While this story is predictable it is a nice, short read.

Carrie's grandmother, Maude, tells of her own experience with love while in England at university in 1938. Story begins in the present and goes to a flashback. Lush and sweeping - this would be a good Hallmark movie!

This was my first Grayson read so I can't compare it to her others but it was a touch sappy.

Waterloo Staion is a wonderful story about Maude, a young girl of only 18, who goes off to Oxford University in 1938 just before the war with Germany. Once there she falls in love and has an affair with her married literary tutor Stephen Kendall but this relationship was not meant to last. Stephen joined the Royal Navy and Maude became a nurse and since they were not allowed to have any contact with each other a terrible twist in fate occurred that would change their lives forever.
Waterloo Station is a compelling love story set in an unforgettable time period.
I have read all of Emily Grayson books and this one is the best so far. Treat yourself to this little gem today.

In 1938, young American Maude Latham leaves her home in Longwood, New York to attend classes at prestigious Oxford University. As Maude adapts to life in England, she realizes that her tutors treat her as a second class citizen or worse because of her gender. That changes when twenty-seven year Stephen Kendall replaces an ailing professor as Maude's tutor on the romantic poets.

As they go over in depth the works of a lesser-known poet, A.L. Slayton, Maude and Stephen fall deeply in love. However, he is married so though they enjoy each other's company nothing in the long run will come of it. When the Battle of France ends and the Battle of Britain begins, Stephen joins the military while Maude becomes a nurse. Separated by the war, chances of this couple deeply in love with one another ever attaining a permanent relationship seems nil, but then again both are big fans of the Age of Romanticism.

WATERLOO STATION is an old fashion love story that uses WW II as a backdrop to a delightful romantic tale. The lead couple is a charming duo whom obviously belongs together, but chances seem remote that they will. The story line is character driven with limited action; although the war impedes on life, in this novel it serves to bring out the qualities of the cast. Fans of a fervent love story will cherish Emily Grayson's moving tale.

Harriet Klausner

I just finished this book, and I found it a very easy read. It only took a afternoon to fly through it. It was a very interesting story line, but I dislike reading about a married woman who finds herself in love with another. If infidelity isn't your thing, this book might not be either.

So Wide the Sky, is the tale of Cassie, Morgan, an anglo woman who has spent her life in captivity by the Cheyenne and the Kiowa.

Cassie, bartered back to the Whites, because she is barren, has learned to live as an Indian, but now must learn to adapt to Anglo society.

I liked this book, because it gave a fairly well-balanced view of Native Americans. Indians are not portrayed as 'noble savages' or as 'vicious killers,' but are believable human characters.

Cassie's love for Drew and Hunter for different reasons, was also believable... However, neither of the male leads really grabbed me. Drew was overcome with rage, because of the Indian Attack which killed his parents, Hunter, the preferred lover had virtually no personality, and lacked definition. Cassie, stood out as the most well-defined and believable character.

This is another great character-driven 'prairie romance' for those who like to read about what life was like in the old west, but the romantic element was a little weak.

Naava

I just finished reading this novel and cannot say enough wonderful things about it. It is one of those books you wish would never end. The characters profoundly affect the reader, and the book seems more like a non-fictional account of life in the mid-nineteenth century than a fictional story. Briefly, SO WIDE THE SKY is about Cassandra Morgan--no spoilers here, this is from the book's back blurb--whose family is killed by Indians while traveling west on the Santa Fe Trail. She survives 9 years as an Indian captive and then is traded back to the whites. She returns to white civilization indelibly marked by a tattoo proclaiming her an Indian slave, and therefore an outcast in the white world. Drew Reynolds, her first love, is now a West Point graduate and cavalry captain, part of the army force that exchanges provisions to the Indians for her. He hates all Indians, but feels honor-bound to marry her because of the past they shared. However, this Cassie is not the innocent girl he loved. Meanwhile, Lone Hunter Jalbert, the proud handsome half-Indian scout who befriends her and attempts to make her transition to the white world easier, desires Cassie for his own. He is truly the only one who understands what it is like to be caught between two worlds. This book is a keeper. I fear picking up any other book for the next several days, for it could never approach the quality of story-telling of this novel. This story of a woman trying to find her way home and the men she loves will not soon be forgotten. Laurel Chevlen echevlen@pol.net

I have nothing against "fluff" novels and am in no way trying to hold this book up against weightier peers. However, even in the fluff genre, this book was disappointing. I have to admit that I read this book because I really enjoyed Greyson's second book, The Observatory, which was much stronger overall and less predictable. This book felt contrived from the beginning: a man shows up in Abby's office with a briefcase and a story to tell. Plus, the whole novel is supposed to take place while Abby is sitting in her office listening to Martin's tape of his story of eternal love, but the narration is not written anything like a recording. In other words, this book is no "tape" -- it is just a novice author's attempt at trying to come up with a novelistic device to narrate a story in typical prose very much unlike a tape.

Although the devices used have a pre-packaged feel, I did enjoy much of the plot. Who doesn't take some joy in the rich boy overthrowing his autocratic parents (talk about stereotyping though!) and moving to Europe where he achieves his lifelong goal of becoming a famous chef? If you are looking for a quick read and a nice story, you won't be disappointed. I would recommend Greyson's second book though much more strongly than this one which I found dull by comparison.

What a wonderful book. It is very revealing. I can totally relate to this book. It explores the love and devotion to family and to the person who shares the soul. Anyone who has had that one true love will adore this book. The characters are very real and the author did a wonderful job of bringing everything to life. I had so much empathy for Claire and Martin as they faced many difficult choices. This book lingers on long after the last page has been read. It is so true to life and the words still haunt me. I would recomend this book to anyone. It has many great messages and is very thought provoking. It will go on my list of favorites, as I can see myself as Claire and my true love as Martin in many places in the book.

What a special story, it confirms that there truly are such things as "love at first sight" and "everlasting love and devotion" This is the kind of book that gives us all hope for mankind and human emotion. I plan to recommend it to all my friends because it definitly has something for every one, we all can relate to the emotions of the characters. I look forward to more work from Emily Grayson.

I really loved the JLA as a kid and looked forward to sharing it with my son. This trade really disappointed me and on re-reading has disappointed me more.
Story lines: I guess they have run out of acceptable opponents--maybe cause they made the heroes so powerful. One story they confront 5th dimensional beings, in another, 6th dimensional beings. What's next 7th dimension?
Art work: Fancy colors but look at the characters: they are all standing around in muscle poses, hands on hips or arms crossed. The action seems cardboard. Those poses are fine for cover art but should't they look like they are doing things?

I just think things in comics have gone down hill--I will get my son as many reprints from the 50s and 60s and let him appreciate the genre as I have.

This graphic novels comprises three or so stories from the JLA. A couple are good and a couple seem to be written high on drugs. Grant Morrison is one of the most inconsistent writers. I don't know why he's praised so much. One of the highs for me was bringing in the living members of the JSA. It's great to see the old Flash, etc. back in action. And seeing Captain Marvel (Shazzam) and Superman battling each other was also a great moment. Too many of the stories don't coincide well. (Some of the action takes place during the "Batman: No Man's Land" era.)And some are there just to setup later stories. Overall, although a mixed bag... it was an entertaining read.

As an old timey comic reader who followed the JLA in the sixties, this book was a revelation. The artwork is detailed and dynamic, with some of the best coloring work I have ever seen! The stories are a notch above the original JLA stuff and except for the Shaggy Man concept are very engrossing. Bringing in the JSA was a nice touch. It is still my favorite super hero team with their neurosis and bickering thrown into the mix. At the end of the book, a reader can feel they got great bang for the buck. It really whets the appetite for the other TPB's in the series.

When I started reading "Utterly Charming" I didn't know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised by its humour and warmth. Kristine Grayson's story about the Aethelstan, the mage and Ealhswith, the witch and their fight over Emma the "sleeping beauty" with Nora, the attorney caught in the middle is wonderfully written and it makes one believe it could have actually happened. If you like books about magic and romance, you'll love "Utterly Charming". I'm very much looking forward to her upcoming sequel about Emma "Thoroughly Kissed".

A wonderful adult romance fantsy with real characters in challenging situations - well, as real as the real Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty can be. This story, based in current times, is a totally delightful read, and leaves me waiting eagerly for the next book, Thoroughly Kissed.

Can I give a book 6 stars? I just finished reading Utterly Charming - a book I bought and couldn't put down! I read it in one night. It's about a modern day woman who's a lawyer and her client turns out to be THE prince charming! He's in a bit of a fix and needs her help. This story has tons of magic, a magician with a snake for a familiar and of course the requesite wicked witch! Oh yeah - sleeping beauty too! It was fantastic and she has a sequel coming out called Thoroughly Kissed that I can't wait to get! The characters were so dynamic and as a reader, I could feel the heroine's attraction for the hero, and MAN, I love a feisty heroine! If any of you like stories with magic, humor and fairytales, you'll really enjoy this book!

Seems less than half the examples are houses; the rest are studios, guest houses, or cabins. All stylishly spare and uninviting. And while there are occasional floor plans and elevations, and about two detail drawings, the emphasis is on the pictures. You'll finish this book in about 20 minutes and wonder why anyone would spend money on these unlivable houses.

This book is a good resource for people who are looking to build a smaller, designed home. It shows that architects aren't just in business to build 10,000 sq. ft. trophy homes like the ones in the other two books in this series. It is full of ideas for designers and home onwners alike. It can be used as a starting point for opening up communication between client and designer. The thing I like most about this book series is that the author includes some of the construction drawings for some choice details. A student could learn a lot about how to put something together from these drawings (although, some are a little unclear and lack the neccesary context drawings, but I do this thing for a living and I like to see the whole picture when comes to why these designers came up with such COOL stuff!)

For those with smaller homes who are searching for ideas, this book is a real find. Tons of color photos showing great detail. The material of choice is wood, but some metal structures are included. This is not a back to the 60's book about building with remnants. The homes are first rate with a tremendous amount of innovation and care. I stole more than a few ideas for my own home.

Make no mistake, TNAH3 is beautiful. I loved the photos, especially of the interiors of the homes. However the floor plans are very difficult to read:

- numbers corresponding to a legend, and not words or obvious icons (like say a table and 4 chairs to indicate a dining room) are used for each room

- it is hard to tell with some of the larger designs what is interior or exterior, what's a wall versus a fence

- dimensions are not provided for either the rooms or the overall structure

"The New American House 3: Innovations in Residential Design and Construction" is truly a monumental resource for those interested in home architecture. Editors James Grayson Trulove and Il Kim have assembled 30 case studies of homes built between 1996 and 2000. The homes range from a 2,200 square foot residence to mansions of 10,000 and 12,800 square feet. The houses come from locations all over the United States: Lovell, Maine; Duluth, Minnesota; Fayettevile, Arkansas; Seattle, Washington; Tucson, Arizona and many other places.

Each case study includes detailed, eye-friendly floor plans, as well as many full-color photographs (both exterior and interior). Other features found in many of the case studies include cross sections, detailed elevations, axonometric drawings, site plans, and other visual supplements. Also included are descriptions of materials used in construction.

Although the houses represent a range of design approaches, the overall flavor strikes me as modern. Some of the many highlights include the daring cantilevered elements of the Nomentana Residence; the "Y" House (shaped, unsurprisingly, like the letter "Y"); the Emerson Residence, which beautifully blends traditional-looking shingled gables with some innovative elements; the Townsend Residence, a fantastic, flowing series of interconnected circles and curves; and Ledge House, with its striking blend of rough-looking logs and stone. These are just a few of the amazing sights in this book. I recommend "NAH3" with great enthusiasm.

This book contains some really good work. The previous books had a few projects here and there, but this one is pretty consistent on the quality of design. I especially like the number of projects from Arizona. (Dessert architecture out there is up and coming.)

As said before, I love these books because of the inclusion of key building details and the neccessary drawings to "see" the work past just the flashy photographs. Once again, I recommend the books in this series for someone interested in contemporary residential design, and for the designer who might need some ideas to get "un-stuck." I like to use them as visual aids to clients, also.

This is a great book for someone just getting started in the art of carving decoys, from either cork or wood. This is the book I bought for my father to help get him started. With it's many photo's and step by step instructions, you'll be creating your own masterpiece in no time. Aside from being a great how-to book there is also wonderful information on: the history of decoys, how to use them effectively, and the love and enjoyment of spending a day on the marsh hunting over your own decoys. No contemporary carver can rely on one source of instruction or reference material, but this book ought to be in your arsenal if you are serious about carving hunting decoys. This book does lack somewhat, in full color reference material. There are other books with this information available. All in all a great book, especially for the beginner.

The book contains detailed, step-by-step instructions for making working duck decoys from wood or cork, with numerous photographs and illustrations. A number of scaled down decoy patterns are included, as are lists of tools and materials, special painting techniques, and other areas of interest. My only quibble with the book is that I found some of the "recipes" for mixing paint to produce certain colors to be somewhat baffling. Aside from this minor point, this is an outstanding book - great for beginning decoy carvers.

This is a very interesting and important book in the Batman mythos.
However, there are just way too many kids in the bat-club. I swear, theres a new costumed person every couple of pages (exxageration). Seriously though, this collection will have readers considering who is wearing the mask, Batman or Bruce Wayne? Is he just as mentally ill as those who he has put away? and Why does just about everyone in Gotham have to wear a mask these days?
The story is really great, But now I see how frustrated Joker was in No Man's Land.... All of these costumes are like a distraction (besides robin (nightwing) and robin jr.) just give me Batman.

I know that there are a fair number of comic book fans that were not impressed with Bruce Wayne: Murderer. I read this TPB with that in mind and was pleasantly surprised. This is a great story with decent artwork - well, most of it anyway. The biggest problem with this TPB is, as another reviewer pointed out, all of the title jumping. Why can't DC just do a Batman story and keep it in Batman & Detective Comics? Being familiar with the DCU, I knew who most of the characters were, but who the heck is Spoiler? And it seems like everyone and their brother knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman now. Having Robin as a sidekick is one thing, but having a whole army of mostly kids following you around is downright silly - Robin, Spoiler, Batgirl, Nightwing, Oracle, and now Sasha. Sheesh.

Anyway, don't let my ranting deter you from reading this book. It really is worth it. Unfortunately, the bean counters at DC decided to release the follow-up story, Bruce Wayne: Fugitive, in two separate, smaller TPBs.

... and I can't tell you how thrilling it is, for a change, to deal with a story that is primarily about what the Batman does best: detection.

BRUCE WAYNE: MURDERER is about many things, but on the surface it only poses one question: how far is faith worth following?

After a long night of chucking bad guys, Batman and Sasha Bourdeaux (his latest in a growing list of sidekicks) return home ... Sasha a few moments later than her mentor. However, in one of the upstairs rooms, Vesper Fairchild -- one of Wayne's many conquests -- is found shot to death. A 911 call circumstantially points all fingers to the billionaire-playboy, and, thus, Batman is thrust behind Blackgate Prison's slim bars ... a place where he's housed so many of the city's treacherous underworld.

In the interim, all of the principles in the Batman universe -- Robin, Oracle, Batgirl, and Nightwing, primarily -- are left to explore the possibility of whether or not the man who has meant so much to them in their lifetimes COULD have committed the deed. Bruce Wayne's not speaking. He's not declaring his innocence, leaving second-guessing to overcome second nature, and the merry band of Batfamily members will be forever challenged and possibly changed by the graphic novel's climax.

Once again, DC Comics has produced evidence that graphic storytelling can be so far advanced than what it has long been considered: folly best left to juveniles. This book explores adult themes in an entirely adult reality, and the consequences of a single act may irrevocably change the world of Gotham, for better or for worse. Smartly, the storytellers let the reader decide, and they don't force feed morality down the throat.

While BRUCE WAYNE: MURDERER isn't a complete tale (it's only a set-up for a series of events to follow), it could be read as a stand alone tale ... the paradigm has shifted in the Batman universe, and Bruce Wayne -- long considered the true 'mask' character in the playboy/crimefighter duality -- is gone, leaving our hero to face the grim reality of his never-ending battle to free Gotham from the clutches of pure evil.