The Montana Confidential series continues in Charlotte Douglas's "Licensed to Thrill." When her scientist father is killed in a terrorist bombing, Laura Quinlan vows to do anything to bring the terrorists to justice. Montana Confidential Agent Kyle Foster gives her the chance. Someone in her father's lab is connected to the terrorists; Kyle wants to go undercover inside to find the mole. The only way to do this is for them to be married. Neither Laura nor single father Kyle is looking for love. What will they do when they find it?

"Licensed to Marry" is a light little story that will entertain, though some nagging nits keep it from reaching its full potential. The characters are likable, the story all too real and the writing smooth enough to keep the reader quickly turning the pages. Some readers may find this story, with its plot revolving around bombings and anthrax threats, too close to recent events for comfort. For some, it will be hard to find this entertaining when we've seen the reality. However, I was surprised to find myself less bothered by this than by the characters' willingness to enter into a marriage with so little consideration to how it will affect Kyle's daughter. She's already lost one mother. Giving her another one they have no reason to believe will stick around after the case is closed seems cruel and the way they dismiss the issue by saying the child is "resilient" is utterly heartless. The child's heartbreaking reaction to the announcement that they've married without telling her only punctuates the hero and heroine's thoughtlessness. It's a shame because otherwise, the characters are likable. The fact that they could treat a child like this made it difficult to completely respect them.

This is still the best of the Montana Confidential so far, which may be faint praise but it still true. Douglas provides the best plot, the most exciting action and the strongest characters so far. If only her characters were more thoughtful about some very relevant issues.

The third entry in the four book Montana Confidential series will forever be linked with the events of 9/11...what with the opening bombing of a government building and the later stolen super-Anthrax subplot. Nonetheless, author Douglas crafts a nailbiter of a story (one that I read in one day) that allows the forlorn single father Kyle Foster to shine in the line of duty.

When Kyle rescues Laura Quinlan and a group of trapped school children he has no idea that the woman will play a vital part in the search of the Black Order, Montana Confidential's Public Enemy Number One. To help Kyle go undercover, Laura allows for a marriage of convenience and things heat up between the two. The only serious problem I had with the whole faked marriage between the two was how Kyle and Laura handled it with Kyle's daughter Molly, other than that its fine. Recommended.

The third installment in Intrigue's Montana Confidential series is another winner! The hero, Kyle Foster, is hot! And tender. And smart. Gotta love him. His relationship with heroine Laura Quinlan starts as a marriage of convenience, but is filled with compassion and home and hearth enroute to a dramatic conclusion. Throw in a sweet little girl and you have a wonderful love story. Though the mystery element was resolved rather quickly at the climax, it moves the entire series along nicely.

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat, Sisters of the Extreme is a "reissue" of 1982's Shaman Woman, Mainline Lady -- cut, streamlined and reformatted beyond all recognition. Evidently, the authors took the edge off their book for a more "conservative" era -- either that, or they assume their reader's minds have been so numbed by drugs that we NEED heavy edits and People Magazine-inspired "look" to hold our limited attention.

Sure, there are a couple of new excerpts worth reading (the one from Mary Woronov's "The Mole People is revealing), but for the most part, Sisters of the Extreme seems to be pandering to old YUPPIES who need a little stimulation. I swear that if I read ANYTHING by Carrie Fisher ever again, it will be too soon -- enough of the "I went to rehab and got a bad haircut" trip. Get over it.

In the introduction, the authors do say that they edited some excerpts for space and deleted others all together. When I got out the two editions and compared them almost line for line, I discovered a disturbing trend -- whereas Shaman Woman, Mainline Lady allowed one to take the writings at face value, Sisters of the Extreme has definite agenda. Sisters of the Extreme doesn't LIKE drugs. It doesn't want ME to like drugs. It wants me to be TITILATED by the writings. The difference is clear.

Sisters of the Extreme is a product of the times. It's been dumbed down and punched up. Sure, the authors include a couple of writings on sex magick and a few counter culture cartoons, but the overall smell of political correctness is stupifying.

The gist of my review is this: if don't already own a copy of Shaman Woman, Mainline Lady, go ahead and buy Sisters of the Extreme. Then, go on a quest for the Real Thing.

In the meantime, the use bibliography in Sisters of the Extreme to find and read the original sourced writings. You'll be glad you did.

Being on the fringe of consensual reality and yet being able to take some notes of the journeys beyond, is an awesome gift. The stories in SISTERS OF THE EXTREME are such gifts of the God-Us. I have the original SHAMAN WOMAN, MAINLINE LADY and went through my contribution, line for line, and the only difference noted was my photo had shrunk in this new, revised edition. (This is consistent as now, being in my fifties, I notice that I am shrinking some also.) The tone not only is consistent from the first edition but vividly expansive. (I was somewhat embarrassed being in the first edition, with the stereotypic cover -- yet in this new volume, I am honored not only for the outrageous company kept and new sisters included but engaging graphics.)

As the God-Us dances about the universe, skirt swirling the galaxies, being on the fringes gives the wildest ride. This book is a travelogue by explorers of multi-dimensional realities written in white ink, from the heart of our Sisters-in-the-Clan-of-Encouragement: this book is a major herstoric contribution to the sext of human consciousness.

Jeannine Parvati (Baker) Author HYGIEIA: A WOMAN'S HERBAL

Sisters Of The Extreme is an informative and engaging presentation of famous female authors who write about the drug experience includes a variety of works from such notables as Bronte, Alcott, Di Prima, and more. Writings from historical works through modern times are gathered in Sisters Of The Extreme, a fine survey of the lives and experiences of women who have had their lives changed by drugs.

I picked this book up at the library. The title caught my eye and also the description of the story's content. The beginning of the book is exciting and rather sad when Snow's mother confesses her crime of kidnapping. I thought the book dragged until Snow meets her real mother and then cried when she decribed how much they looked like each other. I rejoiced with Snow and her biological mother throughout the rest of the book and when I had finished was surprised how much I actually enjoyed the book. Great summer reading!!

A wonderful storyline which, unfortunately, could also be true. You couldn't help but feel Snow's pain at her mother's deathbed confession, leaving Snow feeling that she has no identity at all. As Snow's search for her biological mother comes to a close, the mystery of the woman who raised her for the past 30 years is just starting to take hold. The author had a wonderful story going here until the end, when you are left hanging. I have never liked books that leave open storylines. Even if it is part of a series, or if there is going to be a sequel, each book should be self-contained and with completed storylines. I feel like I was left reading half a book. I do hope the author has plans to do a sequel and put closure to this.

The book is a nice combination of the (somewhat unrealistic) mystery involving the 30 year old kidnapping and the more realistic characters and their relationships. As her past becomes revealed, Snow's personality, attitude, problems, etc. become understandable. I like for stories to reflect, as I believe our real lives do, how everything that happens to us affects who we are.

This actually seems like two separate novels. The first section describes Victoria, a spoiled woman who's mother leaves her father for a libertine. The first Volume and a half describe her life and her attempts at becoming her own woman. But the telling is quick and boring. The second half tells of only a few months of Victoria's life, and her strange love for Zofloya, the moorish servant of her husband's brother. Fromt his point on, the novel becomes a harrowing tale of murder and revenge. Intensely violent, and very entertaining, the second half almost makes of for the rather lackluster beginning.

Kim Ian Michasiw is the associate professor at my university (York U in Toronto!) and he's awesome. He brilliantly sets up his ideas in the introduction of this work and provides, as clearly as he can, something of a chronology (much is yet to be known about Dacre's life). The book is an interesting study in gothic literature and feminine writing circa Jane Austen.
Eighteenth-century trash, actually. Lots of sex and violence, elegantly written. Also interesting in its portrayal of race and the sexualization of "The moor". A perverse work, actually.

The text is of particular interst for its depiction of "subtle poison that which is extracted from and administered by books" (Dacre)The act of writing and reading are "sovereign poisons," an interesting notion from a woman writer in the early 19th century.

This book is a compilation of current articles on nutrition topics. Each article is a few pages long, and written well for the lay person or non-major nutrition class. The topics covered are up to date with current nutrition issues in science and the community. Would give it a good rating as a supplemental text to a basic science/nutrition text to cover up to date issues.

The problem with many scientific based texts is that they quickly go out of date with the rapid advancement of science. The Annual Edition Series compensates for this by providing updates in the form of published articles.

Nutrition is an area of science that is plagued by false advertising and misleading claims. Most consumers rely on television ads for their information. Most people do not have the time to browse through multiple magazines to get useful information on a topic. Nutrition 00/01 selects the best articles and organizes them for quick reference.

The editor does an excellent job of selecting current event articles on nutrition. The articles contained within this volume are not technical, and do not require an extensive science background to comprehend. Instead, they provide useful reference material for students, faculty or anyone with an interest in nutrition. Articles are cross-referenced by topic and linked to very useful web pages for additional information. A fine addition to any home library.

This account of the author's year as a foreign student in Voronezh covers much of the same ground seen in othe memoirs of the new Russia (see, e.g., Casino Moscow). Unlike most other such books, though, the author is in the provinces, away from glitter and mob life in Moscow. Worth a read, although I wish it had been published sooner after the events described.

I spent an academic year in Russia, just as Charlotte did, only two years later. I found this book really riveting, and could barely put it down until I had quickly finished it. My congratulations to the author for capturing so well the atmosphere of magical Russia and its warm countrymen, along with a glimpse into the country's painful history and current problems. I am so pleased I had the opportunity to read this book.

"The Blue Note" is the second book by Charlotte Bingham that I have read and I have to admit that I was a little disappointed. In this book, I found the pace to be a little slow and a little unbelievible. Miranda, Teddy, and Bobbie are three children that are evauated to the English countryside during the war after a while they are seperated from each others and it is years before they each other again. Clearly the focus of the was Miranda and Bobbie while the reader learns very little about Teddy's grow-up.
If you are a fan of Ms. Bingham than I sure that you will enjoy this book, but otherwise you may just want to pass.

This is a novel so heartbreaking........so touching it kept me glued to the pages just anticipating the outcome for these wonderful characters.

The novel is centred around three orphans: Teddy, Roberta, and Miranda, and as it is wartime in England, they are sent to Somerset to the adoptive care of two spinster sisters; Aunt Sophie and Aunt Prudence, living at a rectory. Although there is a war going on, their life with the sisters is idyllic and they are made to feel wanted and loved....more secure than they have ever imagined.

However, all good things soon come to an end, as the Committee for Evacuation moves in and Roberta is sent to another home.....seperating her from all the people she holds dear to her heart.

Life goes on and after the war the three meet under rare circumstances. Miranda is now a model and Teddy a Photographer. Roberta is working in Advertising. They have all changed tremendously, but the ties that bound them as youngsters, are ever present and the friendship continue from where they left off. See the stories they exchange with each other and where life takes them from this point.

A wonderful gift for an avid reader. I gave it five stars.

Reviewed by Heather Marshall (nettle-girl)

When Charlotte Pierce was growing up, she was an unhappy loner. She loathed her parents and younger brother because of all the abuse they inflicted on her. At boarding school, Charlotte meets her only two friends, Barty and Therese, and adopts them as her family. To maintain the twosome as her family, Charlotte manages to keep them apart by turning them against each other even as she remains their best friend.

Now in her forties, Charlotte has spent much of the last two plus decades manipulating her two friends into doing her bidding. Anyone who happens to become involved with either Barty or Therese is forced away or simply murdered. Barty's lesbian lover was killed and so was a BBC producer. Charlotte controls Therese through the woman's lover, who has a criminal history. However, a school reunion is coming up and Charlotte's machinations may finally come out into the open.

CHARLOTTE'S FRIENDS is a well-written story that grabs the reader! with its dark subject. However, though the story line is extremely interesting and demonstrates that Sarah Kennedy has talent, the characters except for the lead protagonist seem flat, lacking emotion and motives, thereby hurting the novel. Overall, this dark tale will be enjoyed by fans of psychological terror.

Harriet Klausner

A first class rattling good read. Well written and delightfully chilling. Free from cliche and easy ways out. this is an author going places.

I bought this book to get a survey of current ideas about product design, but it is almost exclusively European in scope. There are a few Asian designers, but I counted only one from all of Latin America and nobody from Africa. Maybe it's a function of the world economy that most products are being designed in Europe, but in a book that is soliciting ideas about the next century, in which Europe becomes less and less central, I feel the geographical scope was limited for no good reason, and the result is that you start hearing the same few simple ideas over and over. Also, many of these designers are not very articulate. An opportunity missed.

This book profiles industrial designers and design firms (mostly situated in Europe, as stated by the last reviewer).

It's a great book if you're interested in where industrial and product design is going, rather than where it's been. The product photographs and computer-generated illustrations are plenty and colourful (common to Taschen publications).

I have yet to find any other comparable books on modern, ultra-contemporary and futuristic designs. A must for anyone studying ID or product design or anyone with an interest in design.

This book is a fairly short book on Emeralds. Ward gives the reader a great introduction to the world of emeralds without losing the reader in a bunch of scientific jargon. Though the book is very short for its price,it is full of great color pictures and information. The photography in this book alone makes it a must have for emerald lovers. The only complaint that I have about the photograph is that many of the pictures are taken zoomed in so the reader has a tough time determining the actual size of the subjects. Ward touches on the ancient history of these beautiful gems and explores modern day sources of the world's emeralds. Ward also discusses treatments of emeralds before sale, care of emerald jewlery, and there is a particularly interesting section on the making of synthetic emeralds. I would recomend this book to anyone with an interest in emeralds, but I would not recomend it to those looking for a particularly scientific book or a buyer's guide. This little book is packed with information and photographs that won't let you down.

I read Fred Ward's book "Emeralds", a part of his gem series, for an oral report I had to do for school. This book is packed with information on emeralds, from general info, to the cutting process; this book has it all! Not only is Fred Ward a talented author and researcher, but also he takes magnificent photographs. This book has lots of beautiful pictures of emeralds from all over the world. Fred Ward gives you a history of emeralds and their importance with the ancients. And shows and tells you about some of the beautiful jewelry that emeralds are in today, as well in the past. It even has a buying guide that shows what to look for when buying emeralds. I did tons of research for my report, and used a lot of books, but none of them even came close to "Emeralds".