I read this book back in 87 and still to this day its probably the best book Ive ever read. Even back in 87 I tried to find more books by this author but wasnt succesful...how disaponited I was!! I have read the book over and over again and can strongly recommend reading it. You will be just as captivated by the story as everybody else who read it!

One of the many reasons i have loved this book is becouse of its setting - the Roman empire. I have read several historical romances and this is the only one i have read about this period -it certainly is a refreshing change. But that it is not all. The romance in this book is awesome, poignant and so beautiful it makes you cry.

First of all about the story, since i think a review should always include a bit about the story:

Stripped of her title, her palace and her possessions, Boadicea incited her warrior tribe, the Iceni, to throw off the yoke of the mighty Roman Empire. The Queen turned to Caddaric to help lead the revolt and knew he would stop at nothing to remove the Roman presence from her land.

Harsh and relentless by nature, Caddaric was curiously unable to banish the haunting image of a beautiful girl from his dreams. Then, in an isolated glade, he met with the woman who had so bewitched his nights. Amazement turned to anguish as he realized Jilana was a daughter of Rome - one of the hated enemies he had vowed to destroy.

Her family massacred, her home torn apart, Jilana became a spoil of war: slave to the merciless Caddaric, whose one thought was to possess her, body and soul....(text taken from book's back cover)

All I can add to all that i have already said is that if ever you get the chance read this book and you wont be dissapoint it. It really is great!

The thing that I appreciated most from this magnificent book was its originality. I have read several romance novels and only very few are about the Roman era. The story is extremely engrossing. Caddaric is so harsh at first with Jilana that I couldn't help but symphatize with her. However she has a very strong strong character (something which i like in romance heroines) and she certainly does not stand meekly to Caddaric not even when he makes her his slave. Caddaric makes Jilana live some of the hardest moments of her life but as he slowly grows to care for her we see him change from harsh soldier to warm lover. The intrigue in this book never lacks and only until the very end do we find out if the lovers will finally find love together.

"Defy the Eagle" is one of the books i enjoyed most reading. It stands in my shelf as one of my favorite books and i would recommend it to whoever would like to read a romance with a difference. Detail in history but eaqually detailed in romance with the original setting of the Roman era.

I must admit I was growing tired of Kathy Lynn Emerson's Lady Appleton but her latest book, FACE DOWN AMONG THE WINCHESTER GEESE, tops the series by rekindling my interest. An excellent plot and resolution to the fate of her husband, as well as Emerson's usual top-notch historical details and writing style.

I'm reading the "Face Down" series in order, and I've really come to love Lady Susanna and her supporting cast of characters - even her dog of a husband is entertaining. I have to admit, I guessed who the murderer was in this one - but I didn't guess why he was until late in the story. You get a fascinating history lesson with all of Emerson's books, but a great mystery too.

Susanna is taken from Leigh Abbey to London by her husband Robert, but has no idea why. She is not aware that Robert is scheming with Diego Cordoba and the Spanish Embassy and needs her there in London.

One day a petite dark haired lady named Diane St. Cyr comes to see Robert at their rental house on Catte Street. Robert is not present and Susanna takes a message to have him meet Diane at a place called the Falcon. Susanna is aware that Diane is probably one of Robert's many mistresses but gives him the message anyway. Robert goes to see Diane to find out what she wants. The next morning Diane is found in the streets dead.

In order to clear Robert's name, Susanna begins to look into the murder and discovers that there have been several women(mostly prostitutes),with the same physical features murdered on the same day over a period of seven years.

With the help of her maid-servant and friend Jennet, as well as a brothel keeper named Petronella, Susanna discovers who is killing the Winchester Geese(prostitutes)and what Robert has up his sleeve.

This is the second Susanna, Lady Appleton mystery that I have read and found this one to be much more enjoyable.

It has been one year since I started researching my Italian Ancestors and this was the first book I purchased. It was so easy to follow and helped me tremendously in reading the birth certificates, to write letters in Italian and to understand where to search.

The book takes you step by step throught the process of how to read, decipher, and understand the vital records of Italy. Great examples of how to translate and understand birth, marriage, and death records. Word lists and examples are extremely helpful to both the beginner and veteran. It has become my handbook.

I love this book! It was so helpful in my search for my Italian ancestors. It is great. You should definitely check this out if you have Italian ancestors! =)

It goes through all the steps you need to uncover your past. It has pictures and really interesting things about using Family History Centers. I barely knew anything about genealogy before reading this, but this really helped me. They give you a little history to keep things in context, then they go into the provinces, etc. of Italy, then they tell you about Italian vital records, and they tell you how to write letters in Italian. They also give you a glossary of common Italian words in the back. Take a look at this book!

This book was a eye opener to a friend of my daughters, she read the book and gave it to her girlfriend to read, because she new the situation the girl was in. Maybe one of these times she wouldnt be alive to see her girlfriend again. She didnt think she was worthy or could get someone better than what she had, a abusive boyfriend. Now her girlfriend is going out with a nice boy, he treats her well, totally different. It helped her see the difference of the abusive situation she was in, whether it was vocal or beating-hitting, it definitly made her think . She is very thankful to the author.

The author has given a lot of thought to this book - only 45 pages - very clear, concise, and effective. It is not just a passage or a brief example of an experience of domestic abuse, but the whole story. The psychology of the dynamics are woven into the story. I realize more from this reading how the problem of domestic abuse could happen to any woman, especially since the character, Leia, was a normal young woman, with many positives within herself, before she was in the abusive situation.

Finally, a book that articulates and espouses the reasons behind violent domestic abuse. These words and insights from this author, are a ray of hope for those who are on this road of destruction. And to those who question, and do not understand the compelling reasons behind women[and some men]who stay in such horrific relationships--PLEASE read this book. I no longer finished the book when my sister swiped it from me, and handed it to a woman, who is living Leia's story. Ms. Guiser show the steps needed towards healing and self-discovery. And my hope is, that this woman will find through her story the inner strength and courage to leave, and to realise her value and self-worth as a woman. The knowledge, insight, and candor conveyed in this book is encouraging, refreshing, and valuable. To me, this is a true testament to this therapist and author, who seeks to break down the wall of silence, and to help those who see no hope.

Even though, many of these activies are geared toward school-age children, it's a great book. My favorite chapter is Rainy Day Fun because the day seems a lot longer when the weather isn't pleasant outside.

The activities in this book are great! It gives lots of examples and even more ideas than most. The best part is that anyone can use the samples or add/take away from one of the other activities listed to create a new one. Life saver when the kids are really bored. In fact, after we did many of the suggestions, my kids read them over and came up with even more games and ideas themselves. Now - that's a switch.

"Help@ I'm Bored!" is a lifesaver for parents with children between the ages of 2 and 12. You'll find everything you need to keep them busy and entertained. - - over 300 activities, including arts and crafts, super-easy tasty treats they can make, outdoor activities, games, and even fun ways to improve reading, writing, spelling and math skills. It's a keeper!

My mind was set on this book after reading it. It touched me. I loved it! More then marvolus this book was! I would like to give special thanks to the wonderful woman who helped make this book be published, I know she worked very, very hard. She is my personal hero, somone who leads the troops, starts it all. I am proud to say this book was awesome!!

This book was fantastic in my mind. I couldn't put it down. I give it 12 stars. And 4 thumbs up! This book had meaning to me. It taught me a lot and I would really like to thank Paula Casey because I know she worked so hard to make this happen and to get the book published.

The Perfect 36 is a classic, and all too rare, story of individual political courage in Tennessee and how it wrote an inspirational chapter in American history. It describes in a compelling way the fragile nature of support for women's suffrage, but reminds us that men and women with convictions can truly change the course of history, and in this case, transformed the rights of women in the United States. An outstanding book by outstanding authors writing about events that should be taught to every school student.

Nicely imagined. An introduction to new alien races - some good, some terrifying - with broad vision and a wide scope. This one will leave you wanting more, for sure.

Wow, excellent book. Got to love it! Yeah babe! The author creates a strange, exotic world. Awesome and scary at times. I love the new species.

This book is a real page-turner! I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Even though the characters are aliens, the author gives them a "humanness" that makes us care about them. This is a real "must read" for any Sci-Fi fan.

Lynn Emery's description of the lushness of the Louisiana Bayou, had me visualizing the moss hanging from the trees and smelling the sweet fragrances. The title Gotta Get Next To You is really two stories in one.

The main character Andrea Noble, a Clinical Nurse is returning home to become the Director of the local health clinic. Since she is a woman of color, and this after all is a small town in the deep south, she is surprised she has been offered the job. Then Andrea finds out she has received this position, because her mother Charlene had approached her father John Mandeville about giving his estranged daughter a chance. She has mixed emotions but she still accepts the position.

The second story is really what generates the essence of this story. Years ago, Charlene, a sixteen year old black girl finds herself deeply involved with the son of one of the riches families in Louisiana. The result of this liaison produced a broken heart, a rebellious spirit and a baby girl with mixed parentage, now 30 years later, Andrea is back home. She was raised mostly by her grandmother and has never been close to her mother. She wants her mother to grow up and settle down, so they can bond as Mother and daughter.

The clinic has been losing money and equipment is being ordered but never seen. John Mandeville, who owns about half of the town, has hired a private detective and has planted him as a worker in the clinic. All is going well, he is gathering information and building his case, until he meets the new Director, Andrea Noble. Andrea was one of his primary suspects, but Mr. Detective, LeRoyce Matthews, is falling for her. How can he do his job without jeopardizing Andrea's position at the clinic? He wants someone other than Andrea to be the fall guy, and as the case progresses, LeRoyce is no longer sure who the culprit is.

This was a pleaurable read that painted a vivid picture of Southern rules, Southern politics and Southern family power. It reminded me of how life shows little mercy as it forces you to live with the consequences of your decisions. I applaud Ms Emery's ability to share some real truths in a such a special and tender way.

Reviewed by aNN

I think this book was excellent. I could not put it down! Following the lives of Andrea Noble and Lee Mathews (Jamal) was very interesting. The author wrote it in such a way that the reader will continously wonder what will happen next. Its a love story with a lot of suspense. This is a must read!

Andrea Noble moves back to Louisiana after a nasty divorce to run a clinic that is poorly managed by the staff. The last thing she needs is to be set up with another man. But he comes to her rescue when she is being accosted by hoodlums. Jamal Turner is a gorgeous hunk but the only thing she sees is "serial lover". But she finds that he is too hard to avoid; especially if her grandmother has been trying to set her up with him.
This black Adonis attracts the women at the clinic which infuriates Andrea. She's drawn to him but is wrestling with her ex who left her brokenhearted.
Jamal Turner, the man who has turned Andrea's world around, is hiding his identity to investigate the clinic's mismanagement of prescription drugs and financial discrepancies. He himself is going through a divorce and loss of a family member. Despite all the pretty women that come his way, he is drawn to Andrea Turner. He can't help but desire for this astute, caring black woman.
In addition to the main characters, there is Andrea's immature and irresponsible mother, Charlene; John Mandeville, businessman and Andrea's father; Gran, Andrea's grandmother and mother-figure; and Denny, the young staff employee trying to stay on out of trouble.
Ms. Emery does a good job giving each of her characters a personality and physical description. She also develops the story as to what is going to happen next. It is why this book is a page turner that can't be put down.

The Yagyu letter continues to gnaw at Yagyu Retsudo who gives ample proof in Volume 13 of the Lone Wolf & Cub saga, "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West," that he will go to any length to get his revenge on Ogami Itto. In the five chapters of the manga epic included in this volume is the most shocking act of violence we have yet wetness in this bloody saga:

(64) "The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" has Retsudo ruminating on how he has sent all of his legitimate sons to be slaughtered by Ogami Itto. But the old man has an illegitimate son and daughter, and horrible plans for them both.

(65) "'Marohoshi' Mamesho" is another one of the fascinating characters created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. This time around the title character is an old policeman from the capital on the verge of retirement who stumbles across Ogami Itto being commissioned for his next act of assassination. "Marohoshi" has spent his life protecting people and he is not going to let this ronin continue on the assassin's road.

(66) "Spoiling Daigoro" is an offbeat story where the family that hires Ogami Itto persuades him to let Daigoro stay with them while he goes off to do his job. They have a son who is a coward and a weakling with no friends, and the boy's father thinks that having Daigoro around might be good for Suzunosuke. Ogami Itto agrees and thinks go well for a while, but Suzunosuke soon grows tired of hearing his parents praise Daigoro day and night.

(67) "The Hojiro Yaguy" finds Retsudo's illegitimate son planning on using poison darts that can stop a charging horse to slay Lone Wolf. It looks like there is no way on earth Ogami Itto can escape, but, of course, he always has something up his sleeve. Warning: The ending of this one is unexpectedly brutual and shocking.

(68) "The Bird Catchers," is another episode where Lone Wolf and Cub are spectators for the most part as they come across a group of female falconers preserving a dying way of life. But what makes this tale of some significance, especially as the last one in this volume, is that in the eyes of his son, it seems Ogami Itto might have finally gone too far.

"The Moon in the East, the Sun in the West" is another superb collection of stories in the Lone Wolf & Cub saga. Koike and Kojima still manage to provide a new twist and turn in every volume while stringing us out as long as possible with both the short term mystery of the Yagyu letter and the long term quest of Ogami Itto to get his vengeance on the entire Yagyu clan. I read one episode a night right before bed and am almost always surprised to see what new direction each night's story might take. This has to be one of the ten greatest comic epics of all time.

The mystery of the Yagyu letter is apparently forgotten in the five Lone Wolf and Cub tales told in Volume 12, "Shattered Stones." However, one thing that really stood out in these stories is that since he was reunited with his father after they were separated by circumstances, Daigoro has been smiling a lot more:

(59) "Nameless, Penniless, Lifeless" is one of the most disturbing stories in the Lone Wolf and Cub saga. It begins with a woman putting on a sex show for peasants. But what is even more shocking is that the woman has lost her mind and that her husband, whose face is half scared by terrible burns, is the one who talks her into her displays. There is more here than meets the eye, as is often the case in these stories, and the way in which the truth is revealed might remind you of part of Shakespeare's "Hamlet."

(60) "Body Check" is another one of those tales in which Ogami Itto has to use his brains to put himself in a position to use his sword for his next assassination.

(61) "Shattered Stones" begins with one of the most different ways that Ogami Itto has met someone who wanted to hire him for an assassination. On top of that the rules of the assassination are quite different (again, I am reminded of a Western parallel in the novel "Sophie's Choice").

(62) "A Promise of Potatoes" is an amusing little change of pace story for this series. Daigoro is off by himself again, being beaten up by a group of kids, when he is rescued by a con artist who teaches the boy to sit by a bowl looking pitiful as a way of making money. But where there is Cub can Lone Wolf be far behind...

(63) "Wife Killer" is a wonderfully ironic title, which we learn is used to describe somebody who gives away the tricks of magicians, who are known as "hand wives." Noronji Hoya, the Princess of Magicians, who has been using a delighted Daigoro as her "assistant," is about the encounter the "wife killer," an old saki-sotted magician who travels with two thugs who extort money from magicians: pay up or have your secrets revealed. But Noronji Hoya has a better proposition: she will perform a trick and if the old man can reveal her secret she will kill herself; if not, then she will take the old man's eyes.

Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima are back to telling tales in which Ogami Itto is more often than not more of a spectator to the action in which other characters carry the stories. One of the testaments to the greatness of this manga epic is that the title character can be almost incidental to the story and it is still completely riveting. Here we are, not even halfway through this saga, and they are still coming up with new and intriguing variations on the basic themes they established early on. The fact that they can maintain this high level certainly justifies the exalted status Lone Wolf & Cub has in the international world of comics.

"Talisman of Hades" is a nice title, but "Thirteen Strings" is the one you are not going to forget of the four stories collected in Volume 11 of the "Lone Wolf & Cub" magna epic. We had been confronted with a major development in the story as Ogami Itto stole the Yagyu letter. All pretenses were dropped as Reshido Yagyu declared open war on Ogami Itto, but Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima were showing the same sort of audacious subterfuge as their heroic creation, for as Ogami and Reshido crossed blades, Daigoro lost is hold on his father's shoulders and literally fell over a cliff. Suddenly the mystery of the Yagyu letter has become secondary because father and son have become separated. Their search for one another continues in these stories and for the first time we see Ogami Itto express emotion for his son:

(55) "Talisman of Hades" finds Ogami Itto is now putting up pictures of a baby cart where once he had pasted the talismans of meifunado to invite clients of death and assassination. A group of young students on their way to an academy stumble upon the mystery of the signs and when they see the strange ronin slay a "priest" (another Yagyu assassin in disguise of course), they decide they must intervene, forcing Lone Wolf to teach them a valuable lesson.

(56) "Ailing Star" has Daigoro finding a place to stay with an old granny who lives under a rotted bridge in danger of collapse. The locals keep trying to convince the old lady to leave, but she refuses. "Ailing Star" forms an interesting counterpart to "Talisman of Hades" as Daigoro has his own little lesson to impart.

(57) "Thirteen Strings" is an 118-page story where Koike and Kojima come up with their own version of a Kurosawa film experience (the rain during the last acts of the story is a clue). When we come to end of this epic tale, surely "Thirteen Strings" will be one of the most memorable episodes. A runaway horse is about to trample a child in the road when Ogami Itto intervenes. The horsewoman turns out to be the Lady Kanae, Daughter of the Go-Jodai of Odawara Han, and a spoiled brat who fancies herself a samurai. Ogami also learns of a larger conflict between the Go-Jodai and the farmers. Drought has blighted the harvest for four years and the Go-Jodai has tightened the screws on the farmers, who "hire" Ogami to attend a meeting between the two sides (because if anything happens to Chosuke, the leader of the farmers, Lone Wolf will bring word back to the farmers). Go-Jodai has his own agenda for implementing fundamental agricultural reform. Meanwhile, his headstrong daughter seeks revenge on the ronin who has insulted her. But then the rains bring a sudden flood that changes absolutely everything. This is a memorable story of surprising depth, showing that Koike and Kojima are absolute masters of their craft.

(58) "A Poem for the Grave" has Ogami Itto seeking help in finding the secret of the Yagyu letter. This turns into another assassination job, which results in an encounter with another honorable soul who seeks to turn Lone Wolf from the Assassin's Road. The question is whether things might be different this time because of Ogami Itto's separation from Diagoro.

I am in awe of Koike and Kojima maintain this level of excellence through a story that is not even halfway over by this point in the telling of the tale. I continue to savor one story each night at bedtime so that I can think about how it fits into the big picture and the ebb and flow of the story. An absolute masterpiece, not just as a comic book, but as an epic narrative.

Here is the story of 13 heroic women who were willing to risk it all for the unattainable dream of spaceflight. Their story is one of striking courage and resilience. As a 14 year old girl, I am proud to call the Mercury 13 my heroes!

As a young boy when President Kennedy promised we would land a man on the moon, I found myself awed, inspired,and thrilled by those early Mercury astronauts who brought being anAmerican to life for children ofmy age and generation. Reading this book so many years later, describingthe heroic women who shared the aspiration to reach for the stars themselves, I feel just as thrilled, awed and inspired by their dream and their efforts to pursue it. This isa wonderful book written with passion, humor, and love about women who daredto dream, who battled a system that was not quite ready to bring equality to the planets, but who persevered nonetheless. Who needs reality television? Read this book for true life stories of some of the bravest and most talented and ambitious pilots who ever soared into the skies. Read about their exploits, their achievements, the missions they accomplished and thetests they surpassed. It is true, you will also read about politicians who couldn't go the last mile to accept their highest aspiration, and bureaucrats too slow-witted to rise above the limits of those times. But in the end, this is a quintessentially American story about real American heroes, who embodied the ideals that make reaching into space an expression of our daring, imagination, courage and vision. These women had The Right Stuff, and while they did not reach their ultimate dream of walking on the moon, their great triumph was not merely in their great achievements throughout their careers, which were enormous. Their truest triumph was that their pioneering spirit and courage not only advanced the cause of other women who are making those journeys today, but advanced the cause of a grateful nation, men and women alike, who, like me, will stand and salute the spirit described in this wonderful and magisterial book.

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them and try to follow them." When Louisa May Alcott wrote these words, she likely had no idea that one day women would not only look beyond the sunshine, but travel beyond the stars to brave new frontiers in outer space.

Thanks to the brave and trailblazing women of the Mercury 13, today there are dozens of women throughout America's space program who are changing history: Administrators and managers; engineers, technologists, and astrobiologists; astronauts who are mission specialists, pilots and commanders; astronomers and astrophysicists, biologists, chemists, computer scientists, system specialists and programmers; aeronautics, aerospace, biological, chemical and biomedical engineers; educators who reach out to the public; computer and design engineers; environmental specialists and geologists; pharmacologists and psychologists.... The list goes on and on.

In her book, "Composing a Life," Mary Catherine Bates aptly equates life with a work in progress, an improvisatory art in which each individual learns to combine familiar and unfamiliar components in response to new situations. This is true for men and women in all walks of life, but it is especially relevant for women in aeronautics. For not only are they taking their well-deserved places next to the brave men who fly combat missions and pilot space shuttles -they are also redefining the roles of women in a society that still struggles with gender equality in all professions.

Kudos to Martha Ackmann and Lynn Sherr for telling the story of the Mercury 13!