Book Description
Since retiring from the Atlanta Police Department, Callahan Garrity is really cleaning up with her House Mouse housecleaning company -- especially since she added"crime investigation" to the list of services offered.
Callahan agrees to locate the missing member of the popular '60s girl group, the VelvetTeens, and she doesn't have to search long. Deloras Carter, the a.w.o.l. singer, is found passed out drunk by a swimming pool near the dead body of the trio's former producer. The smoking gun in Deloras's hand suggests that the VelvetTeens won't be reuniting for a comeback tour anytime in the near future ... unless Callahan and her "Mice" can spotlight -- and survive -- a different killer act.
Customer Reviews:
Fun, fun, fun.......2005-06-28
Snappy dialog, whiz-bang action sequences, and a lovably flawed heroine: a perfect recipe for a fizzy, frothy concoction of mystery and pop music business primer.
The "first tier" characters have plenty of sizzle amongst themselves, but things really shine when the supporting cast shows up for a birthday party or a housecleaning expedition. (You don't want me to say more than that, truly.) Dialog sings, not only as entertainment but also in actually advancing the plot. I learned to pay attention through my giggles and sighs; the plot was moving on.
This author writes hilarious vignettes that evoke everything from the slightly soused country club golfers to the fear and loathing of staking out a boyfriend who might be sleeping with his ex-wife. The most far-fetched circumstances are related with such a light touch that it is easy to suspend disbelief. Put differently, you won't believe what you'll believe in this story.
For the most part, the various threads are tidied up by the end of the book. I admire and appreciate the fact that the author did not force a happy ending for everything. Altogether this was a satisfying and delightful read.
Sophisticated Cozy.......2001-06-18
I love this series and it simply gets better and better. If you're new to this series, take advantage and begin at the beginning.
Better than Every Dead Nanny.......2000-09-15
This is more like Sue Grafton. The dialog has tightened up. My favorite line "Rita, she's alright. You ask me if she did do it the dude probably needed killing." The plot construction is not as tight as Grafton. We are not convinced that the only way to prove Rita innocent is to find the real killer so the page-turning tension doesn't build up. It's a series of interviews which are used to bring in memorable characters and a lot of information about pop music of the sixties. The sub-plot of the two divorced couples and their daughters was more compelling. I was not sure from reading it if this was next in the series after Every Dead Nanny. Did Home-Made Sin and To Live and Die in Dixie come in between? I'll have fun finding out.
Loved it.......2000-06-26
I love this author's books and this one in particular. The author has done particularly well in painting a realistic and moving account of the lives of members of a former "girl group". Something about this book made me identify so much with the female characters - a sign of good writing. Please give this book a go, especially if you haven't read this author before.
I loved it!.......1999-04-26
Calahan Garrity is a delightful detective. It is a pleasure to follow her through the mysteries she solves. The author paints a wonderful picture of the heroine's interactions with the characters in this story. I loved the references to the music and musical groups of the 60's.
Book Description
Voted one of Christianity Today's 1996 Books of the Year!What is the fate of those who die never hearing the gospel? Do Hindus, Jews, agnostics and others who do not profess faith in Christ really suffer damnation after death? These and similar questions have long been contemplated by people from every religious persuasion and every walk of life. But in a culture of increasing diversity and growing doubt in the existence of "objective truth," it seems ever more pressing.In this book three scholars present the span of evangelical conviction on the destiny of the unevangelized. Ronald Nash argues the
restrictivist position, that receptive knowledge of Jesus Christ in this life is necessary to salvation. Gabriel Fackre advocates
divine perseverance, with the expectation that those who die unevangelized receive an opportunity for salvation after death. And John Sanders sets forth the
inclusivist case--asserting that though God saves people only through the work of Jesus Christ, some may be saved even if they do not know about Christ.As each scholar presents his own case and responds to strengths and weaknesses of differing positions, readers are treated to a lively and informative debate.
What About Those Who Have Never Heard? is a truly helpful book on one of today's--and every day's--most crucial questions.
Customer Reviews:
Is There Any Hope for the Unevangelised?.......2007-07-03
This title is co-authored by John E Sanders, Ronald Nash, and Gabriel Fackre. Each writer has been commissioned to pen an essay promoting/defending his own case regarding the destiny of the unevangelised.
Sanders presents the critical reader, (I think,) with, by far, the best essay in the book's entirety. Certainly, he is the most polished and interesting one. (Admittedly, I am biased regarding Mr Sanders, finding myself to possess neo-Arminian/open theist leanings also.) Supporting inclusivism, Sanders emphasises the point that faith should be viewed as more than cognitive intellectual assent and that God is more concerned with people trusting him than bare knowledge.
Fackre, in support of post-mortem evagelisation (or 'divine perseverance,' as it is sometimes alternately called), leaves the reader with something to be desired in his essay. His writing and passion is good in highlighting the love and graciousness of Christ, but I think he falls short in the realm of a detailed analysis. His work suffers more from vagueness than anything else. More biblical exegetical support would have helped.
Nash, a 'restrictivist' exclusivist, is the strict Calvinist of the three. His responses along with his essay betray an antagonistic tone and at times he lapses into belittling those opinions that differ from his own. His actual essay, (as Sanders keenly points out in his response to Nash,) simply does not present a positive case for restrictivism; rather, it represents a combined attack against inclusivism and post-mortem evangelisation. Nash provides little support as to why any one should actually believe that the unevangelised all must necessarily perish without confessing and trusting explicitly in Christ as their Saviour (even though Abraham was justified apart from explicit faith in Jesus in the Old Testament era, to provide one example).
At the end of the day, though I do not consider my mind to be 'totally made up' regarding the matter of the destiny of unevangelised, I see several difficulties already with adhering to a restrictivist perspective, and many strengths in ascribing to inclusivism. Though post-mortem evangelisation seems to be the odd duck of the bunch, I have by no means discounted this perspective completely as of yet (after all, the early church fathers seemed to have possessed a shared affinity for the concept).
Recognising the importance of the doctrine, this is one area of speculative theology that I would encourage more sceptical and agnostic believers (on this issue) to delve into studying, for there are genuine practical consequences to adhering to whatever position we might find ourselves acclimated towards regarding the question of the destiny of the unevangelised portion of mankind.
Good book..........2005-10-21
I Havent finished the book yet but it does talk about the 3 different views in detail without pulling any punches. Its a good book for the topic it discusses.
An incomplete yet very thought provoking presentation.......2005-09-28
Most christians have developped the traditional theological concept that salvation is only possible if you have faith in Jesus, for after all, the exclusivity of Christ is much insisted upon in the bible and it is the teaching of most church circles. But is this the only conclusion that we can get from scriptures? Some respected authors argue otherwise.
"What about those who have never heard" was written by three authors (Fackre, Nash, Sanders) who each holds to a different scheme for grasping salvation. But what is important, is that all three agree on the authority of the scripture and on the fact that anyone who is saved is so because of Jesus's ultimate sacrifice; without Jesus's sacrifice on the cross, all humanity is doomed. What they disagree upon, is the degree of knowledge one should have about this great atonement event and the timing of this awareness.
John Sanders argues for Inclusivism meaning that God saves people only through the work of Jesus, but some may be saved even if they have never heard about Christ. The importance is not the degree of "knowledge" about Christ, but the "faith in God" as it was revealed to the person. So, according to this view, responding positively to the light and the law written in their heart will be viewed as righteous and thus, the work of christ will be counted on their behalf. Romans 2 is given as a basis.
Gabriel Fackre argues that receptive knowledge of Christ is necessary for salvation, but that this knowledge is not restricted to this lifetime. Non-christian believers will get the chance to hear the gospel post-mortem and decide whether they accept it or not. Fackre calls it "divine perseverance", meaning that death will not stop God from allowing us to know the true gospel. Fackre relies mainly on Peter 3:19 and 4:6.
As for Nash, he strongly attacks the other views and argues for Restrictivism: receptive knowledge of Christ in this lifetime is a must for salvation. He builds his case by showing the multitude of loopholes and mistakes in the previous two views, and cites many bible passage to support his stand(1Jn 5:12, Jn 1:12, Jn 20:30, ...)
Each author presents his idea in a chapter, then the others are given each a space to respond; so a total of 3 presentations and 6 refutations. This make the book a very thought provoking and not one sided discussion. I loved this approach!
As much as i deeply want to believe in a wider hope, restrictivism sounded the most biblicaly based. The other two concepts have serious mistakes that Nash quickly points out. One frustrating thing, is that Nash doesn't build a structured positive case for restrictivism, but concentrates on "bringing down" the other views.
Reading this book will NOT convince you of any of them, since each has a scriptural case, but when you take the whole scripture in perspective, i think you will tend to lean more towards the restrictivist (although, inclusivism sounds the most "logical": for example, a few days after jesus death and resurrection, only a handful of people are believers in the atonement. Does this mean, that the rest of the planet in billions was doomed? The message didnt have time to reach them yet..hmmm)
Although the book quickly mentions it in the introduction, i had wished the ''universal opportunity'' concept was developped in its own chapter, since i believe it is also quite biblical: receptive knowledge of Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation, but any sincere lover of God (as he knows him) is given a chance to hear the gospel. Look at the story of Cornelius (Acts 10): he is a believer in the God he knows, so GOD sent him an angel to direct him to Peter so he hears the gospel!
To conclude, the book is an excellent introduction to the subject, which give you different angles to look at. Although it is incomplete and although restrictivism isnt presented in a positive case (after lashing out at the other views, which leave you a bit in the unknown), the book will make every single neuron of yours fire up. At the end, neither of the three concepts 100% convinced me, but i sure learned a lot. Recommended!
Restrictivism: The Only Option!.......2005-04-20
Contrary to Sanders and Fackre, Nash did an excellent job refuting both inclusivism and PME, and presented his case for restrictivism well. Though I don't agree totally with Nash's restrictivism (since I hold to unlimited atonement), he does a good job presenting a very persuasive case for the traditional evangelical understanding of the destinies of the unevangelized. Sanders' inclusivism leads to the heresy of works-salvation (unbelievers who positively respond to God's light and walk in His ways will be saved even without knowledge of Christ). Such heresy leads to another heresy: that Christians also must do good works to earn or maintain their salvation. His interpretation of Romans 2 on pp. 46-7 is horrible (he follows the interpretation of the "new perspective" that Paul was not opposing Jewish works-salvation but Jewish nationalism). ... Overall, a good book for those who want to be convinced of the truthfulness of restrictivism.
Interesting Talk About Grace and Gospel.......2001-07-12
Three differing views of the fate of those who experience physical death without hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is fascinating, but limited. Again, as it seems to be, not all Christian views are presented.
Certainly, we who hold the Lutheran confession would side with Nash, who easily out of the three represented does the most exemplary job of using God's Word correctly. Nash is correct in his chastisement of his two opponents for not lack of good exegesis of the Bible. It is truly sad but commonplace to find such poor, hurried exegeis as exemplified by Sanders and Fackre.
It would have been good to have one argue: univesal grace, grace alone, the means of grace, and the mystery of why some saved and others not? This would have given the complete Biblical picture. This is not demonstrated by any of the three in this book.
However, as exemplary as Nash is with his defense of restrictivism by not only showing the proper exegesis and hermeneutic of the other two sides, he has some glaring weaknesses himself. As those of the Reformed are bent to do, they always want to let logic and reason dominate, rather than letting God's Word suffice.
Or as Luther would say, "What is not spoken of in God's Word must be left to the heavenly academy for resolution." We do not have all the answers to all mysteries in God's Word!" As Moses said so profoundly on his deathbed, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever." (Deut. 29:29)
Nash suffers, as Sanders catches him, on Double Predestination. Calvinists cannot say that Christ died for all, but only for the elect. This is the classic error of Calvin. As well, they hedge the truth of God's Scriptures of the Real Presence in the Sacrament. Sanders does not confess the B.C. Means of Grace as St. Paul does in 1 Cor. 10:1-11, that Christ was present with them, but most did not have faith and were disallowed into Promised Land. This typology extends throughout OT, allowing OT saints the same (Romans 4) as we NT saints, faith in Promised Messiah (Christ).
However, to deny infant sin (Age of Accountability) that Nash puts forth is unbiblical (Ps. 51:5) Furthermore, Nash is wise to attack inclusivism on premise that grace is with all until rejection of Christ and Gospel, and he shows forth Biblical attack to destory this false teaching.
Nash certainly is far and away the more faithful Biblical presenter, aside from the errors already identified. Further, he does not profess Christ's descent into hell as for what it was: Christ's victorious announcement of victory over the demon angels, nor is he correct is declaring Luke 16:19ff as being a parable. It does not necessarily have to be interpreted as parabolic, see Art Just's Commentary, Volume II, pg. 630ff.
Cudos to Nash for calling the other two's hand for not showing the Biblical evidence for their positions, while discounting his opponents Biblical proofs and offering restrictivist passages, Nash has provided the debate with the sure foundation of what God says about this controversial topic.
Book Description
Take your Java programming skills beyond the ordinary. Java After Hours: 10 Projects You'll Never Do at Work will make Java your playground with ten detailed projects that will have you exploring the various fields that Java offers to build exciting new programs. You'll learn to:
- Create graphics interactively on Web servers
- Send images to Web browsers
- Tinker with Java's Swing package to make it do seemingly impossible things
- Search websites and send e-mail from Java programs
- Use multithreading, Ant and more!
Increase your Java arsenal by taking control of Java and explore its possibilities with Java After Hours.
Customer Reviews:
OK book for Java Ideas.......2007-09-08
This is an ok book for people that want to learn what they can do with Java. The projects are explained well. I didn't think any of the projects were that exciting
Interesting, fun, but wasting space.......2007-06-02
I like several of the ideas; I thought hockey would be good, but it is pong.
The robot and web browser are very interesting ideas. You can really think of things to do with these.
The ideas and examples would have given this book a higher rating but there were a couple problems that I list below.
Bad ideas of the writer; first is listing the main functions for class. First the method names and parameters and return types doesn't really help. It just took up space.
Second bad thing is the way code is shown in the book, here are pieces of the code, now filling in other pieces, and just continuing along those lines. I would prefer the entire program and list the line numbers, in writing just identify the line numbers.
I think every chapter would be about a fifth the size if the code didn't extend so long and the class methods were delete.
A good book for learning fun techniques in Java.......2006-08-27
This book is for experienced Java programmers that don't need a rehash of the basics and want to try some interesting projects as well as learn some new techniques and tricks such as sending JPEGs back from a web server, grabbing web pages from Java code, creating drop shadows in Java2D, using online filters, and controlling any other program robotically.
This book contains 10 projects, along with some minor projects used for illustration purposes. One of these subprojects builds an entire web server you can run from your desktop, given an Internet connection and a fixed IP address, which you probably have if you have a broadband connection. The following is a summary of the book's contents:
Chapter 1: Aquarium-- A multithreaded fish-swimming project with fish that swim realistically against a bubbly background.
Chapter 2: Slapshot -- A multithreaded hockey game that moves. You play against the computer and set the speed. And when you set the speed in the upper 90s, you've got a good chance of losing.
Chapter 3: The Graphicizer-- An image-editing and conversion tool. This one lets you read in JPG, PNG, or GIF files and save images in JPG or PNG format. You can work with images pixel by pixel, embossing them, sharpening them, brightening them, blurring them, reducing them, and so on. And you can even undo the most recent change.
Chapter 4: Painter-- Lets you draw your own images from scratch--ellipses, rectangles, lines, and so on. You can even draw freehand with the mouse. You can also draw each shape open or filled, using a texture fill, a solid color fill, or a gradient fill. You can draw text. You can give shapes a drop shadow, or make them transparent. You can draw using thin lines or thick lines. You can set the drawing color. And not only can you save your work when done, you can also read in images and work on them, annotating them with text or adding your own graphics.
Chapter 5: The Chat project-- In this project you create your own private Internet chat room that will keep you in touch with anyone over the Internet. All you need is Internet access and a Java-enabled web server. You can have as many people in your chat room as you like. What they type, you can see, and what you type, they can see. Type all you like--all you're paying for is the local Internet connection.
Chapter 6: WebLogger-- Log access to your website. This project lets you log users who access your website by access time, authentication type, username (if they've logged in), user IP address, the URL they accessed on your site, their browser type, the milliseconds they were there for, and so on. All without their knowledge.
Chapter 7: The Robot project-- This interesting project lets you control any other program by remote control; just tell it what to do. You can send text to the other program you're controlling. You can use the ALT and CNTL keys. You can send tab characters, the Enter key, or the ESC key. You can also use the mouse--just enter the screen location (in pixels) where you want the mouse to move to. Then click the mouse, right-click it, or double-click it. You can also take screen captures. If you want to automate working with any program, the Robot will do it.
Chapter 8: The Browser project-- This project lets you create a fully featured browser that subclasses Microsoft Internet Explorer in your Java applications.
Chapter 9: The Intercom project-- This project lets two people type across the Internet. You just start up the project, connect with the click of a button, and you've got your own connection: Everything you type into the Intercom, the other use can see, and everything the other user types, you can see. This one is a client/server application and connects directly across the Internet using its own protocol--unlike the Chat project, no Java-enabled web server is needed here at all.
Chapter 10: The Forecaster project-- Displays a four-day temperature forecast for your area, starting with today's high and low temperatures. All you've got to do is to tell the Forecaster your ZIP Code, and it'll give you the forecast by reading its data from the National Weather Service and sending a JPEG image from the server back to the browser.
I'm a Java multimedia programmer, and I found this an interesting collection of projects and ideas for games and utilities I am working on. It is much more interesting than all of those enterprise Java books that are necessary for getting stuff done at work, but are not that inspiring. I recommend this project-based book to anyone curious about just what can be done with Java.
Fun book.......2006-07-09
This is a fun book to advance your programming and Java skills a bit.
The strength of this book is not that it has complete code for 10 projects. It is that each of these projects have nearly unlimited potential for adding in features.
Take the aquarium for instance. I added in a simple GUI popup to control how many fish, their individual speeds, supports unlimited fish photos, change backgrounds, add in whales, sharks, dolphins crabs, ect. In addition, the shark can randomly pick a fish every so often and eat it, along with sounds from Jaws. Next I am going to add in fisherman and divers.
The great thing is that all of the projects are this way. Even if you are not inclined to etend the projects, there is still alot to learn from the basic projects.
There is complete source code on the books web site. BTW, the Aquarium does not feature multithreaded fish. Each fish is not a thread. There is exactly one explicit thread in the program.
Not so great.......2006-05-08
This book isn't as fun to read as it might tell you. I try to work on a project and end up getting confused as to which class I'm working on, or where everything fits together. It isn't easy to follow and it just glides through things nonchalantly, but doesn't bother to give a finished product that I can find.
I tried the beginners fish aquarium class, but couldn't get too far because of formatting. Tried the slapshot game and got lost as to which class was which and which code went where. It's great if you want something to sit on your shelf and look pretty, maybe for moderate reference, but not practical or easy enough to read. And this is coming from someone who has read many types of these books in the past.
Book Description
An unprecedented event is sweeping America: 10,000 baby boomers turn 50 every day! Many expect this aging generation to become an albatross around America's neck—overwhelming the health care system, bankrupting Social Security, and retreating to retirement villages where they'll refuse to support social services with their taxes. In Never Too Old to Rock and Roll, Tom Hardin offers a different perspective: Life after 50 can be the best years yet!
Since the 1960s, baby boomers have created radical change. Whether it's voting rights or civil rights, relating to kids or in the workplace, baby boomers approach life differently. According to Hardin, how this generation approaches aging will also be different.
"Baby boomers are expected to live longer than any generation before them and they're realizing they have vast options when it comes to their quality of life," said Hardin. "By practicing a revolutionary concept called personal wealth management, they can achieve total wealth and abundance in every area of life—physical, emotional, and especially financial."
If you're looking for powerful, practical ways to make life after 50 your best years yet, get ready to rock and roll! This book will permanently change the way America looks at aging.
Customer Reviews:
Book for All Ages and Good Insight to Life - Young and Old!.......2005-07-20
Tom has written a great book! It is for anyone who wants road map for financial freedom and the joy of retirement. As I read this book I kept thinking how much it applied to all ages. I am retired now and Tom gave me some insight about spending and enjoying the fruits of my efforts. I have missed a lot of joy if the "Kids" get to spend the "fruits" instead of me and my Wife. Bill
Life-affirming and goal-oriented.......2005-07-10
Author Tom Hardin is a financial planner, but this book offers much more than ways on how to increase your wealth. This is a positive, upbeat, life-affirming book that encourages readers to plan not only for their financial futures, but also for lives that are emotionally and spiritually fulfilling, and as physically healthy as possible.
He offers examples of people who have planned carefully and thought about what they wanted to do with their lives, and who are now living the best lives possible. This is NOT a book of vague generalizations. Hardin offers specific suggestions and guidelines, and encourages the reader to think deeply about what s/he wants out of life. Then, he says, act on those goals!
You can't pick this book up without catching some of Hardin's optimism and energy. And I intend to pick this book up and peruse it many more times!
A Great Book for All Ages.......2005-06-06
This book really hits the nail on the head for anyone hoping to live a long and healty life. Tom covers three important topics, vision, health and investing. I really liked the stories of real people who are still rocking and rolling after all these years. If you believe your best years are ahead of you, buy this book and start living a life you love, at any age.
A Real Wake-Up for Those 50 and Older!.......2005-05-20
So true...while generations past wound down at 50; the baby boomers and all after have too much and to long to live to even think about it. Winding up and making the second 50 years the best ever is a religion all need to follow. "Never Too Old" puts in all in perspective in a very comprehensive, quick reading book. T. Ottinger, Redondo Beach, CA
Must read for financial and life planning !.......2005-01-25
My wife handed me the book and asked that I also read it. I am 41, not 50 ,and think it is a must read for anyone planning their future. Don't wait until 50 to read it. The author addresses more than just financial planning issues. He asks you to think about the "big picture"; what you want your future to look like financially, physically, and mentally - how to be healthy in order to enjoy your future and to make sure you are doing something you enjoy when you get there.
Book Description
A seventeen-year-old girl survives a plane crash in the Amazon and, despite maggots festering in her open wounds, finds her way to help and safety. This amazing story of courage and luck, which leaves the young woman the lone survivor from a wreck that claimed her mother and 90 other passengers, is only one of many riveting stories from Allan Zullo's and Mara Bovsun's new book on survival. In The Greatest Survival Stories Never Told, readers can learn all about real survivors like the Honduran mother of three who drifts in the sea for days after Hurricane Mitch destroys her home and family. In her case, a red bra was the key to survival since the brightly colored object finally caught the attention of the Coast Guard flying nearby.Or they can read about the New York businessman who endures thirteen days in a muddy hole after kidnappers demand that his family put up three million bucks for his return. As he sits in the cramped, dark pit, he composes his autobiography aloud to save his sanity until his rescue.In The Greatest Survival Stories Never Told, dozens of stories of grit and heart will inspire readers everywhere. The book makes for exhilarating reading.
Average customer rating:
- You are the key to happiness...
- Things Aren't Always What They Seem
- "Public Idiot #1!!"
- What A Fool!!!!!
- It was good....but i was fooled by the title.
|
Happily Never After
T. Wendy Williams
Manufacturer: Urban Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General | African American | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Multicultural | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1933967005 |
Customer Reviews:
You are the key to happiness... .......2007-07-28
HAPPILY NEVER AFTER tells the story of a young woman who falls in love with a man she hopes will make her happy. Dorothy's life in New Orleans was simple and rich with the love of her family. Her closeness to her strict father, taught her about love. Unfortunately, the lessons were easier said than done.
Dorothy met David Leonard at her family reunion, but she was smitten with his best friend. After the first few dates with the best friend, Dorothy realizes she probably chose the wrong guy. Dorothy and David reunite when she goes away to college and they correspond by mail. However, when a tragedy befalls her family, David was there to offer her unconditional support. They eventually fall in love and once David finishes medical school they plan their wedding. Dorothy knew she was in love, but loving David wasn't easy. From their wedding day on she put on a good face, when inside she was losing herself and her strength. She also failed in honoring what her father considered very important in a marriage - respect. As the years progress and even though they had a dream home, cars and beautiful children, the marriage everyone thought was perfect, starts to unravel. The things Dorothy hides behind closed doors start to see the light of day. Dorothy must gain strength to save her family and have her own peace.
The cover for HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is a bit deceiving, because readers may think they will be reading a modern tale of love, but the story actually takes place during the early 60s through the 70s. Personally, I love reading stories that take place during that time period and this was no exception. Williams tells this story with an enriched sense of the era, she paints a realistic picture of Louisiana and Texas during this timeframe. The main characters were well developed and the supporting casts of family, friends and nemeses added texture and believability to the story. The pacing was well done and the break down of the sections by Happily, Never and After were brilliant because readers are able to plot the course of this relationship. The story deals with familial issues, drug abuse, relationships and self-esteem. My only true issue with the novel was the ending was too easy and too perfect.
Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Things Aren't Always What They Seem.......2007-05-17
APOOO Rating: 4
T Wendy William's Happily Never After is a look into the life of Dorothy Lacroix Leonard. On the outside, her life appears to be picture perfect. Dorothy is a stay-at-home mom and married to Dr. David Leonard. They have three beautiful children, a wonderful home, a place with the elite in the black community; all they could ask for.
The story starts off with Dorothy's childhood in New Orleans. She meets some promising medical school students through her cousin. One of them is David who she keeps in touch with through letters and they eventually fall in love. When Dorothy finds David doing some questionable things the night before their wedding, she is hesitant to proceed with the marriage but she allows his charm to win her over. Once married, David did not want her to leave the house at all. Maybe it was for her protection or maybe it was David's controlling personality. When situations turn ugly, Dorothy starts to see David's true colors.
Williams brings all the characters to life. She takes you into the life of the class of people that thought they were better than others but you get to see the real deal. And looks can be deceiving. This is definitely a page-turner. It will have you so upset but happy at the same time. The cover fools you into thinking it may be a contemporary story. Even though
it is set in the 70s and 80s, it is an enjoyable read.
Donnica Copeland
APOOO BookClub
"Public Idiot #1!!".......2007-04-26
Let's see, the storyline was boring as well as some of the characters, Dorothy was a spineless jellyfish, David should be hung by his "family jewels". The ending was a disappointment and the only interesting characters were Chanelle, Cleo, Ophelia, Jerome and Tiny. The only reason this review got "3 stars" was because I couldn't give it "2 1/2 stars".
What A Fool!!!!!.......2007-04-11
From the start to the end Dorothy was a FOOL!!!!! I'm just glad that I did not buy this book I got it from the library.
It was good....but i was fooled by the title........2007-01-29
Over all, the book was good. i enjoyed the story even though I was fooled by the cover. I also think that it was the author's intention to fool the audience with the cover to get you interested (it worked). It was a good read and I'd recommend it to anyone.
Book Description
In this pathbreaking study, Susan Gubar demonstrates that Theodor Adorno's famous injunction against writing poetry after Auschwitz paradoxically inspired an ongoing literary tradition. From the 1960s to the present, as the Shoah receded into a more remote European past, many contemporary writers grappled with personal and political, ethical and aesthetic consequences of the disaster. By speaking about or even as the dead, these poets tell what it means to cite, reconfigure, consume, or envy the traumatic memories of an earlier generation. This moving meditation by a major feminist critic finds in poetry a stimulant to empathy that can help us take to heart what we forget at our own peril.
Book Description
Make up an ad for Rapunzel's new shampoo. Write a recipe for the Three Bears' porridge. Help Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary grow a garden. Kids can write all sorts of fractured fairy tales in this Mile 3 Road to Writing title. Road to Writing books are designed to inspire and entertain young writers. Mile 3 books feature simple story starters for the increasingly confident writer.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful for reluctant writers!.......2000-06-10
This is the book that got my eight year old daughter to write. She'd always hated any kind of school work involving creative writing -- until we got hooked on this series. With colorful illustrations, plenty of room to write and humourous prompts (such as "write an ad for Rapunzel Shampoo"), this book makes writing fun.
My six year old son is starting at Mile 1, and he loves the series, too! I only wish they'd hurry up and publish more!
Book Description
Take a princess, two bumbling wizards, an enchanted frog, a wicked stepmother, a handsome prince, and you have the most delightfully non-Grimm fairy tale of the year.
"A strong new voice." (Kristine Kathryn Rusch)
Customer Reviews:
Fairy tale entwined with some contemporary twists---really 3.5 stars.......2007-05-06
I love "Fractured Fairytales" so "Never After" was a must-read for me.
When Prince Athelstan goes questing for the perfect bride, he discovers that behind the circle of thorns enshrouding the castle legend said held Sleeping Beauty, there were only sleeping princes. He returns with his cousin, Vevila, who is equally tired of courtship and is going out to seek adventure.
There's a whole cast of odd characters to boot and a lot of genuinely good laughs. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Lickiss' work.
The unFairy Tale.......2007-02-07
I've read this story twice, and it's a quick, light read. The characters are easy to understand and there isn't much to read into them. The sub-stories are all different fairy tales, but they've been tied together by the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale--kind of ;) This is a good book to read if you like fairy tales and are in middle or high school.
Fun,Fun,Fun.......2005-11-22
This is the most mixed up fairy tale I have ever read! I love it! See how Vevila a self-confiant princess and her cousin go on a quest to save three identical princes who are asleep in a tower.But, before Vevila can kiss the princes she has to prove to their nurse that she's a real princess. Easier said then done because this nurse has some trick's up her sleeve.Follow Vevila as she trys to save the princes and meets some unlikey characters from other fairy tales who try to or don't try to help her!
An unorthodox fairy tale.......2005-08-23
I happened upon this book by accident and picked it up as a gift for my wife. As it happened, I ended up reading it first.
'Never After' is an unusual fairy tale, seemingly set in another world where tiny kingdoms, and their resulting princes, abound. Due to a most unusual curse - or not, depending on who you ask - there have been very few princesses born in the last generation, so bound to marry a royal princess, prince Athelard goes in search of one reputed to lie asleep in an enchanted palace.
Then he discovers that it's not really a sleeping princess, but a prince. Three of them. And he needs a princess to kiss them to wake them up.
Things get very strange from there.
The characters in the story can't seem to make up their mind who they are - characters from real fairy tales (Rumpelstiltskin and Cinderella both make appearances) or modern men and women from sitcoms (the completely unaware prince, the feminist tomboy princess). The result is meant as a humorous take on Grimm's tales but winds up being merely indecisive instead.
Writing humor is always hit-or-miss at best, and gets worse when one tries to make genre humor. 'Never After', unfortunately, is a miss - albeit one in good company. It had a few genuinely funny moments, but mostly it was just a moderately interesting tale, not a book destined to remain in my personal collection for very long.
Strangely compelling homage to fairytale classics.......2005-07-29
I very nearly didn't read this book. Six months ago I opened it up, read the first page, decided it was duller than dishwater and put it back on the shelf. But recently I decided to give it a second go (I had a lot of time on my hands) and I'm so glad that I did. By twenty pages in it had gotten much better. I know they say don't judge a book by its cover, but in this case, don't judge it by its first few pages, either. If its author is reading this review, my advice to her is basic but essential: you must grab the reader's attention right from page one, or you could lose them. Sadly, page one in this book is mostly just dry descriptions of a forest et al. It didn't grab my attention at all. And these lengthy descriptions weren't poignant or even essential to the story. (A mere sentence of description outlining the essential facts would have been better.) I struggled to try to remember all the small details, thinking that they might be essential to the plot. They weren't. They were just filler. Unfortunately, there were many descriptions like this throughout the book that really should have been left out or shortened. Seriously, we don't need to know the contents of every room of the castle or to have every leaf on every vine in the garden described to us! These things are irrelevant, and actually get in the way of the plot, slowing it down.
However, in spite of that, this was a suprisingly decent book. It had many interesting twists and turns in its storyline, and even though it borrowed a number of plot points from numerous classic fairytales, it often did so in an unpredictable and original manner. The author obviously did a LOT of work thinking out her storyline and it shows. There's enough plot twists in this for ten storylines, and they're all good ones.
I must say, though, that my main reason for enjoying this was the character of Vevila. She was such a rebel and an adventurer. I loved her! She was sassy, sarcastic, clever and resourceful. Best of all, though, she wasn't afraid to be rude to people who irked her, and to speak her mind--and haven't we all wanted to do that from time to time, when idiots annoy us! She met her match in Rumpelstiltskin, though, whose character was thoroughly charming. They were my favourites in the book. I also liked the wizard Rueberry, although I think less emphasis should have been put on his compulsive overeating. I mean, I got it, he was fat 'cause he ate a lot, but did we constantly have to hear every detail of everything he ate? It wasn't funny. It was just repetitive.
I really liked the ending of this book. It was a fairytale ending, sure, with the obligatory 'happily ever after', but the fun lay in finding out just what it was that made the ending 'happy' for each of these people. It made me think of the lyrics of a Rolling Stones song, the one that goes, 'you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, then you might find, you get what you need'. I hope I've quoted those lyrics exactly right, but even if I haven't, you get the general idea. I especially liked Prince Althelston's happy ending. He'd foolishly fallen in love with a romantic ideal, a fantasy that was something quite different from reality, and he was about to get a lesson in reality, a lesson he well deserved. He had fled the frying pan only to marry the fire. It was delicious irony. Read it, and you'll know what I mean.
I also liked when the wizard Mazigian was cursed only to be able to speak in quotes from Shakespeare. That truly would be a curse! Ugh!
This book was written in an unusual style, and not one I would have chosen myself. Nonetheless, I still think it worked pretty well. Most shockingly, though, it broke the mould by not having a single chapter in it! Rather, it was written in segments. Like the storyline, I found that very fresh, original and appealing.
I thought this book was well worth the effort I took in reading it. It's not the best book I've read this year, but it has definitely made my top twenty. It's witty, intelligent, and its characters are very well-rounded and three dimensional, with distinctive personalities. If you read between the lines, you'll understand their motivations. Even the wicked 'witch' is really just an overprotective, well-meaning but sadly delusional fairy godmother who is merely trying to protect her beloved godchild, the prince, from a world she perceives to be too cruel and wicked for one such as he. (And to the Amazon reviewer who said they were disappointed that the witch did not get punished for her wrongdoings, think this through: what could be a worse punishment than to find that the one you love the most, the one you've built your world around, does not love you, but actually fears and despises you!? I think she was definitely punished!) I would readily recommend this book to others, although I think it might be unsuitable for the much younger teens, not because of any adult themes, but simply because it is written in an advanced, mature, adult style, with lots of big words. Clever, highly literate kids will like it though.
Customer Reviews:
Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2005.......2007-05-14
The Mellon family of Cathedral Cove is one messed up bunch. Growing up in a house like Coeur Vole couldn't have been easy; neither, in fact, could having a father like Adler Mellon, who gained his pleasure by causing pain to his wife and children. Surviving matriarch Imogene is dying, and before she does, she wants her three children-Sophie, Sebastian, and Samantha-to find the happiness they so much deserve.
It's not an easy chore. Sophie, who has been in and out of mental institutions for the past decade, seems almost beyond hope. Left alone at the altar on her wedding day, she's never gotten over the fact that her intended husband, Tom Beckham, never showed up for their wedding. She's still sending him perfume-soaked letters on their "anniversary," and she's becoming more and more unbalanced.
As for Sebastian, marriage and children haven't stopped the demons that plague him. As his needs to follow in his father's footsteps and cause pain and suffering to those he loves increases daily, Sebastian is determined to somehow save his daughter and son from the same type of childhood that he had.
For Samantha, taking care of her terminally ill mother to the point where she has no friends or interests outside Coeur Vole is taking its toll. Sam has always lived in the shadows of her sister's wedding that wasn't, and of the accident that scarred her brother physically.
Tom has returned to Cathedral Cove, though, and all hell breaks loose. He's come at the urging of Kelly Ralston, the maid of honor of that long-ago almost-wedding-the same woman he developed feelings for shortly before the nuptials. Another wedding party member, Lillith, has died in a car accident, and Tom has returned to comfort her grieving husband, Jacob. Tom and Jacob were once good friends, but ever since Tom escaped the small town life for his high-powered attorney's job in Atlanta , they've drifted apart.
Now that Tom is back in Cathedral Cove, Kelly wonders if calling him home was a good idea. She fell in love with him ten years ago, when he was engaged to her best friend. Although they never acted on their attraction, Kelly has always felt slightly guilty-was the kiss they shared, and Kelly's announcement of love, the reason Tom ditched Sophie at the altar?
Strange things are happening around Cathedral Cove now that Tom is back. Since Lillith's accident, Kelly and Tom find out that other members of the wedding party have died in mysterious "accidents." Sophie isn't in the institution where she should be, Sebastian seems to be a washed-up imitation of the man he used to be, and Samantha is wilting under the stress of her mother's illness.
As Tom and Kelly become closer, realizing that the attraction they felt all those years ago is still going strong, someone seems intent on getting rid of the members of Sophie's bridal party one by one. As they try to get the authorities involved, they can't help feeling that time is running out-because if they're right, Kelly is going to be the next victim.
HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is a wonderful romantic suspense story. Family secrets form the basis for the storyline, and with the revelation of each one, you'll be drawn farther into the story. The ending is a definite surprise, and the plot twists and turns through each page. This book is a definite winner, one that fans of the genre won't want to miss.
Enjoyable Romantic Suspense.......2005-09-13
10 years ago Tom Beckham left Sophie Mellon at the altar. He never told anyone the truth about why he'd jilted her, but most people believed it was because he'd fallen for one of her bridesmaids, Kelly Ralston. Kelly and Tom hadn't seen each other since the failed wedding, but now it appears as though someone is killing the members of the wedding party. Kelly and Tom are thrown back together while trying to figure out who the murder is before they are next.
As they hunt for a killer, Kelly and Tom discover that the feelings between them have never gone away. Now that there is no wedding to prevent them from acting on their feelings, can they finally find their way to each other and survive the murderer who has targeted them?
Although I have read several serial Harlequins by Kathleen O'Brien, I have to say this longer novel is, by far, her best offering yet. While the Mellon family is almost too dysfunctional, they add just the right amount of twist to the plot. Tom and Kelly finding each other again is the best part of the story. A relationship that would never have been right or worked in the past now is now suddenly possible. Happily Never After is a romantic suspense that I believe readers will enjoy.
Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
A compelling summer read.......2005-08-08
Kathleen O'Brien's Happily Never After is a compelling, can't-put-it-down roller coaster of suspense from page one. As Sophie Mellon's wedding-that-wasn't party members begin to die one by one, it's up to Tom and Kelly to find out the cause--before they, too, are murdered. O'Brien's characters start out disbelieving, but put the facts together in time to save themselves. Perfect for readers who love dark suspense and well-drawn, believable characters.
exhilarating romantic suspense .......2005-08-04
Thomas Beckham thought Sophie Mellon was the most beautiful woman he ever met. He courted her and proposed to her; she accepted. However, as the wedding day grew nearer he saw a dark insane side to his fiancée. She also pales in comparison to the sweet kind hearted bridesmaid Kelly Carpenter. Unable to marry his lunatic betrothed and half in love with Kelly, Tom flees New York for Atlanta.
Though most members of the Mellon wedding party assumes the runaway husband fled with the bridesmaid that everyone could see he ogled, Tom and Kelly went their separate ways in spite of their attraction to one another. Neither thought it appropriate to build a relationship off the misery of someone else.
A decade has passed when someone begins killing the Mellon wedding party. Kelly fearing for her life and thinking Tom must be a target too looks him up. Though ten years since they have seen one another, both have thought of the other many times and realize the desire is as strong as ever. Assuming unhinged Sophie went off the deep end, they team up to keep one another safe while trying to stop a matrimonial serial killer.
HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is an exhilarating romantic suspense with a strong cast that will have the audience reading the novel in one sitting to learn why Tom jilted Sophie and whether Sophie is, as the lead couple suspect, the killer wiping out her extended Mellon family. Though the motive seems twisted, the story line never slows down gripping fans until the end. Kathleen O'Brien writes a solid contemporary romantic thriller, which asserts you can't go home.
Harriet Klausner
Books:
- Harmony in Context
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
- Hell Hath No Fury (Multiverse, Book 2)
- History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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