A great book for anyone interested in improving thier lifestyle and quality of life. It is for people who are not fond of a structured exercise program and/or have a diabetic condition. It is well ordered and follows accepted standards of health and fitness. Throughout the book it reinforces the idea that there is no quick fix, that it is a change in lifestyle that is necessary to achieve a better quality of life. Charlotte offers many examples of how to turn daily activities into low impact easy to do exercise following through to some basic exercise and stretching routines. She always stresses setting achievable short term goals to track your progress, increase your fitness awareness, and give you a feeling of accomplishment. Charlotte also includes information specifically for people with diabetes, discussing health and safety concerns with exercise, including blood glucose control through pattern management. This is a book on how to get started taking your first step, and subsequent steps. Slow and steady for the long haul.

I have had diabetes for twenty years and am always looking for new ways to help me get the most out of everyday life. I found this book to be extremely helpful. The common sense approach to fitness that Charlotte Hayes lays out for you is easy to follow and to implement. Her well written and easy to follow practical suggestions on exercise have been extremely beneficial to me. After reading this book one month ago and being inspired to make some small changes to my lifestyle I can feel the benefits already. No expensive gym membership is required, Charlottes easy to use approach works. This book is must read for anyone with diabetes or if you just need a little extra fitness in your life.

This book provides practical suggestions for simple and easy exercise opportunities, all day long during ordinary activities. What an advantageous way to get going on exercise, when no dramatic adjustments to everyday schedules need be made, at all! In a waiting room, at the checkout line, in the car while waiting for a stoplight to change, while watching TV-- these opportunities for toning and strengthening, improving circulation can be of benefit to ALL individuals! Each exercise is clearly illustrated and well-explained. No doubt these examples will inspire me to find yet more chances to insert a stretch or a lift into a mundane chore.

I got a belated birthday present from a friend last week, Between Friends by Charlotte Lyons. What a wonderful surprise. Charlotte Lyons has made several craft books on different topics. This one is about projects you can share with friends. What about starting a craft group with some good friends or giving away a small hand made gift when you go for a visit or enclosing some fabric in a letter for a dear friend. The book gives alot of creative and great suggestions.

I have done all this, and still do. As a matter of fact, the friend who gave me the book and I have shared so many crafty projects over the years. There really are no limits in what you can do. And as it's said on the cover of the book - in an era when women set aside very little leisure time for themselves, let alone for their friends, Between Friends provides the perfect excuse to invite the girls over.

The great thing about this book is that Charlotte Lyons has collected so many different things you can do, and put them together in a charming and quite whimsical way. Don't start reading the book late in the night. You will never be able to go to bed then untill you have started a new project, phoned a friend to discuss some new yarn you saw in town earlier that day, or written a letter to a pinpal with pictures of some of your latest quilts.

The book will be a favorite of mine for years to come, and I know it will inspire me to make wonderful gifts for and with my friends from all over the world. And a little secret. MY Between Friends has a little handmade bookmark, embroidered with the words"If friends were flowers, I'd pick you" - made special for me by my special sharing friend.

Britt Arnhild Lindland

Charlotte Lyons has a real gift for creating something wonderful out of basic odds and ends. And her newest book, Between Friends, offers inspiration galore. Whether you have friends to share the craft projects with or simply want to escape the daily routine by making something alone this book is a fabulous resource. The instructions are very clear and the projects are cleverly organized by the amount of time they take. A great gift idea too.

A couple of years ago, a friend gave Charlotte Lyons's earlier book "Mothers & Daugters at Home" to my 12-year-old daughter. It was beautiful to look at. She loved it. Wanted to try everything in it. Not me, however. "Oh, no", I thought. "Not another craft book that shows me how richly supplied with time, talent and materials everyone else is."

But I thumbed through it with her......and fell in love. And in the end, although she has now left me far behind in her creative development, Rebecca and I launched several delightful (and successful) projects together.

So when Ms. Lyons's next book came out, I bought it for myself and have continued to purchase it as gifts for others. Like its predecessor, the layout of the book is beautifully coordinated. The narrative and directions are personal, engaging and encouraging. The directions are clear. It is liberally supplied with beautiful photos that convey not only the "made specially for you" look of the projects but also the joyful feel of the process. And tucked in, among all these things, are snippets of warmth, wisdom and inspiration that make this book itself a great gift to all who pick it up.

This is a great book, and a MUST HAVE for anyone who loves the animal friends they live with. Clear, concise, well-organized,and well written, this book leads you step-by-step through the process of protecting your pets. Following their suggestions, I've made sure that my cats will be loved and cared for, no matter what happens to me. Can't recommend it highly enough.

A great resource book of how to protect our pets. Thank you David and Charlotte for the information and insight into this area . We will definitly set up a pet trust for our two cats, that are the light of our lives. We will rest easier knowing we have taken care of those that love us, (with paws!)

Collaboratively written by David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander, When Your Pet Outlives You: Protecting Animal Companions After You Die is a solidly written and "user friendly" resource for pet owners wanting to ensure that their animal companions are taken care of in the event of the death of the pet owner -- especially since pets are legally classified as property under American law and as such cannot lawfully inherit money directly. Setting up a pet trusts and veterinary care contracts, and the wide variety of options to ensure one's pets are taken good care of, and more are all discussed in depth in a "must-read" book for all true pet lovers.

A life of wealth and splendor fills the dreams of twelve-year-old Cecile Revel. When given the unexpected honor of serving in the court of King Louis XIV, she leaves home with her father's blessing and eagerly accepts a position with the Duchess of Orleans. However, life at court is far more difficult and dangerous than she ever imagined, and a single misstep could cost her her position or her life. Then tragedy strikes the royal family, and Cecile is placed under suspicion. And a dark secret from her past is suddenly revealed.

Superbly written, this book offers readers of today a glimpse of the splendor and majesty of the French court in its height of glory. Through the eyes of the heroine, readers will see important events in the history of France unfold. Highly recommended for readers of all ages.

For further reading of the French court, I also recommend "The Royal Diaries: Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles."

This book is so good! I cried. I laughed. I felt like I was Cecile!! Mary Casanova is an excellent writer. I don't want to tell you anything about the book, then it'll spoil it and you wont read it!! I also suggest you read the other Girls of Many Lands books, although this is the only one I've read so far.

Before you press the NO button on the bottom of this review saying that it is not helpful, please read my review because it is OK. This book is so horribly horible it is wonderful. The book begins at 12 year old Cecile Revel's poor village. She finds a woman (the king's sister in-law to be correct) who is injured and has her father help the lady. The lady then lets Cecile come with her, leaving her life as a peasant to be a servant of dogs at the kings palace. And of course even a servant to dogs at a palace is better than being a peasant in a shack. So then she goes to a life at court and recieves word that her father has died. So then she's all depressed and then she starts to fall for Phillipe, a boy her age that often escorts her around. Then she is accused of killing royalty, and then more royalty, and then again, another member of the royal family. She learns of her father's devestating past. She is not allowed to go to the Royal Christmas Ball. (What a shame that was, I was looking forward to her going with Phillipe) She is sent away to a boarding school at the end of the story. About all of the main characters die. It is a book that is so horrible, but, in a funny way, it is good. I would recommend it to all GIRLS aged 11 to 14.

After many years of placing "Jane Eyre" at the top of my "favorite stories of all time" list, I was glad when my husband gave me this book so I could read some of Bronte's other novels.

What I found was that I liked "Villette" even more than "Jane Eyre" - and, although it was arduous at first, I found "Shirley" was better yet.

"Jane Eyre", for anyone who hasn't read it, is a wonderful gothic romance, moralistic and spiritual, a very good read and fascinating tale.

"Villette" is more mature. The author explores a deeper sort of love - not based on mere physical attraction or infatuation, but based on deep, abiding friendship and respect. This story, too, has its lessons.

The character development in "Villette" was more complete than in any other novel I've ever read. I became fascinated by the unattractive little professor, and by other characters as well.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of French in this story, and what appeared to be the most pivotal moments were written in French... dialogue that I really wanted to understand was just lost on me. That was truly unfortunate. I'll have to find someone to translate for me sometime.

"Shirley" is the best of all. The beginning is arduous. I had to use my dictionary throughout, but the beginning is particular difficult. Shall I say.. boring, even. I found that, once I forced myself through the beginning, I was very much rewarded.

This story is a gem. The female heroines - Shirley and Caroline - were wonderful to get to know. Shirley is not the sort of female I would have thought Bronte had had occasion to know, so this was enlightening for me.

Truly an eye-opening look at 19th century feminism! And incorporated into these wonderful romance stories.

"The Professor" was a bit more dry than the others, although it was fun to read a romance story strictly from the male viewpoint. For a first novel, this was really incredibly well written.

As for "Wuthering Heights", it's been a number of years since I've read the story, so I won't attempt a review here.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes "Wuthering Heights" or "Jane Eyre". All these stories are wonderfully written, with complex characters and interesting plots. The work of true genius.

This novel was written as a looking glass into the life of one Jane Eyre. Welcome to her thoughts, her advice, and descriptions of her beliefs. But before you venture off, keep on the look-out for the contrast that exist in her thoughts compared to your own. By finding contrast you will observe some of the similiarities in her thinking to your own. "listen, then, JaneEyre, to you sentence: to-morrow, place the glass before you, and draw in chalk your own picture, faith-fully, without softening one defect; omit no harsh line, smooth away no displeasing irregularity, write under it, "Portrait of a Governess, Disconnected, poor, and plain." In the novel you come to understand Jane as a strong person with even stronger beliefs that she lives by. You now get a feeling of the contrast of her life. By re-reading the line notice the way she judges and punishes herself for what she finds fualty in her life. An entire novel is created around these constraints and contradiction. You may come to understand a small portion of yourself through Jane's contrasting life.

I thought it was a good book

By far, my 3 year old son's favorite book of all time! He memorized all the words and spouts them off spontaneously. Any boy will love this book, especially if they love trucks!!! I bought this book for all of my friend's boys and gave them as birthday gifts! Everyone loved it!!!

This has to be the ultimate book for little boys who love trucks. We got to the point that the boys would "sing" along and I could just close my eyes, because we all knew the words!!

fun to read and not as boring as those tonka books!my son is 3

This book goes way beyond the normal stories of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna. Charlotte Zeepvat leads us through the personalities in the Romanov family, and what part they played in imperial Russia and its downfall. Through these biographies the reader can understand the slide from a united family to the rival factions that partly brought about the Revolution and its aftermath. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever wondered about the imperial house of Russia , and the fate that awaited them.

This is a well written book that covers the last century of the Russian Romanov dynasty.

The author has chosen a wide focus rather than a narrow one on Nicholas II and Alexandra. For once we get to meet the other family memebers, learn about their personalities and what events shaped their lives and the fate of the dynasty.

We also get to read in detail about the various palaces and estates the family used. These are often referred to in other books without any real background information on their history or importance to the family being described. This book fills that vacume.

If you know nothing about the Romanovs this is a fantastic place to start as all these people's live stories weave in and out of each other to create an amazing and true story.

This wonderful book will give you a greater appreciation for the House of Romanov, with information about various family members and others not immediately included within Tsar Nicholas II's immediate family circle. Some unlikely - but vastly entertaining - stories come to light. You'll especially enjoy the section on Nicky's favorite uncle. :o) Zeepvat's own artwork illustrates the chapter introductions - delightful!

If you want to expand your knowledge of the Romanovs past NAOTMAA and aren't sure where to start, this book is a manageable beginning. It covers many relevant personages and situations from the ninteenth century - the last full century of Romanov rule.

I am really finding myself enjoying many of the new entries into the extended Little House family, this book included. However, I did not like it quite as much as others in the series (and of course not as much as the originals, but that goes without saying!). I don't think this is the writing, but perhaps just the setting, more urban than any of the others, so not as full of descriptions of self-reliant country life. This book is well written, and I do look forward to following Charlotte's life and seeing how it fits into the big story of the Little House family! I especially enjoyed the description of school life in the early 19th century Boston area.

I really enjoyed the book, but it's the shortest "Little House" book ever written. The story ends abruptly when a family friend leaves to join the war; I would have liked to see the story continue on, like maybe what happened to the friend, whether he was killed in battle or came back to marry his sweetheart, etc. I'm assuming there just wasn't enough information available.

Like all the others of the Little House books, it was wonderful. You can't compare it to Laura's writing, but it is pretty close. Melissa writes wonderfully and puts some thoughts in your heads. I really loved the book as much as the others. Keep on reading.

3 women...3 pasts...3 futures...what will happen to Bobby when Joe finds her? Or will Joe find her? Bobby and her daughter are being abused by Joe, Bobby's husband, they ran away to get away from the abuse. Bobby found a job as a "care-taker" and she nurses an old lady named Alma...who loves children. Alma's niece, Eva, is a writer and quite good...until she stopped writing about things she love...so in the end...will Bobby and Penny be able to stay away from Joe? Find out for yourself and read the book!

Bobby,a battered wife,along with her six year old daughter,Penny,flees after a final beating. She arrives in Connecticut,fearful and desperate to start anew. She is hired as a live-in practical nurse for Alma,a retired headmistress who has suffered a disabling stroke. Alma's niece,Eva,a famous author, hires her against her better judgment.Penny instantly ingratiates herself with Alma, soon followed by Bobby. The three of them form a sort of triumvirate which Eva is helpless to change. She soon realizes that this woman and her child are changing the tenor of the household for the better, reluctantly accepting them,although she cannot totally accept Bobby until much later. The other characters are:Charlie,Eva's lover;Dennis,Alma's physical therapist;Melissa,Eva's charming daughter,and,of course,Joe,Bobby's psychopath husband.Charlotte Vale Allen has,as always, given all of these characters such dimension that you know them well. You almost feel like you are living in this interesting household,sharing experiences with all of them. This story progresses so smoothly along,with side-trips of memory for each of the three women,which adds,not detracts, to the whole.The violent climax will hold you breathless with suspense until the end. This is a wonderful book,with wonderful characters, that will be hard to forget,as you become one with them during your reading.

Bobby Salton knows she can't take her sadistic husband's abuse for another day. So at the beginning of the story, she takes her little daughter Penny when the monster isn't home and runs. Driving away in her half-working car, she finds refuge in a rambling house on the Connecticuit shore.

Hired as a live-in companion to Alma Ogilvie, Bobby helps the retired headmistress regain her independence.But Bobby's battered appearance also has a startling effect, especially on Eva Rule, Alma's niece, a successful author.

Three very different women grapple with dreams of haunted pasts, and yet form a tenuous bond. Just as they begin to look to to the future, the past catches up with them. Bobby's husband, for one thing, is still on the run looking everywhere for Bobby.

A very absorbing book and hard to put it down.

Many interesting photos and trivia about Victoria's large extended family-there's good reason she referred to it as "the mob".Slightly marred by sloppy editing and stilted translations;overall enjoyable and worthwhile.

for those interested in royalty. While some of these photos can be found in many different books, some of them I've seen for the first time. Queen Victoria's decendants are so numerous and belong to so many different royal houses. Definitely a worthwhile purchase!

Zeepvat has compiled a collection of photographs any follower of Queen Victoria's family will appreciate. While many biographies display photos of Victoria and Albert, their children and children-in-law, only a smattering of her many grandchildren are featured. And rarely are there any likenesses given for her army of great-grandchildren. This treasury of snapshots, many before unseen by the general readership, is laid out in generational format. The insightful captions and copious genealogical charts in the end pages both make for easy reference to keep up with how the subjects are related to one another. In short, a very touching and well-presented album sure to please many.