Top 10 Books

If you had to pick your Top 10 favorite books what would they be? Comment below with the answer.

(My favorites in no particular order as it is just too hard and I know there are not 10 - Gone with the wind, Heidi, Little Women, Harry Potter series)

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: 101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle

A Cheeky Book with Tidbits of Advice for a Glamorous Lifestyle
By: Dawn Del Russo

What this book is about:
In 101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle, author Dawn Del Russo provides quick, cheeky tips to living the swank life even when your bank account is busted. Throughout the book, each one-liner of advice is illustrated by Barbara Ann Scarrillo with charming, fashionable sketches. Del Russo is a high profile fashion stylist has been featured in print like US Weekly, Life and Style, InStyle, Glamour, Real Simple, and on Fox 5 NY for her style advice and a contributing writer for multiple online publications.

Did you like this book: This book is a delicious and breezy walk through updating and improving all areas of your life. From getting a properly fitting bra, cleaning out your closet and looking good in jeans this book is a fast read and has it all. It was a cute and quick read that was the perfect afternoon pick me up full of good advice.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi"

The Origin of Foreign Words Used in English
By Chloe Rhodes

What this book is about:
"English doesn't borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, knocks them over, and goes through their pockets for loose grammar." -James D. Nicoll
Chloe Rhodes is a tour de force of information in her latest book about the origin of foreign words and how we use them. From amok to debacle and paparazzi (Italian for mosquitoes), Rhodes delights and intrigues a solid book.

Did you like it:
This book is beautifully presented with decorative hardcover and gift tag on the inside making it the perfect book to use as a gift. I found it interesting and I was surprised at how many words that we use in everyday life have their origins in other countries. I was taken aback to learn ketchup, the all-American condiment, began life as koechiap in seventeenth century China! Full of fun, surprises and insights this book is an organized, easy read. For each word, Rhodes not only gives the origin of the word, but also how they became included in our language.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Trial and Heirs, Famous Fortune Fights

By Andrew & Danielle Mayoras




What this book is about:
In the past years, we have all watched the estate battles of celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Ted Kennedy, Princess Di, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Ray Charles and Rosa Parks play out in multi-million dollar celebrity tabloid slugfests. In thier new book, Trial and Heirs, Legacy Expert Attorneys Andrew W. Mayoras and Danielle B. Mayoras delve beyone the saucy headlines and are your guides to an entertaining look at one of life's more unsavory discussions. This easy-to-follow guide is complete with Tips to Avoid a Family Fight and Ideas to Spark Family Discussion.

Did you like it:
This book could be called Estate Planning for Dummies because it makes learning the details about wills, trusts and legacy planning easy and entertaining. How they managed to make a book about protecting your assets and seeking assistance in legacy planning fun is a mystery to me. I loved it and flipped right through the book. There is also a companion website, www.trialandheirs.com ,for those seeking more information.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Home Before Dark

A Family Portrait of Cancer and Healing
By: David, Kate, Michael & Sam Treadway

What this book is about:
What if your entire life changed in an instant? It happened to David Treadwell when he awoke in the middle of the night with a pain in his shoulder. Days later when he learned he had Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a 25% chance of survival, both he and his family dealt with the news in different ways. As the treatment of the disease raged war in his body, Treadwell’s instinct as a successful psychologist was to prepare his wife and children for his death. What resulted was a family writing project and a compressive look at one family and their journey into the unknown that is cancer. David Treadwell beat the odds and has been enjoying life in remission since 2006.

Did you like this book:
A poignant portrait of a family struggling with a serious illness, this book weaves a rich tale that will strike a chord with anyone who is part of a family. The story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of David (the father transitioning to patient facing his own mortality), Kate (the mother, wife and doctor faced with losing her life-long partner) and their two children. You are left with a complete and vibrant view of the family’s march through the fog, navigating life post-diagnosis. Dealing with the stress of a holiday when it could be the “last” one you have together to adult children balancing blazing their own path in the world with the knowledge that their father could be slipping away and any time with him is precious, it is a story anyone who has loved and been afraid to lose can relate to. It was beautiful and uplifting. Your priorities will completely change when you read it and it will be a well needed reminder to enjoy every day and every minute with those that you hold dear. It is the story of the journey of a family and many will be able to relate to it.

Author Interview: Peter Begley Author of The Finger Prince

Tell us a little about yourself

I grew up on the lower east side of New York City where at the ripe old age of 2 I did my first drawings. I continued to draw my way into different art schools and eventually became an art director for and award winning advertising agency, working on TV commercials and print ads. In my spare time I worked on screenplays, TV shows ideas, even comic strips. One of those comic strip ideas turned into the children's book . It never dawned on to write a children's book. I have never been married and have no children, unless you count my 48 year old parrot Giba. Who I've had since she was 6 months old. But a children's book was what this idea was best suited from. The Finger Prince was born.

Tell us about your book

The Finger Prince is the story of a little finger print who is looking for his identity. The story touches upon the importance of self worth and self esteem for every young child. As no two fingerprints are alike, no two children are alike. Each must find their way and discover their own uniqueness.

Where did you come up with the inspiration for your books?

Everywhere, It's all about being observant and listening to your inner voice. The key is not to have any preconceived ideas. Be as open as a child.

What question do you get asked in regards to the book?

I can only remember the very first question i was asked as I read the book to a group of children for the first time. I was a little nervous knowing that kids could be brutally honest. To my relief their first question was, when are you going to write another one?

What prompted you to begin writing?

I always loved to draw and my playfulness took over from there. While in the ad business I worked with very talented writers and found out that putting words and pictures together was what I really liked doing.

What is your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part?

My favorite part is in coming up with the idea for the book. Then its the writing and drawing. My least favorite part would be finalizing of all the details like checking the spelling. I'm the world's worst speller.

What are you working on next?

The next Finger Prince book will be a musical. The story will be told in a song that will have music for voice and piano.

If you could not have been a writer what do you think you would want to be?

In the last 7 years I've learned to sing and I've done so in both large and small choirs. I just love it. i find enormous joy in it.

What do you wish I would ask you?

We'll how about, do I ever get writers block? The answer is yes and no. We all get stuck sometimes but it happens less often. The Finger Prince was originally an idea for a comic strip called The Finger Prints., but it was never finished. After dropping it for many years I realized, by accident, it was really a children's book. So now I'm always working on multiple projects. If one of them stalls I move to another and later go back to the stalled project. There's an old saying that if you keep watching the pot the water never boils. It works the same for ideas.

A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi"
By Chloe Rhodes,
Author of A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi": The Origin of Foreign Words Used in English

Picture this scenario: You're having a tête-à-tête with an old friend from your alma mater, who is a wine aficionado. So you pick an al fresco table at a chic little café, and order from the a la carte menu. However, your companion won't stop exchanging double entendres with the woman in the sarong at the next table. So you're stuck listening to the klutz of a waiter droning on ad nauseam about the soup du jour. At that point, you're ready to say hasta la vista -- but you don't want to seem like a diva.

Try to say all that in "English." You probably wouldn't change a single word. How else would you describe such a scene if it weren't for the thousands of foreign words and phrases we've snuck into our conversations over the years? We all use them without a second thought. But how much do you really know about the origins of the borrowed words and phrases you use every day?

Did you know, for example, that when you place an order for apple pie a la mode, that you are using a phrase that dates back to the days of King Louis XIV? His court became such a standard of good taste that the British aristocracy wanted to do more than dress in French fashion; they wanted to use their phrase for it, too. In the seventeenth century the term was anglicized to become alamode -- a light silk used to make scarves. And at some point in small-town America, the combined flavors of cooked apple, sweet pastry, and cool, creamy vanilla represented the very latest in fashionable, cutting-edge gastronomy, giving the term its modern meaning of "with ice cream."

And there's hundreds of other examples from France: laissez faire, joie de vivre, fait accompli, faux pas, I could go on but you'd only become blasé. And with good reason; English speakers have been word collectors since the fifth century, when the dialects of Anglo-Saxon settlers, Celts, and Norse invaders were cobbled together to create Old English. When the Norman conquerors arrived in 1066 it must have seemed natural to steal some of their vocabulary, too. By the end of the thirteenth century, more than 10,000 French words were absorbed into English -- and we still use 75 percent of them today.

But we've done more than add a French lilt to our lingo. Those Normans also introduced us to Latin. In medicine, we have words like post-mortem and placebo, while in legal language, Latin phrases such as in camera and quid pro quo are still bounced around the courtroom. And others have crossed over into broader use; an agreement or contract signed in good faith is said to be bona fide. However, in everyday use, the phrase has become interchangeable with the word genuine and usually describes someone or something whose authenticity can be trusted.

More foreign phrases joined the fray during the marauding, seafaring days of our English-speaking ancestors, who filled their boats with strange Asian spices, exotic fabrics, and loads of new words for all the animals, garments and foods they had discovered.

Even ketchup, that favorite sidekick of French fries, is an import, starting life as a spicy pickled fish sauce in seventeenth-century China. The word is a Westernized version of the Malay word kichap, which came from koechiap, meaning fish brine. The sweet red version we love with began to take shape when American sailors added tomatoes, which are excellent for preventing scurvy. In 1876 John Heinz launched his infamous tomato ketchup and the rest, as they say, is history.

And there are stowaway words in your wardrobe as well as your pantry; your pajamas, dungarees, and even your bandanna have their origins on foreign shores. Bandanna comes from the Sanskrit word bandhana, meaning to tie, from the tie-dying technique used to decorate scarves and handkerchiefs in India. The anglicized "bandanna" was incorporated into the English language during the days of the British Raj, though they're now more popular with wrestlers and cowboys who want to give their look a certain panache.

And while the Brits went abroad to gather additions for their dictionary, in seventeenth-century North America, words were coming to the English language by the boatload. Soon words from Italy, Poland, German, and Eastern Europe were leaping off immigrant ships and landing in the American English lexicon. To uncover the backstory on some of these, from alter ego to zeitgeist, explore the pages of A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi -- The Origin of Foreign Words Used in English by Chloe Rhodes, published by Reader's Digest, and voilá! Soon you'll easily be able to schmooze with everyone at the next cocktail party without making a single faux pas.

© 2010 Chloe Rhodes, author of A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi": The Origin of Foreign Words Used in English

Author Bio
Chloe Rhodes, author of A Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi": The Origin of Foreign Words Used in English, is a freelance journalist who has worked for The Telegraph, Guardian and The Times as well as numerous other respected publications. She lives in North London with her husband.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Be the Noodle: Fifty Ways to Be a Compassionate, Courageous, Crazy-Good Caregive

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews:
Be the Noodle: Fifty Ways to Be a Compassionate, Courageous, Crazy-Good Caregiver

By: Lois Kelly

What this book is about:
This book is based on the author's journey of being a caregiver through her mother’s terminal illness. Be the Noodle, chronicles the crazy things that happen during the twists and turns of the caregiving journey.

Did you like it:
Lois Kelly has written a book that every caregiver should be given. From dealing with guests that stay too long, unhelpful family members and all that banana bread, she has you covered. From the serious to the silly, she bares all. Many caregivers are thrust into the role of a lifetime with no training and they just have to sink or swim. Unfortunately, most don't ask for help or know where to turn. Kelly has throws back the curtain with fifty bite-sized tidbits that will have you laughing one minute and becoming misty eyed the next.

Book Giveaway

Come and join the fun! Author Linda Weaver Clarke is having an Author Interview and Book Give Away on Linda's Blog. For those who enjoy a good history lesson about how we received our freedom and being entertained by fictional characters, come visit and read the interview.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Just Don't Call Me Ma'am

What this book is about:
Anna Mitchael has a few tales to tell about her twenties and they are hilariously touching. Join her as she gets her first Brazilian wax, dumped and left alone in her New York apartment, navigates endless stints as a bridesmaid, explains to her Texas grandmother why she is a vegetarian and finds herself along the way.

What did you think of this book:
The only word I can think of to describe this book is delicious! I could not wait to finish the book. The writing is divinely rich as Mitchael tells a variety of tales of her loves, lessons and adventures that made up her twenties. The stories are conveyed with wry humor, but they weren’t too heavy on the sarcasm and I thought the blend was just perfect. If you are in your twenties, then you will see the book as a companion guide as you attempt to find yourself. If you have moved on from your twenties you will find yourself wanting to reminisce your own twenty something adventures with Michael over a few good drinks, even though you know her stories will trump yours. Overall, a great read and the type of book that gets passed around your circle of girlfriends. You know the type of book where you just hand it to your friend, completely unsolicited, and say you have to read this? This is one of those books.

Interview with Linda Weaver Clarke

Tell us a little about yourself.

I teach people how to take their family history or their own autobiography and turn it into interesting stories. It’s important to teach our children their heritage. They need to be proud of their ancestors. I teach people how to put their stories down in an interesting way. I love what Leon Garfield said, “The historian, if honest, gives us a photograph; the storyteller gives us a painting.” That’s what I do. I teach people how to paint their stories, how to be a storyteller.

Tell us about your new book.

“Anasazi Intrigue” is the first in a mystery series. It’s about a devastating flood that takes out several homes in a small town, the importance of preserving ancient artifacts, and a few puzzling and mysterious events. Julia is a reporter, and when she finds out about a possible poison spill that kills some fish and neighbor's pets, she has a feeling that something isn’t quite right. Before she realizes what is happening, Julia finds out that this incident is much bigger and more dangerous than she thought. With dead fish, a devastating flood, and miscreants chasing John and Julia, they have their hands full.

Where did you come up with the inspiration for your book?

It came from a true experience that really happened right here in my little valley of southern Utah. In 2005, our small five-foot-wide river grew and grew until it was as wide as the length of a football field, and it was taking everything in its path. The flood was a terrible disaster. About two hundred homes were seriously damaged and twenty-five were completely destroyed. In three days time, it had dug into the earth’s surface, carving away at the banks, creating ridges as high as forty feet deep. In fact, the river was moving at ten feet per hour, just like a plow pushing the dirt and trees down the river. Several weeks later, a man found his car thirty miles downstream from his home. During this time, everyone worked hard to help the residents remove what they could from their homes before the flood hit, but there were those who escaped with only the clothes on their backs. The experience of charity and compassion by the people was incredible.

That wasn’t the only inspiration behind my book. I was really interested in the Anasazi Indians who settled right here in my valley. Where did they come from and how did they live? Indian art painted or engraved in rock gives us an idea who the Anasazi were, their beliefs and lifestyle. Many people wonder why the Anasazi Indians disappeared, leaving behind their belongings and valuables. In my research, I found that archaeological thievery is becoming more and more of a problem every year. When an ancient ruin is discovered, it doesn’t take long for thieves to find out about it. Did you know that an ancient funeral pit can be sold for $60,000 on the black market? Not to mention all the pottery, baskets, and pendants found by looters. It’s a very intriguing subject to me and I enjoyed learning so much in my research.

What question do you get asked the most about in regards to your books?

Many people ask me how much research I do. I love research and learn a great deal. While writing this novel, I learned the importance of a Kiva, that it represents the journey of life (birth, death, and the hereafter), and that it’s a place for spiritual instruction. I also learned that archaeological thievery is growing every year. Theft at the Four Corners area of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico is a big problem. The damage to these sites is estimated at almost $42,000 in two year’s time.

What prompted you to begin writing?

It all started with my ancestors’ stories. Their experiences were so interesting that I decided to write their stories down. After I finished, I couldn’t stop writing, so I turned to fiction.

What is your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part?

My favorite part is developing my characters and learning more and more about them. I begin to fall in love with them and understand them more fully. My least favorite is trying to think up just the right amount of suspense for a mystery to hold my reader.

What are you working on next?

I have always been intrigued with the Mayan culture. Who were they, what were their beliefs, and why did they abandon such magnificent buildings in southern Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula? My second mystery in this series is called “Mayan Intrigue” and will be released in about four months. In this mystery series, there will be four books that deal with similar subjects.

If you couldn't be a writer (or have anything to do with writing) what do you think you would want to be?

An archaeologist!

How important do you think writing is in a child’s life?

It’s very important because it works on their creativity. Writing helps to express one’s innermost feelings. Many times, writing can be a healing process. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, if children learn to write, they can learn to express themselves much better. In fact, one library asked me to teach a group of troubled teens, ones who had problems. These kids were so interested and interacted with me so well. It was a wonderful experience.

What do you hope that your readers gain from your books?

Entertainment and a little education! My goal is to uplift others and bring a little joy into their lives. To read an excerpt from each of my books, visit my website at www.lindaweaverclarke.com.

Book Review: Immortal in Death

By: J.D. Robb

I have slowly begun to start over with the "In Death" series. I have loved it for a long time and started at the beginning of the series and found it to be great. While J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts is a prolific author - they don't seem to come quick enough for me.

As I have moved to more audio books (the joys of having an infant) I thought it might be the perfect opportunity to start over and see how the relationships of everyone that I have grown to get to know have changed. And I have to say it was refreshing. Had I forgotten about how Mavis and Leonardo got started? Or even how things started out for Rourke and Eve. When/how did Peabody join the picture (it sure seemed like she had always been around)?

The series itself is great. The fact that it is set in the future only adds to the appeal (though I did have a stray thought coming in to work today - why doesn't Roarke hook Eve up with some sort of homing beacon - she sure does have bad things happen to her where they can't find her all the time).

With all of that in mind - I definitely recommend to whoever is interested - picking up this book or set of books. I will be listening to book 4 as we speak.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Is He Lying to You? An Ex-CIA Polygraph Examiner Reveals What Men Don't Want You Know

By: Dan Crum "The Dating Detective"

What this book is about:
Do you know the two biggest signs that you are being deceived? Do you know the two magic ways to trap a liar and the main reason we miss deception? Have you been lied to? Does your love life need a detective? If so, Dating Detective Dan Crum has you covered. In his new release, "Is He Lying to You", former CIA Polygrapher Crum lays out an impressive how-to guide to spot and deal with those in your life who stretch the truth.

Did you like this book:
This book should be on every woman's nightstand. Sorry guys, but ladies don't waste any more time being disappointed by bad dates, misbehaving husbands and shameful boyfriends. I really like that this book not only gives you more detail than you ever thought possible to spot a liar, but it delves into what is going on in your head that might make you bias and more likely to believe these lying liars. You can also visit the companion website, www.ishelyingtoyou.com for more information.

Book Review: The Founding

by Cynthia Harrod Eagles


Press Information:

The Founding by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

The first book in the epic bestselling Morland Dynasty series which spans from the Wars of the Roses to Queen Victoria's long reign, where war and famine, peace and plenty, love and loyalty, greed and envy spread the lines of the family throughout the country—into the courts of kings and the salons of the Regency, onto the battlefields of Culloden and the Crimea and beyond.

In The Founding, seeking power and prestige, grim, ambitious Yorkshireman Edward Morland arranges a marriage between his meek son Robert and spirited Eleanor, young ward of the influential Beaufort family. Eleanor is not only appalled at being forced to marry a mere "sheep farmer," but is secretly in love with Richard, Duke of York. Yet, in time, this apparently ill-matched union becomes both passionate and tender, the foundation of the Morland Dynasty, and sustains them through bloody civil war which so often divides families, sets neighbor against neighbor, and brings tragedy close to home.

Special thanks to Danielle Jackson from Sourcebooks for providing this.

Review:
I love historical fiction and this one is no exception. Finding a nice mix of history and flare so that you don't feel overwhelmed with detail, is something that is a special trait in authors.

Additionally the time in history is one that doesn't seem overwhelmed with books about it. So a fresh perspective with interesting characters is intriguing.

I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series and recommend the same for anyone else who likes this type of novel.

An Interview with Meredith Cagen, author of Size Eight in a Size Zero World

What prompted you to write this book?
I went back to school years after completing my MBA. It was daunting. The first time I sat down to study for an exam, I had these funny ideas racing through my head. I couldn’t concentrate until I wrote down all those random thoughts.

Random thoughts, you didn’t intend to write this book?
I live in NYC. Half the population state they are going to write a book someday or are currently working on a book. 45% of the population state they have at least one book in them and someday they will write it. 4.9% don’t care about writing a book or a reading a book I fall into the 0.1% who wrote a book without meaning to.

How long did it take you?
If the book wasn’t published, I would still be working on it. I tweaked it all the time.

Is the book about you?
The basic structure of the novel a working wife and mother with two children, husband and dog living in a Manhattan hi-rise apartment building is my life. But everything else is a figment of my imagination or poetic license. I wish I had devoted friends and a fairy tale godmother/aunt like Pamela.
Lindsay is an every woman. Chances are you see some of yourself in her. She is not perfect, but tries hard. Eventually her desire to please takes a toll on her.

Are the school mothers as superficial and cut throat as you wrote them?
I was kind to the group. But like with every social situation with women there are good ones and not so good ones. To some people in New York City, social standing is everything, which means being at the top. I have a ringside seat, a unique almost insider’s look at the competitive and cutthroat silly nature of Manhattan society. From 5th Avenue to South of the Highway, the one ups-womanship never stops amazing me. There is a even a pecking order for the nannies.

Who is “The Man Upstairs?”
He is a product of my imagination, 70% is based on one bachelor in New York City. The other 30% is based on horrific boyfriend stories I heard. There are men of a certain age who value their autonomy and do not want to be tied down. Dating is like dining at a smorgasbord. Men have no biological clock and can chose to get married and start a family according to their timetable. I think these men are looking for perfection in a woman, when they find a flaw they move on. Perfection only exists in online dating profiles.

Have you heard from any of your ex-boyfriends?
Three or four exs (Yes, that many!) called to congratulate me on the novel and ask if they are in the book. Two insist that they are the character of the Man Upstairs. They are flattered to think that they had a profound influence on my life and I wrote a book about them. Talk about egos!

Who is the 70% bachelor?
He is a fixture in the New York City social scene. I doubt he would remember meeting me as I was insignificant to him.

What else are you asked?
People want to know what is next for Lindsay. I tell them, I’m thinking about it.

Book Review: Within the Hollow Crown

By: Margaret Campbell Barnes

When you are in a position of power many people want to take advantage of you and convince you that what they think is the right way. And when you are king it is very evident that this is something that happens on a daily basis. How do you protect yourself against everyone in your life. Can you live a life like that where there is no one who really is someone you can trust because you believe that everyone who is in your life has ulterior motives?

For King Richard II he has a life to live and a country to rule. He has a love for Anne of Bohemia and many who want his crown. All he wants out of life is to be a good king and rule for the people.

This book is another great example of a time in history that you don't read a million books about (ie. Henry VIII) but has an interest to those that are not all history buffs. It is a great period of English history. And this book takes you there so that you can see what it is like. Definitely a great read for those who love historical fiction.

Book Review: Bailey's Day

by Robert Haggerty
Illustrated by Bobbi Switzer

A cute children's book that lets a child see what the day of Bailey (a real life dog) is like. The first half is fun and illustrated of Bailey talking about what he does on an average day - treats, swimming and all sorts of fun.

Then the second half of the book is photos taken of the real-life Bailey still doing what it is that he likes to do.

I am sure that children will like the comparison of a real life dog being in a book (and in drawings).

“Mystery and Adventure” is Theme of New Novel: Anasazi Intrigue

Stolen artifacts, the Santa Clara/Virgin River flood, a snoopy newspaper reporter, and mysterious events begin to unfold with Anasazi Intrigue.

When a devastating flood wipes out homes in a small town, residents are shocked by the news of a possible poison spill that also kills many of the fish and neighbor's pets. The people don’t know what to think or do, until Julia, the town's newest reporter, jumps into action and begins her investigation. Quickly Julia realizes the story is much bigger and more dangerous than she thought. As information unfolds, Julia and her husband find themselves on the run, trying to save their lives while finishing the story of a lifetime. She never realized that being a reporter could be so dangerous. With artifacts, dead fish, a devastating flood, and miscreants, John and Julia have their hands full.

In “Anasazi Intrigue” (ISBN: 978-1-58982-587-1), Clarke creates a story based upon an independent, educated, and strong woman character. Suko’s Notebook Reviews said of Clarke’s writing: “Linda Weaver Clarke is outstanding at presenting the characters' thoughts.”

There are two subjects discussed in this novel: The Santa Clara/Virgin River Flood and stolen artifacts. The mystery of the Anasazi Indians boggles the minds of many archaeologists. Ancient dwellings, petroglyphs, and pottery found in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico are fantastic and part of Anasazi history. When an ancient ruin is discovered, it doesn’t take long for thieves to take it apart. Archaeological thievery is becoming more and more of a problem every year.

The second subject brings out what really happened during the flooding in southern Utah. Lost homes can be replaced, but it’s impossible to replace precious treasures that had no value to anyone but the owner, such as photos and memories of the past. The stories of hope, charity, and little miracles seem to uplift others and have a wonderful effect on people during a crisis such as this. Clarke’s novel brings out what really happened in St George, Utah but the mystery is just beginning.

About the Author

Linda Weaver Clarke travels throughout the United States, teaching a “Family Legacy Workshop,” encouraging others to write their family history and autobiography. Clarke is the author of the historical fiction series, “A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho,” and the new mystery series, “Anasazi Intrigue: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans.”

“Anasazi Intrigue” (ISBN-13: 978-1-58982-587-1, American Book Publishing, 2010) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. For more information, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com. Publicity contact: www.american-book.com.

Book Review: Blood Ties

by Kay Hooper

What its about: There is murder again and it seems to have ties to what the SCU has already been working on. So they go to the small town to work it all out. Hollis and the others that were at the church when Samuel's meltdown occurred have been having weird power repercussions and they don't know how that is going to affect their investigation.

Thoughts:
The final book in the Blood trilogy. And of course it meets expectations completely. I love Kay Hooper's suspense paranormal books. I wish that is what she always wrote (I am not as big on her other books). This time she added footnotes telling which book the event mentioned occurred in as well as bio sketch's of all the characters. It was helpful.

In fact I liked it so much I plan on getting it on CD and re-listening to all of the books in the trilogy (if not all of them period). They are great!

The only thing i didn't like was I felt there were a lot of loose ends at the end of this book. Characters I wanted to see how they ended up. Based on history though I will see many of them in the future novels.

Book Review: At First Sight

I just have to say I am starting to love Nicholas Sparks. He doesn't always end the same way (happy ending, sad ending etc). So it leaves you on your toes a little. In terms of this particular book - I found it heart-wrenching in a good way.

I had been listening to many of his other books on CD. In fact I listened to the prequel of this book on CD and enjoyed it. But this one was just more.. It made me think of all the other books I read about romances that had ended and we just assume it is all easy living after that. And this just shows you that it isn't the case at all. Being in a relationship is a lot of hard work. Just because you love each other that may not be enough. You need more to base a life on.

Just having had a child this was something I could relate in terms of the whole baby thing. Good for those that want to have a great cry.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Two Legged Snakes Understanding and Handling Manipulative People

By: Dr. Ed Slack

What this book is about:
As Dr. Slack explains it, "who we trust is the single most important factor in determining our happiness and success". Who do we give our heart, time and money to? In his book, Two Legged Snakes: Understanding and Handling Manipulative People, he offers the keys to perceiving and overcoming deception with astonishing simplicity, and humor that ranges from profane to profound. The key is to help you make choices outside the shadowy world of sophistry and be happier, safer, and more successful.


Did you like this book: I found this book as relevant and as important of a read as Dr. Martha Stout's 2006 book, The Sociopath Next Door. Two Legged Snakes gets the point across with a rich and easy to understand text coupled with illustrations that lighten the mood on this serious subject. This book is different from other "avoid this type of person" books in that the material is somehow not presented in a depressing way. Dr. Slack delves into the psychology of why some people just seem to be born manipulators that leave damage and pain in their wake. The material is presented in a way that makes it ultra accessible to those outside of clinical and academic settings. There is a lot of focus on ways to enrich your own life by steering clear of and deal with the snakes that we encounter in our everyday life.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Risk Takers

By: Renee & Don Martin

What this book is about: This is a one-of-a kind book that features in-depth conversations with some of the highest-profile entrepreneurs in the country about the secrets and strategies behind their success. Did you ever look at an accomplished business owner and wonder, as you are living paycheck to paycheck, how did they do that? Look no further than this fantastic book that pulls the curtain back on the original American Dream.

Did you like this book: Curves Gym, Spanx, Patron Tequila and John Paul Mitchell; you know all of their products, but what do you need to know about them? Even if you are not looking to burn up Wall Street as an investor or Main Street as a business owner, this book is a must read guide to success. It would make a great gift for a graduate in this contracting economy.

Three Secret Weapons for Entrepreneurs
By Renee & Don Martin,
Author of The Risk Takers: 16 Women and Men Who Built Great Businesses Share Their Entrepreneurial Strategies For Success

Whether you're considering starting your own business -- or looking for ways to expand an existing enterprise -- there are three time-tested secret weapons you can use to help gain a sharp competitive edge. These weapons are three broad business strategies that can help you to create a new business or push your company to the next level of success:

Go on a treasure hunt and find an underserved niche

Buck the conventional wisdom

Spot a new trend and pounce

If you adopt these strategies as your entrepreneurial mantras, so to speak, you're more likely to identify and take advantage of real opportunities to expand your company's product line and customer base. The stories of America's highest-achieving entrepreneurs prove that applying these strategies in imaginative, clever and timely ways can help catapult a small start-up to the status of industry leader.

Go on a Treasure Hunt and Find an Underserved Niche

In the business world, there's nothing more exciting than finding an underserved niche that represents a lucrative market that everyone else has failed to spot and target. That's like finding gold bullion at a crowded beach -- it was there for everyone else to see, but you were the one who took notice of that golden glint in the sand.

That's what happened to Gary and Diane Heavin, founders of the Curves International fitness franchise system. When the company launched in 1992, the Heavins had just $10,000 in savings to invest in their company. Today, Curves is the world's largest fitness franchise system, with 10,000 franchise locations in 65 countries.

How did Curves soar to the top? Instead of competing head-to-head with fitness giants like 24 Hour Fitness or Bally Total Fitness, the Heavins opted to serve the fitness needs of three underserved niches: middle-age and older women who are eager to get in shape but might feel intimidated by large gyms teeming with young, hard bodies; busy working women whose schedules could more easily accommodate the Curves 30-minute workout; and budget-conscious women who simply couldn't afford the pricey monthly membership dues charged by the major gym chains. Early on, Curves clearly distinguished itself from the pack of gym competitors; its services and clientele were different.

Targeting an underserved niche is a path that small start-ups can take. Even a huge multi-billion-dollar company can't offer everything for everyone. Targeting the right niche -- one that other business owners have neglected or ignored -- can help build a strong and loyal customer base while limiting competition.

Another entrepreneur who followed this strategy was Liz Lange. She launched a phenomenally successful designer maternity clothing company. Liz Lange Maternity eventually sold for an estimated $50 to $60 million in 2007. She also partnered with Target to launch a secondary, discount version of her line.

Like the Heavins, Lange reached the heights of success by targeting an underserved niche. In her case, that meant zeroing in on the needs of pregnant fashionistas -- women who refused to let a pregnancy deprive them of their fashion sense. Lange used newly developed stretch fabrics to create chic, fitted and stylish maternity clothes. They were nothing like the tent-like and frumpy maternity clothes widely available in department stores.


Buck the Conventional Wisdom

Bucking the conventional wisdom means ignoring those who say "It won't work" or "It's never been done that way." When entrepreneurs overly rely on conventional formulas for success, they're left with a business that's, well, conventional.

The most successful entrepreneurs are willing to veer away from established formulas and ways of thinking. If you've launched your own business, don't just blindly accept the so-called best practices of your industry. Look at them with a hyper-critical eye. Dissect them, slice and dice them, contemplate different "what if" scenarios in your mind.

With no capital to speak of -- just $700 in cash -- John Paul DeJoria, cofounder of hair products giant John Paul Mitchell Systems, bucked the conventional wisdom when he launched the Paul Mitchell line of hair-care products and decided to sell them solely to stylists and salons -- never to supermarkets or drug stores. Today, the company boasts more than $900 million in annual salon retail sales.

That unique system of distribution nurtured exceptional customer loyalty. The Paul Mitchell brand not only provided quality hair products for use in salons; it also created a new revenue stream for the stylists. Many of their own customers bought the shampoos and conditioners for use at home.

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, bucked conventional wisdom when she approached hosiery mills with the idea of manufacturing footless pantyhose. The product she envisioned was a body-shaping undergarment that would hide panty lines and firm up a woman's backside so she could wear her favorite slacks and open toe sandals with confidence. Blakely knew there was a market for such a product. But time and again, she was told footless panty hose was simply a bad idea. The mills were accustomed to making hosiery designed to improve the appearance of a woman's legs. But Blakely was trying to convince them to manufacture a product that was completely hidden under clothes. She got rejection after rejection. It's a good thing she persevered, though, until she finally found a willing mill in North Carolina. Today, Spanx's estimated retail sales are in the neighborhood of $350 million.


Spot a New Trend and Pounce

Often, a shift in cultural or economic trends will create new entrepreneurial opportunities. Sometimes that shift arises from advances in technology. Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens was paying attention to such trends when the home PC market exploded. He figured out that most PC owners had limited technical knowledge. If their hard drive crashed, they were thrown into a state of panic. But unplugging their PC and hauling it off to a repair shop, where it would stay for a week or so, wasn't an attractive option. Stephens spotted the trend, pounced and captured an emerging and underserved niche. Geek Squad made house calls.

When Stephens launched Geek Squad back in 1994, the cash-strapped college student had just $200 to invest in his business. But that same business eventually fetched millions in 2002 when he sold the business to Best Buy.

Andy and Rachel Berliner launched the Amy's Kitchen brand of organic vegetarian frozen meals because they realized that more and more Americans were trying to eat healthier diets, eschewing processed foods in favor of organic vegetables. Vegetarians themselves, the Berliners were also keenly aware that they'd have no formidable competition. They had personally sampled the frozen vegetarian meals already on the market and they were terrible. The Berliners knew if they used quality ingredients and recipes, their business would thrive. Today, Amy's Kitchen generates annual revenues of $270 million.
All these entrepreneurs are featured in a new book, The Risk Takers: 16 Women and Men Share Their Entrepreneurial Strategies for Success. The book explores in depth how hugely successful entrepreneurs have applied these three strategies -- and seven others -- to propel their business to the top of the heap.

The Well-Read Commuter Reviews: Size Eight in a Size Zero World

By: Meredith Cagen

What this book is about: Could a chance meeting with a stranger change the way you look at your life? For 32 year old Lindsay Chandler, that could be the case. From the outside looking in the working wife and mother has a fairy tale life in the city that never sleeps. However, in the fast paced world of New York City is anything ever as it seems?

Did you like this book: Grab your suitcase, we’re going to New York City. Meredith Cagen’s first book is one that you will find yourself passing around your social circle for all of your friends to enjoy. Cagen tells the story of Lindsay Chandler with humor and style and in the process creates a likeable main character. While at times the character can seem a bit of a pushover, you will find yourself wanting to be right there with her on her journey of self-discovery and search for happiness.

Book Review: Blaze of Memory

Blaze of Memory by Nalini Singh

I have always liked these psy thrillers of Nalini Singhs and this one is no exception. It is entertaining and has the love story we all like. Add to that the over -arching story between all of her books of what is going on in the NetMind and you have a winner.

I couldn't imagine what it would be to be broken mentally in such a way. To not be able to trust yourself. And then to find someone that even though you don't believe that you are healthy enough to be with them - they can look past it all and believe in you - your soul, your heart, your desire to do what is right - despite your past.

Everyone has been hurt in the past and this is a story of someone who had a horrible violation who can move on and let love conquer all.