Kakaku：915 saved$9.15
Unwin
In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. IPhone 3G used's review (Stell, Queen of the Snow) 『Another fun read for children and grandmas&grandpas, moms and dads. Stella and Sam are a delight to spend time with on the pages of lovely artwork.』
(Pleasant Memories) 『This is a wonderful book to read with your children. My daughter, age 2 3/4 loves this book, even though she has never seen snow. It evokes happy memories of snowy days from my childhood. The watercolor pictures are beautiful with just enough playful detail to keep interesting when reading again and again. This book is well written and well illustrated. Stella is fun, with lots of energy, like Olivia (Ian Falconer).』
(we love you, stella) 『stella, with her red hair and similar fiesty personality, is the PERFECT guide for both summer and winter fun. both my boys love her wacky, child-like and TRUE explanations of seahorses, snowbanks and fun to be had, either in a bathing suit or snowsuit. the illustrations are lovely, the text is true and the attraction for all is evident. this book should not be missed.』
(Queen is Right!!) 『Stella certainly is the Queen of her Domain, which is the world inhabited by her brother and herself. With her flaming red hair (a visual highlight of the book), she rules the roost when Sam sees snow for the first time. Stella's explanations to Sam of how the world functions are occasionally accurate but more often creative, alternative, and imaginary. They provide for some great laughs for children old enough to know the truth (bears don't really eat snowflakes for breakfast, do they. . . ?). Their anonymous and silent dog follows their adventures through building a snowman, building a snow fort for a snowball fight, sledding, and making snow angels. The dialogue is very child-like, without being childish and condescending. It gives kids a voice to which they can probably relate, whether it's the supremely confident Stella or the more cautious Sam.
The book's watercolors are very cool! Gay captures the orange-red of Stella's hair, the "safe" green of Sam's snowsuit, and the traditional brown of their dog. She captures amazing detail without being overwhelming: leaves and birds on the tree branches, the other kids in the snowball fight, the trip up and then down the hill on the sleds, and the making of snow angels (the final picture of the dog is priceless!!). The complexity of the pictures matches the level of the dialogue---somewhere between the intense complexity of a Grame Base, for example, and the beautiful simplicity of Eric Carle. Gay is right on the money.
Bottom line: This is a great book for kids and their parents! Parents will enjoy reading of Stella's parallel universe, and kids who are old enough to do so will enjoy correcting her errors. It's a fun day with Stella and Sam. It's almost worth getting the book for two pictures: Sam standing on a pile of snow, with his pot belly, firmly-secured hat, and green snow suit; and the dog doing the snow angel at the end. If you don't love Stella's hair and attitude, then you need to adjust your sense of humor.』
(Wonderful) 『I love this book. The first time I read Stella, Star of the Sea I fell in love with Stella and Sam. I was so excited to see this new book. I am going to read it to my class as soon as possible. It is an excellent book. (Stella's pointed nose and round belly make the book a must buy!)』 『Stella takes her little brother, Sam, out into the snow. As usual he is full of questions and Stella is ready with answers, eager to explore and reassure. The book shows the complementary personalities of the two characters in a story which explores sibling relations as well as the physical world. Imprint.』 『It's Sam's first snowstorm and he has alotof questions. "Is the snow cold? Can you eat a snowflake? Where does a snowman sleep? How many snowflakes are there in a snowball?" His big sister, Stella, has the answer to every question because she is very knowledgeable on the subject, being Queen of the Snow. "Polar bears eat snowflakes for breakfast," Stella informs Sam.
"With milk?" asks Sam.
"Yes," says Stella. "And sugar."
The two venture out into the white wonderland, exploring the tastes and textures of snowflakes and snowballs, the thrill of sledding ("I think I'll walk down," says Sam), and the magic of snow angels. Worldly Stella instructs her cautious little brother in all the ways of winter in the way only a big sister can.
Readers will be gratified at the return ofStella, Star of the Sea's adorable, true-to-life siblings. Popular award-winning author-illustrator Marie-Louise Gay has created another breathtakingly cute picture book about confident, carrot-top Stella and her earnest but uncertain little brother. Gay's watercolors of blackbirds on denuded tree branches, a brown pup wading through belly-deep snow, and the beaming siblings flailing their limbs to make snow angels are simply perfect. And her kid-dialogue is perfection squared. (Ages 3 to 7)--Emilie Coulter』
Kakaku：279 saved$2.79
Anchor
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Why do I have to listen to her complain?) 『This book was full of beautiful potential, but the characters where completely without true richness. The main character was so whiney and and annoying. She complained about a childhood and parents that were typically flawed. The author gave a vague and rediculous episode that was suppose to fuel her deep hatred for an ex husband. 9/11 was just thrown in as if it had to be, bringing up much deeper and more exciting topics that the rest of the book then ending abruptly.』
(Queen of Dreams by far the best I have read this year.) 『For some reason I discovered this book sitting in my bookshelf and have no idea when I purchased it and why. I read a book a week and was searching for something to read when I discovered this one. I had never heard or read anything by this author. My huge loss, for this is by far the best book I have read this year. Perhaps the best I have read in the past year as well.
While searching for some knowledge as to why her mother dies in an accident and trying to discover who she really was, Rakhi unwinds a tale that is so marvelous you cannot put this book down. Magic, mystery and wonder fill every page. Written at times like poetry, you are aware of this authors unbelievable talent with every page you read.
I will now read every other book she has written. Where are these great writers hidden ? Why are they known to someone like me who is an avid reader? We are forced into trusting the best sellers list and to read novels by mediocre writers to satisfy the demands of publisher who control the market as well as our minds.
This book is a gem and will make you hunger for more of this author. Chitra Banergee Divakaruni........a toast to you and your talent. Please keep writing.
』
(Some Comments on Comparative Study on Literature of Dream Interpreters) 『I come across the work of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni through a radio interview in April. Her reading excerpt on the Queen of Dreams was so charming that I checked out the title in the nearby local library. Unforunately, that radio program ceased to pose her audio interview on line.
Time is well-spent reading this title as the many reviews of the title cover comment on the effect 'spiritually therapeutic'. Her narrative prose in first person account is so poetic that even a tormented main character, a single mother who struggles to paint, a La Boheme artist, sounds like a saint. What strikes me as universally humane is how Chitra describes the 'redemptive' process, sexual frustration with her ex-husband, friendship with her girlfriend, Freudian connection with her son Jonas (yes, the Biblical character), ambiguous reconciliation with her gifted mother after she died in an accident, and with her father who lent a cooking hand to support her 'faltering adventure in coffee shop business'. The father figure is fairly clear-cut.
For those who are new-age seekers, the self-discovery of identity in the post-modern Berkeley era does not sacrifice the quest of authentic intellectual curiosity. Rather it affirms a woman's struggling for her independence while longing her interdependence with those who care for her. Only a protagonist (here a woman) can write such moving novel.
If you enjoy poetry for the namesake of beauty, try the journal passge on how one interpretes the modality of 'thorn'. How many ways can one assign meanings to the dream about 'thorn'? That depends on who has the dream and in what context.
The author maintains a website for her other works.』
(Dream Time...) 『I loved reading this book, at first it was boring, but that only lasted a few pages, later I was so engrossed by it that I could not stay away from it. I felt drawn towards all of the characters, especially Rakhi. The only thing I didn't like was that it leaves you wanting more; some things are not resolved, or not explain too good. But all in all, is a wonderful and magical novel.』
(Another 5-star novel) 『I have now read 4 of Ms. Divakaruni's books, and hope she writes another novel soon. She has a tremendous gift to make her images come to life in your head as you are reading. I also felt again that I was being given a privileged tour of a culture different than my own, and could see my own culture through different eyes. So in addition to being entertained, I was being educated. Along with a great story comes a little magic--in that way her work reminds me of Alice Hoffman--the magic seems like a completely natural and believeable part of the world. Read this book, and then read the rest of her work!』 『From the bestselling author ofSister of My Heartcomes a spellbinding tale of mothers and daughters, love and cultural identity. Rakhi, a young painter and single mother, is struggling to come to terms with her relationship with ex-husband Sonny, a hip Bay Area DJ, and with her dream-teller mother, who has rarely spoken about her past or her native India. Rakhi has her hands full, juggling a creative dry spell, raising her daughter, and trying to save the Berkeley teahouse she and her best friend Belle own. But greater challenges are to come. When a national tragedy turns her world upside down and Rakhi needs her mother’s strength and wisdom more thanever, she loses her in a freak car accident. But uncovering her mother’s dream journals allows Rakhi to discover her mother’s long-kept secrets and sacrifices–and ultimately to confront her fears, forge a new relationship with her father, and revisit Sonny’s place in her heart.』
Kakaku：3056 saved$30.56
Nicolson
Usually ships in 2 to 4 weeks 『England's medieval queens were elemental in shaping the history of the nation. In an age where all politics were family politics, dynastic marriages placed English queens at the very centre of power - the king's bed. From Matilda of Flanders, the Conqueror's queen, to Elizabeth of York, the first Tudor consort, England's queens fashioned the nature of monarchy and influenced the direction of the state. Occupying a unique position in the mercurial, often violent world of medieval state-craft, English queens had to negotiate a role that combined tremendous influence with terrifying vulnerability. Lisa Hilton's meticulously researched new book explores the lives of the twenty women who were crowned queen between 1066 and 1503, reconsidering the fictions surrounding well-known figures like Eleanor of Aquitaine and illuminating the lives of forgotten figures such as Adeliza of Louvain. War, adultery, witchcraft, child abuse, murder - and occassionally even love - formed English queenship, but so too did patronage, learning and fashion.Lisa Hilton considers the evolution of the queenly office alongside intimate portraits of the individual women, dispelling the myth that medieval brides were no more than diplomatic pawns. From Eleanor of Castile's eccentric passion for fruit to Anne of Bohemia's contribution to the Protestant reformation, QUEENS CONSORT is a provocative and dramatic narrative which redefines English history in terms of an exceptional group of women whose personal ambitions, triumphs and failures helped to give birth to the modern state.』
Kakaku：480 saved$4.80
Image Comics
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (The joke gets stale) 『While the first Bomb Queen book had a funny idea (a supervillainess takes over the city and rules in amusing ways) by the second volume the joke has gotten old and tired.
If you really liked Bomb Queen wait for the omnibus volume coming out and get that. No real need to pick up this volume.』
(funny with great art) 『I loved this comic the moment I opened it. There is so much detail in the backgrounds - it's fun to spend time on each page looking for subtle humor instead of blowing through the whole thing in 15 mins.
The art in this series is so clean and well done. The character, Bomb Queen, is such a bad @$$ and she does whatever she wants and she makes me actually laugh out loud. Jimmie Robinson really captured my...heart? (not the right body part for this kind of thing) with this comic because the writing is top notch, its funny as hell and really sexy too.
I like that the comic doesn't take it seriously at all - the characters might say every now and then that so in so is in the wrong comic if you think... etc etc - its really a blast. Reading the whole series was a real treat.
Give this series a chance before you discount it as another cheap T&A thrill. Its more than just T&A (Bomb Queen IS hot though!).
Don't take the comic seriously, otherwise you'll completely miss the point. People who are offended by images/jokes of rape, murder, etc. will have let the whole thing just whiz right over their head - so just enjoy it - it's by far my favorite comic of all time.』
(Cheap jokes and b00bs) 『It is something of a sick fascination that sometimes draws me back to train-wreck sites to see if things have gotten better a second time around. "Bomb Queen: Woman of Mass Destruction," by Jimmie Robinson, took some interesting concepts about a city run by a supervillain and ran them into the ground with gratuitous nudity and a great number of distasteful "jokes" about rape, incest and pedophilia.
And yet, I returned for a second look when "Dirty Bomb" hit the stands -- and found that Jimmie hasn't really learned from his mistakes.
I know there's a market out there for nude comics, primarily among the adolescent set, but Jimmie needs to work on his storytelling if he wants to hook a more mature reading audience. Of course, as long as preteens have plenty of cash to spend, quality will probably remain a non-issue.
by Tom Knapp, Rambles.(net) editor』 『Bomb Queen is back! The super-popular series returns, wilder and sexier then ever! Bomb Queen falls for a mysterious man who finally satisfies her sex-crazed lust. But Bomb Queen must get her head out of the clouds and her legs back together, because naturally, all is not what it seems!』
Kakaku：950 saved$9.50
St. Martin's Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Very detailed and interesting take on Mary I.) 『This book took me a lot further into a story I thought I already knew. Though I haven't read any of the works that condemn Mary as a monarch, I hardly felt that this work was overly-sympathetic or forgiving. I think everything was explained very clearly and I enjoyed the book a lot. I give the book five stars because I feel like I learned a lot from it, it was an enjoyable read, and I think the author did a great job putting all of this information together.』
(Surprising book) 『I've read a lot about "Bloody Mary" and this book gave me a "devil's advocate" approach if you would. It takes into account all the things she went through in her life, including the horrible way I feel she was treated by her family(Hapsburgs, included) and gives you a look into why she made the decisons that she made. It hasn't changed my mind about her, but it's nice to see a book that isn't totally negative for once.』
(A Long Overdue Fresh Look at 'Bloody' Mary) 『Dr Linda Porter has meticulously researched the tragic life of England's first queen regnant in her vivid and well-written book. For readers who only know the 'myth' of Bloody Mary, Porter's book offers a real glimpse of the all-too-human queen behind that myth. For those who think they know the 'real' Mary, they, too, will have a stunning surprise and fascinating read. We see Mary hurtling toward disaster after disaster, from the moment she's put in the care of her tutor, Jean de Vives; to the confrontations of long, obdurate duration with her father, Henry VIII; through the separations from her mother and her half-siblings; and headlong into a disastrous, love-struck marriage with Philip II of Spain. Mary's story has been much neglected by historians to date -- with the great Dr David Starkey even lumping her together with her half-brother Edward VI as the 'forgotten Tudors'. Yet Mary's reign (as well as that of her brother Edward) was a watershed, not only in English history, but in the history of the Protestant reformation movement that spread with England's nascent empire during her half-sister Elizabeth I's reign. Without understand Mary Tudor, we can't understand why and how Elizabeth and other monarchs acted after her. This is a must read for anyone interested in British history, family history, or the history of Catholicism and the Protestant reformation.』
(Not impartial, more of a whitewash) 『Periodically some historian writes a new biography of "Bloody" Mary I, queen of England from 1553-1558, seeking to rehabilitate her reputation. Her short reign was marked by a rise in religious reaction that resulted in some 270 deaths through judicial murder, the flight of some 800 important Protestants abroad seeking to save their lives, and largely alienated the English public from the Roman Catholic Church. In this book, author and historian Linda Porter sets out to show Mary as a cultured Renaissance monarch, moderate, but determined to revitalize England.
Overall, I found this to be a disappointing book. I think that the author did a good job of showing how Mary had been cruelly treated by her father, and by the powerful men who ruled Tudor England before her ascension to the throne. However, once the narrative reaches Mary's coronation, that earlier treatment seems to be forgotten - as showing her to have been vengeful, or perhaps just another player in the Tudor blood sport of politics, would have undercut the author's recasting of Mary as enlightened monarch.
Further, the author eschews any discussion of Mary's mental instability, for example not going into any great detail on Mary's two phantom pregnancies, or their significance. The author laid a great deal of blame for Mary's subsequent reputation on the person of John Foxe, the author of the Book of Martyrs, but fails to go into any detail on how one book could so overcome the "truth" of Mary's enlightenment.
No, I must say that I did not find this to be a good, impartial book on Queen Mary I, but saw it as more of a whitewash of her flaws. Has Mary been mistreated by historians since her reign? Most certainly. But, was she an enlightened and humanistic ruler, one of England's best monarchs? I think that that is going more than a little too far. Overall, I do not recommend this book.』
(The Other Tudor Girl) 『Mary I of England (1516-1558), the elder daughter of Henry VIII, has long been overshadowed by her younger half-sister Elizabeth. As it happens, Mary's "Bloody" reputation is a partly a construct of the following era, due largely to John Foxe and encouraged by Elizabeth herself. But many of the successes of the Elizabethan period, resulting in economic prosperity and flourishing of the arts, were actually continuations of Mary's reforms and policies. One of Elizabeth's advantages was sheer longevity, together with the country remaining Protestant. As a result, historians have traditionally had a rather foreshortened view of Mary's reign.
In her new biography, Linda Porter aims to rehabilitate Mary as a good and competent monarch on balance, and as a pioneer among reigning queens. Porter sets out by explaining the woman that Mary became, examining the people and events that shaped her life--especially her increasingly complicated family and its drama. The resulting depiction of Mary, usually convincing and very well-written, is a worthy addition to historical studies of the Tudor era and queens regnant.
From her mother Katherine of Aragon, Mary learned at an impressionable age that "conscience was the most important justification for behaviour that anyone could make." Katherine refused to step out of the way for Henry's dynastic concerns--she wouldn't even countenance retiring to a nunnery, though Henry, by declaring their marriage invalid from the beginning, actually foreclosed that option. Because Henry divorced Katherine in the end, Mary had to be declared illegitimate.
Strangely--or naively--Henry didn't think that displacing Mary in this way would affect her negatively. But for the young lady who had yielded precedence within the kingdom only to her parents, being uprooted from her (as she saw it) God-given place was simply inconceivable. She objected to any perceived affront, and Henry in his lenience only made the matter worse by not forcing her obedience right away. "The delay raised false hopes and developed in her a pattern of opposition based on conscience and self-identity, where suffering almost became a goal in itself."
Anne Boleyn's jealousy towards Mary grew as the king's divorce dragged on, and in 1531 she became so defensive ("Did she fear that Mary could still salvage her parents' marriage?") that she didn't allow Mary at court at Christmas. Even after Henry married Anne, Mary refused to recognize her as queen, and their encounters always degenerated into rudeness and reprisals. The moral victory was always Mary's: "A more subtle woman [than Anne] might have considered outmanoeuvring Mary by occasionally bringing her to court, treating her with kindness and consideration and letting her show the world that, if she continued to defy her father, she was just a sulky, jealous child and a disobedient daughter. The new queen, who liked to be the centre of attention, feared Mary too much to follow such a strategy."
After Anne's death (which Mary may have helped bring about indirectly) and a brief euphoric period in which Mary thought she would be restored to her former position, Henry finally forced his older daughter to submit and acknowledge her reduced status. Mary endured another fifteen years of subjection, first to her father (although she got along quite well with Catherine Parr, her last stepmother) and then to her half-brother Edward VI, whose tolerance of her Catholic observance did not last.
Against the background of this understanding of Mary's character, the events of the last six years of her life fall into place: She rose up with the support of the people to triumph over John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, who would have ruled in the name of his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey. She resumed the practice of the traditional religion, whose beauty and mystery most people probably missed (Northumberland even reverted to the Catholic faith, a huge propaganda victory for the new regime). She married Philip of Spain somewhat reluctantly, it seems, and made it clear that her motherly relationship to her people would take priority. She encouraged trade and reformed the currency that both her father and brother had debased. As for her sobriquet, the level of violence during her reign, although inexcusable to our sensibilities, was not that different from other early modern regimes. As for Calais and its loss, the author glosses it over as ultimately untenable and not all that valuable (an explanation that is not completely satisfying). But when Mary's poor health finally overtook her, she brought about a smooth transition to the next regime by acknowledging Elizabeth as her heir.
Only in the last thirty years or so has Mary I has been rehabilitated and recognized for her own accomplishments, by a series of sympathetic (but not hagiographic) biographers starting with David Loades (newer version), and continuing with Carolly Erickson, J. A. Froude, and others. Porter's biography is not just the latest of these, but also one of the best, with an admirable level of detail and accuracy (especially in the characterizations of supporting figures like Catherine Parr). It is a riveting book, and I finished it with the sense that the traditional smears had been peeled back to reveal something of the pivotal ruler that Mary actually was. 』 『
In this groundbreaking new biography of“Bloody Mary,” Linda Porter brings to life a queen best remembered for burning hundreds of Protestant heretics at the stake, but whose passion, will, and sophistication have for centuries been overlooked.
Daughter of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, wife of Philip of Spain, and sister of Edward VI, Mary Tudor was a cultured Renaissance princess. A Latin scholar and outstanding musician, her love of fashion was matched only by her zeal for gambling. It is the tragedy of Queen Mary that today, 450 years after her death, she remains the most hated, least understood monarch in English history.
Linda Porter’s pioneering new biography—based on contemporary documents and drawing from recent scholarship—cuts through the myths to reveal the truth about the first queen to rule England in her own right. Mary learned politics in a hard school, and was cruelly treated by her father and bullied by the strongmen of her brother, Edward VI. An audacious coup brought her to the throne, and she needed all her strong will and courage to keep it. Mary made a grand marriage to Philip of Spain, but her attempts to revitalize England at home and abroad were cut short by her premature death at the age of forty-two. The first popular biography of Mary in thirty years,The First Queen of Englandoffers a fascinating, controversial look at this much-maligned queen.
Kakaku：219 saved$2.19
Eurotica
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Awesome!!!) 『As good as the first. Really makes you want to meet and "Hook Up" with a Vampire.』
(Even more fun than the first one, though the translation is still iffy) 『Like the first volume of Kristina, Queen of Vampires, this is an erotic graphic novel from Dutch author Frank Mensink. The translations have the same problem in Volume 2 as in Volume 1: namely, an amateurish feel, lack of attention to tone, and some occasionally bizarre word choices. Like I said in my review of that volume, this is nothing you haven't experienced if you've ever read HEAVY METAL. If you can forgive that weakness, then read on.
Volume 2 picks up more than a year after Volume 1; Kristina, a medieval vampire who was accidentally resuscitated in the modern age, is just waking up from a long period of regeneration after her ill-fated encounter with police investigators Mark and Iris. (That's what you get for coming between a woman and her man, honey.) She quickly goes back to her kinder, gentler feeding routine -- she only goes after criminals, particularly murderers and rapists, figuring that nobody will care if they're gone. She also rekindles her charmingly affectionate affair with John and Veronica, the two humans whom she took as thralls in Volume 1. Things take a bit of a different turn, however, when she is approached by the leader of a large nest of vampires who want her to be their queen. It seems that they don't make vamps like they used to, and Kristina has the mystic mojo necessary to be the most powerful vamp around.
Again, this series is unusual because it's hard to find any real villains, other than the human scum who comprise Kristina's nightly entrées. Even the modern vampires treat their thralls kindly, though that seems to be more for their own comfort than out of genuine compassion for the thralls ("I hate it when they scream all the time," says the vamp leader). It would be easy to root for happy endings for all involved, if Kristina weren't still obsessed with snagging Mike as her immortal beloved.
Much like Volume 1, Volume 2 is obviously set up for a sequel. That's fine by me; these are fun, sexy stories with good art and much more interesting characters than most erotic comics. Hopefully it won't take another two years for Mensik to come out with Volume 3.』
(Great Chapter Two!) 『First off, let me say that the art seems to have improved since the first chapter. Which is not a put down of the first chapter it just points out how the artist, like many others, is always trying to improve on his work, trying to reach and go beyond his own standards. The story also makes some sense. While the other vampires are weaker than Kristina they have been living within modern society longer and understand how to survive within it. Of course she has no idea about silver bullets. As she SAID the best weapon they had in the old days were crossbows. I wonder how she will react to the Internet Chat Rooms and Blood Banks? She should get a sports car. Why should she fly all the time when she can pick up victims in style? Frankly, I can't wait to see Chapter Three. And it is nice to know Kristina, the real model used for the Queen's character, helped to develop this chapter of the story and it was a bonus to see a photo of her on the back cover. 』
(Chapter 1 was better...) 『The art was once again excellent. Mensink uses vibrant colors, the proportions were spot on and the people didn't look cartoonish. The sex was hot and explicitly rendered, as in the first installment. However, this "novel" is shorter and the story was a disappointing follow-up to chapter one.
Chapter one ended with another vampire Lord becoming aware of Kristina's presence and wanting her as their queen because she's so strong. She does visit them, and naturally an orgy ensues. But yet, she was quickly foiled again by the female DA and ended up wounded exactly as in chapter one! If she's so powerful why shouldn't she come out ahead this time? And how has the coven survived so long when they're supposedly so much weaker than her?
Sure, I realize this is "just" an adult comic, but that doesn't mean the story can't be as good as in part 1. Another thing I didn't care for was the increased amount of F/F action than in the first book. I will definitely buy chapter 3 when it's finally released, but I hope it follows through on the promise of chapter 1.』
(Kristina) 『While this is a spin off of the Vampy series, I found the two books in the series well writen and very well drawn. As someone who likes a working plot with the graphics I was quite pleased with the results.Kristina, Queen of VampiresKristina Queen of Vampires Chapter 2 (Kristina, Queen of Vampires)』
Kakaku：542 saved$5.42
St. Martin's Griffin
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Missing Pages...) 『Gret book, really enjoyed it, though not as much as Margaret George's novel on Cleopatra. I found myself amazed at how flighty Mary was, and how unwilling to listen to her advisors, no matter how much danger she was in.
My book was missing around 30 pages, including a major plot, marriage proposal, attempt at escape, etc. Pretty disappointed about that!』
(Mary Queen of Scots) 『One of those novels that is fascinating, even though most of time reading it you can't help but think "What was she thinking?"』
(Historical fiction at its best) 『Another fine novel by Margaret George. Her use of historical facts leads the reader into the life and times of Mary Queen of Scotland.
This is not a book for those that love the strength, mystery, and intrigue surrounding the Tudors. This is a vision of how Mary would likely have felt and dealt with the position of her birth - Mary, not as strong as Elizabeth .. not strong enough to rule when needed. Born to be the daughter of a King, but not born to fulfill the need and rule as a Queen.
I was entranced from the first chapter, and could not put it down. From birth to death I was with Mary, feeling her love, joy, fear and final acceptance of her fate.
』
(Factual novel) 『Overall I liked the book, it is a novel but a great part of the book is factual. The genealogy section was actually quite helpful to me because I am working on my family tree and we are related to both the Stewart (Stuart) and Tudor lines. The first two thirds of the book flew by, but I have to admit that reading how Mary made the wrong decisions over and over got pretty tedious. The last part being her imprisonment at the hands of Elizabeth I, dragged on. But I have read other books by Margaret George and she doesn't seem to know how to end her books, the ending is always weak with details about the food served and embroidery patterns. I did read to the end of the book but it was hard work.』
(I'm on Page 86....) 『I am absolutely blown away by how different this book is than her Henry autobiography. Whereas the title would imply that this book is about Mary Stuart...the wedding scene alone disproves that idea. I know more about how her uncle was feeling during the ceremony than she did.
So far, not a ringing endorsement for the rest of the book.』 『
She was a child crowned a queen.... A sinner hailed as a saint.... A lover denounced as a whore... A woman murdered for her dreams...
Kakaku：512 saved$5.12
HarperCollins
Usually ships in 1 to 3 weeks IPhone 3G used's review (Charming and delightful!) 『This is something to be cherished year after year. I will love it forever!』
(Engelbreit and Ann Estelle team up to make your spirits bright this holiday season!) 『Young Ann Estelle aka the Queen of Christmas, began working on her Christmas list right after Christmas last year. While it may seem strange to begin wishing for new gifts right after you received a batch of splendid ones, Ann Estelle felt that it was essential to begin marking down the items she wanted the most. Now, one year later, Ann Estelle's list has grown to an amazing length, containing small items like a red skating outfit - with sparkles - all the way to large items, such as a pony. Now, as the Christmas celebrations have begun taking place, the Queen of Christmas realizes that there is much to do. From baking cookies, to sledding, to trimming the tree. With so much of her time taken up by festivities, Ann Estelle almost doesn't finish her list in time. But the Queen of Christmas knows just how Santa works - he'll bring her something great no matter what, even if it's not on her list.
Mary Engelbreit's illustrations have captured hearts around the world, but now her precocious alter ego, Ann Estelle, has the power to capture audiences with her oft-times zany, and spoiled-like musings on the world, and the holidays in general. Ann Estelle is like the world-renowned ELOISE, sans the Plaza Hotel. Her thoughts regarding the holidays, and presents, are hilarious, and mesh quite well with how young children think - that Santa will bring them anything and everything on their list, no matter how out there their requests are. Mary Engelbreit has done a marvelous job giving an enjoyable voice to Ann Estelle, while her illustrations depicting the Queen of Christmas participating in all things festive - from skating to sledding, and baking to feasting - bring the holiday tale to life, and close it with a moral that will leave every parent in smiles. Engelbreit and Ann Estelle team up to make your spirits bright this holiday season!
Erika Sorocco』
(Cute and has a good message too!) 『If you like Mary Engelbreit, you will like this book. Even if you are not a big fan, The Queen of Christmas is a very sweet book for children of all ages. Mary's illustrations are as bright and happy as ever and she is even a decent writer. The story follows Ann Estelle through the last few days before Christmas as she adds new things to her Christmas wish list everyday. In the end she realizes that the presents were not what made Christmas so special. This book also has the added bonus of sevel pages of Ann Estelle paper dolls. I gave this book to my 2 1/2 year old daughter and she loves it.』 『
Ann Estelle is very busy working on The List. The Queen of Christmas knows there's nothing more important! How else can she get all the things she really wants?
As the Christmas countdown moves along, there's so much for the Queen to do! Sledding, baking, singing, trimming the tree . . . Ann Estelle wants to enjoy every minute. But will she manage to get The List finished in time for Santa? What's the lesson Ann Estelle really learns?
Festive artwork, brimming with good cheer and cozy detail, invites readers into Ann Estelle's world as Mary Engelbreit tells an unforgettable, merry, and heartwarming Christmas story.
』 『Greeting card designer Mary Engelbreit, who transitioned into picture book illustrator with best-sellingThe Night Before Christmas, pens the first of a series of stories about likable young Ann Estelle. Ann, the self-appointed Queen of Christmas, has been working on "The List" since just after Christmas last year. After all, if she forgetsanything, "that would make Christmas not quite as wonderful as it should be." So, although she has a marvelous time ice-skating with Grandma, perhaps a sparkly red skating outfit would make it better. And going sledding with her father on his old wooden sled is great, but still, it might be nice to have a brand-new plastic one.
It might sound as though Ann Estelle should really be called the Spoiled Princess of Christmas, but in truth, she’s just a normal little girl bedazzled by the "golden gift-getting opportunity" of Christmas. And--with no parental prodding whatsoever--our little heroine closes the story with the kind of moral every parent would like to hear: "Oh, Dad, it’s not just the presents that matter. Don’t you knowthat?" (Ages 4 to 8)--Emilie Coulter』
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Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Highlighting Women Leaders throughout Time ...) 『The book devotes one or more chapters to individual female leaders throughout history. The first "warrior" - Boudica - truly was a warrior queen. She receives th
