Customer Reviews:
happyreader.......2007-10-03
Since I finished this book, I have filed it with my cookbooks! It is loaded with not only Joanne Fluke's usual delicious cookie recipes, but lots of main dishes, veggies, and appetizers as well. A great cozy read and delicious "keeper" recipes as well.
Indescribably bad.......2007-07-14
I've never taken the time to review a book on Amazon before, but this one was just so awful, I felt that I had to let people know so they didn't actually spend their hard-earned money on it.
This is the first book I have read by this author. I was browsing the library shelves for something good to read, and I chose this because the title sounded fun. Unfortunately, the story was anything but fun. I was so bored! The characters are dull and undeveloped, and the plot was flimsy and weak. More than half the book is recipes (and not even good ones!). Perhaps the other books in the series are better, but I don't think I'll try to find out.
I Had to Buy This One for the Recipes!.......2006-05-30
I have read all of Joanne Fluke mysteries to date. I have been getting them from the library and then typing the recipes I like into my computer before returning the book. I enjoy Hannah Swensen and I really enjoy the recipes. I have adapted them to a diabetic diet and they are great! When I found there were over a hundred pages of recipes in this book I was so pleased and decided to buy this one for my cookbook collection. I highly recommend all of the Hannah Swensen books if you like good clean mysteries with great recipes. I hope she keeps writing forever...
This series is going downhill fast.......2006-05-10
This book is a disappointment. The mystery is pretty lame and the constant romantic "tension" between Norman and Mike and Hannah is getting old.
The first half of this book is the story, and the second half is recipes. I will say most of the recipes look pretty good, just be aware that if you buy this book, you are buying a cookbook with a story attached, rather than a substantial mystery with a few recipes in the back.
Very disappointing.......2006-04-20
I seriously wondered if I could take this book back the the bookstore it was so lame. I have read many books that aren't so great, but this one was embarrassingly bad. I couldn't get the image of Hannah wearing a party dress with an appliqued Christmas sweater AND mooseskin boots out of my head. Stacy and Clinton from "What Not to Wear" would have been better at this party than the whodunit. And whoever heard of telling half the town about the murder before letting the woman's husband even know? My old Trixie Belden mysteries I read 25 years ago were much more believable than this. Also, I thought there would be a few recipes in the book, not over half the pages. Big letdown.
Average customer rating:
- FAST PACED (AND HORRIFIC) START...
- Gory to an extreme.....
- Begins effectively, but then it's all downhill
- Enthralling, Yet Absurd At Times
- Brutal and ghastly horror
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Master of Lies (Tor Horror)
Graham Masterton
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Masterson, Graham | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Death Trance
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The Devil in Gray
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The House That Jack Built
ASIN: 0312851022 |
Customer Reviews:
FAST PACED (AND HORRIFIC) START..........2006-01-16
But then the story seems to lag. This story starts out with the brutal murder of an entire family, and Masterton clearly shows why he is one of the true masters of horror; but the story slows down, and it was difficult to finish this one. This is not one of Masterton's best works, BUT it is still a good novel.
Gory to an extreme............2005-08-22
Action began in the beginning. Serial killings are happening in the San Francisco area are not any ordinary killings...they are actual rituals done with extreme caution as to bring about the resurrection of the fallen angel Beli Ya'al.
Larry Foggia is called in to solve the bizarre and downright horrible murders only to find something his mortal mind could no longer fathom....
This is another (need I say it?) great book by the MASTER of horror. I recommend this book to all horror fans along with all his other books.
Begins effectively, but then it's all downhill.......2003-01-22
MASTER OF LIES is not one of Masterton's best. The opening chapter is TOO effective, one of the scariest thing's I've ever read. It begins with a man in a horned mask bursting into a police officer's family's apartment and nailing them to the floorboards, raping the wife and ends with the man about to kill their children. It takes a lot to scare me, but the first time I read the opening chapter of this book I was nearly sick; I was amazed that this could actually get published.
Anyhow, this act of sadism is part of a ritual to raise a demon known as Belial. Cop Larry Foggia is assigned the task of capturing the monster who killed his partner.
Unfortunately, after Masterton nearly scares you to death with chapter one, it's all downhill from there. He's written some great books, but this isn't one of his best in my opinion. But if you think nothing can scare you, just read the opener. This book is also known as BLACK ANGEL.
Enthralling, Yet Absurd At Times.......2003-01-20
"Master of Lies" opens with a rather gruesome murder scene--of the Berry family being ritualistically killed by the Fog City Satan, a man who has killed five families in California so far in order to resurrect Belial (aka Beli Ya'al), a fallen angel. If you can get through this first chapter, then you can probably make it through the rest of the book.
Thirty-eight-year-old Detective Larry Foggia is assigned to the case because of his unconventional methods of solving crimes. His investigation leads him into the occult--seances, talking hands, shrinking people, and the like. But as he delves deeper into the supernatural, his life and soul--including those of his family--become greatly at risk of being taken by Belial.
Generally, I don't like reading books that have extremely long chapters (this one averages about 37 pages a chapter), but once I started "Master of Lies" I couldn't put it down, probably because of the graphic first chapter. The beginning half of the book is enthralling, but as the story progresses, it began to get a little absurd, i.e., magically-shrinking women; so I had to give it a 4-star rating instead of a 5. However, I'd still recommend this book to Masterton fans, as well as Dean Koontz fans who are into the supernatural horror genre.
Brutal and ghastly horror.......2002-06-18
Homicide detective Larry Foggia has a real problem on his hands. So does the entire city of San Francisco. A serial killer is on the loose and he kills with such violence and cruelty he is dubbed "The Fog City Satan". In the killer's twisted mind, he is sacrificing people to raise an ancient demon who will give him immortal powers. Unfortunately for Larry Foggia and all of humanity, his plan is working. Beneath the city, a dark God imprisoned for centuries is about to take over the throne of humanity. He is The Master of Lies and the oceans will fill with blood when he rises from his tomb... Graham Masterton is one of the absolute masters of horror fiction. Nobody can touch his imagination and ability to scare readers. Even though I'm a huge horror fan, the first chapter of this book was so saddistic and bloody, I was almost afraid to keep reading. Highly recommended to horror fans who think they can't be shocked or scared anymore.
Customer Reviews:
Good info, but not a lot new.......2000-07-12
If you're an avid fan of the collectable card game version of Steve Jackson's Illuminati: New World Order, you may enjoy this book. If you've never played the game, or are a casual player, you may not enjoy it quite as much. Still, it's useful for some details and strategies that are not readily apparent.
The main benefit of the book by fans is the designer's notes; while there isn't as much on the creation and the rules of the cards, there's a good bit about production and sales that's surprisingly interesting. There's also a note-by-note analysis of each alignment and attribute, as well as Personalities and Places. There's also game variants, beginner's tactics, and assorted tricks to pull with your friends.
The biggest disappointment is the catalog of cards--not that it isn't nice to see the text of all the cards (especially if you don't have that many), but that it eats up a good chunk of the pages. Fans would rather see rules clarifications, notes on creating your own balanced cards, tournament details, card creation stories, interviews with artists and originators, etc. None of these things are present.
Unfortunately, those things in the book can pretty easily be seen on the internet--on the INWO home page, no less! But there are plenty of nuggets that aren't in the web pages.
Not a bad book, if you're a fan, though it may leave you feeling a bit empty. Otherwise, you might be better of looking elsewhere on the 'net for info.
Book Description
There sat now on the bench by the hearth a lonely old man of a flint hard and somewhat gloomy countenance with a mass of white hair falling over his ears and neck who was generally occupied with some cobbling work and who from time to time as he drew out the thread would make some remark aloud as if he thought he still had the partner of his life for audience.
Average customer rating:
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Pink Feathers, Murky Pools and a Witch: A Lellaland Adventure
Hugh Masters
Manufacturer: Athena Press Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
ASIN: 1844010988 |
Average customer rating:
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Satan's Secret: Exposing the Master of Deception and the Father of Lies
D. A. Teunis
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Theology | Reference | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1410735796 |
Book Description
God promised the Patriarch Abraham that through his seed "all the families of the earth would be blessed". Yet, traditional Christian theology preaches eternal torment for the majority of the "Gentile" human race! Discover the "truth" concerning God's loving plan for all mankind.
Book Description
An authoritative and up-to-date reference.
The Pregnancy Bible combines the knowledge and experience of medical specialists and family doctors -- all under the direction of practicing and widely published obstetricians.
It follows the complete sequence of fetal development in utero week by week. Each step is illustrated with full color photography -- many of which are life-size. Dozens of step-by-step illustrations help make the many aspects of infant care easier to master.
In-depth and highly readable information covers:
- Nutrition and exercise
- Cesarean section
- Planning for a home birth
- Options for pain relief
- Prenatal and postpartum care
- Coping with emotional changes
- Taking care of newborns
- Preparing a safe environment at home
Quick reference gatefold spreads help keep track of important tests and check-ups for each trimester. Included is an in-depth directory of specialized tests and procedures available for both mother and child.
The Pregnancy Bible is an extensive, accessible, up-to-the-minute sourcebook of everything expecting parents need to know, combining the knowledge and experience of many medical specialists and healthcare providers.
Customer Reviews:
Well organized and concise - will be a great parenting reference too.......2007-10-06
Like some of the other reviewers this was not my first pregnancy guide. I found this one to be written in a much more mature voice, with the guidance I was hoping for, combined with a whole bunch of full color pictures. It doesn't seem like that would be all that important, but it really makes a difference. It was like going from reading a novel about a woman telling me things she felt were important for me to know to reading a textbook for my non-credit course on pregnancy.
Maybe that doesn't sound ideal to everyone, but I actually wanted to learn something from the book I was reading, not just get taken along for the ride.
The Pregnancy Bible has a small timeline, week by week, in addition to a logically organized body, followed by a few appendices on maternal and infant symptoms. There is also a newborn section, giving a little insight into the "other" side of pregnancy.
This book will be with me throughout the rest of my childbearing and child-rearing years.
too general.......2007-09-21
I wish I had bought other pregnancy books. This is too general and does not answer many questions. Okay for first book on general pregnancy, but great for reference.
Only book you'll need!.......2007-09-12
This is the only pregnancy book I bought... and the only one I needed! It answered tons of questions. And, it explains what is happening to mother and baby every week. I am now buying the book for two of my friends who just found out they are pregnant too. I LOVE THIS BOOK!
Great book for first time moms........2007-08-30
I love this book. It has great pictures and great articles to help you along the way. I especially love the part of the book where it shows you what the baby looks like every week.
I let my pregnant friends use this book and I recommend it to everyone who is pregnant.
This book has EVERYTHING.......2007-08-26
This book is EXCELLENT.. it has 99.9% of everything and anything- from getting pregnant in the first place all the way to birth and beyond... it gives a weekly planner with what is going on with your body and another weekly planner with what is going on with the baby, gives different birthing options, warnings, rolls of partners and gives them an understanding of their part and also has a section if you are a single mom and how to find support needed- which I thought was nice... things to watch for and enjoy, breast feeding, and just really explains everything simply! To be honest, I love the layout of this book and how material is presented.. (I absolutely hated what to expect when expecting...) A very well thoughtout book and material.
Amazon.com
Some people look in a pastry case and see sinful excess; others see delectable taste treats. The authors of Butter Sugar Flour Eggs see ingredients. They have named their book "after the first and most important elements of any dessert recipe.... Butter brings flavor and richness; Sugar lends sweetness and melting textures; Flour provides substance; and Eggs bring it all together. Afterward the flavorings take over: Chocolate, Citrus, Fruit, Nuts, Cheese, and Spice complete the dessert making pantry." Most desserts, the authors allow, have one strong characteristic flavor, or one strong characteristic texture that sings louder than anything else. It's how the authors have ordered the recipes in Butter Sugar Flour Eggs, a clever idea.
So, in Butter, you'll find the likes of Millionaire's Shortbread, while in Sugar, you'll find Brown Sugar Shortbread. In Eggs you'll be tempted by Mango Flan on Chocolate, but in Flour it's more likely going to be Chocolate Chip Pancakes. And that's just to get you started. Because there are chapters for all the basic flavorings, too (Oranges Simmered in Red Wine, Brooklyn Blackout Cake, Nectarine Beignets, Roasted Pecan Ice Cream, Montrachet Cheesecake, Moist Ginger Cake with Orange Icing). And then because holidays tend to pull out all the stops, there's a separate chapter for them as well. Ever get in trouble for playing with your dessert? With Butter Sugar Flour Eggs Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, and Julia Moskin give you permission to do just that. --Schuyler Ingle
Book Description
Anyone who has so much as made a batch of cookies knows that this is where it all begins. Butter lends flavor and richness, sugar adds sweetness and melting textures, flour provides substance, and eggs bring it all together. Afterwards, the baker can allow flavor to take over: chocolate, citrus, fruit, nuts, cheese, and spices complete the dessert-making roster. Chapter by chapter, pastry chef extraordinaire Gale Gand and her husband, star chef Rick Tramonto -- with writer Julia Moskin -- explain each basic ingredient and each flavor's personality and follow up with some fabulous recipes. The unique result is a festive and fun cookbook that reads more like a dessert menu than a catalog of techniques. And what a menu! Here are over 175 fanciful, delicious treats, including signature desserts like Not-Your-Usual Lemon Meringue Pie and Root Beer-Vanilla Parfait, classics such as Brown Derby Grapefruit Cake and Brooklyn Blackout Cake, and soon-to-be favorites like Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast and Banana Strudel with Ginger-Molasses Ice Cream. There is a chapter on light-hearted holiday creations, including Halloween Boo!scotti and Pumpkin Pie to Be Thankful For, and a chapter full of drink recipes -- perfect accompaniments to these desserts and great on their own. In
Butter Sugar Flour Eggs, all the ingredients are present for creating the most scrumptious, mouthwatering delights you have ever tasted. Or baked!
Customer Reviews:
My favorite cookbook........2006-09-22
It's not just recipes and pretty pictures (although it has both), it's a tutorial about why the recipes work the way they do. Understanding the wherefores opens up new kitchen possibilities as well as a good start on "where things went wrong." The detailed instructions guide you through new processes without overwhelming you. Full of innovative recipes from inspired ingredients and adorable stories from Gale, this book has a place of honor next to my spice rack.
To Datura: The Lemon Buttercups are time and labor intensive, but well worth the effort. I'm not a huge lemon tart fan, but my mom raved about it and the cookie crust for months. The only problem I had was the lemon curd took 30 minutes to set instead of 10, and I was freaking out thinking It'd gone wrong. I've made the ginger cake for friends' birthdays to warm reception, too. (Although, anyone who doesn't receive you warmly when you come bearing cake is just not worth feeding.) I wish you luck.
A disappointment.......2006-08-09
This book fails to live up to its promise.
I know that people don't like negative reviews, but I want to post this to warn other readers/cooks.
I always like it when cookbook reviewers spell out specific recipes tried (what worked, what didn't, favorites), because it shows that they have actually used the book for cooking and not just as eye candy. So here goes:
I made the Black and Whites (classic New York cookies), but they didn't have the soft texture of what I think of as real Black and Whites. They were glorified, rather hard-textured sugar cookies. Fine, but not exciting. Epicurious.com's Black and Whites recipes is tastier and some might say, more authentic.
Yesterday, I made the Marzipan Torte, and while the taste was okay, the texture was too dense and there were moist streaks where the structure of the cake had collapsed.
I made no ingredient substitutions in either recipe.
I'm giving this book 2 stars where I wanted to give it 1 star, because I have only tried 2 recipes, and in the case of the torte, it may have been my error. If I were to go at it again, I would use superfine sugar in the torte, and I'd make sure that the marzipan/sugar combination was in even finer crumbs before beating it in, and use a larger pan than was specified. However, I fault the recipe for not being more clear about the texture, minutes of beating time, and the ingredients (does it make a difference if one uses canned marzipan or tube marzipan? Superfine or regular granulated sugar?). A more precise recipe would spell this out.
Another tangential issue: the cake component of the Blackout Cake recipe in this book is identical, measure for measure, ingredient for ingredient, with the cake component of the Blackout Cake in Lynn Stallworth's _The Brooklyn Cookbook_. However, neither the original recipe developer (Ceri E. Hadda) nor Stallworth is credited by Gand or Tramonto in the text of the recipe. I don't know if this was some kind of omission, but it seems odd to me. People borrow from other recipes all the time, but surely it better to give credit within the recipe's description, if not the recipe title? For example, in his _New York City Food_ book, Arthur Schwartz has yet another Blackout Cake recipe (an excellent one, by the way), in which he combines a cake base by Karen Barker and the pudding from Lynn Stallworth's book, and he credits both of his colleagues.
On the good side, this is an unusual and wide-ranging collection of dessert recipes, which is what attracted me to it in the first place. For each recipe, Gand and Tramonto write a little about the recipe's history and what makes it special. The book is well designed (good font and layout).
Perhaps if I began with different recipes, I would have a better review to write. I may try another few recipes before I totally give up. If the next few somethings I make from this book are wonderful, then I will revise this review.
Great Baking Book.......2006-03-10
This is a really good cookbook, I just wish there were more pictures! Everything I have made so far has turned out beautifully. The Cinnamon Cashew Brittle is the best-but work fast!
Best Chocolate truffle!.......2005-01-24
This book has the recipe for the Best Chocolate truffle, they were easy and tasted scrumptious. Thanks Gale
Worth it........2004-11-27
This book earned its price many times over with the perfected lemon tart. Some recipes require a little bit of practice, i.e. the brioche French toast, before serving to guests.
Books:
- Taming a Seahorse
- The Bay At Midnight
- The Cat Who Tailed a Thief (Cat Who...)
- The Cereal Murders (Goldy Culinary Mysteries, Book 3)
- The Chapel of Bones (Knights Templar series)
- The Chocolate Frog Frame-Up (Chocoholic Mysteries)
- The Eagle Catcher (Arapaho Indian Mysteries)
- The Fruitful Darkness: A Journey Through Buddhist Practice and Tribal Wisdom
- The Inquisitor: A Medical Thriller
- The Perfumed Sleeve: A Novel (Sano Ichiro Novels)
Books Index
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Peach Cobbler Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
Fudge Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
Blueberry Muffin Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
Strawberry Shortcake Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)
