This is a very engrossing book and one I could not put down until I finished it.

I normally do not like to read any book written in dialect. In fact, I will quite often go out of my way NOT to read them. I find they tend to slow down the read for me because I mentally try to sound out the dialect as I read. Very distracting.

But Wendy has done a superb job with Minty, and she managed to pull me in right at the start.

I think Harriet Tubman has been an inspiration to nearly everyone, regardless of race, because of her courageous actions once she decided "this is what I have to do!" and I am no exception. To see her story through the eyes of her youth is very enlightening...and heart-breaking.

Well written and well researched. A great read.

Lawton does an outstanding job of putting the reader right in the "Quarter" house for slaves on a plantation in Maryland with the young Harriet Tubman, her family and close friends.

The reader anguishes with Harriet every time her master whips her. We pull for her to return to her family every time she is "hired out" to other slave owners. We rejoice with her when God answers her simple yet profound prayers. And we are challenged when a young girl asks God for the courage it takes to run for freedom.

I knew very little about Harriet Tubman before reading Lawton's book. Now I'll never forget her.

Harriet Tubman didn't just BECOME the major conductor of the Underground Railroad; she paid for that honor with pain and blood; however, through it all, her faith remained and her constant prayer carried her through.

Tubman (Minty, as she was called as a child) helps with the children on the plantation when she is only a child herself, but when the master's plantation hits harder times, she and others find themselves being "hired out" to help the master make ends meet. Minty is torn from her family and is taken to places where she has no protection from cruelty and no one to turn to other than to God. During this time, she realizes the dream of freedom, and she often remembers the story of Moses's call to lead the people out of Egypt.

Lawton's book brings along new insights about a woman with whom most of us are familiar. Tubman's courage is all the more admirable as we read about her childhood because, even in the face of unfair accusations, she does not become bitter; instead, she allows the unfairness she faces to make her stronger in order that she can be used more effectively by God.

The details are vivid; the story is riveting.

Courage to Run is complete with a glossary that details the language of the area and the times and an epilogue that has a short bibliography for those who are interested in finding out more about Harriet Tubman.

A king who would not be denied. A woman who would be queen. And a gentle poet forced to watch helplessly as his one true love slipped out of his arms forever. These are the elements in Wendy J. Dunn's poignant novel, "Dear Heart, How Like You This?"

"Dear Heart" tells the story of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII. The novel is written in first person, from the point of view of Anne's cousin, Sir Thomas Wyatt. Tom has secretly loved Anne his entire life, but has always been told he is not highly born enough to pursue her. He carefully masks his feelings, especially after Anne catches the eye of the king, and remains at Anne's side as one of her staunchest friends and supporters. Then the unthinkable happens. After marrying Anne, the king tires of her and falsely accuses her of adultery. Imprisoned himself on the whim of the king's arrogant brother-in-law, Tom watches helplessly as his true love and his closest friends go on trial for their lives...

"Dear Heart" is a novel that grips you before the end of the first sentence and doesn't let go until the bitter end. In Dunn's more than capable hands, Anne Boleyn comes to life, first as a whimsical child, then as a hurt and angry teenager, then as a woman both frightened and exhilarated by the dangerous game she is playing, and finally as a bruised-but not broken-victim of the king's cruelty. Through Anne's tumultuous life, her cousin Thomas is a spellbinding narrator, reporting the events around him with a reporter's keen eye and a poet's tender heart.

I would recommend "Dear Heart" to anyone who enjoys a love story or who has even a passing interest in English history. It is a beautifully written novel of love and betrayal. In fact, I'm off to read it again, just as soon as I dry my eyes.

As an avid reader of Tudor History I found this book to be a great read. It took me back in time and kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to turn the page. I will be recommending this book to all my book clubs and my friends as well.

I recently read "Dear Heart How Like You This?" by Wendy J. Dunn and I was so impressed and touched that I wanted to write a brief review to thank the author. I have never done anything like this before, so I read someone else's review of this wonderful novel to get an idea of how to write mine. The review I read was so eloquent I thought how could I possibly add anything to something so complete. All I can add are the deep personal feelings this book brought out in me. Sir Thomas Wyatt is my blood kin. I have always had a history of my family with pictures of Allington Castle and stories of Sir Thomas. I had this image of Sir Thomas, larger than life, possessing no human frailties or weakness. After reading "Dear Heart", I realized he laughed when he was happy and cried when his heart was broken, as it often was. While I read, I had to keep reminding myself that it is a work of fiction, but it did not feel like fiction to me. The characters and events are not fiction. It is not fiction that Sir Thomas loved Anne Boleyn for most of his life. Tom's grandson, George Wyatt, speaking of Thomas and Anne, said Sir Thomas "could gladly yield to be tied forever with the knot of her love." If I had inherited Tom's way with words, I could express how deeply this novel touched me. I do not know what else to say except thank you Wendy.

T. Wyatt

A collection of short stories, _Hidden Years_ fills in some missing spots in the storyline, mostly from the time period before the 'Shards'and Kings of the Broken Wheel timeline. It was really nice to see that a story could indeed be covered in the equivalent of one issue of a comic book. My favorites are the story depicted on the cover and the origin story for Skywise. No spoilers here, just go out and get it.

Wendy is arguably the best comic book artist of our time, and this little gem has got to be her greatest work ever. This is the very first book by the Pinis that I bought. (Which may I recommend that you don't get this first. You will be very confused, even though the stories are great in themselves.) This one book started the Elf-mania in my family. Now, I buy all of them, even the off-the-wall side stories that are more humorous than anything (see "New Blood" and "Worldpool"). It's really great artwork and rich color are the best. And Strongbow is a heartthrob.;)

Wendy Pini has certainly outdone herself! Her artwork has always been versatile, changing to fit the mood of the story. In this graphic novel, she used vivid watercolors to tell the tale. It's amazing! The stories are also superb, in the honored tradition of Elfquest. My favorite story is the one about Tyleet and her adopted human cub, Little Patch. Wendy Pini is definetly my favorite artist! :)

I say this is more (much more) bloody than others of four ordinary ElfQuest, but it is writed well. There is a story much morer than ever in "Fire & Flight". Kahvi's the new character in this( you see her in picture) , and she is the chief on elkriders, who call themselves Go-Backs. Go-Backs live in shadow of mountains were is a HOME OF HIGH ONES. And with wolfriders they found it. once more i will say: Wolfriders never die. Yes, I know one-eye just did in a "Captives of Blue mountain", but, if you read this, you se how many of Go-Backs die. And that is normal. But NONE of wolfriders. They have armors as much as Go-backs.

But to end this, I tell you: Wendy and Richard teach us in every book , and they tell about life.

VERY GOOD!! the best yet.

Believe me, you just won't believe this! This is the most skillfully drawn and written part of the whole "Elfquest" series next to the part about the adventures in the Blue Mountain. In fact, you won't see anything like this ever again in any Elfquest tales, nor even the future ones yet to come, I suspect. The great epic of war against the bloodthirsty Trolls of the Great White North begins right after the imprisonment of elves in the Blue Mountain by the witchlike Winnowill - a real teeth-rattling clash of so many different characters, old or new with their individual personalities and differences. In additional, a whole galaxy of the fantastic environment on the far-off World of Two Moons really opens up for the very first time to your mortal human eyes - from the monstrous labyrinth of the Troll lair to the shimmering walls of the long-lost Palace of the High Ones - with a whole bagful of earth-shaking surprises to boot! If you already have this rare book or are lucky enough to get your hands on a copy, I sincerely promise you that you just won't be able to put it down, nor read it just once!

This was a very well written, suspenseful novel. I didn't want to put it down. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of not only mysteries, but the paranormal as well. I can't wait for the sequel!

If you like Janet Evanovich, you'll love Wendy Jensen's 8th House. It's been over a year since I read the book and I still smile whenever I think of that story. The writing is snappy, the humor dark, and the characters wonderfully quirky. The only problem, when will there be another one from this talented writer?

As a graduate student, metaficiton was the topic of my thesis; that is, writing about the craft of writing within the context of a novel. Many great writers have succeed with the device, including Tim O'Brien in THE THINGS THEY CARRIED and James Mitchner in THE NOVEL. Remarkably, Wendy Jensen also blends metafictional aspects into THE 8TH HOUSE, an addictive paranormal thriller.

Zoe Zignego uses the contents of her psychic dreams to aid police to solve ghastly murders and later spins the stories into best selling novels. Her quest for peace leads her to flee St. Paul and buy a house in Missouri's foothills of the Ozark Mountains. The long abandoned home held irresistible appeal for Zoe, for the woman who can't seem to live with the living seeks the company of the dead rather than being alone. Her roommate is an rascally ghost named Wilbur, who provides comic relief and a mystery of his own.

Repairs to the house, which dates from the 1800s, prove expensive. Zoe needs to quickly generate some cash flow to replace her badly depleted bank account. RelunReluctantly begins a new novel, based on her current investigation in partnership with the Larry Larsen of the St. Paul police department. Zoe's never written a novel prior to solving a crime before; as she creates the story, she takes the reader through the process of the writing. Zoe's very uncomfortable with the concept of profiting from the tales of murder and mayhem, and her discomfort escalates as she realizes that her dreams have become precognitive and that she has a direct psychic connection to the serial killer. One he is equally aware of. As she writes the novel, Zoe recreates the killer's motive, environment and his past. This metafictional quality lends the novel fascinating flair and insight from a unique perspective.

Be careful when you start reading THE 8TH HOUSE by Wendy Jensen, or you may fall into the trap I did, promising yourself just one more chapter until you finish the book at 2 a.m. on a work morning! As a paranormal mystery lover, I was impressed with the creative edge that Jensen brings to her work. In an increasingly flooded arena of strong women sleuths, Jensen has created a heroine who stands out like a rare gem among many beautiful semi-precious stones.

If you are new to the world of elfquest this is the third book in the elfquest line.Before it comes the books Fire and Flight(book #1)and the Forbbiden Grove(book #2). In this book, you meet the Gliders, a group of elves that claims to be the High Ones. You also meet the dark and evil Winnowill, a healer but one which uses her powers for hurting rather then healing.Lastly you learn the secret of the Wolfriders... I won't give away the story but I do reccomend you buy this book for its art,story and feeling...

I thought this was one of the best books in the EQ series, and coming from me thats saying quite a bit, oh and Winnowill is a subject worth thinking about.

ElfQuest is a wounderful series for anyone whom reads it. It is full of some of the personal expierences from Wendy and Richard Pini's own life, it contains moral lessons, it has incredible insight, a dynamic story and georgeous artwork, do not pass this book up! IT ROCKS!!!

Catch Me Kiss Me is a book I would choose to give as a baby gift time and again. The poetry really gets a baby's attention, and makes the child interested in talking. The interaction between the brother and sister is sweet and a good example of sibling love. I think toddlers will model this behavior, especially after hearing it so much. There is a lot of fun family interaction and the watercolor drawings are soft and delightful.

When I was about two or three, a friend gave us our original copy of "Catch Me and Kiss Me," We read it so many times that it fell apart and it was thrown away. Luckilly I was able to get a used copy not so long ago. This book has so many favorite poems that we still quote such as,

Phoebe in a Rosebush, Phoebe in a Tree.
There's Many a Phoebe in the World,
But You're the one For me.

and

Cockyolly Bumkin Merry Go Bet
Fell in the Duckpond and Got all Wet
A Nickle For a Nappy and a Penny For a Pen
To Dress My Little Cockyolly Bumkin in

and

Do the Baby Cake Walk
A One Step a Two Step
A Wobble and A Bobble in the Knee
With a Toe Heel Toe and A Giddy Go Round You Go
Won't You Do the Baby Cake Walk for Me.

Anyway I could go on and on, but this book is a treasure, and it is a sin that it is out of print. Any Publishers out there. PLEASE REPRINT "CATCH ME AND KISS ME AND SAY IT AGAIN."

This is a great book! I remember my mom reading me a copy from the library when I was little, and now I want to give it to her as a Christmas present. It would have been so much easier if it was still in print - I had to look all over to find a copy I could afford!

Here's a book that most men will be happy about. Instead of 'The Boyfriend Test' (how men measure up) author Wendy Walsh takes a serious look at what it is the women have to do in order to become a better 'girlfriend' and thereby get the love of her dreams.

As a fellow relationship author I'm always interested in what others in my field have to say about dating, romance, and love. And while I liked Wendy Walsh's previous book, I appreciate this one even more.

My favorite part of 'The Girlfriend Test' is when she writes about the 9 types of girls/women. I'm sure we can all think of a person that we know who fits one of these bills:

1) Daddy's Girl: no ones can live up to Daddy
2) The Barbie Doll: the perfect girl as long as youth & beauty last
3) The Girl's Girl: the perfect friend to every woman at the expense of her own love life
4) The Material Girl: the one who appears to want money more than love
5) The Miss Priss: the one who lives by family standards primarily
6) The Corporate Cat: the female executive with all the perks except a man
7) The Chatty Cathy: talks too much, too many stories
8) The Jockette: one of the boys in her recreational activities
9) The Mirror: the one who surrenders to men at her own expense

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My only beef appears on page 22 where she writes, 'He's the Hook, But You're the Fish.' And on a philosophical level I have to let her know that an old American proverb states, 'a man chases a woman until she catches him.' What that means is the woman is the angler and the man is the fish. (The Power of An Enlightened Metaphor For Love)

Back to her book.

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As far as Walsh's tests, there are actually 5 of them, all of which are very practical and insightful. Here they are with my favorite question from each test:

The Hook-Up Test (sounds fishy doesn't it?): Question #2 Are you more worried about your appearance than your disposition?

The First Date Test: Question #7 Do you talk too much about past relationships?

The Five Date Test: Question #5 Are you rewarding bad-boy behavior?

The Girlfriend Sex Test: Question #9 Do you know how to say no to sex?

The Ninety-Day Test: Question #3 Do you know how to deal with the boys club?

Along the way the author also has important side-bars like tips on going out alone (valet park for safety, meet the business happy hour people instead of the late-night crowd & leave by 11:30 PM because nothing good ever happens after that).

I hope this book gets in the hands of a lot of women. I said much of the exact same things in my second edition of Men Are Like Fish, but the difference here is that it comes from the more trusted voice of another woman instead of from a guy (the nerve of a man talking about love....what do they know, right?)

Anyway, don't be fooled by the whole 'test' idea. While it is more on the tactical side than the spiritual side, it does a darn good job of making refined distinctions in the area of hooking (creating secure attachments wisely).

This is one of my favorite new books because it is so focused on this one area of dating which is a key element in the big picture of 'fishing for love.'

I find the girl friend test both entertaining and informative .
I happened to stumble upon the book through a reading by the author Wendy Walsh at the Barnes and Noble in Santa Monica. She was late due to a mix up and kindly offered to personally buy us each a copy of her book. (I'm not sure that I would have read it otherwise ,seeing that I'm married).
Most unexpected was what she wrote about the pshychology of the attachment theory based on our first parental relationships and how they shape our capacity to love.
I sure wish I would have had all this knowledge before I was married....It would have helped me keep boys on their toes!

I wish this book was around 10 years and two marriages ago. It taught me that it is as much about me as it is "him." It is a must read if you want to learn about what you can do to take responsibility in a relationship.

I was lucky enough to meet Ms. Walsh at the Barnes and Noble book signing in Santa Monica. She was late due to a miscommunication, but waiting was well worth it. Ms. Walsh is warm, funny, full of insight, and also generous. She was so appreciative to those who waited that she bought each of us a copy of the book. If the commitment and respect with which she treats her readers is an indication, Ms. Walsh is truly an expert on relationships.

My 2-year-old daughter just loves this book, and so do I. It is full of the most breath-taking illustrations of a farm at dusk, with each page's scene working off the others. The gentle rhythm of the words are perfect for bedtime. I almost accidentally picked this book up at a bargain bookstore, and now I am truly sorry to see it going out of print. It is an undiscovered jewel and has been a real treat for our family.

This book is so gently written -- perfect for bedtime reading. The illustrations are so detailed you find something new everytime you read it. My toddler son has to have this book read to him every night before he goes to sleep. I beg the publisher to reprint this book so others may enjoy it as well. Perfect for fathers and sons!

This is one of our family's favorite books. We have a son and have found it difficult to find father/son stories. This one does. A father and son playing together at the end of the day talk together about the animalson the farm. Not only is it an ideal book for teaching children about animals, but it also has unusually beautiful illustrations.

True to their relationship in Fire and Flight, Cutter and Skywise prove to readers that they are indeed "brothers in all but blood", as they travel the world of two moons in search of other elves, so that all the children of the High Ones may be reunited. They meet some of the most Enchanting dangers along the way, that perhaps any work of fantasy may boast, and the artwork By Wendy remains SUPERB as ever. You cannot help but be touched by the relationships in this and the other seven original full color elfquest graphic novels by Wendy and Richard Pini.

Beautifully crafted! The greatest story ever told comes to paperback! Wendy and Richard Pini bring the legend of Elfquest to paperback along with all the details they had to leave out of the illustrated series. Discover the adventure for the first time, or embark on it all over again through written word.

The second book in the elfquest saga following Fire and Flight. This is simply the best in fantasy writing!