Review Date: 4/14/2009

Helpful Score: 2

If you are into mindless SM/Bondage you might like this book. After the first few pages, there was no connection or relationship to the Sleeping Beauty story. Otherwise, it was a typical story of this genre and could have been written by anyone with a lurid imagination and twisted sexual fantasies. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. If you are into this sort of thing, then you might enjoy it. Otherwise, pass it by.

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Review Date: 12/29/2009

I really enjoy a well written, well researched, mystery/adventure/detective historically based fiction novel. Unfortunately, this wasn't it. This book is poorly written and barely keeps the readers interest. I could forgive all of that if the author didn't make a point of stating that the places and organizations in the novel are true. In fact, it has been proven that he created most of the plot out of thin air and fabricated all of his "facts". Sure it is fiction, but he makes fantastic claims that seem to have no more point than following an anti-religion agenda. I'm sure that some people are satisfied with that, but I don't enjoy reading an author who has such an intellectural dishonesty. Having ruined his credibility as an author with this book, I know now to never read another of his offerings.

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Review Date: 10/2/2008

I read this book with the antiipation that it would shed some light on the media's role in the political process. To give the author credit, he does identify himself as a liberal and disclose that his wife is a Democrat Party operative, then he goes on to try and convince the reader that he is unbiased. He does a woefully poor job of doing so. He takes every opportunity to jab at G. W. Bush and the Republicans while giving lip service to any irregularities on the Democrat side of the discussion.

This was hardly the unbiased account of a career newspaper journalist. It is an interesting read but don't read it with the idea that it will shed any light on the political process.

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Review Date: 8/7/2009

This book is my daughter's favorite book. At her suggestion and insistence, I read the book. I have read thousands of books in my life in every possible genre and can say unequivocally that this is the worst book that I have ever read. To say that I hated it would be an understatement. I don't know how such a book gets a Newberry Award, but I know now that such an award does not confer any real significance to the book. This is certainly not a book for children and should not be marketed as such.

If I could give it 0 stars (or less) I would.

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Review Date: 12/14/2008

This is a good read. It has a solid protagonist and snappy dialogue. The story moves along and doesn't get bogged down in any spots. I recommend it for anyone who likes a good detective story.

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Review Date: 12/9/2008

Helpful Score: 1

This is a very enjoyable book. It evokes the "what if" wonder that we all feel as children growing up. What if I could "jump" like Davey? How would I change my life?

I read this several years ago and have it on my permanent bookshelf. I will read it again soon and enjoy it as much or more than I did before.

I highly recommend this book to anyone. A good read.

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Review Date: 5/30/2009

Helpful Score: 1

I read this book 35 years ago and really liked it then. Now, having read it at 56 years old, I have a better insight on the characters and the book and like it even better. This is a well-written book that draws you into the story from page one and doesn't let you go even after you have finished the book. It is astonishing that the author was 16 year old when she wrote this. I highly recommend this book to anyone. I have given it to my son to read and hope that he gets as much out of it as I did.

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Review Date: 12/9/2008

Helpful Score: 3

This is one of the best books that I have read and recommend it highly.

The reader is drawn into the story from page one as the young boy struggles to determine and deal with what is going on in his life during very turbulent times. It is a story of friendships, perseverence and the determination of a young boy as he grows into manhood and negotiates his way in South Africa, a place that is very dangerous physically, socially and emotionally. The story begins just prior to World War 2 and progresses to about 20 years later. Anyone who has seen the movie will not really recognize the book as it is much, much better.

All in all, a Great Read!

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Review Date: 10/31/2008

I enjoyed this book. Jack Daniels is a thoroughly believable character who comes across as a real human being not a supercop. The dialogue is very clever and often humorous and the other characters a fairly solid. Having said all of that, I would also say that this is almost the same plot and storyline as the first book, Whisky Sour with a shifting of characters. Don't let that deter you from reading and enjoying this book but at the same time, don't expect anything new.

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Review Date: 3/24/2009

Helpful Score: 2

This is not the type of book that I normally read but it was recommended to me by my brother. I was truly impressed by the research and presentation of this book. It drew me in and I felt like I was part of the story. I felt that this was an excellent book and didn't want it to end. I would recommend it to anyone regardless of what type of book you "normally" read. A truly good read.

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Review Date: 1/4/2009

Helpful Score: 1

This is one of the better books that I have read. The research that went into the writing of this book is incredible. You don't have to like history or historical fiction to like this book. All that I ever knew of Richard III was from what Shakespeare that I had in school. This book gives him humanity and substance rather than the comic book-like characterization that has been the case in the past.

This is the first of Sharon Kay Penman's books that I have read. If they are all as well written and researched as this one, all I can say is, Wow! I recommend this book highly to anyone. A highly enjoyable read.

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Review Date: 11/10/2008

Helpful Score: 1

I read this book on the advice of my supervisor who raved about it. To say that I was disappointed was a huge understatement. Trying to make sense of the whole thing and stay awake was a significant challenge. Although many people have hailed this book as the new coming of personal time and work management as well as a life philosophy, I found it extremely boring and personally useless. I have read thousands of books in my life and this is one of the two worst books that I have ever read.

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Review Date: 5/30/2009

Helpful Score: 4

I read this book as a favor to my wife. She had read it and was so impressed she asked me to read it. Since I don't read "those books" I went into the read with some pre-conceived notions. After all, it was a Jude Deveraux book which meant romance which meant that I would not like it at all. At least that's what I thought.

I would have been satisfied to have read only the first chapter and if I never read the rest of the book, I could not have been more impressed. I really like this book. It is written in such a way as to give the reader the impression that they were the main character in the story. I wasn't outside reading about the character, I was the character. I haven't had that happen to me in a long time.

Regardless of the genre that you are interested in or the kinds of books that you read, this is worth the time that it will take you to pick up the book and read the first sentence. Highly recommended.

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