I'm 15 years old, I've been reading Ann Rinaldi's books for at least five years, and I have to say that this has been my favorite. I got it yesterday and finished it within three hours - it was that good. Time Enough For Drums is one of those books that just grabs ahold of you and never lets go.

Most of Ann Rinaldi's main characters are strong-willed, outspoken young women, but I am constantly surprised at Ms. Rinaldi's ability to add new facets to the girls' personalities. Jem Emerson is no exception. She is sassy and willful to a fault, but is usually saved from getting herself into real trouble by the fact that the people around her genuinely love her for her good heart. I'm a fan of a good romance too, and the love story in the book is very satisfying. Anyone who has read a lot of Ann Rinaldi knows that the endings of her books don't always turn out exactly the way we want them to, but I was happy with this one, even though it was a little sad. Ms. Rinaldi is very realistic in her approach on the American Revolution and although the book is not graphic it makes no attempt to portray war as something better than it really is. Jem and the people close do suffer as a result of the war, but they are better people because of it.

This book would be a great gift for someone interested in American History or someone just looking for a good read.

I read this book when I was 12 and I still read it over and over again. It is a great book for it's historical content and the well-developed characters. Jemima Emerson is the daughter of a merchant in Trenton, New Jersey, who is tutorted by her father's friend's son, John Reid. John's parents have died at sea and Jemima's older sister, Rebecca, has ditched him to marry a British soldier. To Jem, John is a heartless Tory who goes against everything Jemima is fighting for, freedom. Jemima starts off as a self-centered young brat and grows to be a responsible woman during the United States' Revolutionary War. Time Enough For Drums is well written and researched. Ann Rinaldi is an excellent historical fiction novelist and I would recommend this book to any one who loves history, especially colonial United States, and loves to read.

I've always loved Ann Rinadli's books, but found most of them quite depressing. Her "Quilt Trilogy" was a real downer, and "The Secret of Sarah Revere" never seemed to stop making it's characters miserable. Miserable or not, however, there was one strong point that kept me reading - well-developed, interesting characters and plots that equal no other. Nowhere else, truly, have I ever read stories as intriguing and exciting as the novels of Rinaldi. It was this that drew me to this book.

Unlike her other works, this book is actually quite a happy one in places. Although the subject (the Revolution) isn't exatly joyful, Rinaldi writes it so well that you can't help but be interested even when it gets sad. Not sad enough to turn me off, though!

The plot is far from simple: Jem is a teenage girl at the brink of the Revolution, caught up in her family's ideals and aspirations of freedom and independence. Jem's free-spiritedness often gets in the way of her being a true adult, something she longs for even when acting juvenille. (It is this, the flaws Rinaldi gives to her characters, that make it that much more interesting). Although educated and good-looking, Jem's tutor John Reid (a former lover of her silly and shallow older sister) is a constant thorn in her side. Not only is he super-conservative, he's also a Tory - a person loyal to Britain - with strong ties to England and the King. Or so she thinks! Several interesting plot twists make this book fun as well as insightful, and the romances are so down-played and work so well into the story that the book seems more and more like historical fiction of the best kind and less like the common historical teen romance you most often see today.

A keeper!

When I read The Silver Kiss (Annette Curtis Klause), I was positive that it couldn't get any better than that. I was wrong. This book definitely takes the cake in it's genre. When Kerry, an average 16-year-old, with a learner's permit and a Mom who abandoned her family, grudgingly drives to a laundromat late at night to retrieve her little brother's stuffed koala bear, she unknowingly gets involved with a world of mystery and vampires when she meets Ethan, gagged and bloddied, and suspected of being a vampire by a group of vamp hunters. Which, of course isn't a good thing for Ethan. Her beliving there are no such thing of vampires, she helps him escape, and she assumes she'll never see him again. She's wrong. When her family goes missing, Ethan is the only one who can help her find them, and Kerry is the only one who can help Ethan get the revenge he wants on the vamp hunters. Things get more complicated when Kerry realizes she's fallen in love with Ethan, and... oh yeah, he really IS a vampire. The characters are well developed, and the plot has tons of twists. The many facades and uncertainties that surround Ethan will keep you guessing throughout the whole book. if you like vampires and romance, buy. This. Book. Now. I cried at the end, probably due a combination of the way the book touched me so deeply, and the fact that there is no sequel yet. Because, not to give away the ending, but it is wide open for a sequel. Unfortunately, it was written in 95', and we're still waiting ....but I haven't lost hope! Good luck trying not to read it in one sitting ;-).

I've just recently gotten into vampires, and I found Companions of the Night while browsing through amazon.com. Intrigued, I read some of the reviews, and knew that I had to read this book!

It all begins when Kerry's little brother Ian asks her to go to the laundromat to get Footy, his stuffed koala bear, which he'd left there earlier that day. Kerry is reluctant to go, since it's 11:00 at night, she has a test the next day on a book she hasn't finished, and she doesn't have her driver's license yet. But she can't resist her little brother's pleas, so she goes anyway. The action starts when a group of men burst into the laundromat while Kerry is there, dragging a tied-up and bloodied young man who they believe is a vampire. Kerry, knowing there is no such thing as vampires, helps the young man escape.

But the next day when Kerry's dad doesn't pick her up from work, she's worried that it has something to do with the events of last night. But then the young man, Ethan, shows up to give her a ride home... where she discovers that her dad and brother have been kidnapped by a crazed vampire hunter. Having run out of options, Kerry asks Ethan for help in finding her family--and learns that vampires do exist, and Ethan is one of them. Can she trust him to help her rescue her family, or is he using her to get at the vampire hunter? She doesn't know who to trust, or even whether she'll live through the night.

Companions of the Night is filled to the brim with action, suspense, romance, and even a little humor. It instantly became a favorite, and I am looking forward to buying it and reading it again and again. If you like vampires, romance, and a superb hard-to-put-down story, this book is just the thing for you.

This is the only book I have ever read more than once! If you've read The Silver Kiss, Shattered Mirror, or any other Vivian Vande Velde books, or vampire books for that matter, you're guaranteed to love this! There are no one, or two star ratings, and that's gotta tell you something. Many of the other reviews of this book end in people saying they want a continuation, and trust me, in the end, you'll well agree. This was the book that got me interested in vampire books, and it's so well written. The only thing I didn't like about this book was that I never could picture what Ethan really looked like, even though she descirbed it very well, and I tried countless times.
It's about a sixteen year old girl named Kerry Nowicki, who, at eleven at night, can't resist her brother's pleas for her to retrieve Footy, his stuffed koala bear, from the 24-hour laundromat he left it at earlier in the day. Kerry's father is sleeping, and her mother left their family for another man. She only has her learners permit, so she has to do this quick.
When she gets there, she finds Footy, and is just about to head out the door, when, all of a sudden, three men come in dragging a fourth, Ethan Bryne (who by the way is really, really hot, his charater is mysterious, incredibly seductive to Kerry, and he's a bad boy, so this is a good book for bad boy fans), who's gagged and bloodied. They spot her, and she has no time to escape. She learns the men believe that Ethan is a vampire, and they think she may well be one also. They allow her to help Ethan with his wounds, so as not to make a nuisance of herself, she doesn't believe anything they say, Ethan seems so helpless, and she has no reason to doubt that he's innocent of everything they're accusing him of, so, she decides to....read it to see what happens.
If you've never read this book before, ENJOY it the first time, I couldn't bring myself to give any of it away, that would ruin it, and you don't want this book ruined the first time you read it. I wish I could read it again, forgetting everything that happened, because the first time is a once in a lifetime thing.
If you don't even like vampire books, this'll change your mind. It's a combination of suspense, and romance, with murder, kidnapping, stealing, vampires, and thrill after thrill, what more can you ask for in one book? I don't think you'd be reading this if you couldn't read, but if you can GET. THIS. BOOK. AND AS I SAID BEFORE, ENJOY IT THE FIRST TIME.
You may never feel the same about any other book, I looked for some more vampire books, but none look this good!!

In our present world, there are so many silly, pointless books about violence and action heroes, books that lack sense and have neither morals nor character development. This story reflects a time when novels were about people just like you and me - people with the same problems, thoughts, and feelings as us.

Anne of Green Gables is a story where a young orphan is adopted by a family in Prince Edward Island, a beautiful area in Canada. The young optimistic girl's imagination often get her into trouble, which makes the book both humorous and enjoyable. The important point about her problems is that they are conflicts faced by many young girls in today's society, despite the fact that she "lived" over a century ago. The character development through the series is what truly makes this piece of literature a classic.

Finally, I would like to say that this is an ideal story for a mother and daughter to read together. This lovely book, full of laughs for all generations, has earned its five stars.

I started the Anne of Greene Gables series when I was 10 or so and could not stop reading it. This book is one of the best classics and one of my all time childhood favorites (Ramona Quimby being the other)! I read all the series that followed as well and they were equally excellent. Lucy Montgomery has created characters that are so endearing and heartwarming that you feel as if they are real and that you can identify with them. The story is a beautiful story with so much imagination, depth, and heart, and even subtle sweet romance...stories that are very rare to come by these days. It truly touched my heart and has continued to warm my heart even to this day at the age of 24 when I am down or just need some inspiration and good fun reading! Girls and women alike should all read this as this series should never fail to inspire you and make you see the world in a more beautiful and different light. Truly touching, inspiring, romantic, and humorous all at once!

first of all, let me begin with I LOVE THIS BOOK! I have read this book more times than I can remember...easily more than a dozen...thus, I am going to set my mind to write a glowing review of it.

This book portrays a stunning sketch of Canadian History and Culture in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The character personalities are so real and so amazingly "human" that one cannot help but fall in love with them. You really get a taste of PEI in its glory.

This story is set in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island (Canada), a fictional settlement which is really Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, the place where Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author grew up.

The main character is Anne Shirley...and eleven year old, enigmatic, imaginative, sparkling, highly intelligent orphan who is sent to Green Gables, a farmhouse in Avonlea, under the impression that she was to be adopted by a pair of elderly siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthburt. But, apon arrival to Green Gables, Anne discovers that there had been a horrible mistake...the Cuthburts never wanted a girl...they wanted a boy who could do the chores and help Matthew with the farm. Anne was was in the "depths of dispair". Matthew, on the drive home from the train station had taken a great shine to Anne and had his heart set on keeping her, regardless of any mistake. Marilla, however, was not so easily enchanted. She agreed to let Anne stay at Green Gables on trial, to see if she would behave herself and lend a helpful hand to Marilla. After the trial, Anne is welcomed to Green Gables and flourishes under the love of the Cuthburts and all Avonlea folk. Anne, however, has one big problem. Her Hair. It is a hopeless shade of carrotty red and Anne felt that it was the ugliest hair anyone could imagine. She was extremely sensitive about it and she was horribly embarrassed about it. On her first day of school, Anne's hair was made fun of by Gilbert Blythe, the smartest and handsomest boy in school. "Carrots! Carrots!" he said. Anne's temper got the better of her and she was so angry she broke a slate over his head. After that, for many years, she snubbed Gilbert every time he spoke to her and he developed a boyhood crush on her.

Ah, but to keep this review interesting and the book mysterious, I will stop telling you the story and begin reviewing. The characters in the book are so well-defined that it seems to you that you know every character personally, like an old friend or neighbour.

And by all means, don't let the age recommendation fool you either...this book can be read by all ages alike...and I have no doubt that this book will still be my avid favorite at the age of 85.

The book is not boring, contrary to many opinions of those who read the first chapter of small print and historical settings. The discriptions will place you right into the heart of the story and you find you will laugh and cry while reading this story. Every time I read it I cry at a certain part which I'm not sure if I should reveal to you for fear of spoiling the good parts in the story, but it is dreadfully sad. If you read the book, then you will know what part I am talking about. The one saddest part in the whole story.

Although this book has some old ideas and ways of expressing them, you will learn a great deal of Canadian history through them and there's no doubt in my mind that this book will still be popular decades and most likely even centuries to come.

The Last Silk Dress by Ann Rinaldi was a very enjoyable novel. The main character, Susan Chilmark, is a fourteen-year-old girl growing up in Richmond during the Civil War. Her father is off at war, and she lives with her crazy mother who often beats her. One day, Susan accidentally ends up meeting her older brother, Lucien, for the first time. Lucien had a terrible fight with his father before Susan was born, and he left his home. Lucien is very unpopular in Richmond because he doesn't believe in the Confederacy's cause and refuses to fight in the war. In my opinion, Lucien was right not to fight for a cause he didn't believe in. However, many people feel Lucien is a traitor, and Susan's mother forbids her to see him. Lucien and Susan meet secretly sometimes, and during one of these meetings Susan and Lucien discuss the hot air balloons the Yankees use to spy on confederate troops. At this point, Susan gets the idea to make a balloon for the confederacy using the silk dresses of women in Richmond. Lucien eventually agrees to help, and Susan is able to collect enough dresses for a balloon to be made. Susan was very clever to come up with the idea of making a balloon from silk dresses. Shortly after the balloon is made, Susan's father is killed in battle. Susan's mother then reveals many family secrets about Susan's father, Lucien, and the family's slave, Sallie. Susan becomes very upset upon hearing these secrets and runs away to live with Lucien. In my opinion, Susan made a good decision when she went to live with Lucien, because her mother was cruel and beat her. At Lucien's house Susan is introduced to a friend of her brother's who is a Yankee, and she falls in love with him. Then, Susan makes a crucial decision that changes her life. Susan significantly changed throughout the novel. At the beginning of the novel, Susan was an innocent girl who believed very strongly in the Confederate cause. Later in the novel when she sees the number of lives the war has claimed, she isn't sure she completely believes in the cause anymore. She even becomes angry at the South for fighting in a war that caused many deaths. Susan matures and realizes that war isn't something to be taken lightly; it is very tragic and claims the lives of many people. As Susan transforms, the reader is able to see the war from her point of view.

The first time I heard about The Last Silk Dress was in my English class a few weeks ago. With only one more month left of the school year I really didn't want to read it because I don't like to read. But when I opened that book and started reading I couldn't stop. Usually when you start reading a book it's boring but with The Last Silk Dress it was different. It was interesting from the beginning to the end.
The Last Silk Dress is about a 14 year old southern belle in the state Richmond, Virginia. Susan Chilmark was... trapped in a cage, I guess you could say,and she was trapped because of her mother. Susan lived in the time of the Civil War and she wanted to do something to help the cause. Her mother allowed her to do nothing. So as often as she could Susan would sneak out of the house to get more news of the Civil War. While out once she ran into her brother, Lucien, that she hadn't seen in years. They began at a bad start but began to connect. When Susan's father died he left Lucien in charge of Susan, and after a terrible night with her mother ,where Susan learned of her true Yankee father, Susan ran from home and stayed with Lucien. But while staying with Lucien so long, with him and his different ideas, Susan began to feel she no longer wanted to be a part of such a terrible war. So she convinced the man she loved to help her give the balloon she made to the Yankees, and he did agains't the approval of Lucien. When Lucien found out what Timothy, the man Susan loved, who was a Yankee, and Susan had done he said he never wanted to see Timothy again. But because of the danger Susan was in in Virginia she needed to leave. So Lucien called Timothy back and they made a plan to get Susan to the North to live with Timothy's family.
This book is the most wonderful book I have ever read, and that means a lot coming out of me because I don't really like reading. I recommend this book to everyone, once you read this book you'll discover how amazing and talented writers are.

This has got to be the best book I have ever read. I would highly recomend it to anyone. I couldn't put this book down once I started reading. "The Last Silk Dress" is a wonderful story about a 14 year old girl named Susan who is living in the capital of the confederacy during the Civil War. She is so head strong. Susan feels she is a true confederate, and thinks she knows what the war is about. During the course of the book she unfolds many secrets. She learns about the war, and about herself in the process. Ann Rinaldi wrote a winner, an I hope she writes a sequal.

I loved this book. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov are the best pairs skaters of all times. This book shows how they met, fell in love, got married and became parents. It must have taken a lot of emotion out of Katia to write this book and relive her life with her Sergei, but it was good for her. I enjoyed the story of how they met and started skating with each other, when he at first didn't think much of her. But as the book progresses, you see how that started to change. Katia grew up into a beauty and Sergei was right there. In the book, you learn a lot about Russia and how life was in the former Soviet Union. You learn a lot about Russian traditions and their way of life, which is so different than the way of life in the west. You also learn about how figure skaters lead their lives and how stressful it can get. We see how Katia and Sergei fall in love, get married and then have Daria. We feel the pain and sorrow of all the deaths that are in the book and we can relive that awful day when Sergei died of a heart attack. The next few chapters are wonderful, as Katia talks openly about how she felt sometimes that it was her fault, how she felt she was too lucky and all the pain and emotions she went through. The tribute chapter is beautifully done and once you read that part, you understand the tribute a lot better. This book deals with romance and tradegy, but also talks about getting your life back together. Katia's decision to keep on skating as a singles skater shows how much she loves the sport and how she is wanting to go on with ther life. Of course, her heart will always be with Sergei, but she knows now that she will be OK and having her little Daria helps her a lot as well. Her courage and determination are inspiring to all of us who have been through terrible pain. It is wonderfully written and as you read it, you can hear Katia's voice in your head, as if she is there talking to you. That is a sign of a fantastic book and you know all the things that are in there have come f

This is one of the most wonderful, most touching, most compeling books that I have ever read. It just pulls you in. Once you start reading it, you just can't stop. It's a wonderful explanation of love and life. Ekaterina expresses herself so well in this novel. She tells how she led a fairytale life with Sergei. How he took care of her and sheltered her from the harsh and bitter world. Then when he died, she tells of the extreme loss of herself that she felt, the lonliness, and how she basically had to learn to live again . . . alone. It's like she is right there in the room with you, telling you her deepest, most heartfelt feelings. When you finish reading this book, you, yourself feel a deep sense of loss, because you can tell that the story is not over. No matter how much loss Ekaterina suffered, her life went on. No matter how hard it was, she went on to skate again . . . with Sergei right beside her.

I recommend this book to anyone, young or old. Especially to teenagers like myself, because it teaches so many life lessons that are so hard to explain. It's astonishing how well Ekaterina was able to distinguish her feelings and put them in words in this book to share with all of us. I plan on reading it several times more. I suggest that you do too!

Highly recommended for anyone who cherishes love, family, and friendship. This book is a moving account of the love and loss Ekaterina (Katia) Gordeeva experienced with Sergei Grinkov. Katia was only 24 when she lost Sergei Grinkov, her husband of five years and skating partner of 13 years, to a fatal heart attack. To most people 25 years is but a very short segment of our lives. When seen through the eyes of Katia, 25 years is an enormous portion of the gift we call "Life". With honesty and emotion interspersed with uplifting humor, Katia tells of her life with Sergei Grinkov. She shares with us the rigors or training and rigid discipline required of Olympic Figure Skating champions, the passion and emotion that made G & G the greatest figure skating pair of all time, the hearts and souls of two young children growing up in Russia, the tender romance of a kind and gentle young man and a naive teengage girl, the love and devotion to one another, and the joy of raising their young daughter. Katia has the ability to tell their life story in such a way as to leave you, not with the impression of a perfect life, but of a life filled with the perfect love. Gordeeva and Grinkov were not perfect nor were their lives, but the love was always there to guide them through life's struggles. If ever two people were made for each other, it must have been Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov

Like most of Jacques's books, you'll always find something new to read everyday. Around every corner is a new adventure and a new twist that hardly entered your mind before. You once again meet the same old friendly moles and their funny speech, brave creatures and you learn more about the rulers of the Mountain of the Fire Lizards, the Badger Lords!

True friendship and love shines through all obstilcals. once again you wonder just how Brain Jacques thinks up of all of these juicy books. the pick em up, never put em down book is back and this one will really have you pacing on your floor, wondering if she or he will make it through the hard difficulty. again saddness arrives but Joy comes also. Don't miss out on another wild ride of a Redwall Series books! I'm warning you, you'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll have your emotions hangin on by just a thin thread when reading these books. Soon you'll be cheering the battle cry of the wild badgers and hares of Salamandeston, " Eeulaliaaaaaaaaaa!"

here you'll feel as if you are watching them, the silent character in the back who knows what's going on and has the brains to figure it out. Get caught up in Jacques's world of talking animals and and funny characters. Made for all ages. But i think 6th graders and up are more able to read and understand these books better, but hey i started in 4th grade!

I read a real good book called Salamandastron, by Brian Jacques. It is a fantasy book about woodland creatures that fight wars with vermin like rats, weasels, stoats, etc......... This particular book is about the evil Ferrahgo the Assassin-an unmerciful ferret warlord that wants to take over the mountain fortress Salamanstron. But, Urthstripe the Strong has other plans.Mean while at Redwall Abbey, place of peace, the sword of their mighty hero has been stolen by two stoats that brought a disease and killed a man.See how they cure the sickness,recover the sword, and if Urthstripe can defeat Ferrahgo and the vermin in the action packed fantasy book, Salamandastron.

Overall, I didn't consider "Salamandastron" to be as good as the other books in the Redwall series, but it was sufficiently well written to earn a rating of five stars.

The book is about Mara, the adopted daughter of Urthstripe, the badger lord of Salamandastron. She is rebellious and resentful of her father's authority over her. Her best friend is a hare called Pikkle Ffolger.

Mara and Pikkle meet a charismatic young weasel, Klitch. Little do they know that Klitch is the son of Ferahgo the Assassin, a ruthless weasel warlord. Ferahgo and his army are making plans to besiege and conquer Salamadastron, and they mean to take Mara and Pikkle as hostages.

Meanwhile, at Redwall Abbey, a young squirrel named Samkim and his mole friend, Arula, are busy getting into trouble because of their penchant for archery. During a thunderstorm, the sword of Martin the Warrior is blown down from the weathervane and lands next to Samkim.

One day, two ragged, filthy stoats named Dingeye and Thura show up at the Abbey gates, begging for shelter. Abbess Vale reluctantly lets them into the Abbey; they cause trouble and tragedy and end up stealing the sword. Samkim and Arula pursue them. Samkim and Mara meet, and they are both catapaulted into the desperate struggle to save Salamadastron.

This book also has a side plot involving an epidemic at Redwall Abbey and a journey to find the remedy. There is also a mysterious haunted island and a mischievous baby mouse, as well as the Guosim. Although "Salamandastron" might seem slightly boring in comparison with the previous four books in the series, it is still a worthwhile book to read.

I have been reading Christopher Pike since before I even remember. The Last Vampire series is one of my all time favorites, and it so happends the first one is the best in my opinion. Its amazing how Mr.Pike can transport readers into a completely different world. He made Sita sound real, he took her and made it seem possible for a 1000 year old vampire to exsit in todays world. I really liked how he made Sita a woman. It's a stereotype that all good vampires in storys have to be male. Sita was powerful and witty and a wonderful charcter. I recomend you read this book, and it wouldnt be a bad idea to read the other ones as well, there are 4 so far and 3 in the works. Its a wonderful experience!

Christopher Pike is the man! Pike's novels shouldn't be classified just as young adult reading because I think that puts a stereotype on his wonderful books. Everyone of every age will enjoy this great story.

The Last Vampire is a story about a 5000 year-old vampire named Sita who takes us through her life, past and present, allowing us to explore the magic of her immortality. It's not a book written to only capture "young adults", it's written intelligently for mature, educated readers. Pike doesn't tell us about Sita, he puts us right with her throughout the story with vivid descriptions, and great use of imagination. Sita tells us her story as she hunts her prey, and we unknowingly become possesed by her.

For 5000 years Sita has traveled all over the world as a predator. She kills and has killed thousands through the years and yet, through Pike's incredible writing, we feel compassionate for her. She becomes our heroine and we want to be immortal like her.

Even before the first page is "told" she already knows that she is not the last vampire, even though she's been sure she has been for the last 4000 years. Some one is hunting her and she has an idea of who it might be: Yaksha, her creator, who has much more strength and power than she does.

She learns than, in order to defeat him and survive, she must remember her past, to what Krishna had told her long ago. Pike's digressions into the Sita's past with Krishna are my favorite parts of the book because of the beauty with which they is told. We learn about Lord Krishna and his wisdom and his influence over Sita's life. Also, the research Mr. Pike does into his books is incredible, his facts are always very accurate and nothing is lacking in his history here.

This book is a very fast read, it is so gripping that it's impossible to put down. Fortunately, The Last Vampire Continues into 5 other books that, put together, make a fantastic saga. My advice, buy all of them at once so when you finish one you can immediately pick up the next one without a wait, then read them all over again.

I have read the entire Last Vampire series several times and every time is better than the last. I have recommended these books to many people and I have yet to hear anyone who was not completely entranced by this beautiful tale of the life of Sita/Alisa Perne. These books will cater to every expectation you could have of a book. It has romance, mystery, drama, fantasy, reality, and horror. You may be skeptical at first about the title "The Last Vampire" but once you pick up this book and start to read, I guarentee that you will not be able to put it down. Once it is finished, you'll be running to the book store, or to your computer for that matter to purchase the entire series. Christopher Pike is a genius when it comes to writing books and "The Last Vampire" is proof of that

This book begins in the African village of Juffure in the mid-1700's with the birth of Kunta Kinte. The reader is permitted to partake in the first 17 years of Kunta's life, learning along with Kunta the customs of his people... We cheer with him when he graduates from one kafo to the next; we sit in awesome wonder as we read about all of the things he sees on his travels; and we cry out in agony as he is captured and kidnapped by slave traders. We follow Kunta to America, where he makes four failed attempts to escape before slave catchers cut off half of his foot. If more than half of the book is dedicated to Kunta, the remainder of the book is dedicated to his legacy. We follow the life stories of Kunta's daughter Kizzy and Kizzy's son Chicken George, all the way down to Alex himself -- who sits on his grandmother Cynthia's knee, over and over again hearing the story of "The African". I was so captivated by Roots that I took the book with me even to the bathroom. You will not be able to put this book down.

One of my college friends who studied comparative literature in China wrote to me a few years ago, about how she was longing to visit Georgia one day, "The plantation, and the oak trees...". Gone with the wind is a classic and was well translated in many languages. The movie also brought countless publicity and I remembered that I read an article once how the book "corrected" the public perception of the south and the slavery.

Well, that was my impression too, until I read Roots. Gone With The Wind is a story from Whites perspective with a focus on romance. I feel now it carried a heavy make up on the real south and the slavery. It eulogized the relationship between white masters and black slaves. Roots, on the other hand, describes the same south and the slavery, from Blacks perspective.

Roots started from Kunta Kinte's life back in Africa, to stories of several generations in the South. I feel the African part was hard to read, maybe due to lack of interests personally. Once I got past that part, I was fascinated by the story and I was saddened many times by their struggles. I believe the book displayed a much more accurate picture on the slavery and on relationships between whites and blacks. It is more than a family's tale, it is history!

I strongly recommend this book to everybody, especially to those who are interested into American History, to non-blacks, and to foreigners like myself. With Gone With The Wind overshadowed Roots in many other countries, this book offers a great education on American Slavery and on Black History. It shreds new lights on the origins of many current issues in the U.S. such as racism, racial profiling, and affirmative action. I rank this book the best book I've ever read, well, at least in English.

I'm 21 and missed the phenom that was the mini-series. I picked up "Roots" after having read "Queen" and enjoying it immensely. I was a little frustrated with the first 150-200 pages that chronicle Kunta Kinte's life in Africa. It was interesting, but I was expecting to read about antebellum American history, and this didn't appear to be it. I was quickly over it as Mr. Haley guided me on a sojourn through seven generations of Kunta Kinte's progeny. I found the story to be an educational and entertaining tale.

Then I hit page 702.

Alex Haley was born. All along I knew this story was a dramatic interpretation of his family history, but suddenly, my God, these people were real. Their sufferng was real. The inhumanities they faced were real. That young man who lived a rightous and rightful life in Africa (HOW IMPORTANT THAT I LEARNED ABOUT HIM) and had it stolen from him was, too, real.

Just another reminder of how cavilier our lives have become; how much we take as granted. Truly, I am better having read this book. Even with my blue eyes and ruddy cheeks, I found there a great and valuable piece of my own heritage as an American and the nature of us all as human beings. How ashamed I am to be a member of a species that could commit such atrocities. And how proud to be of those that bravely overcome them.

Leah's Mom gets married for the 5th time and goes on a honeymoon right before Christmas. Then Leah sudenly winds up in the hospital for just a little broken finger. But to find out something really bad happens but of coarse to all bad things there is something good. Leah meets a Amish family while shes in the hospital and falls in love with the older brother of Rebekah Leah's roommate. To find out what happens read Angels Watching Over ME

The first and the best book in the trilogy of Leah and Ethan. Sixteen-year old Leah is hospitalized with nothing more wrong with her then a broken finger. Her mother, who has never really seemed to care for her, is away on a honeymoon with her new husband, Neil. Leah feels lonely, but is kept company by the family of her Amish roomate, Rebekah. Rebekah's older brother and sister, Charity and Ethan. As this magical and touching story unfolds they begin to become good friends and Leah learns more about the Amish way of life and their belief in God and angels. Leah also becomes attracted to Ethan. Then she recieves terrifying news about her medicial condition. As Leah tries to deal with the news, her friends are always there for he. It had a wonderful ending but which seemed a little rushed. This book could definetly have done with beng a few chapters longer. But still a great read, though the rest of the trilogy is a let-down.

Leah plays a great role. It is great to see how she get's to know and start to see some of their points of view with the amish. She learned that miracles do come true even in the wrost siturations. She falls in love with a amish boy even though their worlds are completely diffrent. This book makes me feel that we should appreciate things in life because we never know when disaster will strike or what bad or good things will come with it. In another book the sequeal to this one "Lifted up by angels" also makes me feel this way. Two worlds come together even though it seems as though they should be completely diffrent. Even on christmas hopes and spirits are lifted. Leah knows what it feels like to be alone but just when she thought she would have to spend christmas alone a group of so called angels appear. The angels to Leah are the Longacres. Another angel appears to Leah and Rebakkah her name is Gabrielle. She takes care of Leah and Rebakkah. Leah doesn't know what to think until Gabrielle tells Leah that a book will be found in the library. Leah goes there and finds a diary. she gave it to the nurse that she considered a friend "Molly". It appears this diary was important to Molly and they never could find it until today. I just couldn't put the book down until the end and then I read it again. I hope to see more of her books. They make my day and even make me think about things that are important to me.

The Thorn Birds, written by Colleen McCullough, in my opinion is the greatest romance novel of all time. The character of Meggie Cleary is my favorite character in all of literature. Her strength, beauty, passion and love makes her a timeless heroine. Meggie and Father Ralph share a love story that spans many years and many heartbreaks. Even though they are not together, the book always has a undercurrent where you can feel their longing and endless love for each other, even though they are not together. In their hearts, they will be together forever.Meggie and Ralph are the Romeo and Juliet of the Australian outback- just as tortured and tragic. The miniseries was also fabulous--Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward make me speechless every time I see it. It is spectacular. Read The Thorn Birds and watch the series, if you are lucky enough to have the chance. You will never be the same--it's not just a book or a movie, it's an experience. Thank you Colleen McCullough, for such a wonderful story.

The Thorn Birds, by Colleen McCullough, begins in 1915 and spans three generations long. It is a complex story about the Cleary family that leave their home in New Zealand to live and work on a relative's extensive, Australian sheep ranch. At the ranch, the family experiences many tragedies and hardships including fires, floods, droughts, and devastating deaths of loved ones. The main character, Meggie, falls madly in love with a handsome man named Ralph. Unfortunately, Meggie is not able to marry Ralph because he is a priest. Ralph loves Meggie dearly, but has devoted his entire life to God. Throughout the novel, they experience great love and sorrow together. Meggie has children who become the third generation of the novel. The children bring her much happiness, but she still has a deep passion for Ralph in her heart. This forbidden love for Ralph will stay burning inside her soul throughout her entire life.

I truly enjoyed how the author used a lot of description and detail in the novel. This description enabled me to paint vivid pictures of the beautiful, Australian land in my mind, as well as clear pictures of the many different characters' inner and outer appearances.

This extraordinary love story was like an emotional rollercoaster. It twisted and turned leaving me feeling many different emotions including love, humor, sadness, anger, hate, and malice. I often found myself crying as well as laughing while I eagerly devoured every word on the page. It kept me reading and reading until the very interesting ending. I would recommend this captivating novel to anyone who is looking for a great story about life and love! I'm sure you will enjoy it just as much as I did!

"The Thorn Birds" by Colleen McCullough is my favorite novel. It is in a category by itself and deserves more than five stars. I saw ten minutes of the miniseries on television and knew I had to read the book. I was twelve, and the story of Meggie and Ralph moved me to hysterical tears. I am now 18, and I have read the book so many times I have lost count. Set in the Australian Outback in the years surrounding WWII, it is the story of a girl growing up, learning that "The best is only bought at the cost of great pain...Or so says the legend." The courage and strength of Meggie despite the tremendous hardships of her life inspires me. I must admit I fell in love with Ralph de Bricassart; first with his name, then with the man. (I can only hope to find such a person!) All of the other characters--Fee, Paddy, Frank, Dane, Justine, Rain--are developed clearly throughout the story. McCullough is a genius for combining three generations of the Cleary family into one novel! I still cry when I read the story, for the love, and for the pain. The introductory story of the thornbird is a lesson for life: all sadness will pass, and one day something beautiful will come from that pain. A highly emotional book, "The Thorn Birds" is the best work of this century. It is worth reading to anyone who enjoys drama and romance, as well as suspense, action, and sadness! The movie based on the novel starring Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward is an excellent interpretation.