I love this cookbook! Its used almost every week whether I'm cooking for my family on a Tuesday night or dinner guests on Saturday night. Its gourmet meals made easy! The short stories from Lewis Grizzard and other Southern authors also makes "Saturday morning reading" fun. (Doesn't everyone read cookbooks on Saturday morinng??) This is my favorite!

True Grits is a wonderful cookbook. Not only does it have great (and easy) recipes from the south but it is also a beautiful book. It is the perfect gift for cooks who enjoy southern cuisine and appreciate coffee table quality cookbooks.

This book is a winner! It is not only full of beautiful pictures, but also contains fabulous menu suggestions for any occasion. I have received rave reviews from all of my guests. You must try the chicken pecan quiche and the spinach and strawberry salad. It has become the first book that I turn to every time!

Novel Rating: CS/SC/RBR

When Dr. Chinzea (Chi) walks into Parker Ryan's mom's hospital room, she has no idea she is about to come face to face with her deepest desires. Parker is sitting by his ill mother and frankly says: "If I had known the doctors here were this attractive, I would have gotten here earlier."

Immediately, you are drawn into this love story as the chemistry between Parker and Chi heats up. Parker is a thoughtful son. He returns to check on his mother quite often, and make sure she is well taken care of. His mother, Harriett, is healing physically as her son heals emotionally. Only a year before he lost the love of his life and now he was feeling mildly guilty for his uncontrollable attraction to Chi.

Dr. Chinzea's cool, calm exterior is only betrayed by how distracted she becomes emotionally when Parker is near. Parker sees a beauty in Chi and is determined that no one will take this woman away from him. His obvious pursuit unnerves this work first, play later doctor. Her feelings leave her confused as she tries to escape from the emotional aspects of her job.

Parker's smooth moves, his love of Jazz and his enticing smile just adds to his charm. On a deeper level, Parker and Chi need each other emotionally. While the story focuses on Parker and Chi, we also learn of Chi's son who has sickle cell anemia. She refuses to give up on her son, but almost gives up on her own dreams.

Dorothy Elizabeth Love's writing is enticing. She portrays Parker as a bad boy who also has a very human loveable side. She uses evocative descriptive language, throws in an unexpected turn in the plot, makes the characters extremely likeable and creates a connection between the reader and characters.

The character development is only surpassed by Dorothy's descriptive writing. It will take hold of you and not let go until the last pleasurable page. The story seems to end on page 299, then Dorothy is sweet and includes an epilogue.

I was amazed at the fluidity of her writing. This is only her second novel. "Whispers in the Night" preceded this work and a romantic suspense called "You're Mine" is due out in 2001. She spent time in London and Paris researching You're Mine. While walking on the shores of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dorothy had glimpses of "Unforgettable" which will be her fourth and possibly best romantic classic. She not only holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a master's degree in International Business, she loves traveling to the Caribbean Islands to dive. Somehow, she finds the time to write!

Perhaps Dorothy's inspiration for her writing springs from a core belief that love can conquer just about all. She shows a great passion for her writing and the true essence of life surrounds her work. Her writing is just delicious!

I also admire Dorothy Elizabeth Love for giving of herself through her writing. A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to support the fight against sickle cell anemia. As long as Dorothy continues to write romance novels, they will be flying off the shelves! The cover on this book is a beautiful purple iris design and the models look just like you would imagine Chi and Parker to look like.

those words best describe the great mind of Dorothy Elizabeth Love.like her last name she puts alot of Love into her work.very detailed&full of insight.this book takes feelings&relationships into a whole different area.you come away looking in the mirror at yourself.the mark of a great story teller.i look forward to reading more of Ms.Love's work in the future.i just got the book&it's very uplifting.check it out.

I really enjoyed Chi and Parker. Parker was an entreprenuer who had visions. He always saw visions about people he was in love with. He saw the woman he was going to marry get hit by a car two days before their wedding. After that incident, he decided he would keep his feelings under wraps.

Parkers mother had an accident and ended up in the hospital. There is where he met the beautiful Chi Addams. She was his mother's doctor.

Chi was the single mother of a son with sickle cell. Her mother was helping her with her son while she worked late. Chi didn't want to be attracted to Parker, but it was inevitable. Parker was persistent, sweet and very handsome.

There are a large number of African American with Sickle Cell traits or disease. I have friends that have lost love ones to the disease. My own grandfather had the trait.

I liked the way Chi decided to take control of her own life, instead of allowing her mother to run it. The way she handed her son's father who had been absent all the boy's young life.

Parker is also in the book Whispers in the Night. Which is a book about his sister Patricia. Good Job Ms. Love.

I've become somewhat of a Callahan Garrity junkie, and only wish that Kathy Hogan Trocheck would write more, more, more, and much faster. Come on, Grafton is up to her her sixteenth in her series, and I'd much prefer Trocheck to have written that many. This installment in enjoyable House Mouse land is the best yet, funny, suspenseful and well-rounded.

It's Christmas time in Candler Park, and Callahan and her goofy mother Edna are gearing up for the holidays. Out of the blue, Callahan's long lost brother Brian shows up, with an unexpected holiday package: his 3 year old daughter Maura. Edna is overjoyed with her new found granddaughter, but when Brian confesses that he has practically stolen her from his unreliable, trashy ex-wife, then vanishes for days leaving little Maura with Edna and the not-so-motherly Callahan, things start getting messy very fast. When the ex-wife is found murdered in her apartment, Brian is the main suspect, and Callahan is up to her ears in a new case, more personal than ever this time.

Trocheck never fails to mix in humor and suspense, and it abounds in Midnight Clear. Adding in more Atlanta history and new settings in the southern suburbs and the abandoned, long-ago Funtown, Callahan fights to clear her brother's name and to keep Maura safe. A delightful read, with twists and turns, and an unlikable new character in Brian, Midnight Clear is Trocheck's best to date.

I deliberately waited over a year to purchase and read Midnight Clear by my favorite mystery author, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. I've always paced myself with her books because there aren't that many to begin with plus it's been over 3 years since KHT last wrote one. I hope that she is working on something new, because all of us Callahan Garrity fans are anxiously awaiting the next mystery featuring Callahan, Edna & the rest of the House Mouse cleaning crew! As for Midnight Clear-it just doesn't get any better than this. Kid brother Brian, who had been in absentia for 10 years suddenly shows up at Edna's doorstep with a surprise in his truck-a 3 year old girl named Maura. There is a major murder mystery for Callahan to solve, but it looks like Brian is the prime suspect-his ex-wife is found murdered in her bed. You'll find yourself rapidly turning the pages until you reach the surprise ending, KHT pulls out all the stops with this one. Once you reach the very end, however, you realize you want more books to come out featuring Callahan Garrity & co. As the previous reviewer mentioned, if only Ms. Trocheck would write as often as Sue Grafton does! Very highly recommended-along with all of her other books. Enjoy!

In Atlanta, Callahan Garrity is looking forward to Christmas, which is only a few days away when disaster strikes. Her brother Brian, who she has not seen in over a decade, arrives, accompanied by his two-year old daughter. However, there are universal truths including that the life of Brian means trouble for Callahan. Her sibling kidnapped his child from his former spouse, who will use the law to get her daughter back and her ex-husband in jail.

However, instead of a kidnapping rap, the police arrive to arrest Brian for killing his ex-wife. Brian has vanished, leaving his child and his hopes for freedom with Callahan, who he expects to clear his name.

MIDNIGHT CLEAR, the seventh Callahan Garrity mystery, is the best novel in a very well written series. The who-done-it is a true puzzler filled with intriguing twists and the characters remain fun to read about, especially the hilarious Edna (Callahan's mom) and her cohorts. However, the insight into the star's brother adds depth to the interesting, but strange brew. Kathy Hogan Trocheck has become one of the leading authors of amateur sleuths, living in Dixie.

Harriet Klausner

As a new teacher, my mother recommended this to me. I read it pver the holiday and was impressed with the story line as well as the inspirational and spiritual messages that this book contained. Every other page has a great poem or quote that is applicable to all people of all ages and races. This has such a powerful message that is not easily forgotten.

A wonderful, inspirational and insightful book. This is a book to sit and read as a family, especially those with males. Truly awesome in my opinion.

This book is a spiritual journey packed with profound metaphors. Counselors, therapists, teachers, or anyone working with people affected by addiction will find this story a wonderful tool to use. Anyone living with, or suffering from addiction will find this story a powerful tool to use in a recovery tool box. The message is simple, the principals universal. As a substance abuse counselor I am incorporating some of "Mr. Dream Merchants" ideas in my groups! A fabulous read for anyone who would like to improve their daily life!

I knew Atlanta in quite a different way. This book has opened my eyes to how the city became what it is today and gave me a wonderful historically accurate picture of the people who build the city. This should be a must-read for anybody connected with the city or anybody interested in how race relations affect the building of any city. I was thrilled when I recently drove thru Atlanta and saw an exit off of interstate 75 south for the "John Wesley Dobbs Ave." and felt like I was part of history too after connecting some things in my family with events in this beautifully written book. This book also gives me hope that all human beings can strive together to make the future of Atlanta even greater than the past. This book was good on so many levels and touched so many different issues: Historic, human, socioeconomics, I can't begin to describe how much I liked it with the poor words at my disposal. I can say READ IT!

Through words and comprehensions that push towards brilliance, Gary Pomerantz has written a history of civil rights in the South beyond compare to others of our generation. Every sentence shows his devotion and study of the subject, which is still unfolding as I write, on Peachtree Street. His years of interviewing and researching are evident on every single page of the thick text. This is the kind of book that you re-read the last few pages several times because you are sad to see the story end. You hope to find out the author has written a sequel! This book is for those of us wanting to learn more about the fall-out from slavery and black oppression in the South. It is the best comparison of blacks and whites ever written that truly speaks from both sides and gives the "human condition" of this subject its best reward - which is to explain the true story of where the individual's predjudices came from and how they were daily being conquered...or handed down, as the case may be. It is an essay on the evolution of a culture and it's victims. It does not always give credit to those the media attempted to credit. It gives credit to the deserving ones...politically correct or not. Some of Pomerantz's book re-writes history. You should read it.

I loved this book! I am an avid reader of southern history and eagerly awaited the publish date.It did not let me down. Gary Pomerantz breathes life into John Wesley Dobbs and Ivan Allen and their families. When I ran down Auburn Avenue with a group of friends last year I felt as if I had been there before. The book is more than a history of Atlanta, it is an in depth look at the people who have made this city what it is today. Mr. Pomerantz is a writer and story teller of amazing insight.The book reads like a great work of fiction. This is a must for any southern history fan or anyone loving a good read about Atlanta.

Beautiful!!!! This book was so wonderful, Yvonne and Micheal were beautifully written characters. You could feel all the emotions Ms. Glass wanted you to experience reading this book. The pain of their pasts were believable, just as the love that they finally shared. This was a beautifully written story and I hope Ms. Glass continue writing stories as powerful and wonderful as this.

In NO COMMITMENT REQUIRED, Seressia Glass writes about two real people, one Black and one White, with real lives and real problems, who just happen to fall in love, after a real struggle against it.

Both Michael and Yvonne are successful in their own right, and appear to have everything they could want, but because of the past unfairness that fate has dealt them, they are unable to trust in love and in the ability to be happy.

What adds to the flavor of this book is that each one is emotionally scarred from past relationships. They have their doubts and their doubting friends, but with patience, love and understanding, they are able to overcome. Ms Glass writes with wit, humor and emotion and I look forward to other books by her.

SIMPLY THE BEST. I have read practically every single interracial romance novels there are on the market with BW/WM combos and this is by far the best.

The story between Yvonne and Michael was well developed and characters were flawless. The secondary characters also gave the book depth and an even greater plotline. I was very happy that the author did not overplay the race card/drama in the book. I have read this book more than 10 times cover to cover and I am still in love with it.

This is one for the serious readers of the romance/interracial genre.

Author Sara Corbett was granted exclusive access to the 1996 US women's basketball team, and this amounts to their authorized biography. Corbett is a good writer and manages to convey a series of themes: the tenuous existence of women's basketball in the US in 1995 when the team was formed, the heterogenous backgrounds of the players and coaches, the incipient rivalry between two nascent professional leagues for the allegiances of the players, to name a few. And Corbett is to be commended for managing to integrate this disparate material into a single narrative. But in basketball terms she is a "homer" -- and one wonders whether the exclusive access that she was given, implicitly or explicitly, informs this relentlessly positive depiction of the team. That said, it is probably a very good book for teenagers of either gender interested in basketball.

Venus to the Hoop is a motivation to every kind of athlete. If you have ever played basketball you may be able to understand the situations these women athletes were put in. The detailed descriptions of the players and their coaches and staff allows you to understand the atmosphere they had to play basketball in. If you want to read a good book and also get some posative thinking out of it, read Venus to the Hoop. This book has really helped me keep a positive attitude about sports, teammates and life. I loved the way the competitors from the past pulled together and played as one on the same team. The way they helped eachother out in games and off the court helped me realize that they loved playing basketball. Keeping a positive attitude is important to me, and this book made me look at my life more positively.

Sara Corbett, who wrote this book, had the opportunity of traveling with the winning U.S. Women's Basketball Olympic team from their early tryouts in April 1995 to their glorious gold medal in Atlanta in 1996. She was there when they for the very beginnings and the selection process; she was there for their rigorous training under their coach, Tara Vanderveer; she was there during meals and long boring flights.

Through a series of in-depth interviews, as well as 14 months of personal

observation, she has written the book that defines the major milestone in women's basketball gaining the public's awareness and acceptance. Each of the 12 women on the team as well as their coach are skillfully profiled, and their stories credit, Ms. Corbett, kept the focus on the game. She lets the player's hopes and dreams and divergent personalities emerge through the sport. Of course we get their backgrounds too. We see Sheryl Swoops and her adoring husband, we see the explosive personality of Dawn Staley who likes to make side wagers on everything; we see Rebecca Lobo having trouble keeping up with the training; and Lisa Leslie's love for dressing up. But most of all, we see them play basketball.

In 1995, there wasn't even a basketball league for women. But during the time of their training for the Olympics, the possibility of two different leagues emerged -- the WNBA and the ABL. This was the major source of conflict between the members on the team during the course of the year. They had to put their disagreements aside though, and play basketball.

And that they did. They played and played and played, wining every single one of the games they played during that year. The women's college teams were easy, but they struggled with the team from China and the team from Australia. They constantly traveled, and the fatigue and frustrations of a life on the road was clearly examined.

Now, just a few years after the Olympics we take the WNBA for granted. American women now have an arena to play basketball professionally after college without going to Europe to play. The experiences playing for the European teams were usually unhappy. They were alone in foreign countries with a cultural barrier between themselves and their teammates. They were treated poorly, and sometimes punched and sexually intimated by their male coaches. It was never a pleasant experience.

The women were proud to be on the Olympic team, but the pressure never let up. Each game was a different kind of challenge. I loved the descriptions of the games, and even though I knew the final outcome of each game, found my heart beating during the play by play action. The game became more than just an unidentified player running around the court. It was Sheryl and Teresa and Katrina and Dawn. It was Rebecca and Jennifer and Lisa and Carla. I followed the action. And I was right there on the court with them.

One of the greatest things about this book, too, was how much it stirred me to learn more. My experience with basketball is limited and so I found myself screen. I therefore found myself going outside the confines of the book, asking questions of the basketball experts in my life, and looking up each player on the internet to find out where she is playing now and how she is doing.

I loved this book, carried it everywhere and couldn't put it down. I was right there with the team all the way and shared the very real swells of emotion they were experiencing . I shared the pain of their injuries, the strain of their training, the adrenaline rush during the games. I shared he plays that didn't make it and the plays that did. I heard the roar of the crowd, felt the strain and the pain, and experienced the glory of the victory.

The story of women's basketball is more than the story of this individual Olympic team. it is about the real opportunities that have opened for women in the world of sport. And, as a whole new generation of little girls are growing up with these possibilities now a reality, it is about the future.

Highly highly recommended.

Growing up in Atlanta during the times of the Missing and Murdered Children epidemic was quite traumatic for youngsters of the time. The year was 1979 and the age most affected were fifth graders in and around the inner city. A sense of security was shattered during this time, never to return again. This is the time and age period the author Tayari Jones explores in this fictionalized accounting of these tragedies. Leaving Atlanta is written in three parts, each in a different voice, based on three characters: Tasha, Rodney and Octavia.

I became so engrossed in the book, taking on the lives of the three characters, so much so that I found myself wondering what was going to happen to them. I found that I couldn't wait to turn the page to make sure that each was safe. The situations they found themselves in certainly leant themselves to being a victim but as the horrific crimes progressed, it brought about understanding even to a child's mind. The families take on the crimes also changed considerably between the first and the last incident. I believe this is where fact merged with fiction and made this book almost seem non-fiction. The mention of a prominent television anchorwoman further personalizes the story, not to mention that this anchorwoman is still on local TV and still has the same persona. I especially like that the author included herself in each section as another child in the classroom and therefore, in the situation.

Ms. Jones was a child living in Atlanta during this time so she is well suited to write Leaving Atlanta. Her first novel, she has done a masterful job of drawing out the perceptions of each of the main characters and exploring their lives. As a long time resident of Atlanta, the children of this time have matured to adults and talking with them, many have the same perceptions of the children portrayed in the book. I think this book is the perfect blend of how a fictionalized version of an actual series of events should be written. I must warn readers though, that the book doesn't have a happy ending. As fact will bear witness to, 29 children met with tragedy and many believe that the serial killer that was convicted of two of the crimes was a copycat, and that the actual perpetrator of these horrific crimes still is free today. Take this book as bitter medicine to reality. Watch for more works from Ms. Jones, she has a future in writing.

Leaving Atlanta is an absolutely awesome reading experience. Who can forget the child abductions and murders in Atlanta in 1979? It was a fearful and trying time for all, but for the children, who lived in Atlanta, it had to be one of the most frightening things they experienced. The author Tayari Jones does an excellent job of getting into the minds and thoughts of the children as they try to process what was happening to these children, and more so when the victim was someone they knew.

For the children in this book, Tasha, Rodney and Octavia, being in the fifth grade is hard. They surely had enough on their minds just with trying to fit in, make friends, puberty, and pleasing their parents. All the parents are talking about the child murders and trying to figure out how to keep their children safe.

Each child story is unique, each living environment different, but with each child there is that vulnerability which made you just want to wrap your arms around them and shelter them from all that was bad. This moving novel is one that I will be highly recommending. I will be on the lookout for future books by this author.

Atlanta, Georgia from 1979-1983 was a very scary place for young African American children. And I was one of them. Our parents were paranoid, emotional, and cautious. Leaving Atlanta depicts the torrid years of Atlanta's missing and murdered children. While the atrocity of snatching kids is the main plot, acceptance, loneliness, and poverty hang in the backdrop taking on supporting responsibilities. It was these subplots that battered my heart, and made my eyes wet.

Tayari Jones tells this story from the viewpoint of LaTasha, Rodney, and Octavia. They are honest, naive, and unspoiled kids aware of and dismayed by the missing kids whose faces disappeared from their classrooms only to reappear on the missing list during the 6 o'clock news. We read their thoughts as they grapple with the terror of potentially being the next missing child and the pain of realizing that some of their friends are missing, and probably murdered.

Being inside their adolescent minds was familiar, piercing, and unavoidable. We learn of their inner feelings, woes, and fears. We are with them day to day. It was so vivid that it was almost eerie. The details from that time period were magnificent. Tayari's metaphors and similes are vivid and luring, reminding me of graphics. She'd make a statement, then provide an accompanying metaphor or simile. It's like a graphic with a caption. I sincerely enjoyed this novel, and I bet you will too.

-Reviewed by MissLove

Three generations of Shepherd women, Marley, her mother Pam and her grandmother, Ma Grand, find out the real deal about faith, trust and love in Jamellah Ellis' first Christian fiction novel, That Faith, That Trust, That Love. None of the Shepherd women were very religious so for them to develop a relationship with God was a learning process.

Faith: All the Shepherd women went to church at some time in their life, but none really had experienced a relationship with God. Marley did not like going to church, found it to be pretentious, until she visited Gilead's Balm Church. The message Marley heard that Sunday was directed at her and she gave her life over to God.

Trust: In order to be in a relationship, you have to trust the other person. In your relationship with God, you have to trust that His word is true and if He promised you He would bless you, He will do it. Pam found this to be true as she battled a serious illness.

Love: The Shepherd women loved each other, but did not know how to show this love. Ma Grand did not display affection to her daughter, which made her feel unloved, and since she did not have a positive mothering example, Pam's relationship with Marley suffered. Marley thought herself in love with Gerrard, her ex-fiance, was able to discover true love once she met Lazarus.

This novel will make you think about putting your problems in God's hands and leaving them there. Marley saw her problematic situations change for the better; Pam experienced the healing virtues of God and Ma Grand learned it is okay to show love and affection to those close to her. I appreciated the author's practicality in writing about how the characters made progressive changes and mistakes in their Christian walk. There were good secondary characters that enhanced the main characters. I think people who enjoy Christian novels will enjoy this realistic rendition of newfound Christianity.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub

"That Faith, That Trust, That Love" was ALL THAT... encouraging readers to increase your faith by trusting God to receive true love (of yourself and others)! I enjoyed reading this book because of its simplistic way of unraveling drama and smoothing it out with the peace of God.

At first, "That Faith..." appears to read like most fiction novels. However, you will sense the anointing as you read further. The author creatively takes you deeper (not just into the story but deeper into yourself). I was moved to tears of joy, pain, sorrow, and more joy!!

The characters are so real and down to earth (except the socialites:-) Ma Grand was truly grand with her hilariously cantankerous self! I especially loved the way Marley was transformed when she accepted Christ into her life. The author permits you to take an enjoyable walk of faith with Marley as she grows and shares with others.

I highlighted and bookmarked many pages because this was definitely an enjoyable and inspiring read!

This book couldn't have come at a better time in my life! Talk about God being right on time...He has used Jamellah in a MIGHTY way. I only hope that others will be brave enough to explore the questions, emotions, & reflections that Marney's or any of the characters' story stirs up. I smiled out loud, laughed out loud, and cried out loud with a convicted soul at reading this profound story; I couldn't put the book down & literally finished it in less than 24 hours! Jamillah has revealed God's availability to everyone in a REAL and "regular" way; you don't have to move to feel His presence as you become a part of this beautiful story. You will be truly Blessed if you take the time to read it!

I must reveal I'm a life long Braves fan. I've rooted for and respected Tommy Glavine since his rookie season pitching for 7,000 people at Fulton County stadium. I enjoyed this book just as I have enjoyed watching Glavine's career.

However, the book doesn't reveal much insight into the Braves or the game of baseball-just Tommy Glavine. It reads like a book rushed to print in order to capitalize on the 1995 World Series MVPship of Glavine; while the marketability of Glavine was high. Its a standard baseball auto/biography. The 3 stars isn't to belittle this book: its an average book getting an average rating.

This book is a must for Atlanta Braves fans, baseball fans, or sports fans. Tom Glavine tells his whole life story including times when the Braves were the worst team in baseball. He tells about expierences in the Minors and life growing up as a hockey player in Billerica, Massachusetts. This book is a must if you are looking for something great to read.

To be honest, when I bought this book I barely knew who Tom Glavine was. Of course I lived in Atlanta, and went to a couple of Braves games but after I read this book my concept of Tommy and the Braves changed. The man who always seems so serious is quite funny. You understand the "man" not just the "pitcher". After I read the book, I actually felt like I knew Tom Glavine. I compare this book to the movie Forrest Gump, which is my favorite movie of all time. Like the movie, this book made me feel all my emotions, but it made me laugh hysterical which I truly appreciated. You will have a whole new perspective on the game and the men behind it.

Enjoy, I certainly did.