Shoes Books

After reading "Pound Cake for Sweet Pea" I had to read Ms. Bridgemann's next book and she does it again. Her book will make you laugh, cry and rooting for the heroine.

I enjoyed reading this book as much as her first novel. But a few chapters in, I had to start again and make a list of all the characters and who their partners were and what their issues were. Mia and her husband stick in my mind more than any of the others. Like I said, enjoyable read but the author could have achieved the same thing by cutting down on so many people in one book.

If you haven't gotten it yet, you had better hurry and get it. TT Bridgeman's "Changing my Shoes" is the best book of the summer. This is a story that will make you smile some, fuss a lot and then maybe even shed a tear.

"Changing my Shoes" is a story full of love, lust and lies. Mia appears to have a great life. She's a career woman, who is married and has a great circle of friends, or so she thinks. Ever so quickly Mia begins to see that she has made some not so good choices in her life. Mia finally realizes that in the end it's her happiness that she has to be concerned with.

When some untimely events unfold in Mia's life she is forced to make some drastic changes. She couldn't possibly imagine that one simple visit from her sister in law, and one accidental meeting with her ex would change the rest of her life forever.

There is a great twist to this story that will keep the reader on edge. You will fall in love with some of the characters and others you will hate. Nevertheless, you will love "Changing my Shoes".

that has yet to be discovered by the masses, is the best way to describe author T.T. Bridgeman. In this is her second offering, Changing My Shoes, she doesn't falter in giving the reader a well written, engaging, contemporary love story.

The leading lady, Mia May, is true example of today's hard-working sistah trying to climb the corporate ladder and keep her man satisfied. But her leading man Ronnie, the fly jock, knows he has a good thing but can't shake the "grass is greener" syndrome that keeps him wondering what he's missing. Along with an "affair surviving, but now you gotta deal with my crazy baby mama" married couple, a "She Ike and I'm Tina" engaged duo, a "Career Driven, Men Are Only Meant For One Thing" Sisterfriend, and a "You Ain't What I Want, But You What I Got" pair holding on just because, this book will make you laugh, cry and cuss outloud but most definitely not put it down. (Page 266 will drop your jaw to your feet!!!!!!!)

"Changing My Shoes" is an excellent choice for readers who are not caught up in the "Hood Drama shootum up, slang slang, bang bang fairytales" that have flooded the market. This selection is truly worth every dime spent. I've been a fan since her first book, Pound Cake For Sweet Pea, I can't wait for the next...

As little girls growing up, we tend to dream of our Prince Charming and how perfect everything will be because we do everything to keep them happy, and just being with them keeps us happy. T.T. Bridgeman's Changing My Shoes shows that sometimes no matter how hard we try, some things just cannot be helped or controlled.

Mia May had a career that she loved and a husband, Ronnie who satisfied her to the fullest. She was surrounded by a circle a of friends that loved her deeply as she did them. They were all so close, they were like her family. Even though Ronnie was a self-centered, egotistical, selfish man, Mia still loved him. Mia went as far as allowing Ronnie's infant niece to come and live with them, when Ronnie's sister, Rhonda, decided that she could not be a single parent. That was true and unconditional love. It was this type of love that she had for everyone who meant anything to her in her life. Maybe it was why she did not see, nor did she expect the challenges that life was about to drop on her, one after the other.

Throughout life's journey, we as women sometimes buy the prettiest shoes in the store, even though the shoes cut into the little toes, the heart of our feet. We do the same thing in our love life. Making choices just because, and because those choices are not always right they cut us deep in the heart. T.T. Bridgeman depicts just that, in this fast-paced, non-stop jaw dropping twist of fiction. There were some editing misses, but it did not take away from this awesome read. I especially enjoyed the tie-in of some the characters from her previous book, Pound Cake for Sweet Pea. It does not matter if you read the first book or not, but just knowing how those characters were just made it all the more enjoyable. I believe that everyone who reads this will be entertained from the beginning to the end, and so I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good work of fiction. I am definitely looking forward to future works from this author.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

Rhonda Rhea is a gifted writer that takes the reader's soul on a fantastic walk towards the divine. She is light-hearted, yet beautifully deep. I would strongly recommend her book to anyone wanting to get a contemporary view of how to bring God into their everyday life.

This awesome author gave me a close-up look at Colossian 1:9-12 - word by word, phrase by phrase. This powerful message in the Bible tells us to "walk worthy". It then tells us how. Rhonda Rhea took me by the hand and with great insight and side-busting humor led me step by step. Jesus used everyday items to teach deep spiritual truths like water, salt, and bread. Rhonda does the same with shoes. Every chapter astounded me with life-changing thought and creativity. This book cuts through all the theological jargon and religious cliches to communicate clearly what God has in mind for our everyday lives as we seek to "walk worthy" of the One most worthy, by the grace He supplies.

I have to give Rhonda's book 5+ stars. Must reading!
Cara Ray

Reviewed by Amanda Schafer

Are you a fashion diva who has a special place in your heart for shoes, but also a special place in your heart for the Lord? Do you want to find a great way to connect with God while reading a book that helps you understand, in terms you can relate to? High Heels is for you! Divided into several parts (with 4 chapters in each part), this book can be read straight through or used as a daily (or weekly) devotional book.

Rhea uses fantastic analogies regarding shoes and spiritual issues...it's hard not to laugh at her `shoe' humor! But one really great thing that Rhea does with this book is start you out small, with small doses of spirituality, and she slowly leads you into greater and deeper subjects. Then before you know it, you're experiencing a deep relationship with the Lord that you never knew was possible.

While reading this book, it was hard for me to read it straight through...I had to read it in portions in order to digest all of the information that was laid out before me. It sort of got overwhelming if I tried to read too much at one time, but if I read in bits and chunks, it was much easier to understand.

Since I'm not a shoe fanatic, however, the constant shoe analogy kind of got annoying after a bit. I could handle some, but too much of a good thing is simply too much. However, I can easily see how this book would be a great addition to a personal bookshelf in order to pull out and use for women's group devotionals.

I believe a large group could really benefit from this angle of spiritual insight.

Armchair Interviews says: Grab your comfortable shoes and start reading.

I applaud this author's intuition as she eloquently paints her every day topics in humorous and down-to-earth fashion. Besides the sacred Scriptures, I found this book to be of great value for those who are joyless searchers for joy, even though the "about shoes" was a bit redundant. With a beneficent flair, the author brings to light some titillating observations regarding the low points in life. In short, the reader gains keen insights into how one can walk in order to reach the precipice of true joy. Lastly, the reader comes to understand the intrinsic power we already have to overcome our worst enemy, not to mention habits. It all starts with the feet and which direction they're walking, or is it rather the conscience traveling in this world's shadows? Further enjoyable reading: The Den of IniquityHome to Holly Springs (Father Tim, Book 1)

I love Rhonda's new book "High Heels in High Place"! I really don't wear high heels now that I'm 45 year old, but I love reading about them. Of course it's not all about shoes it's all about our relationship with Jesus Christ. On page 23 I underlined "it's all about being filled up with Jesus! It's about having a testimony of the power of God at work in a life." This book has made me laugh my "shoes" off and check my walk with Christ at the same time. Oh yea, and I did notice there's a discussion guide in the back. Way to go Rhonda!

This book was the book that could've been something special,
but falls short in every way possible. Obviously, the only
reason it was published was because of
Hideous's very short stay with the revival of the power
rock/punk band, The Misfits; the band name sells people, and
the book got published, it's as simple as that.

Except for the journals Hideous kept while in the Misfits,
when all was said and done, I didn't believe any of the
mudslinging (whether is was true or not) and Myke Hideous
accomplished nothing other then portraying himself as a
angry, bitter, self-loathing, hateful person with nothing better to do
with his time but make a few bucks off another band's name, a
band he barely knew.

I was vaguely aware of The Empire Hideous back in the 1990s when they had a few advertisements in the gothic rock fanzines. This hideous book provides a rare, first person account of the scene and reveals what a struggle these bands went through to make their music.

Most of the book is about Myke Hideous' involvement with The Misfits and what a let down that experience was for him. The Misfits barely register on my radar so I can't really relate to his disappointment. From my perspective, The Empire Hideous seem like a bigger deal than the Misfits.

Reading this book made me feel guilty about not supporting the hard working goth bands that struggle for years without getting the recoginition or success that they deserve. So I've ordered an Empire Hideous CD from Middle Pillar.

I was glad I bought this book because it made me discover the work of the photographer, John Santerineross, whose book "Dream" looks deliciously eerie. I've ordered a copy of that book as well.

A first reading of the "memoirs of Myke Hideous" calls to mind the biblical tale of Samson and Delilah. Samson, you will recall, was the hero of ancient Israel who derived his strength from his long hair. Attracted to Delilah, a beautiful collaborator of the Philistines, Samson yielded to her entreaties and revealed the secret of his power. The Philistines set upon him that night, shaved his head, blinded him, and took him as their slave, keeping him alive only to serve as an object of scorn.

In Mr. Hideous' real-life tale, he is seduced by the promise of rock stardom with the band The Misfits after he is hired as lead singer during their tour. Repeatedly cajoled by the band to cut the hair he had taken eight years to grow as leader of The Empire Hideous, Myke-like Samson-relented, only to find his vitality diminished as a misfit among Misfits.

Samson's hair eventually returned, and he found his revenge by toppling the pillars of the Philistine temple, killing 3000 of his tormentors. In writing his book, Myke accomplishes much the same thing, laying waste to those who sought fame and riches at the cost of integrity, including-for a while-himself.

One of the book's enduring-and endearing-images is Myke's final concert with the original Empire Hideous lineup. Literally sweating blood and tears to capture the moment-his face covered with blood from eight hypodermic needles injected during the act-Myke and the band rocked their way through the set, ending on a decidedly non-grotesque note: Paul Anka's "My Way", popularized by Frank Sinatra. The image of the gothic Empire king turned Rat Packer is singularly appropriate: Myke's memoirs are not simply a diary of life on the road or a settling of personal scores. Rather, his is a tale of integrity: the people who have it, and those that don't; those who lost it and-in the end-one man who regained it.

In a perceptive introduction, Christian Uhl describes "the author's encapsulating nugget of wisdom": "Take your destiny into your own hands. It won't come to you. And for god sakes, take the longer way, your way. The real way..." King of an Empire to the Shoes of a Misfit is a travelogue of this longer path. It is a day-by-day accounting of the hell that accompanies the unswerving devotion to a personal ideal: the torment that nearly broke the spirit of a fine musician. Filthy accommodations, spitting fans, grueling tour schedules, and backstabbing band-mates: Myke details it all amidst the struggle to find what was "under my nose the whole time": the abiding awareness that he was meant for the music and it was meant for him.

Present day readers know that Myke brought this realization with him when he reconstituted The Empire Hideous and released the startlingly powerful "Say Your Prayers" the following year. The opening of that album warns of "great danger": not only the danger of the terror clones who define our ruling elites, but the danger that accompanies any creative quest. Unlike Sampson, who died with the toppling of the temple pillars, Myke survived the loss of his ponytail-and his identity. We can only hope that, strength renewed, he will find the power to transform these memoirs into a movie script and soundtrack destined to rock this Empire.

You'd be hard pressed to find a more brutally honest nonfiction account of life as a musician. This intensely personal autobiography by Myke Hideous takes you from his beginnings with Empire Hideous through his time as lead singer of the Misfits to the present. Along the way, as if reading his diary, you rejoice in the opportunities and then plunge head long into the downward spiral of disappointments. Myke slices his soul open and lays it down in print for everyone to examine. No one is spared in this story. Loves and friends are won and lost and battles with death itself ensue. Musically, tricks of the trade and hard lessons are learned. If you're an Empire Hideous fan, or even a Misfit fan, this is the ultimate piece of memorabilia and an overpowering insight into the man behind it all. If you're a struggling musician it'll be an empowering read.
-Blu, Editor of StarVox.net

I heard about this book for a while but never really got the chance to pick it up until recently. Needless to say I finished the book in 3 days which is great for me. This book is basically what almost every musician goes through who is trying to make it in this m-tv fed music world we live in. I found myself relating to a lot of things Myke said and even opening my eyes to seeing things different ways. As an extra added bonus for me I am/was a fan of The Misfts and reading the tour diaries were an amazing look on the inside of the "new" misfits. I'd highly reccomend this reading for anyone who is a struggling musician and has fallen short just to get up and kick butt again. cheers.

Too fast we forget about the important things in life, what's right, and what we care about most.

My Dog, the Meat Eater is a tale of life and the art of survival. The sly setting of a small family farm provokes readers to see from an agricultural viewpoint the realization that people must deal with the effects of change--life moves on even if we don't. And no matter what happens to us, whether our life takes a turn for the worse or better, we just have to keep on living.

Daniel Trask's first novel reads light as four young boys with the help of an old Puerto Rican named Louie embark on the discovery of what it means when they realize that the only way to survive in this world is to experience the death of another. The dependency of living beings on one another is what enables us to live and move on. The novel depicts the essence of the circle of life provocatively through the dreams and stories of the boys on the farm.

I've read this book numerous times and each time, it brings on a new and different meaning on life.

If you're looking for a good summer reading book or any season book, I highly recommend My Dog, the Meat Eater.You won't be dissapointed.

I didn't think I'd like it at first, too many emotions, too fast, too much shifting from reality to obscure-dream sequence. But after reading through the book twice, I started to identify with the characters, the mood, the area, and the themes. This is what being young is all about.. and I'm glad someone has written it down in such a raw, immediate way. This book understands reality, and thats the most anybody could ask from a book.

This experimental novel takes the reader into the heart of life. It forces a confrontation with the meaning of food, for one thing, a fascinating subject that lies at the heart of religion. What is the significance of the fact that we have to consume other sentient beings to sustain our own lives? Do vegetables love their lives as we animals do?

The georgic setting is a small farm on the edge of an industrial city in its sunset stage. You can feel the angst of the farm-owning family as they cling somewhat desperately to land bequeathed to them and manage to eke out a living from the soil.

But there's much more to this little book, the first effort of a young author with considerable talent for observation and description. The hopes, the dreams (literally), and the disappointments of a diverse group of young men working under the guidance of an older Puerto Rican farmhand make for an unforgettable literary experience.

"My Dog, the Meat Eater" is a book that will reward any reader who finds him or her self questioning the meaning of it all.

I just finished this book. I loved it. I'm totally impressed that at such a
young age (21), Daniel has managed to write a long text that's so full of
insights and hangs together beautifully.

Somehow the book manages to lay out a kind of Thoreauvian stark naked vision of
reality as if it had been filtered through Shel Silverstein.

There were a number of great lines, but the following two were my
favorites, the second in particular:

"Killing weeds and fighting to keep vegetables alive all day can bring out the
venom in a person."

"Their hearts all glowed like separate burners on the same electric stove."

In addition, I really liked the following sections: pp. 98-99; 128-132.

At any rate, this is a really great book. I'm looking forward to his next one.

I encourage everyone to check it out. You won't be disappointed.

What starts out as a simple coming of age story about college boys working at a farm-written by an author possessed by an obsession with life cycles and eating-quickly becomes something far more complex, disturbing, and ultimately profound. Not in recent memory has a book so repeatedly challenged and escaped my expectations.

Mr. Trask refreshingly discards complex prose in favor of more direct and intuitive language. His descriptions are so sharply defined that the printed page quickly fades out of view and the reader is engulfed in imagery that is powerful, personal, and unpretentiously metaphoric.

Trask is a visionary author in the literal sense of the word. He creates and weaves imagery with real clarity and a wisdom inherited from dreams. Like few other authors Trask understands the unique way in which writing can manipulate the visual world.

Sometimes his transitions from reality to dream are completely seamless. Yet, he divides the novel into short section, each of which continue the story chronologically, but seem like they could each exist on their own as independent short works. The sections are so full of reality and symbolism that the novel as a whole reads like a book of poetry. It reads at times like a film as well-like a series of vignettes, complete with carefully controlled visuals, cuts, and fade-outs.

All of this-the accessible language, short self-contained sections, and visual style-makes "My Dog the Meat Eater" very readable. You can read it in a single evening and allow yourself to be swept up by Trask's deep connection with the landscape, the quick movements in time, and the succession of increasingly dreamlike imagery. But equally well, you can pick this book up in short installments and give yourself time to savor the individual scenes.

I've found out first hand, like the reviewer above, that this book rewards multiple readings. I couldn't possibly understand the complete significance of Trask's story until I had reached the end. Revisit the story and you'll see how impeccably interwoven it is.

I recommend that everyone read this. This looks to me like the first work of an important author.

The quality & care of someone that's previously bought the book & is now reselling it, can't be gauranteed. I'm asking that you buy my books new, fresh from my publisher--Booksurge, if you want it in good condition....if you've received a damaged book,please return it for a refund********************Thank you! Sharon Bennett.

Guilty as charged, I am. I have a shoe fetish that won�t quit. Next to books, shoes are the next things that get my money. I have it so bad a few shoe stores in the area, my regular stomping grounds, call me to let me know when they get new hip styles in through the back door so that I can cart them out through the front. Imagine my extreme pleasure when I saw a book I thought was written for other women such as myself, I couldn�t wait to sit down and read this one. My pleasure mounted even higher when I really looked deeper into the book and found out that shoes are but a small aspect to this novella and then how shoes are representative of a number of different aspects in a woman�s life especially when it comes down to the man. Meet Carmen and her two friends TheLetter and Bethany. We meet them at their vulnerable adolescent years when each of them experiences things in life that no child should have to deal with.

As Shoe Fetish unfolds, we begin with the reunion of the ladies at their 20th high school reunion. The story is told as a remembrance of days gone by in each of their lives and comes full circle back to the present moment. We find that they meet in junior high and their friendship continues while each lady goes to college and becomes successful in a career and its good to see women doing their thing the right way in books today. However each woman has private torments that haunt her throughout adulthood. Carmen was raped as a teenager and finds it hard to trust or respect men. TheLetter has a giving spirit and a little money to go with and men mistake her giving for their own financial independence and bruise her spirit. Bethany is the free spirit of the bunch and the most grounded. Though they move apart and college obligations keep them separated they find time to meet once a month to party and shop. I like that, good practice amongst friends. As time moves on, their lives change but each stays involved with one another.
A quick read, the title had me thinking one way and the actual reading brought me full circle. We all have fetishes and they all represent some aspect of our lives that we want to see and live differently.

THE BOOK WAS AN ENJOYABLE READ. SHARON BENNETT-WILLIAMS AND BEATRICE MOORE-HARRIS DID A WONDERFUL JOB WITH THIS BOOK. THE CHARACTERS AND THE STORY LINE MADE ME LAUGH. THEY MADE ME CRY. THEY MADE ME REJOICE. THE POEMS IN BETWEEN WERE TRULLY INSPIRING. KUDOS TO A JOB WELL DONE. I WISH YOU MUCH SUCCESS.

This passionate, inspiring tale of three friends is amazingly written. The creative and descriptive elements that the author has so keenly displayed have all the criteria for a motion picture movie.

This is a must read for all who cherish memories of childhood to adult experiences that bring both tears of joy and sadness. this
extremely well written novel is also educational and thought provoking.I envision the screen version hopefully in the near future. I believe these authors are truly deserving of screenplay consideration. I can't wait for the sequel to this most powerful, intriguing and passionate relationship drama.

When you are a shoeminded (wo)man you must have this great little book. It gives you a smile.

If you know someone who loves shoes (and we all do) this book makes a great gift for any occasion for that person. Beautiful illustration and snappy prose.

Finally a book that explains to my husband why I own so many shoes! This very cute and very witty little book has been a great addition to my coffee table. I've seen several guests at cocktail parties pick it up, flip through a few pages and use it as an ice breaker or conversation topic. It almost becomes a game to look at the shoes of other party guests and find them in the book. It's much more social than the design books and magazines that accompany it.

If Shoe-ology aims to be a little frivilious and a lot of fun, then it succeeds in it's mission. I highly recommend this as an addition to coffee and side tables everywhere.

Shoeology will brighten your day! EVERYONE (male and female) can find at least one shoe "personality" that they relate to, and will suddenly find that this book has altered their view of the world. Readers will soon be looking at shoes (their own and others') with a new level of insight--an insight that leads to smirks and giggles! What's not to like about cleverly-written, colorful fun? Enjoy!

"There was an old woman who lived in a shoe"--there was a young/middle-aged/old woman who had so many shoes she didn't know what to do!...

Too many shoes? Not possible.

In Shoe-ology, a bright-colored, fun-designed gift book, shoes of every style, color and level of pretty, practicality and pain are illustrated and labeled, for example, sensible, sharp, sporty.

The author really captures the shoe's personality, or maybe it is better said the personality of the person likely to buy THAT shoe: "the people shoe (utility); boots (that enthrall men); or the dressed up "tennis shoe" worn to look sporty.

The last chapter is about slippers, those things you slip into after a day of wearing those fashionable or functional boots, stilettos or flats.

Since I have a shoe-fanatic friend, daughter and sister, don't tell her, but this book will be her next birthday present!

Armchair Interviews says: Creative and fun gift book for anyone who loves shoes and who will find themselves and their shoes on one of the pages.

The story begins in a bizarre manner, Perry Mason and Della Street are eating in the dining room of a department store and the store detective accuses an elderly woman (Sarah) of shoplifting. She is probably guilty and the young woman (Virginia) with her is embarrassed and pays for the merchandise. When the detective tries to arrest the woman, Mason steps in and points out that it cannot be shoplifting because the woman never left the store. All appears smoothed over and they make a foursome to complete their meal.
However, shortly after this the young woman enters Mason's office and poses a problem. Her uncle George has a diamond business and he generally is a methodical and dependable man. However, he occasionally goes out on an extreme drunken spree where he gambles heavily. Fortunately, his methodical nature is also part of his wildness. He prepares for the drunken episodes by dropping his car keys in the mail, taking only a certain amount of money and making sure the business is secure and running.
Unfortunately, in this case, something has gone wrong, at first George is missing along with a cache of diamonds, but then he turns up dead. Gem dealer Austin Cullens becomes involved and then he too is shot dead. Sarah is observed running from the scene and she has Cullens' blood on her shoe. Mason defends her and at first the situation appears hopeless. However, some serious holes in the prosecution's presentation of the case combined with some intelligent prodding by Mason takes the case on an unexpected twist.
While I enjoyed the courtroom drama of Mason extracting the truth under pressure, there was a weak point in the plot. Much of Mason's success is dependent on the incompetence of the prosecutor, a man named Sampson. He is indecisive and flippant as he fails in his case. The late, great film reviewer Gene Siskel often said that to have a great hero you had to have a strong villain. In this case, the weak courtroom adversary to Perry Mason lessens the quality of the story.

The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe

It starts raining, so Perry Mason and Della Street enter a department store for lunch. Della notices a white-haired woman standing by a window. Perry says she is a shoplifter, and the man following her is a store detective! A younger woman joins her at a table. Perry walks over to help resolve this problem. The younger woman, Virginia Trent, pays for the goods picked up by her aunt Sarah Breel. It seems like just one of life's adventures (Chapter 1). Later Virginia Trent shows up at Perry's office to tell about a real problem. Uncle George Trent, Sarah's brother, has disappeared on a bender, and the diamonds entrusted to him on consignment have also disappeared! Austin Cullens returned for these diamonds and they discovered the loss. Ione Bedford shows up, she is the owner of these antique diamonds. Cullens says George Trent pawned the diamonds to cover his gambling losses. This is a complex case by Chapter 2.

Cullens says a gambling joint was given the jewels by George Trent. Sarah Breel has also disappeared. They learn that Sarah was hit by a car and taken to a hospital. The police found diamonds in Sarah's bag, and a gun. Austin Cullens lives right where the accident happened (Chapter 3). When Perry and Paul Drake got to visit Cullens, they find him shot dead in a darkened house! They call the police (Chapter 4). Sarah Breel is now the prime suspect in Cullens' murder. When Perry visits George Trent's office he finds red stains on a packing case. George Trent is no longer missing, but can't tell any tales. Sergeant Holcomb shows up, he is investigating George Trent. There is quite a lot of action in the first few chapters.

Sarah is well enough to ask for Perry Mason as her lawyer after suffering from a concussion that prevents her from remembering anything from around the time of the accident. Perry and Paul Drake continue their investigation into the people involved with George Trent and Austin Cullens. They find suspicious people and activities, some of which have a bearing on this case. Those diamonds may have been stolen, which places a new light on Cullens' activities and his associates. Perry explains the law about self-defense in a man's house (Chapter 13). Chapter 15 has an example where a prosecutor prepares a witness for trial testimony. The trial begins in Chapter 16. The strategy of the defense and the prosecution is explained. The ballistic expert testifies about the examination of the bullet found in each body. Perry notices a discrepancy in the testimony; could there be a problem in matching a bullet to the gun? Is there a conflict between estimated time of death and the alibi of one person? The investigators return to Cullens' house and find new evidence (Chapter 17). The jury returns a 'not guilty' verdict (Chapter 18).

Perry visits the rural hotel where Della and Virginia Trent are staying. Virginia tells what really happened, and what Aunt Sarah couldn't remember. The police are looking for Cullens' associates. There will be no further legal problems for Sarah Trent Breel of Virginia Trent. This is a very fast moving and complex story, one of Gardner's best even if the murder goes unsolved.

Erle Stanley Garnder's THE SHOPLIFTER'S SHOE is vintage Perry Mason, published in the 30s when Gardner was at the height of his powers. This is a complex tale of sinister gem thieves, blood-stained shoes, phantom bullets, and a double murder. Of course, the most obviously innocent person is immediately determined by the police to be guilty and that propels Perry into action. Perry is more hard-boiled in this story than he is in the 50s and 60s. I don't think audiences were intended to LIKE him as much as we are meant to later in the series. His treatment of Paul Drake (his detective friend who gives constant assistance), for example, is a little more gruff in this tale. And Perry has no time to give to the hysterical Virginia Trant, when a second body almost literally falls in her lap. Gardner, at this stage in his writing, seems to be influenced by his BLACK MASK days, when he was writing his Lester Leith and Phantom Crook tales. But watching Perry in action, whether hard-boiled or not, is always fun.

So the question remains: is THE SHOPLIFTER'S SHOE a good book? Yes, but with some reservations. The mystery itself is very good, with a dazzling defense of the defendant. The entire case hinges on which pocket a policemen uses to store the incriminating evidence. This won't ruin anything because we are not actually shown this event when it occurs in the story. Once again, Perry shows the unreliability of circumstantial evidence, which is a Gardner trademark. However, I don't think the characters were as fully developed as in some of the other books. There is really no one to latch on to emotionally. Also, Della Street takes a back seat in this story, which doesn't help either. In fact, Della doesn't really make her mark until the very last page. But I will say that it is worth the wait...To conclude, the plot is very strong in this book, with interesting clues and a strong trial sequence. Though not one of Gardner's main masterpieces, it is still well worth the three hours it would take to read.

Very well-plotted mystery entangled with two murders and two guns. Events occured one after another from the beginning to the end and I never got bored. Mrs. Breel, the shoplifting old lady, was the most peculiar of all Mason's clients; her attitude was as cold as a cucumber but what she really did were highly irrational. I wouldn't say I liked her, but anyway she was very impressive.

I liked how the author had me anticipating what would happen next and which one of the two men would end up being the hero. A great read!

Reality TV arrives in rural Misty Creek, Kentucky when a ballroom dancing contest is planned. However, most of the contestants signing on take the contest seriously, but the show's sponsors are lampooning the locals as redneck hillbillies who would not know what a ballroom looked like let alone be able to perform one the dances.

Local waitress Abby Harper was going to pass as she had no doubt that she and any other "yokel" was meant to be ridiculed. However, when she learns $50,000 is the winner's prize, she signs on although her natural reticence and two left feet make her feel more like performing clown than a dancer. Her partner is Mexico City ballroom dancing champion Rio Martin. As they rehearse, an attraction ignites even as both are irate that the hosts plan this as a big joke. Led by Rio and Abby, every dancer vows to prove that the hicks can dance with the best city slickers.

This is a fun small town drama starring a delightful seemingly opposites lead couple and an eccentric but likable support cast. The romance flows mostly on the dance floor as Rio is determined to turn Abby into the darling of the cha-cha crowd. Fans will enjoy dancing step by step with this pair and the other contestants especially since the ballroom dance is the most developed "character" with the cast being predominantly two-step deep.

Harriet Klausner

When Abilene "Abby" Harper signs on as a contestant on the reality television show, Dancing with the Rednecks, it is mainly for a chance at the $50,000.00 prize. When she is paired with professional ballroom dancer Rio Martin, by far one of the most gorgeous men in the world, the two couldn't be more opposite. Abby lives a simple life, waitressing at her mother's diner, and she would love to be able to help her mother with some much needed renovations, and help her brother get the college education he deserves. Abby and Rio agree that the only heat between them should be on the dance floor, but as they spend several sultry hours together every day, mostly in each other's arms and with neither of them involved with anyone, it's only natural that an attraction would spark and test their resolve.
Rio Martin isn't happy about being a contestant in the Comedy Channel's dancing spoof, but after he meets Abby and sees her enthusiasm, he is determined to win. Rio takes his dancing very seriously, and will accept nothing less from Abby than her absolute best. Having been burned by another dancer, he is especially wary of getting involved with anyone and has resisted that temptation. Abby Harper, however, is a cool drink of water whose southern hospitality is just a little too tempting for Rio to resist.
Abby and Rio are polar opposites, but share an intense passion as well as the utmost respect for one another, which seems to make their differences insignificant. Abby's stubborn determination is matched by Rio's willingness to work hard in order to win this competition. This latest offering from LuAnn McLane is written in first person; her second book in this style, and is excellently written. I am highly impressed with Abby and Rio's story, and I know that readers will settle into this book very comfortably, feeling as if Abby is telling you her story. I swear that I could hear Abby's southern accent and Rio's sexy, smooth accent! Don't miss DANCING SHOES AND HONKY TONK BLUES, it is great fun and I can confidently guarantee that you'll love it.

Dancing Shoes and Honky Tonk Blues by LuAnn McLane is one the funniest and sexiest books of the year.

Abilene Harper has been content with her quite and somewhat boring life in small town Misty Creek, KY. When a reality shoe Dancing with the Rednecks comes to town she is shocked to find out that her younger brother has signed her up as a contestant. Abby is reluctant to compete but the prize money has her changing her mind. This money could really change her family's way of life for the better.

Abby's first look at her dance partner sends her blood pumping. There is nothing like smoldering Rio Martin in Misty Creek. Rio is not happy to have been tricked into this joke of a dance competition. But Abby's verve and sheer will have him thinking they have a shot at winning.

These two polar opposites send sparks on and off the dance floor. Every time one or the other tries to be business only their passions take over.

Dancing Shoes and Honky Tonk Blues is my favorite book by LuAnn McLane. The dance sequences and training made me feel like I was right their with the characters. This book is a delightfully funny. You will find yourself laughing out loud at the antics of the contestants and their family and friends. The chemistry between Abby and Rio just burns up the pages, makes you want to find a dance instructor of your own. Kudos.

I have used the recipe at the back of this book and copied it into my cookbook. It is very good and I recommend it...especially to folks who, perhaps, don't much like flan (me). It opened up flan for me and I have since investigated other variations. Personally, I thought the story was a bit strange, but the recipe is awesome.

Campbell Geeslin's How Nanita Learned To Make Flan will reach ages 3-8 with a survey of a poor shoemaker's daughter's decision to make her own shoes for her first Communion. Kids with good reading skills will appreciate this tale of her efforts.

Call me a skeptic, but I think there are better ways to make flan. Soy sauce? Crabmeat? Pickle relish? Nanita's flan recipe wouldn't go over well here in rural Manitoba. Yuck!

Still, it's not a bad book. The pictures are nice, and the accompanying 8-track tape has some catchy tunes ("Walk With Me Jesus" played on the zither is an especially nice touch.)

Sweeps you away with magical words and pictures. Campbell Geeslin's childlike approach to any subject charms the kid and the adult. I found myself going back and reading it again and again.

I have been collecting all his books.

Almost immediately, this book drew me in. The characters are relatable and the personal stories and events that take place keep you on the edge of your seat. With every turn of the page, I felt closer to the characters and more connected to how the story would unfold. I read the entire book in a matter of two days and when I was getting close to the end, I wasn't sure which feeling was stronger; the need to find out the ending or the disappointment that there would be no sequel once I was finished. Highly recommended to avid readers awaiting to discover a read that will connect with your emotions and keep you longing to learn more about each character and the unfolding of events.

Barry Clay has the ability to capture your attention with his detail and relatability, as well as emotionally involve you into the lives of the characters as you learn and witness the unfolding of this dynamic story.

A MILE IN MY SHOES by Barry Clay is about three family members who have all chosen different paths in life. Alyssa is married to doctor who has a drinking problem and abuses her. He finally hurts her so badly, mentally especially, that she takes their son and moves in with her sister, Charlene. Charlene is married to a white lawyer and for various reasons has become unenthused about their marriage. As a result, she is having an affair with a black porn star who is currently going through a nasty divorce. She basically leaves the responsibilities of the household to her husband; letting him do all the cooking and cleaning. Hollywood, their brother, has been in prison for years for a crime he didn't commit, but he can't prove he didn't do it. He was very much involved with the streets and certainly engaged in some illegal activities, but murder wasn't one of them. His sisters are not aware he has escaped from prison and is back in New York City.

Barry Clay's story of the three children provides enough tension to keep your attention. Will Charlene get caught? Will Alyssa forgive her drunken husband after he vows sobriety? Can Hollywood stay free this time? All these questions plagued me as I pushed steadily through the book. I found it very realistic that all three were raised in the same environment but all turned out differently, even believing in Hollywood's innocence or not. Alyssa was certain he was innocent, while Charlene truly believed he was a killer. The three siblings were well developed and easy to believe. Clay's writing flows smoothly. It was interesting and a good read.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The book instantly draws you into the characters and their lives. It's as if you're living the journey with them as you turn each page. The characters were described in such detail that you feel you know them or had just stepped away from talking to them. There were times when you would be so eager to find out what was coming next and times when you couldn't believe what just happened. There were times of eagerness, joy, sadness and anger. There were also educational moments and times where you could feel that the author was letting some of his personal experiences be told. It is an emotional roller coaster. Each chapter leaves you wanting more...... A MUST READ.

As a bonus, you get a poem before each chapter that seems to be a summation of what to expect.

I'll be waiting for the next book!

Don't let the summary of the book deter you from reading it. It seems as if you may have been given you too much information, but don't worry, it is only the beginning. I read this book in 2 days. I could not put it down. I couldn't help getting attached to the main characters and their lives, which will definitely remind you of yourself or someone you know. The book does start off slow but after you get through the first two chapters, you will definitely understand my addiction. Overall, I thought this was a great book and I think when you finally close "A Mile in my Shoes" you will agree.