Swords for Hire" is a humorous and exciting medieval adventure. Inspired by "The Princess Bride", the style is similar enough that anyone who enjoyed that book should enjoy this one. Although it is written for the juvenile market (age 9 or so and older) it is still a delightful read for anyone. For a younger person the first thirty pages are somewhat slow but required in order to lay the foundation for the rest of the book. On the other hand, once you get to the section on "The Oddball" it picks up speed, the two primary characters become well developed and the book takes off. After that it is hard to put the book down and you may find yourself sitting up to finish it. "Swords for Hire" is a highly recommended and enjoyable read.

Sam Hatcher lived on a farm until he turned sixteen. Then he became an apprentice to Rigby Skeet, Sword For Hire. A smuggled message landed in their hands to reveal that the "deceased king" was not really dead. Instead, King Olive was caged in a far away dungeon and guarded by "the Boneman". The two set out to rescue their true king from the evil guards.

I found this story to be an absolute delight! All through the book I chuckled and often I found myself laughing out loud. The author expressed even the most common things in the most unusual and humorous ways. For example: "Imagine a dark, sinister-looking castle, then multiply by two and you'd have the castle of the Boneman."

The author also added some strange personalities that kids of all ages cannot help but find amusing, such as the false king who enjoyed nothing more than putting worms on top of his head. It is things such as these that will make young readers WANT to read. Each chapter is short, which is recommended for younger readers as well. And of course, there must be (and is) a beautiful damsel in distress that needs to be rescued. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Sam Hatcher is a normal, if a bit cynical, farm boy who is clearly not destined to become a farmer. His father recognizes this and sends him off to join the Royal Guard on his sixteenth birthday. Thus begins an adventure that teams him up with Rigby Skeet, a mentor who is slightly deranged, on a quest to rescue the true King from the dungeon in which his slimy, worm-loving brother has imprisoned him.

The story is fast and fun and often surprising, taking a classic adventure story and saturating it with humor and irony, smashing through clichés as quickly as the protagonists smash through obstacles.

Sam is no starry-eyed apprentice and his mentor is no all-knowing master, and this lack of established adventure story roles leaves room for so much more.

This story was loved by every kid with whom it was shared, from age seven to age fifteen, and the adults who read it loved it even more.

Nancy Rexin Evans did a wonderful job in this telling story of her Mother's courage. How brave Cecelia was in saving lives at the risk of losing her own, her strength was amazing, to face death every day and evil , an evil we all wish and hope to never see again, is her testament OF courage. I am of German heritage and it makes me sad to think how horrible all of these people were treated. If not for the love and courage of this brave woman, an entire generation and culture would have disappeared from the face of the earth forever. God Bless you Cecelia, up in Heaven and God Bless your daughter, Nancy, for having the courage to re-live this story so we all may learn a valuable lesson.

My name is Lacey and I am sixteen years old. I just finished reading "Testament to Courage" by Cecelia Rexin, translated by her daughter, Nancy Rexin Evans. Being partially of German descent, I felt a kinship with Cecelia and her strength as with my grandmother, but at the same time ashamed of how people could act like that, being of the same heritage, that could be so evil incarnate and have no regard for human life.       As I was reading this I tried to compare my world with Cecelia's, but nothing could compare. We live in a world today where we can go run to the store for soap, milk, bread, anything your money can buy, go to sleep whenever we want, have decent shoes, socks, clothing, toiletry items and much more. All the while Cecelia worked her hands to the bone, with no food, water and hardly any clothing to save not only her life, but others too. As she described what they wore, where and how they slept, what they didn't eat , it made me feel selfish of what I have and all the petty things I fight amoungest my siblings and others about.               As I was reading one night, I had just gotten home from a friends house and I had gotten something to eat, it was towards the end of the book where things got real bad and 2,000 people are crammed in a box with nothing to eat, drink, and no way to bathe and barely had a restroom ( actually it was a bucket ). I got so sick to my stomach. I stopped eating and started crying, as I felt so bad for these people. I felt as if this was partially my fault being from their descent, but it is not. We take life for granted when "Life" is all that some of these people wanted.

I found the memoirs of Cecilia Rexin to be incredibly moving and inspirational. It is heartwarming to read of the depth of soul, conscience and human dignity that can prevail even in the face of unspeakable evil and horror. It is a must for good people of all faiths and creeds.

This is a superb introduction to teaching the components of voice. The selections not only illustrate diction, imagery, detail, tone, and syntax with brevity and specificity, but also they afford an opportunity for deep discussion and reflection. I use these exercises with my sophomores every day.

Nancy Dean's Voice Lessons provide 100 quotes from a variety of writers, genres, and styles followed by poignant analysis questions and corresponding modeling exercises.

The introduction thoroughly defines each facet of Voice to be explored. The body is divided into 20 pages of exercises per category: Diction, Details, Imagery, Syntax, and Tone (here linked with Attitude). Each page has ample space for answers on photocopies or on an overhead transparency (both permissable and encouraged). Dean outlines practical-- and flexible--methods for utilizing the activities straight from the book with no additional preparation stress. (I can testify that the suggestions do work!)

My general level to AP students' interest was piqued by samples from modern writers such as Tom Wolfe, Erma Bombeck, Chinua Cchebe and Toni Morrison along with cannonized authors like Shakespeare, Orwell, Steinbeck, Milton, Yeats, and even G.B. Shaw. The book is a wonderful resource for state and national competency test preparation or for increasing reading comprehension and literary appreciation. Compliments to Ms.Dean.

Voice Lessons is a collection of writing exercises that will stretch the brightest students and focus the rest. Each exercise begins with an example from a broad range of English literature and then challenges the reader to examine how it manages one of the following components: Diction, Detail, Imagery, Syntax and Tone.

In addition to being a quite useful collection of exercises, there are some important, benefits to the manner of presentation. The diversity of the selections (as well as their brevity) establishes, as a given, that the issues explored in these exercises have a wide application. Also, there are no lauditory introductions to or explanations of the excerpted authors: instead, each selection is placed on our workbench and we are encouraged to paw the offering and then to fashion our own. I particularly like this respectful, workaday approach to the student and the task of learning.

The exercises work independently so you should find it easy to mix and match them to conform to your existing course-plan. If you have the luxury of an independent plan for each student the book is a whole kit of ready starting points.

I have added more recipes to my arsenal from this book than any other. Most recipes are tasty, not too difficult and don't require hard to find ingreds.

The recipes in this book are wonderful. They may be a little time consuming in some cases, but well worth it. You would never know the dishes were reduced fat if someone didn't tell you. I particularly like the soup recipes, and many of the chicken recipes are regulars at our house now. Portion sizes are actually realistic, not the tiny bits that most 'diet' cookbooks use as a 'normal' portion. This cookbook has been one of the things I used to lower my cholesterol and to lose 24 pounds in the last several months. I have learned from the techniques used in this cookbook how to lighten some family favorites, and my husband has lost weight, too. I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone trying to lower their fat intake without feeling deprived.

I bought this book because I didn't know where to start with low fat cooking, and the other reviews were very favorable. What a find! The six or seven dishes we've already tried have been very tasty, and not too difficult to prepare. I was surprised to find that low fat dishes can actually taste good too. Great photos and a wide variety of dishes to select from. My only regret is that I should have purchased the hardback. We're using it so much that I know we're going to wear the paperback before too long. This one is a keeper!

Author Nancy Jo King's artistic and teaching background makes 60 COOL HOLIDAY CRAFTS a marvelous resource for parents, teachers and children. With holiday themes to cover all seasons, each project is carefully detailed with simple, easy to follow instructions and lists of ingredients, including where to find the more unusual items. Whether you are seeking appropriate projects for home or classroom activities, 60 COOL HOLIDAY CRAFTS is certain to have many ideas to inspire young creative minds. Further, while the book suggests a total of 60 projects, additional tips expand many projects beyond their intended season to encompass many others, making this a valuable and flexible resource of crafting ideas. Very highly recommended.

In Get Crafty: 60 Cool Holiday Crafts, Nancy Jo King shows young do-it-yourselfers how to make sixty different holiday craft projects for all the seasonal holidays including Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and the Fourth of July. Ranging from unique jewelry and ornaments to homemade gift wrap and stationary, the crafts are fun, creative, and easy to make. Whether working individually or as a group project, Get Crafty: 60 Cool Holiday Crafts will offer hours and hours of safe, inexpensive, and creative entertainment.

60 Cool Holiday crafts is a terrific resource for parents and kids alike. With easy-to-follow directions and great illustrations, this book is a "must-have" for any parent who loves to engage their child in arts and crafts.

I finished this book two days after receiving it and found it to be very motivating. I have not only customized an "active wellness" plan for myself, but also for my son and my brother. The guidelines in the book are easy to follow for basic good health (no fads or hype found here!).

A comprehensive and thoughtful guide to feeling good and getting fit, "Active Wellness" has helped me achieve a greater sense of well-being. Thanks to this book, I've become a healthier, thinner, less-stressed-out individual. Plus, check out the luscious recipes! They'll help you ditch junk food and not even miss it.

I received the book on a Friday and by Saturday evening I had completely read this book. Not only is this book easy to understand, it is motivating and uplifting. I think its the concept of goals-- why should we approach our "Wellness" plans any differently than our financial plans. They both require short-term and long-term goals. Over the last three weeks I have followed the program, which I customized for myself, and I have lost about 4 pounds and I am now going to the gym three times a week and doing cardiovascular workouts for 45 minutes (that was unheard of for me a month ago), but I realize to reach my goals I've got to do these things. Active Wellness teaches you to realize this and helps to give you the inspiration you need to get going. I am truly pleased with this book. It has even taught me how to manage my stress in my daily dealings through meditation and visualization. It truly is an mind-body-spirit connection to achieving any goal for yourself. Definitely worth the read and implementation into your life.

Nancy Drew's long-time beau Ned Nickerson finally asks her to marry him, and Nancy reluctantly refuses him. No surprise there, right? Wrong! The very next night, Ned announces his engagement to a rich, beautiful girl, Jessica Thorne.
No one seems to know really who Jessica is and where's she's from, except that she is a newcomer to River Heights -- and to Ned's life.
Jessica lives at the Royal Hotel, throws herself lavish wedding showers and she really seems to love Ned, but Nancy doesn't think she does, and neither does Ned.
Ned claims that Jessica is an opportunist, but he doesn't know why she wants to marry him. Could it be money?
Jessica tries hard to make friends with Nancy, a girl she knows is Ned's "jilted" girlfriend.
Jessica challenges Nancy to go skydiving, and Nancy accepts. Soon after jumping out of the airplane, Nancy realizes her parachute won't open, but Jessica comes to the rescue. Was the parachuting incident an accident, or was there a more sinister plot behind it?
Nancy must find the key to unlock Jessica's past, before it's too late.
This book is in my top 5 favorite Nancy Drew Files.
Nancy does a perfect job of playing the part of a jilted lover.
My favorite part in this book is at Jessica's wedding shower, when Nancy gives Jessica a mirror, saying, "You strike me as the type of girl who likes to look at herself a lot!"
S.J.

I have read this book many times and I simply love it.
Nancy Drew is heartbroken when her longtime boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, announces his engagement to Jessica Thorne, a beautiful new girl in town, the day after proposing to her (she refused it). Nancy confronts Ned and learns that he is engaged to her to find out her true purpose for marrying him. Nancy gets down on the case. She learns a lot of things about Jessica, while, each moment, Jessica is getting more and more dangerous for Ned and her. The book ends in a fascinating chase, where Nancy is trying her best to save Ned's life.
I read this book for the fourth or fifth time last night; I started it at around 8:30 and finished in about an hour. It's very gripping and it always amazes me how Nancy solves mysteries; the way she gets down to them and eats, thinks and dreams mysteries. This is a great book and provides the reader with immense satisfaction on finishing it. Hats off to Carolyn Keene!

I've always been a fan of Nancy Drew Files, and this has got to be one of my favourites! It has the perfect amount of romance and mystery. I started the book at noon, and couldn't put it down: I had it finished by dinnertime. I would definitely recommend this book!

I read the German version of the book about a year ago and I liked it because you are confronted with problems our society uses to ignoring, such as alcoholism, teenagers who have difficulty with their (step-)parents due to divorces or don't even know their fathers.
After his brother's death, Shawn (called Tuff) swears to take revenge on the murderer and is completely despaired for he has lost the most important person in his life. When he gets to know the man his mother regards as his biological father, that man convinces him that it would make no sense to lose control and Shawn realizes his life has to be continued without his brother Dillon.

Toughing it is a book about adolescent anger. Tuff is a teenage boy living in a poor neighborhood. His mother has many children with many fathers. Tuff does not recive any affection from her as she is busy with her boyfriends and children. Dillon, his brother, is his only source of affection. So everything is shattered when Dillon is senselessly murdered before his eyes. His drunk mother couldn't care less. So Tuff sets out to find Dillon's killer. Toughing It is about his struggle to accept his brother's death and his lust to track down the killer. Tuff finds that nothing is to be gained by killing the killer. This book is an action-packed exploration of teenage anger and coping with grief. Toughing It overflows with emotion. It deserves many more than five stars. I recomend this book for people 13+ because of severe language. Toughing It is an aweome book.

Toughing It is a book about adolescent anger and the feelings of betrayal. When his brother is senslessly murdured by an unknown killer in front of him, Tuff sets out to find his killer. This book explores the feelings of anger, and is a touching real fiction book. Five stars is a small tribute to this great book!

Reviewer: robert dorroh from Sonora, CA United States Nancy Mairs, with devastating honesty, chronicles life as a cripple (her choice of word) in poignant essays in "Waist High in the World."

Beset with multiple sclerosis and bouts with clinical and situational depression, she offsets these stumbling blocks with joy, candor, eloquence, and cultural and political insights. It is a book for everybody, not just the disabled, for it challenges our fears, cultural hangups and citizenship: "The more perspectives that can be brought to bear on human experience, even from the slant of a wheelchair or a hospital bed, or through the ears of a blind person or the fingers of someone who is deaf, the richer that experience becomes." She attacks the stereotype that cripples must be passive and unfailingly polite in a culture that doesn't want to deal with them: "Beyond cheerfulness and patience, people don't expect much of a cripple's character."

Pondering her husband and caretaker George's battle with cancer, she offers a balanced look at suicide in the face of his death. Though she has attempted suicide "more than once," she questions the right-to-die movement, which extolls "rational" suicide: "Since hopelessness is a distinctive symptom of depression, which is an emotional disorder, actions carried out in a despairing state seem to me intrinsically irrational. This last time I clung to shreds of reason, which saved me." Still, she sees suicide as a possibility: "I want to be the one in charge of my life, including its end."

Why should society pay for the misfortunes of others? people ask. Because it's what human beings do: take care of one another, Mairs says, adding that it's the government's role to ensure that its citizens are entitled to the pursuit of happiness. Mairs notes that the abled-bodied should aim to preserve the dignity of the disabled. This takes in seeing them as sexual beings: ... "The general assumption, even among those who might be expected to know better, is that people with disabilities are out of the sexual running."

As a paraplegic, I admire her advocacy on my behalf. I admire her more, however, for her willingness to work toward the betterment of our society through a rare and gifted intelligence.

Nancy Mairs is painfully, startlingly brave. Her book is something I recommend, not just for people with MS but people, period. She reminds me of just how powerful telling the truth can really be. We all need this book!

Nancy Mairs writes about the human condition with humor, compassion, and ruthless honesty. This is a book of personal reflections about disability, embodiment, marriage, religion, and lots of other things, but fundamentally about the possibility of honestly acknowledging all the pain and confusion in our lives and at the same time--within that pain and confusion--living fully, gratefully, joyously.

Wow. What a gift. Thank you, Nancy Mairs.

Whirlwind is an appropriate enough title for this first book in the twelve story cycle that is to make up Harlequin's Tyler series, for that is just how Liza Baron makes her entries. Like a whirling dervish.

Broke and homeless, Liza Baron drives aimlessly through the night and winds up on the outskirts of the small Wisconsin town she thought she had left behind years ago. Not ready to mend fences with her estranged family, Liza instead heads over to the now crumbling Timberlake Lodge, there she surprises the haunted recluse Cliff Forrester. Verbal sparks fly between the seemingly mismatched couple and Liza decides to move in and restore the Timberlake (and Cliff) to past glory. Easier said than done, especially when the remains of a dead body (Liza's missing Grandmother perhaps?) are discovered on the property.

Whirlwind constantly whips from heartwarming romance to creepy supsense and back again so fast your head might spin. But author Nancy Martin never once looses her balance and crafts a wonder story that is a delight to read. I look forward to visiting Tyler again and again.

this is a touching story of relationships bettween mother and daughters , husbands and wifes , men and women . i picked this series up cause i had run out of this to read . i stayed up ALL nnight readingthis story not able to put it down . from the very first chapter you are drwn into the charaters . with liza's screwed up family , and her excape from chicago , cliffs past and his present hermit stage you are drawn into this book to the piont of not being capable of putting it down , even for 5 minns . this is a wonderful read and i highly recommened it .

I found the two first books to the Tyler series and after I had read them I became addicted, only to turn around and not be able to find the next 10. After 2 weeks of searching the entire county I found them. I'm putting all housework aside and I'm going to finish this series!