry over into our adult life, and no one argues that belief. But some patterns just cannot be explained away so easily. So, where then do we learn this behavior? Using past life therapy, author Karl Schlotterbeck has found a profound and logical way to explain some of our patterns; his work filled with examples of how our past lives may bleed into our current life. What is more interesting is, if we can know what caused this pattern, we are able to then modify any unhealthy behavior. This is not to say that all of our patterns are unhealthy; sometimes it is just nice to know there are reasons for things, such as what is called love at first sight.

The book would be valuable even if it only showed readers how they could improve love relationships but it goes further, also showing how reoccurring patterns in all of our relationships, and many situations as well, can all be related to an incident that occurred in a past life.

What I think is of special interest is even if you don't believe in past lives, you can still benefit from this work since it encourages you to take a closer looks at your life and the way you handle yourself in many situations. I would think if each reader can address and change only one unhealthy pattern, or perhaps discover why they love a person so strongly, then the book has served its purpose.

If for no other reason than self-appraisal, everyone should have a copy of The Karma in Your Relationships by Karl Schlotterbeck-I know I'm glad I have mine.

Living Your Past Lives
Karl Schlotterbeck
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100 Lincoln NE 68512
www.iuniverse.com
ISBN: 0595258786 $22.95 309 pgs

When I think of peoples' interest in past lives, what generally comes to mind is the wide-eyed person wanting to know if they were a princess or lord in their last life, and sadly, that is where the exploration usually stops. Once people find out who or what they were, they are satisfied with that small bit of information. I can just hear you say, "But Diana, what else could we possibly need to know?" In the book Living Your Past Lives, Karl Schlotterbeck answers that question.

Schlotterbeck has been using past life therapy in his psychology practice for over twenty years, and brings to this book his first hand experience, helping people break patterns, and explains the reasons why they behave the way they do.

When we think about our life, there are more than likely some things we do we really can't explain, or perhaps have tried to change, but it just seems instinctive. We could be doing them because of things that happened to us as children, or even in previous lives. When we look at our lives of yore, things we do now will make more sense, and we will better be able to change anything that is no longer appropriate for us now.

Moreover, what is the point of knowing? The point is this: to be informed gives us more choices about what we do, allowing us to begin to act rather than react. In addition, even if you gain nothing else, at least you will know why you do what you do.

Pick up your copy of Living Your Past Lives, and you too can begin to discover your secret needs and desires. Perhaps even receive a better understanding over what you need to be doing in this life as well as letting go of habits that no longer apply; and that's a good thing.

Natural Pet Healing
Von Braschler
Galde Press, Inc.
PO Box 460 Lakeville, Minnesota 55044
ISBN# 1931942072 $12.95 141 pgs

One of the hardest things we experience, is having to watch those close to us suffer. Using a healing touch is one way in which we can take an active role in easing our loved ones pain. But what of our beloved pets and plants?

I have never seen it before, nor did it occur to me that touch healing and other alternative approaches, can be used on our pets as well. In Natural Pet Healing by Von Braschler, readers are shown how best to apply the principles of touch healing to pets as well as plants. Since people and animals react differently, this guide is highly necessary to have before attempting to apply any methods of healing to pets, even if you are already an adept healer. The author is a trained energy healer who specializes in working with animals, making this a work of love.

Anyone who is a lover of nature, especially animals has felt the deep connection that is made between a pet and it's human. There are small ways that pets communicate with us to help us meet their needs. What we often don't consider is that we can communicate with them on more levels than we may have been aware of. I am guilty of spoiling my pets and I am sure most with a connection to nature's creatures, are guilty as well. It is not something we would consider changing. But what if you could be shown extra special ways to let your pet know you love them, or even to ease their suffering in times of pain?

Not only will you receive step by step instructions on how to use your hands and the energy within to help heal your pets; but you will also be given instructions and advice on how to apply many other techniques. These include, but are not limited to: Empathetic and Astral healing, projecting through forms, message techniques, crystals and other props, voice healing and so much more.

Throughout you will be treated to heartwarming stories, concerning the life experiences of Von Braschler as he has applied and succeeded with these practices. As an extra special bonus, all the personal profits from this work are to be donated to pet charities.

Natural Pet Healing is a must read for anyone who owns a pet. After you have read this book, you will be able to take your relationship with your animal companions to new and deeply moving levels.

Conversations with the Dream Mentor
Von Braschler
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 0738702501 $12.95 190 pgs

Dreams have always been thought to be something that is, for the most part, out of our conscious control. It has been accepted by many people that our dreams are ways for the subconscious to express itself, or even to send us messages. However, in many cultures, lucid dreaming has been practiced for a very long time, and in Conversations with the Dream Mentor by Von Braschler, readers can see via example the many benefits, such as what is needed to meet a mentor.

What I think was neat was he also shared experiences in which he asked the wrong types of questions and the results he received when he did. This is valuable, because often when dealing with an otherworldly presence, one can lean toward doubt as to what they really need to be addressing.

There is more covered than the title would lead you to believe; for instance, some people may not realize how astral travel and lucid dreaming can often be one in the same. So in essence the reader is also receiving lessons on astral travel, lessons that your dream mentor will help guide you through. You are also being guided on how to keep a dream journal, give yourself post-hypnotic suggestions, and meditation skills, all of which are invaluable.

As with any topic, it is best to learn from someone who has first hand experience, and the author meets those criteria in spades. It is a joy to study with this master.

If you are ready to have your deepest most spiritual questions explored and answered, gain insight about yourself, and explore fascinating informative new realities, Conversations with the Dream Mentor by Von Braschler is a tool you should not be without in your library.

Animal Magick
D. J. Conway
Llewellyn
P.O. Box 64383, Dept K168-6, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN# 1567181686 $14.95 277 pgs

Being blessed with a familiar who was willing to aid in my magical dealings was perhaps one of the most enriching experiences I have had. In fact, my life continues to be blessed by various animals on the physical, as well as the astral realm. A familiar can do so much more than assist you in actual workings of magic; they can be a wonderful friend and companion. So, when you are blessed with having a special creature join your life, how do you make the most of the relationship? D. J. Conway knows and in Animal Magick she shares her knowledge and expertise.

Even though I just took for granted that everyone knows what a familiar is, Conway does not. In part one, she goes into great detail regarding exactly what a familiar is and what it is not, hopefully laying to rest the nasty beliefs that are held regarding people who work with animals, as well as the lovely animals themselves. She also instructs readers on how to attract a familiar, and later she takes it further, giving detailed templates of mediations one can use to attract or communicate with specific types of familiars.

There is also a lovely chapter on friendship and how it relates to familiars. I suggest readers look over this brief, but important chapter several times. It is very important when approaching any familiar, be it physical or astral, to do so in a respectful manner, and come with love versus demand.

Once readers have been instructed on how to recognize the familiars, they may already have or attract new ones; Conway shares the history, myths, magical attributes, and chants for several different animals. I suggest reading through all of the animals, because even though you may think you would not want to work with a specific animal, you may find it to be the perfect familiar for you and your current situation.

When you are ready to fill your life with the blessing of a new friend, familiar and mentor, you should not be without, the thoughtful and experienced guidance provided in Animal Magick by D. J. Conway.

The Complete Node Book
Kevin Burk
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 0738703524 $15.95 224 pgs

There are numerous books on sun signs, moon signs, birth charts and the like. So many in fact it can be daunting. Some of these books touch briefly on the moon nodes and some do not even mention them at all. In The Complete Node Book by Kevin Burk readers are given an in-depth look into what nodes are and how they affect a chart.

What is a node? Nodes are not heavenly bodies. They are points on your birth chart where the orbit of the moon crosses the ecliptic. You may be wondering with all of the other points, planets and houses in a chart, why would we even need to explore the nodes. The answer quite simply is that your birth chart will not be complete without them. The nodes give light to our spiritual purpose, by showing the lessons we have mastered in this life and by showing how we can use these lessons to succeed in this life.

To understand this book the reader will need a firm grasp of basic astrology. I don't recommend it as a first book to read on the subject. However it should not be left out. I would recommend purchasing this book along with a basic astrology guide, such as Astrology: Understanding the Birth Chart also by Kevin Burk and published by Llewellyn, to give you the most complete training possible.

When you order this book you will be given an offer for a free birth chart and if you take advantage of this offer, even a beginner can use the book to help understand what the nodes in their chart mean. Once you have a basic reference guide, this book will be necessary to make a complete and accurate analysis of birth charts.

If you are an experienced astrologer, this book will show you how to accurately read the moon nodes and give valuable insight to your clients, regarding the lessons of life. If you are new to the workings of astrology, I suggest you learn now the meanings of the moon nodes so that even your first chart will be understood with greater depth.

Professionals and dabblers alike will find The Complete Node Book an invaluable addition to their library. I know I am excited to know what the nodes in my chart represent.

The New Book of Magical Names
Phoenix McFarland
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 0738703958 $19.95 415 pgs

What is in a name? More than you may think. A bad choice could wreak all sorts of horrid experiences. However, a good choice is more than simply picking a pretty or popular name, and will do much more than just sound good when spoken. Throughout history there was always a great emphasis placed on names and the process involved in choosing one, because even then it was believed, a name held great power.

In The New Book of Magical Names, author Phoenix McFarland has given readers so much more than the average 'baby name' books ever do.

The opening section talks about the history of names, including how and why names were chosen at various points in history, and in various cultures. This section alone makes the book a prized possession. It is not hard to find the definition or even the origin of most names, but how about why names were selected, and the folklore behind certain names.

When choosing a name no matter why, child, pet, or even a magical name for yourself, you can't find a more complete list. Not only is it the only dictionary of non-Christian names in print, but also these names are arranged in a manner so that you can find exactly what you are looking for.

As a practitioner, I realize the difficulty involved in selecting a magic name that will be indicative of you, at that phase in your life. I no longer have to worry about that, because in this book, there are simple quizzes that will lead you to the right names.

For me personally, I can count at least seven different ways in which I will use this resource book in daily life. How many books in your library are that useful? The plethora of information contained within the cover is so vast, that I have to tip my hat to the author. The amount of information she gathered is phenomenal, but then she went further and presented that information in a way to make it accessible and engaging.

No one should be without this utterly fascinating, highly informative, user-friendly book. Pick up your copy today and find out just what is in a name.

Crystal Awareness
Catherine Bowman
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 0875420583 $5.99 202 pgs

Most people are aware of what crystals are. In fact, there are a great number of people who understand, at least on a rudimentary level, that crystals can be of some benefit. However, most people are not aware of all they are capable of helping 'us' with. Catherine Bowman will forever change the way her readers look at one of nature's most powerful gifts, and Crystal Awareness is the method she will use to enlighten readers.

In Crystal Awareness readers will learn how to use crystals for spiritual growth and healing, physical healing and extra energy, protection and dream guidance among other things. There is information explaining the energy fields of crystals and how they interact with human energy fields. The author thoroughly explains the different forms and qualities crystals have and how each is effective and best used. There is invaluable information on how to care for, cleanse, personalize and charge crystals. There is also information on the possible side effects of working with crystals.

There is so much information in this book that I could not possible list it all.

What the author has provided, is a book that is perfect for beginners and will be an invaluable reference even to those who are experienced with working with crystals. This is the first guide that should be read where crystal use is concerned. Once the instructions and concepts of this work have been grasped the reader will be ready to work with crystals in a safe and beneficial way. When the reader feels ready to move on to more in-depth instructions, this book will have given them a firm understanding of crystals and all that they are capable of.

When you are ready to work with one of the most beautiful and powerful gifts nature has offered, you are ready for Crystal Awareness. There is always room to make positive changes, or perhaps you know someone in your life that could benefit from crystal healing, no matter your reason, there is no guide as complete and easy to understand as Crystal Awareness. Pick up your copy today and experience new levels of spirituality and health.

Gems of the 7 Color Rays
William Stuber
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 1567186858 $24.95 466 pgs

The earth gives us a lot of gifts to aid in our survival and make daily life easier. Most of these gifts, such as food and water, are common knowledge taken advantage of by everyone, yet there are also gifts that we are aware of, but don't fully understand. It is the gift of gems that is explored in Gems of the 7 Color Rays, by William Stuber.

I am sure all of my readers know that gems can make beautiful jewelry. But I would be willing to wager that is where your experience with gems ends. People have recently become aware of the healing power in crystals and now Stuber shows his readers of the many inherent powers found in gemstones.

Not only will the reader benefit from the knowledge of what ability various gems possess, they will also gain awareness of how best to use that power. By that, I mean the best shape to have, where to lay the gem on their body, things of that nature.

So what can a gem do for you? If you learn the power of these wonderful tools, they can be used not only for healing, but also to gain attributes, increase spirituality, and change bad habits just to name a few. The plethora of things possible is astounding when used correctly and safely, and William Stuber has made not only his understanding, but also his experience with his self-designed classes, workshops and weekend retreats available in an easy to follow guide.

When thinking of gemstones, the saying of "more than just a pretty face" couldn't be any truer, and Gems of the 7 Color Rays will show you how to do so much more than adorn yourself with these beautiful stones. If you are ready to make changes, deep and lasting changes, gemstones can help and William Stuber can show you the way.

Kundalini for Beginners
Ravindra Kumar, Ph.D.
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN: 1567184359 $12.95 329 pgs

When I think of self-realization, the first thing that comes to mind is the teachings of Krishna, on whom I have written countless papers. Many consider the Mahabharata the greatest epic ever written, and there is good reason that not only it is, but Krishna's message as well, are held so dear since they both highlight the journey of the soul. The goal of our soul is to find it's way back to where it originated; to become one with everything, and this can be accomplished through Kundalini.

In Kundalini for Beginners author Ravindra Kumar, Ph.D., guides the reader through the process of self-realization. He teaches with easy to understand terms, how to Activate and play an active role in the ascent of Kundalini, which is creative cosmic energy experienced differently by each person. As this energy passes through each chakra, a new experience will occur. The ultimate goal is the loss of oneself as illumination allows you to become one with everything.

I absolutely am certain that I am oversimplifying this, which is why we have gifted people such as Dr. Kumar. When you are ready for a spiritual transformation the likes of nothing you have experienced before, Kundalini for Beginners can be your guide. In addition to showing you the how's and whys of your spiritual journey, this guide takes it a step further, even discussing what to expect after enlightenment. I found that a nice touch-as opposed to just showing you the finish line, the author actually walks across it with you.

When I read this guide, I could feel the author's passion, which translated into a very engaging read. Some guides have a tendency to become dry and wrought with 'doctor speak' making it almost impossible for a reader to follow along. That is not at all the case here. In fact, readers will be tempted to read this as a work of fiction. I implore you to take the time and allow each passage, each message to thoroughly sink in.

In a time when material possession and self-love are dominant, Kundalini for Beginners offers an avenue of enlightenment to any one, who is in need of something deeper than what the material world has to offer.

Tarot of Mermaids
Lo Scarabeo
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, Dept. K728-5 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN# 0738704148 $19.95 78 Cards with a 63-page instruction book, in five languages

As soon as man was able to ponder the whys of life, he also began to create ways to divine those answers. One of the most well known ways today is via a tarot reading. When tarot first made its appearance, it wasn't made assessable to the general population; the meaning of the cards, as well as the layout used to conduct a reading, was passed down in close-knit groups. Things are different now. Anyone can purchase a tarot deck from almost any store that sells books and there are an equal number of manuals, offering instructions on their use.

The biggest question people looking to start reading tarot face are what deck or decks to use. There are so many available, ranging from the basic and simple to elaborate. This is of course a very personal question, however, the Tarot of Mermaids will move anyone who has even a remote interest in the sea and its magical blessings.

Tarot of Mermaids is a beautiful deck. The thought that has gone into each card is so easily recognizable, even a novice reader can determine the meaning of the card with some degree of ease, just by studying the stunning artwork.

The instruction book is effortless to use and very clear in its presentation. It also includes a fascinating background/folklore of the sea creatures, lending additional insight on the ones linked to these cards.

This is a deck perfect for both beginners and adept readers alike. In fact, the cards are so stunning they would be just as perfect for meditative tools; one more reason, Tarot of Mermaids is a must have addition to your divination tools.

Witching Stones
M. A. Madigan & P. M. Richards
Llewellyn
P.O. Box 64383, Dept K168-6, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN# 0738701947 $29.95, 35 Stones, 1 pouch and 157 pgs

Sometimes you can tell just by looking at something that you are holding something special. That is how I felt when I received the Witching Stones kit. This is one of those items where I would like to walk you through my experience from opening the book to casting the first stone.

The box, as well as the book, is a handsome blend of deep reds, with pictures of the stones. I put the book aside and looked for the stones. They are unique in that they are not flat, nor are they perfectly symmetrical. They look like they would have had you made them yourself. The symbols on each stone are large and clear, making it easy for me to read, even without my glasses. I say stone because they are witching stones, the actual pieces are not made of stone. Often times, when you get a new deck, or set of divination tools, the first thing you have to do is run out and get, or make, a new bag. That is not the case here; with the witching stones a handsome pouch is already included. All one needs to do is embellish it, if so desired.

Now that you have your lovely new tools, what does one do to begin using them? Simply open the guidebook entitled, Symbols of the Craft. Inside the reader will be walked from beginning to end. There are even chants for cleansing and personalizing the stones, as well as preparing and dispersing your reading area. This is something that should be done with every divination tool, but is often left out of the instructions. After the reader has blessed the stones and made themselves familiar with them, the authors go over in detail four layouts to use when divining.

Before attempting a reading, it is my suggestion that you study the back end of the guide, where you will find the meanings of each stone, as well as how the position it lands in affects that meaning. The neat thing about this set is that it is easy to use, even for someone who is new to his or her craft. However, if you are knowledgeable in goddess/earth-based principles, the symbols on these stones will be very familiar to you and the ease, with which you master the meanings of the stones, will amaze you. This is a divination tool designed with the users in mind.

As if all of that was not enough to make this kit a unique and valuable addition to your tools, you can also use the stones to cast spells. There are sections with both simple and advanced spells already provided for the reader. Again with the symbols being so familiar, the user can also easily determine meanings and how best to use the stones in creating their own spells. I know I will personally create my own book of shadows, specifically for use with the stones.

Regardless of your preferred method of divination or spell casting techniques, you owe it to yourself to try the Witching Stones by M. A. Madigan & P. M. Richards. You will be surprised how comfortable you are using the stones. This kit is a must have for all practitioners. Join me today in the enhancement of our practice.

Tarot Companion
Tracy Porter
Llewellyn
P.O. Box 64383, Dept K168-6, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
ISBN# 1567185746 $12.95 242 pgs

Nothing was ever more appropriately titled than Tarot Companion, as this is something you will want to keep with your cards and refer to often. What's the next step once a reader has mastered the tarot and feels comfortable with the basic meaning of the cards, as well as what each card means to them personally? Next is to take your knowledge further, growing from novice to expert with the guidance of Tracy Porter.

The book begins by retelling the basic universal meanings of each card. This is very important information the reader should have mastered before attempting to use the tarot in any aspect other than practicing. Then the reader is given a refresher course in the make up/structure of the cards. Again, if you are new to tarot, this information is invaluable and it should be committed to memory.

With the basics covered, now the book shifts to the lesser-known information that can be gleamed from the cards. Did you know the cards could also be telling you of a person whom you will/have encounter? Sometimes when a card comes up and the meaning doesn't seem to fit, it might be because we need to look at the card from a different perspective. Could it be telling you a person is coming into their life? Yes it could. You will also be shown what it means when a certain number appears a certain number of times, or when special numbers appear before or after major arcana cards. The reader is given information regarding how to read timelines in the cards, something most querents are very interested in knowing.

Something else we see a lot in the cards are certain pictures/items that have symbolic meaning. This guide will also give you a reference to these symbols. Numerology can also be helpful in giving a more accurate reading, and again, the author has shed light on what the numbers may mean in your spread. It is known astrology plays a part with the tarot, and after reading this book, you will be able to see just how easy it is to pick up, and use those correlations.

A few things you may not have realized are related to tarot can be very helpful and are covered in the guide: Cabala, I Ching, Runes, Color, and Chakras. Learning the meaning of each and how it relates to the cards will give the reader a deeper understanding of the cards and their many interpretations.

The appendix in this book is packed full of information such as, layouts, drawing cards and various things that should be noted before conducting a reading, and not overlooked.

When you are ready to take your skill of using the tarot to the next level, you will need the Tarot Companion. You will be amazed and surprised by the depth added to your understanding of this ancient art form as I was; I have no doubt.

I.M. Internet Message
Stephanie Simpson-Woods
Publish America
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN# 1413702287 $19.95 205 pgs

Since it's advent, the Internet has linked people to all manner of things; information on just about every topic you can think of, buying and selling all types of wares, both legal and otherwise, and talking to people all over the world spontaneously using what are called I.M.'s, or Instant Messaging. However, in Stephanie Simpson-Woods debut novel, I.M., the Internet, is used in a unique way-as a means to fulfill a destiny.

Lily Wagoner is haunted in her sleep by dreams that are gradually growing increasingly intense, displaying a dark and frightening figure. By nature she is a loner and using the Internet as a means to try to exorcise the darkness of her mind, she finds a friend, Tristan, a seemingly kindred spirit, and soon spends what free time she has online chatting with her new pal. The bond she develops with him over several months of correspondence is strong, and she is excited and pleased that they arrange for a get-together, and for it to happen soon. In a cunning manner, she gets her friends to chaperone her rendezvous without them even being aware that she is, in actuality, going out for the sole purpose of meeting this stranger who she became so attached to.

More than just the bonds of friendship however draw Tristan to her, for he is more than he appears. After he finally meets her, he knows that he will fulfill both her own destiny and help him to fulfill the promise he made to her dying mother. She is his and nothing will get in his way as he claims her and her soul, making her into a child of the darkness, a vampire like himself.

There is so much more at work here than what your initial thought might be as you read this captivating story. Once she invites Tristan into her world, her friends begin to disappear at an alarming rate and things really heat up. Eventually, her father is brought into the mix, being forced to face some old ghosts of his own as he tries to solve this puzzle before it is too late for his daughter.

I.M. is a modern vampire tale without the weigh of myth exploration as is so often the case today. The author has cut through all of the excess to bring to you a delightfully dark, highly entertaining tale of sinister destiny. This is the kind of novel that grips you from the first word and takes you for a fast paced ride, dropping you breathless and full of wonder at the conclusion. The characterization is superb, with perfect detailing provided to the supporting cast allowing you a full picture of not only the main characters life, but every one around her as well. I should also add here that sexy and mysterious Tristan is my idea of a bad guy; Ms. Simpson-Woods sure knows how to make her female readers tingle with delight. This is a novel for all lovers of horror, with plenty of death, blood, betrayal, and evil to make us all smile a wicked little smile.

I give my highest complements to Stephanie Simpson-Woods for creating an interesting and enjoyable vampire tale, which is not an easy task. A lot the time needed to fully become one with this novel because it is most definitely a page-turner that you won't want to put down. After reading this, the next time I'm on line, I wont be as quick to click on the accept button when I get an I.M.-unless it's Tristan that is.

INTERVIEW WITH STEPHANIE SIMPSON-WOODS
author of IM, review above

DB: When did you begin your relationship with horror? How did that flip from merely watching or reading, to writing as well?

SS-W: I was raised by my Dad and had a lot of time to myself, due to his work schedule. I always found myself manually switching channels on the T.V. (God, I feel old now) and stopping on something scary. I guess it started when I was four and hooked on Scooby Doo. I loved ghosts and monsters, etc. As I got older, I spent a lot of time watching horror. I remember when I was about 13, I came home from school everyday and popped in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4. I watched it twice a day, for a month. When I wasn't messing with the VCR, I was constantly probing channels looking for horror, always stuck with some crazy, low budget 70's horror film, that was on TBS, or something and was cut to shit, but being so young, it still scared the be-Jesus out of me.

I always wondered, "what if ?" when a movie ended, or a book I was reading (mostly John Saul) came to a close. I developed my own ideas and started writing them down.

DB: Who are your favorite authors to read? Do you think they have added any influence to the unique voice you bring to your work?

SS-W: I adore John Saul and Stephen King. As most people know, I really enjoy new authors, because they are original and have so many new stories to tell. As for my own influences, I've never pictured myself as John Saul or Stephen King and although I dig their writing lifestyle, I don't think my writing is anything like theirs. I've always wanted to write for a living, I've always wanted to see my words between the cover of a book, but I can't say anyone's particular writing influenced me. I think it was just my love for the genre.

DB: Has being a published author lived up to your expectations? If not what was different?

SS-W: Yes and no. Yes, I have a book out, a small group of fans, all of that jazz, but with so many people trying to make it in the horror genre, it's tough. That whole fantasy I had as a child, of writing a book and seeing 50+ copies lined up in bookstores was shot to hell, when I first started writing "I.M.". It's a long process and you have to be patient or extremely talented, to be a New York Time's bestseller with your first book. It takes a lot of work and horror is such a hard genre to conquer. I plan to continue climbing the hurdles, to be where I want to be: everywhere.

DB: What gave you the idea to have the Internet so involved in the meeting of your characters?

SS-W: The Internet is comfortable. People meet via the Internet more now than they do on the street. It's the "now". I wanted to write something more up to date, especially since most vampire books take place when a woman had to remove 4 layers of clothing, just to piss in a bucket. I wanted to write something people could really relate too. I wanted people to read it and think "Hey! I chatted with someone almost like him last night". The thought of people logging on and thinking about my book thrills me, plus it's a good warning. Be weary of who you meet on the Internet. There are a lot of freaks out there.

DB: Was there any reason you chose an old theme, Vampires? Do you think you brought something new to the Mythos?

SS-W: Vampires are sexy, mysterious and dangerous. Men and women enjoy reading about them or watching them in movies because they have what a woman wants: charm, the ability to seduce, and are extremely violent, and I don't know a single man who isn't into some type of violence. I'm sure every mortal has wondered one time or another what it would be like to be a vampire- to be irresistible- all-powerful.

Yes. I definitely brought something new to the mythos. I doubt anyone has ever imagined Count Dracula chilling in his Castle with a cigarette and a laptop. And the book isn't just about a malicious vamp seeking out someone on the Internet; there is much more to it. Picture your Mom, standing in front of you smiling, telling you they have just fixed you up with Mr. Right. That in itself is pretty scary.

DB: In Internet Message, I noticed the bad guy, Tristan, was the most intriguing character. Was he based on your husband? Or someone else you know?

SS-W: Grayson? No way. My husband wouldn't harm a fly. In fact, he won't even read my stories. He say's I'm ****ed in the head. I guess Tristan is a mix of old boyfriends who at the time seemed like perfect gentlemen, but turned out to be jerks. Tristan is based on that excitement you feel during the beginning of a relationship: the mystery of it all, the great sex, the right words at the right time, but we have all found out at some point that everything isn't between the sheets.

DB: What are your thoughts on happy endings and the way modern culture has turned horror into fluff?

SS-W: Horror is such a frowned upon genre at this day and age. Due to all of the violence this world has experienced, people are trying to block out the violence, which is fiction, because of reality. The writing world has been dominated with love stories, diet and self help books, literary fiction, etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm not slamming this stuff; The Wizard of Oz is my favorite book of all time, but it pisses me off that people blame horror for violence and turn their noses up to it because they can't deal with reality. Horror has been around since the beginning of time. You can find it in Shakespeare, which they make you read in high school, but it's okay because back in William's day, horror hadn't been labeled. It was either drama or satire.

People fear horror, and not in the way we'd like them to. In order to keep the genre thriving it's been pressed, molded and glazed to appeal to EVERYONE, not just the true horror fans. I mean come on, do you think that sixteen-year-old girl making out with her boyfriend in the back of the theater with Brittany Spears lyrics coasting through her mind really LOVES horror? Hell no! But in order to sell tickets they have to at least try to interest her.

Yes, I dig a happy ending- of course a happy ending for me would to see people screaming when they left a theater because someone with real horror talent and appreciation didn't hold back.

DB: Are you planning a sequel? If not what is next for you as a writer?

SS-W: I've got a lot going on. I just finished "Gloomy," my second novel, which for the record has nothing to do with "I.M." and I've started my third novel. I do plan on writing 2 more installments of "I.M.," but that will be later. I want to give the first one some time to stew and I want people to view me as something more than an author who writes about vampires.

DB: Tell me about you, what are your hobbies, favorite foods, etcetera?

SS-W: Hmmm, I'm dull. I'm married and have a son so I do the family thing- you know, sing along with the Wiggles, load my dishwasher every night, make sure a hefty amount of fruit snacks are accessible- etc. I read a lot, do book reviews, and watch occasional prime time T.V., most of it on HBO. I love music, mostly older stuff like the Dead Kennedys and the Beastie Boys, I can't stomach this pop crap and "new" rock that's such the rage today. It all sounds the same to me. I can't tell Puddle of Mud from Disturbed.

Foods? I love seafood, Mexican and chocolate. I love the holidays because I can chug hot chocolate by the gallons.

DB: Final thoughts, on the state of horror, your career and anything else you want to share with your readers?

SS_W: I will have you know that while I was replying to this interview a woman knocked on my door wanting to tell me about Jesus. Hahaha. I said no thanks and closed the door. I am a Christian, but I have no denomination and I don't beat the Bible. I don't beat any of the books on my shelf.

Okay, for the people: Keep an eye out for January's Chtulhu Sex Magazine. I will be loosing my virginity to them with my story "The Bedroom Window". Also I have a short in the upcoming anthology "Raging Horrormones", which is due out sometime next year and hopefully "Gloomy" will be available next year as well. To get down with all of the mild hoop-la you can visit my recently re-vamped website at www.stephanisimpsonwoods.com

Diana Bennett
Reviewer

Kaveny's Bookshelf
This Month I am going to approach my Midwest Book Review feature in a slightly different manner. I still have a lot to say about our wonderful trip to The United Kingdom Nov 16th-Dec 2nd 2003, however I want to get to some book review right off the bat. As I have mentioned previously in a number of columns, I also review in a number of different venues most of them academic journals and from time to time I find a some books which I wish to share with a broader audience. Here are a few examples

Ordering Women's Lives: Penitential and Nunnery Rules in the Early Medieval West
Julie Ann Smith
Ashgate Publishing Company
ISBN: 1859282385 $74.95 246 p.

Ordering Women's Lives is an interesting book for a number of reasons. As a result it may be approached on several levels, depending on whether the focus of ones interest is historical, religions or textual. From a utopian standpoint, it is significant as a study of the embodiment operating rules and expectations within historical intentional communities, and larger communities as a whole. Both types of texts were used to prescribe women's behavior within abbeys and other religious centers, and the Penitentials Effected life both inside and outside the cloisters.

Smith's central focus is on the reading of these works as textually embodied expectations for women. These early medieval religious texts were used by religious institutions to govern the day-to-day actions of women's lives. A range of religious texts used in this way included the two types that are the focus of Smith's study, penitentials and nunnery rules. Penitentials were written texts (usually small, portable handbooks), carried around by priests in early Medieval Western Europe. They were intended to facilitate the sacrament (or process) of confession. They were practical little books that ascribed types of penance, called tariffs which a priest would assign for various transgressions in order that the penitent might gain absolution from their sins. Thus making a good confession, and gaining salvation from eternal damnation, and thus being made whole with the community. Of course, these texts prescribed not only women's behavior, but also the behavior of all those who would interact with them.

Nunnery rules are a bit more narrow than penitentials because they deal with behavioral expectations of an intentional community which in fact exist inside of the larger community but is by no means separated from it in either a spiritual, or for that matter, socially or economic basis. Ordering Women's Lives is an important contribution to both women's and Medieval Studies, and will also be of great interest to those engaged in studying the history of the book in early Medieval Western Europe.

It is also useful to those of interested in studying the evolution of church doctrine prescribing the behavior of both religious and secular women and to those examining the gradual eradication of pagan behaviors from the Christian West. Smith also documents carefully over the six centuries of her study the increasing process of constraint and personal isolation of members of the communities is heightened by their isolation from the larger communities as a whole. Julie Ann Smith, a senior lecturer in School of History, Philosophy and Politics at Massey University in New Zealand. She is particularly qualified to produce this work, because she represents an emerging paradigm in scholarship. She has both the ability to deal directly these documents in their original form and at the same time build on other work that has been done in the area. But she also demonstrates the scholarly breadth that predisposes her to relate her findings to a broader picture of women in non-Roman Christian communities sin Wales, Ireland, Spain, England, and France. This is because her interests lie in medieval women's history, with broader interests in medieval social and cultural history. This background allows her to integrate her work into the larger picture of western European History and enhance our understanding of the role of nunnery rules and penitentials in defining institutional norms governing women's behavior in the early middle ages. At the same time she reveals a number of interesting insights into the transformation from pre-Christian to what has become known as Christian normative behavior from the sixth through the Twelfth Century.

In her own words, which set the course of the study in the introduction, Smith is able (masterfully, I believe) to transcend what she sees as perhaps one of the saddest limitations of previous studies that focus on text as archeological artifact or as description, rather than prescription, of behavior. To her, a text is not only an artifact, and a kind of information object but it is also an embodiment. She states:

"The texts around which the present study is developed are not merely documents; they are also processes of representation. Texts are more than simply words on pages and are not merely passive reflections of their contexts. They are objects that, through a purposive process of representation and codification, construct what they inscribe. Representation here does not simply connote a mirroring of events or actions but is an active process of constructing meaning. It is through this process of construction of meaning that texts define and constrain legitimate behaviors. In the case of the penitentials and nunnery rules, they did not merely reflect or reproduce cultural rules; they actively instituted and endorsed them. (p. 1)."

While she refers to James C. Scott's naming of these texts as part of the 'transcript of domination' of male clergy, she identifies her insights into the transformation of preexisting kinship systems so that women's power was limited and reduced.

For the uninitiated, the book contains a wealth of information about the early church's efforts to alter, subvert or convert the behaviors of what she calls folci cultures into a more Romanized practice of religion. In discussing both types of texts used by priests and abbesses to cut and measure women's behavior in the establishment of an orthodoxy, she acknowledges that early discussions of women's behavior seem like an afterthought. Penitentials especially are directed at a range of transgressions and tariffs concerning men. Women's behavioral norms focus on two areas, sexuality and the practice of magic. While each of these areas of prescriptive codes has been studied in other venues, it is the cultural transformation of barbaric civilizations, and the burden put upon the women of these cultures, that are of particular interest. While Smith devotes one chapter each to the history and major authorship of common penitentials and nunnery rules, and, in the latter case, their relationship to encoding of transgressions, rules and tariffs for use in male intentional communities, even more interesting are her examinations of such topics as Work and Magic around issues of health care, birth control, abortion, and healing. She charts a clear line in the diminishing opportunities for women to exert power over these areas of their own lives and inscribes in this downward progression an intentionality on the part of organized Christian religion.

While one can come to this work for an overview of the two types of prescriptive texts, one comes away with a view of the unified, limiting, view of a good Christian life for women both inside and outside the confines of religious communities, and one that serves the church far more than it serves the women, children, and ultimately, communities, in which it was practiced. I have stated Smith's conclusions no more strongly than Smith herself when she says:

"The two groups of texts were produced over the same period of time, that is, their moment of inscription was embedded in the processes of negotiation between the Germanic peoples of Western Europe and the Church. The texts were not simply designed to condition and constrain the behavior of audiences but were also part of a more comprehensive project of Christianisation and imposition of clerical views of how the world should be." (p. 226). (But not necessarily of how it was).

One last aspect of this work which must not be over looked is the level of interest she is able sustain in the reader by her high level of narrative quality which is supported by painstaking use of evidence and sources which augment the flow of her narrative, rather than disrupt as is sadly the case with much scholarship now that economic constraints placed on academic publishing, often allow senior editors to see table of contents. Our only recommendation is that this study be brought out also in a trade edition, since we feel that it will generate a fairly broad level of interest. We would all like to see Julie Smith do a second volume in this study that would continue through the first period of the Protestant Reformation in the same geographic area of her study.

Beowulf and the Critics: Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies, Vol. 248
J. R. R. Tolkien and Michael D. C. Drout
Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies
ISBN: 0866982906 $38.00 461 pages

When I originally requested a review copy of this book in my capacity as literary editor of The Midwest Book Review from Robert E. Bjork Director of the Arizona State University Press he was rightfully a bit skeptical of my request. He wondered if in fact the book would be of interest to the readership of The Midwest Book Review. Also I guess that I should have made my request for a review copy through more formal Channels, rather than shouting across the Kalamazoo International Medieval Congress Book Sellers Room "Can you score me a copy of Drout's new book." I feel it is very important and I have a couple of places I would like to review it. Further more. I have a gut feeling it is of interest to a general informed readership. My feeling was also informed because I had listened to a number of Michael Drout's conference presentations which in he demonstrated a kind of relentless intensity, a respect for his subject willingness not to ignore his audience in his presentation, three qualities which I do not find as often as I might in the academic world.

My gut feelings where also based on a premiss (perhaps even an axiom) that I have developed as a bookseller. I believe that well written and affordable scholarly books, particularly by or about J.R.R Tolkien. have a broader appeal than might be expected. broader than just the few specialists who might work in field professionally in Anglo Saxon, or even Modern English for that matter. This premiss (perhaps even an axiom) has developed over the last quarter of a century as both a bookseller and later academic critic specializing in books by our about J.R.R Tolkien in the process I have watched a number of important books reissued after being into consigned to the oblivion of the remainder table, Goodwill Stores, and in at least one case I rescued a pristine 1965 three-volume Ace paperback set ( Now selling for more than $250.00 on ABE.Com, but not by me ) from the dumpster at an Associated University Women Booksale, and placed it in the proper hands at only a modest gain to myself. I am the bookseller that does not hoard anything. It is sort of a self defense thing because I have only a 305 square foot office, and my wife has filled our 2200 square foot house with her books.

To develop this thought a further I am going to use a bit of space to report on a little empirical study I just completed on just a few Tolkien Items that have been resurrected from publisher's remainder status to be reissued. The remainder editions are now demanding collectors price. Here are examples of books I have owned sometimes hundred and even thousands of copies prices courtesy of ABE.Comhttp://www.abebooks.com Note that I did not list ISBNs in this case because I wanted to avoid confusion, or send folks running off on wild goose chases.

J. R. R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien [foreword and notes]
Pictures By J. R. R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin Co
Boston
Very good-. First American Edition. Fine hard cover Price $305.00

The Lost Road and Other Writings: Volume 5 of The History of Middle-Earth
J. R. R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin
Boston
Illustrated with maps. 455 pp Price $350.00

The Return of the Shadow - The History of the Lord of the Rings Part One
Edited by Christopher Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin Company
Boston
(8)+498pages. Publisher's cloth in dust wrappers. Near fine/fine $170.00

The Annotated Hobbit or There and Back Again
J. R. R. Tolkien
Illustrated By J. R. R. Tolkien Boston, MA.
Houghton Mifflin Company
ISBN: 0395476909. Jacket design by Michaela Sullivan $ 300.00

Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R Tolkien
Edited by Humphrey Carpenter with the Assistance of Christopher Tolkien
George Allen and Unwin
London
With a ALS facsimile frontispiece $160.00

I think first editions of Beowulf and the Critics Michael D. C. Drout will be selling for collectors price within a couple years without having to even touch a remainder table because it is fascinating and a well-written book which takes as through the process by which J.R.R developed his academic discipline defining essay the Monster and Critics in the early 1930s. It is well written because of Drout's nearly transparent style, and clear and informative supporting annotations which inform the reader but at the same time allows J.R.R Tolkien to speak in his own voice. It is also a history Anglo Saxon Literary Scholarship up the 1930s which if nothing else establishes that what we know as post-modernism (the treatment of a text as a cultural artifact, rather than an artistic creation was really a very old and wheezing horse even in the early 20th Century.

The other aspect of the book which I love is the opportunity to hearing Tolkien speak in a literary and artistic voice which convince me over and over that the best writers also make the best critic and, that J.R.R. Tolkien was just an order of magnitude smarter than any of his critics.

Stonehenge & Eighteen Days & Six Anglican Cathedrals

A few days before my wife and I left for our whirl wind eighteen day

Cynthia Penn's Bookshelf	Diana's Bookshelf	Kaveny's Bookshelf
Klausner's Bookshelf	Laurel's Bookshelf	Russell's Bookshelf
Shelley's Bookshelf	Shirley's Bookshelf