Shoes To Die For (A Jaine Austen Mystery)

Customer Reviews:

Has potential.......2007-07-28

Ms. Levine has a great sense of humor. This book is a quick, fun read if you are looking for something that is completely mindless. I would have preferred to see a little more substance...to say it is the proverbial cotton candy for the brain might be assigning too much nutritional value.

This is Good.......2007-04-01

"Shoes to Die For" is the fourth book in Laura Levine's Jaine Austen mystery series. I have read the prior three, but you don't need to read them in sequence. Jaine Austen is a freelance writer of business slogans, resume's, and brochures. She is single and likes it, and lives in L.A. with her cat named Prozac. When she goes in a trendy boutique to see about an advertising job, someone is murdered in the shop that night. An employee, whom Jaine likes, is accused and asks Jaine's help to exonerate her. Characters are well done and hold your interest. The plot is good. Hardly a page goes by without a laugh, or at least a smile. This is a light, fast read that keeps you turning the pages 'til the end. Good climax. I enjoy Ms. Levine's wonderful sense of humor, but I thought in this book there could have been a little more. This is one series you can count on to entertain.

Fun, sparkling mystery.......2006-10-08

I really enjoyed this fun mystery by Laura Levine. It's about a freelance detective named Jaine Austen (her mother loved Austen, but couldn't spell). Jaine is an amusing character, who wears elastic waist paints in the land of single-digit sizes (L.A.).

The plot centers on Frenchie, an obnoxious blonde whom everyone hates. The problem is, when she's murdered, everyone's a suspect. The most obvious one is Becky, one of Frenchie's co-workers, who announced that she'd like to see Frenchie's corpse on the floor. Becky hires Jaine to clear her name and find the real killer.

This was a very funny book where the mystery was almost secondary to the humor. The real killer was definitely a surprise (for me, anyway) and the whole experience was so fun that I plan on reading all the other books in the series.

Fun Book To Read Very Entertaining Great Characters.......2006-08-02

I loved this book from cover to cover Laura Levine is really a great writer. You can visualize her characters and it is a fun read

Cozy mystery series as TV sitcom.......2006-05-30

.
Laura Levine's brag sheet at the back of the paperback edition lists among her writing credits the following television series: The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, The Jeffersons, Three's Company and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. The consequences of such a background are, to say the least, observable on the printed pages of this series--maybe not so much The Bob Newhart Show, but certainly The Jeffersons and Laverne & Shirley. The book ought to come with a CD to provide rimshots at appropriate points.

Consider these:

The heroine, Jaine Austen (yeah, cute) and her best friend Lance, who is gay (of course) and flaming (naturally!), are having lunch in a trendy eatery. "Just when I was wondering if I could possibly convince Lance to desert this place for a restaurant that served actual food, a sultry waitress with huge eyes and tiny [...] slithered up to us.... Ms. Sultry, who looked like her last lunch had been a line of cocaine, slinked away." [Page 10 of the paperback edition - rimshot!]

"I glanced over at the window display featuring a mannequin in thigh-high boots and thong underwear. Just what I always wanted. The sexy storm trooper look." [Page 13 - badda-bing, badda-boom!]

"Oh, God. Those harem pants. Just the memory of them makes me shudder. I looked like Barbara Eden on prednisone." [Page 18 - pa-pa-pam!]

"Trying to find a patient at Cedars Sinai Hospital is like trying to find a fat woman on network television." [Page 96 - well, you get it.]

As I read this book and its predecessors, I not only heard the lines in my head in typical sitcom delivery, I found myself casting each part with familiar TV faces.

Now, I have brought this up not so much to praise Ms. Levine's style--after all, she is not exactly Oscar Wilde reborn, but to show that she has a style. And style is not so common a thing among cozy mysteries, whose practitioners tend to run to functional but bland prose. Frankly, I find Ms. Levine's cast of hard-edged, always-on characters a welcome relief from middle-aged, frustrated academics; housewives moonlighting from neat suburban homes and adorable children, and harried female entrepreneurs anxiously scratching out livings from unlikely enterprises: Laverne & Shirley LIVE!

Style aside, Ms. Levine's plot construction, characterization and clue emplacement are perfectly competent, if in no way extraordinary for the general class of cozy mysteries. As such I unhesitatingly recommend her books for anyone who has developed a taste for cozies, the breezier the better.

SIDE ISSUES: What on earth is wrong with Ms. Levine's publisher? On the cover of the paperback it says, "'The ideal beach read.'- Publishers Weekly". Surely, someone, somewhere offered higher praise than that kiss of death!

And why, for Pete's sake, is the cover of the paperback a markedly weaker version of the cover on the hardback? It entirely omits the iconic image of Jaine that appears on all the previous books.

Average customer rating:

Witches with Unicorns

An enchanting story...

Magic going wrong, A Creed Misunderstood, and a Revolution

A lost Unicorn, a virgin witch, and a would be hero.
The Unicorn Creed
Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Scarborough, Elizabeth Ann | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553229397

Customer Reviews:

Witches with Unicorns.......2001-05-15

The story continued of a hearth witch and her unicorn, this is the second book of Elizabeth Ann Scarborough that I read. A young witch maiden sets out to save her baby cousin from a curse that will make her a liar, and a deeper plot which wants to rid the King whose throne she helped win in the first book of that burden. The story line is not outstanding, but I find the telling delightful. Ms. Scarborough is a wonderful tale-spinner, and there many small surprises in the book, like her relationship with the oh-so-correct unicorn, her friend and now-would-be lover bard, and some very nice twists. I liked it enough again :)

An enchanting story..........2000-06-20

In the Unicorn's Creed, Maggie Brown the hearthcrafter witch has once agian found herself in the midst of yet another adventure. Declared a princess at her niece's christening (for acts of bravery in Song of Sorcery), maggie finds herself forced to choose a husband. With the help of the minstrle Colin, her dear friend, MAggie escapes into the forests, where a way to avoid marriage becomes a quest to help Moonshine the unicorn learn the laws of his people, which then becomes a quest to save all unicorns from maggie's dreaded uncle Fearchar. Taunted by werewolves & hampered by Zombies, not to mention the want to get rid of her crown, will maggie be able to cope with the situation at hand? Or will she, Colin, and Moonshine perish at the hands of Maggie's evil Uncle? You'll just have to read this book and find out! I loved the adventure and humor incorperated in the tale.

Magic going wrong, A Creed Misunderstood, and a Revolution.......2000-06-05

The Unicorn Creed is a sequal to the Song of Sorcery. It is packed with Nymphs, Faeries, Orges, gypsies, wizards, and werewolves. Along with Maggie Brown, A witch/Princess of Argonia, Colin Songsmith the Royal Minsteral, and Moonshine the Unicorn in love with Maggie. This book is about maggie first trying to give back her crown, but ends up as a quest to find out the true meaning of the Unicorn Creed, then a rescue mission to save other Unicorns. This is a jam packed book full of suprises. Withe old and new Characters. I highly recomend this book

A lost Unicorn, a virgin witch, and a would be hero........1997-11-11

Continues the adventure started in Song of Sorcery. The Creed is important, but so is the interpretation in this story of feminism and love told in a medieval setting with a light overview of fairytale and rose colored glasses.

Average customer rating:

The Unicorn Creed
Elizabeth Scarborough
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GRL4ZM

Book Description

An inspiring biography of one of the most influential and beloved figures of the 21st century, based on more than a thousand interviews. "I've read every book that has ever been written about Walt Disney, going back to some that were published in the 1930s. [How to Be Like Walt] is by far the most enjoyable to read of them all!" Tim O'Day, Disney Scholar "How to Be Like Walt is a fitting tribute to Walt's memory and an important contribution to the Disney legacy . . . Now more than ever, we need people with the qualities Walt had: optimism, imagination, creativity, leadership, integrity, courage, boldness, perseverance, commitment to excellence, reverence for the past, hope for tomorrow, and faith in God." Art Linkletter How to Be Like is a "character biography" series: biographies that also draw out important lessons from the life of their subjects. In this new book-by far the most exhaustive in the series-Pat Williams tackles one of the most influential people in recent history. While many recent biographies of Walt Disney have reveled in the negative, this book takes an honest but positive look at the man behind the myth. For the first time, the book pulls together all the various strands of Disney's life into one straightforward, easy-to-read tale of imagination, perseverance, and optimism. Far from a preachy or oppressive tome, this book scrapes away the minutiae to capture the true magic of a brilliant maverick.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books I've ever read...really..........2007-08-27

This book is 75% biography of Walt Disney and 25% self-motivational...but put together, it's so much more than that! Love how Pat Williams ends each chapter on how to LEARN from Walt on HOW TO BE LIKE WALT. Very inspirational...for everyone...!!

Can't Do It.......2007-08-18

Alright, I confess. I wanted to be a jerk. I wanted to be the first person to give this book less than five stars, but I just can't do it. Sure, I could complain. I could say that the material in the second to last chapter should have spread throughout the book so there would be one summary chapter instead of two. Or I could focus on the lack of explanation as to WHY Walt chose to do some of the films he did. Because it sometimes pains me that I have to assume Walt's idea to animate Pinoccho came from reading it as a kid and liking it, without really knowing for sure.

But I can't complain too much, since I realize that this ain't some half-hearted work here. It is a well-researched collection of hundreds of valuable stories. Each story tells us what Walt was like, the kind of things he did, and the kind of things he wanted to do. I was particularly fascinated with his vision of the futuristic city of EPCOT, where pedestrian and car would never touch the same ground, and a giant dome would keep the city's climate forever under control.

Walt's obsessive dream of constructing a new kind of city is just one of many little tidbits of information the book has for anyone not already intimately familiar with his life. I mean, I had no clue that Disney created a popular cartoon BEFORE Mickey Mouse. And I had no idea his company was so often under the strain of severe financial woe. Heck, this book even told me the name of the 19 year old guy who invented electronic TV.

As much as I would have liked to have read about the origin of that hilarious Donald Duck, I wasn't disappointed at all when the book instead brought up the time Walt turned a hat his wife hated into a flower pot and gave it to her for her birthday. Nor was I disappointed when I read about the earthquake that almost ruined the final scene of Fantasia.

There's so much wonderful history to learn in this book, and so much leadership to be inspire you, that you can't help but love most everything in its pages. Williams and Denney really did a terrific job, especially when you consider my pre-conceived negative bias due to a previous bad experience with a co-authored book The Rock Says.... "How To Be Like Walt" wasn't written to make a quick buck by shoving out something with Disney in the title. It really was meant to show the amazing things Walt did, and how great of a guy he was. (Imagine going to get an ice cream at Disneyland and SURPRISE! Walt Disney himself is behind the counter giving you a huge freaking scoop. It's happened before, believe it or not.)

You know what? I think I would like to be more like Walt. If I CAN'T give a well-written book about him anything less than five stars, perhaps becoming more like Walt is something I CAN do.

A fine work........2007-04-02

As it was said to be, 'How to Be Like Walt' was enjoyable to read, as well as easy. It focused equally on his work, education, personality and company management style. I admire Walt Disney now more than ever, since learning about him.

Cheesy concept, but an excellent read.......2007-03-10

The self help genre always seems cheesy to me, but this is more of a biography of Walt Disney concentrating on his unique personality and perspective that made him successful. A fun and interesting read!

Incredible insight and lessons from an incredible man........2007-01-20

Pat Williams did an amazing job with this installment of his "How to Be Like" series on How to Be Like Walt. I am an avid Walt Disney fan, and I enjoy reading anything I can find on him - I especially enjoy studying his life to learn from how he did what he did. This book more than satisfied that desire to learn from Walt's life. It showed not just the "white washed" side of Walt that people are used to reading about, but like every hero - and every human, Walt had weaknesses and Pat Williams addressed those weaknesses with an attitude of learning something from them. Of course, the book is not all about Walt's weaknesses, I just point that out after all the reviews I see of various Walt Disney biographies that state how "white washed" they are.

Pat Williams did a lot of research for this book, and it shows. Interviewing many people personally, reading many books on Walt, and just using his own passion and knowledge - since after all, Pat admits to being a huge fan of Walt Disney since he was a child himself - to drive his research to write this book. The lessons he draws from Walt's life are very applicable and motivating. If you are, or even if you are not, a Walt Disney fan, you can learn a lot from the life of a man that made one of the biggest impacts in our world of the last century.

This is a great book, one of my favorites that I have ever read!

Average customer rating:

Not good for South Beach Dieters

Good, not great

Lots of Great Recipes!!

They don't all taste the same.

3 Strikes your Out

200 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes: Healthy Dinners That Are Ready When You Are!
Dana Carpender
Manufacturer: Fair Winds Press (MA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Low Fat | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Low Carb | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Low Carbohydrate | Special Conditions | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1592330762

Book Description

Ah, the wonders of a slow cooker. After a long, hard day you can walk in the door and the aroma of a hot, home-cooked meal fills the air. You don't have to do that fast tango from fridge to pantry to stove and back again. It's nearly as good as having a personal chef!

But for the low-carb dieter, traditional slow cooker recipes can be a problem. Many of them depend on potatoes, noodles, rice, and starchy canned soups. And if you've tried to make up your own slow cooker recipes, you may have found the results less than compelling -- too often the food can be mushy, water-logged, and bland.

Fortunately, with 200 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes, you can use your slow cooker and follow your low-carb diet, too!

Come home to:
Tuscan Chicken * Kashmiri Lamb Shanks * Teriyaki-Tangerine Ribs * Chicken Minestrone * Orange Rosemary Pork * Chipotle Brisket * Firehouse Chili * Thai Chicken Bowls * Braised Pork with Fennel * Pizza Stew * Morty's Mixed Meat Loaf * Low-Carb Slow Cooker Paella

But that's not all! The gentle, even heat of a slow cooker makes it the perfect way to cook many different kinds of foods. You'll make low-carb party treats like Hot Crab Dip and Glazed Chicken Wings, and snacks like Smokin' Chili Peanuts and Curried Pecans. It's the superior way to cook incredible sugar-free desserts like Mochaccino Cheesecake and Maple-Pumpkin Custard. And you've never had moister, more tender seafood than my Lime-Basted Scallops or Lemon-Mustard Salmon Steaks. Plus, every recipe lists the calories, protein, fiber, and usable carbs per serving, so you'll not only be in control of your life and your time, you'll be in control of your diet as well.

So go ahead, plug in your slow cooker, and look forward to coming home to a fabulous low-carb supper tonight!

Customer Reviews:

Not good for South Beach Dieters.......2007-09-28

I gave this one star without even trying a recipe. While this book has a good variety of recipes which are "low carb", if you are following South Beach, don't buy it! It uses lots of butter, cream and fatty meats! I will be returning my copy.

Good, not great.......2007-06-12

I found about 10 or 15 recipes that I would actually use, and have tried a few and they were very good. Maybe that is par for the course with cookbooks , and considering the reasonable cost I'm not complaining. I'm happy to find some interesting, low carb recipes, for a slow cooker.

Lots of Great Recipes!!.......2007-06-08

I really enjoyed this book. Lots of ideas and nothing too complicated. Great for busy households who are also worried about weight. The whole family likes the recipes.

They don't all taste the same........2007-03-31

Sick of crockpot recipes all tasting the same? This recipe book for slow cookers avoids this with plenty of low carb recipes perfect for anyone on a low-carb eating plan.

3 Strikes your Out.......2007-03-16

I don't usually write reviews, but had to speak out about this book. I I really enjoy using my slow cooker (and use it a lot) and was very excited to try the recipes in this book. I made 3 recipes from this book, the kashmir lamb, the chicken in coconut milk and Hot Asian Pork Ribs. Not one of the recipes turned out well enough to say I would make them again. The taste just wasn't there in these recipes. The descriptions on how good they were was way off in my opinion. Word of warning on the lamp shanks, they smell awful when cooking on low which I was not aware of. We ended up throwing the whole dinner out because of the smell alone.

The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook: Over 120 Delicious Low-Carb Recipes That Cook Themselves

Average customer rating:

Waste of money
Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook
Simple and wholesome
High calories
Still Waiting

The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook: Over 120 Delicious Low-Carb Recipes That Cook Themselves
Kitty Broihier , and Kimberly Mayone
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1569244286

Book Description

We all love to eat good food, but no one seems to have the time to cook it anymore. The resurrection of the slow cooker has changed all that, giving busy food lovers a simple way to prepare delicious meals with very little effort or attention. Now, in The Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook, nutritionist and food consultant Kitty Broihier and recipe developer and creative chef Kimberly Mayone offer low carbers a chance to jump on the slow cooker bandwagon with over 120 delectable low carb recipes designed especially for slow cooking. They cover everything from breakfast foods, snacks, and chilis to soups, entrees, and desserts, and even include potluck favorites, easy-prep entrees requiring five ingredients or less, and ethnic cuisine. Complete with information on the convenience and health benefits of using the slow cooker, how to convert favorite low carb recipes for slow cooking, low carb “go-with” recipes that round out slow cooked meals, and tips and serving suggestions featured throughout, The Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook is sure to become a staple in every low carb cook’s kitchen.

Customer Reviews:

Waste of money.......2007-09-18

I agree with other reviewers who have addressed that the recipes are mediocre at best, so no need to go into detail on that point. Two other things I really didn't like about this book: 1) The nutritional information lists net carbs. I need to know total carbs, so using recipes with the nutritional information provided for convenience is impossible with this book. 2) There are dozens of recipes that are not slow-cooker recipes. I don't begrudge a few, but in a cookbook devoted to the slow-cooker, I don't want to see recipes that require only a skillet!

Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook.......2007-09-08

This book is a great book. I have made many delicious meals from this book

Simple and wholesome.......2007-03-25

This book contains many meals that are wonderful even if you aren't on a low-carb diet - and they're fabulous if you are. The recipes are simple and wholesome.

High calories.......2007-03-13

I just received this book and the receipes do sound delicious, but I am surprised to see how high in calories the servings are. Although I'm doing low-carb, I want to try to keep the calories in a reasonable range and these recipes see quite high.

Still Waiting.......2007-03-09

I can't review this item. I have yet to receive it. I sent an email to the dealer and am still waiting for a response.

Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens)

Average customer rating:

They taste great.
Not perfect but still a good book to own.
Happy Medium for Split Households
Mostly gluten-free!
So-so recipes

Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens)
Better Homes and Gardens
Manufacturer: Better Homes and Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Special Appliances | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 069621895X

Book Description

More than 200 low carb recipes for appetizers, soups, stews, and main dishes using poultry, beef, pork, and lamb that are perfect for the slow cooker.

Special chapter highlights side dishes that complement the low carb style.

Simple recipes using basic, easy-to-find ingredients that make meal planning easier.

Ingredients list, prep and cook times, and nutrition information accompany each recipe.

Customer Reviews:

They taste great........2007-09-13

So far all the recipes have been great. Although I find that almost every recipe I've tried has onions in them. But no complaints.

Not perfect but still a good book to own........2006-01-11

This book has some great-tasing recipes, which is the number 1 thing I look for. Are all of them perfectly low carb? No--and that's why it loses a full star.

However, the beginning of the book has an excellent summary of what it means to be on a low-carb diet. The recipes do give you things live whole wheat spaghetti as a possible side, but you should use your discretion of course. While whole wheat anything is not strictly low carb, due to the high fiber content there are certainly much worse things you can eat. (In other words, there aren't many people who got fat eating high-fiber foods.)

My favorites from this book are the beef stroganoff and the Irish stew.

Happy Medium for Split Households.......2005-09-01

I have enjoyed this book for a few years. When I recently went on-line to buy a copy for my mom, I was shocked to see all the bad reviews it received. My husband is an avid Atkins fan, I am not. For the times when he is following the diet rigorously, this book provided some much needed relief from another plate of bacon and eggs. Many of the recipes are higher in carbs than Atkins may suggest, but I'm happy it gives the non-Atkins people in our household a little break without going too overboard on the carbs. Most dishes I've made from this book taste great and they have a variety of recipes for any type of meat you want to throw in your crockpot.

Mostly gluten-free!.......2005-05-03

I know that this is supposed to be a low-carb cookbook, but I bought it because most of the recipes are gluten free. There are a few that call for cream of something soup or barley (neither acceptable on a GF diet), but most have basic ingredients and sauces. I've enjoyed all but one of the recipes I've made from the cookbook, and it's great to find a book with so many GF recipes.

So-so recipes.......2005-01-11

I bought this book to get some variety in my slow-cooker recipe collection, not because I am on a low-carb diet. So I've made some of the recipes, and they're not terrible, but they aren't great, either. Although the book does avoid the typical "add a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup" for the most part, which is a nice change, nearly all the recipes still call for some kind of starch to make the sauce thick: tapioca, cornstarch, flour. If you don't want every meal to be covered with a thick, jellied sauce, don't make these recipes! A good cook will be able to adapt them, but I wish I'd saved my money.

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