Cynthia's Reviews

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0408dfc3.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Read An Excerpt"><U><B>Read an excerpt</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reviews"><U><B>Reviews</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cynthias Reviews"><U><B>Cynthia's Reviews</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News And Events"><U><B>News And Events</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Awards"><U><B>My Awards</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web Rings"><U><B>Web Rings</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Banners Links Page"><U><B>Banners Page</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Free Promotion"><U><B>Free Promotion</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Email Me"><U><B>E-mail Me</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="In Memory And In Honor"><U><B>In Memory and Honor</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guest books"><U><B>View and Sign my Guest book</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>_______________</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0418dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sometimes There's A Dove</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sometimes Theres A Dove"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About The Author"><U>About The Author</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Read An Excerpt"><U>Read An Excerpt</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reviews"><U>Reviews</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News And Events"><U>News And Events</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Awards"><U>My Awards</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web Rings"><U>Web Rings</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Banners Links Page"><U>Banners & Links Page</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Free Promotion"><U>Free Promotion</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Email Me"><U>E-mail Me</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="In Memory And In Honor"><U>In Memory And In Honor</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guest books"><U>Guest books</U></A>   |   <B>Cynthia's Reviews</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0418dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Cynthia's Reviews</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Check out my reviews at </B></I><A HREF="http://knowbetter.com/ebook/reviews/byreviewer.asp?id=27" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://knowbetter.com/ebook/reviews/byre"><U><I><B>KnowBetter.com!</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Please, check out my reviews at <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/cm/member-reviews/-/AJCOII5VQ1X9M/1/ref=cm_cr_auth/002-6230481-8906432" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/cm/"><U>Amazon.com,</U></A> as well and vote for them.   :)  Thanks, Cynthia Ward  </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>____________________________________________________________</U></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>This is my first review for KnowBetter.com!</B></I></div> <div> Beguiling Dreams </div> <div> by Fred Stemme</div> <div> <B>Primary Genre:</B> Historical Fiction</div> <div> <B>ISBN:</B> 1-58697-417-3</div> <div> <B>Published By:</B> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.rfiwest.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.rfiwest.com/"><U><U>RFI West</U></U></A><U> </U></FONT></div> <div> <B>Review:</B></div> <div> Hank Braddock, son of the local minister, has just graduated high school, has a steady girlfriend and a job at the local newspaper. Although it is not quite the position he’s yearning for, he‘s hopeful and is, according to the townspeople, ’an up and comer.’ Yes, things are looking bright for this pimpled-faced boy in the spring of 1915.</div> <div> Hank turns down a shot at his dream job, reporting for the <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, because of his girlfriend’s advice. He opts to stay in his small hometown and continue the job he has held since boyhood…the job of writing commercial ads for the local paper. Soon Hank is given assignments reporting actual news around town which include an interview, a train derailment and a strike at the local cannery. As he becomes more involved with his assignment about the strike (and a certain female outsider) it becomes difficult for him to report the news in an unbiased manner, thus alienating him from many in the community and even from his own family.</div> <div> <I>Beguiling Dreams</I> takes us on a plethora of maturing experiences with this character as he grows from a trusting innocent and ambitious young boy to a man facing the ‘beguilement‘ that has held him in his youthful and naïve outlook. As the plot moves forward, it gives depth to the characters with true-to-life dialogue and well-written description. I easily identified with the main character, Hank. He was visual and likeable. An example of this is from the Chapter 20 when Hank goes to the cannery to interview the owner about the strike and snoops around a bit. A quote from the book:</div> <bR> <div> <B>So this is what all the fuss is about. Hank copied the information into his notebook, then stepped through the wide doorway into one of the canning houses. The air was cool. Overhead, pigeons cooed. Long metal runs stretched to the back of the building interspersed with steel machinery. Not a soul could be seen.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Suddenly, a sharp voice came from behind him. “What’re you doing here!”</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Hank jumped and spun around. It was Pete Williams, one of the foremen. He tried to remain cheerful. “Oh hi, Mr. Williams. I have an appointment with Mr. Conner. I’m from </B><I><B>The Bee</B></I><B>, you know, and I was just looking around.”</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mr. Williams glared at him. “Does Mr. Conner know you’re out here?”</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>“Well, no.”</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The foreman’s stare became menacing. “Then you have no business here! This is off limits unless you get permission from the office. So I’ll kindly ask you to leave.”</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Hank looked the foreman in the eye. “Okay! I didn’t know I was hurting anything.”</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Although his heart was beating a little faster, he brushed past Williams to show he wasn’t afraid of him. As Hank walked across the yard, he could feel the foreman’s stare on the back of his head.</B></div> <bR> <div> Not only did Hank feel it, but I felt it as well. Through many page-turning events the story crescendos, then glides to a not-so-predictable end.</div> <div> Stemme‘s writing is consistent with the times and era in which it is set. The early 1900’s gave birth to labor laws, workers' unions and other issues concerning the blue collar or, should I say, ‘tattered collar’ workers. These were truly turbulent times of change. I find Stemme’s portrayal of these happenings clear and precise. His fresh and original approach, along with an enjoyable plot and likeable characters makes <I>Beguiling Dreams</I> a charming and delightful read. I recommend this book to all history buffs, and anyone interested in a delightful tale of ‘growing up and growing out’ of a small town’s boundaries. This book delivers exactly what it promises, and I look forward to delving into other books written by this talented author.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>____________________________________________________________</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Here are some reviews I did for Amazon.com</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Where The Heart Is</B></I></div> <div> by Bellie Letts </div> <div> <B>Heart Warming!</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>'Where The Heart Is,'</B></I> is a true success story in every</div> <div> way. It starts with 17-year-old, Novalee Nation,</div> <div> heading to California in a broken down Plymouth with</div> <div> redneck boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens. She is also</div> <div> seven months pregnant and against popular thought,</div> <div> this young girl thinks sevens to be 'unlucky,' and She</div> <div> has a right to believe this. Sevens seem to always</div> <div> lead to calamity for Novalee. Yet, with sevens</div> <div> abounding, she dreams of the better life that surely</div> <div> awaits her in California...a nursery for her baby in a</div> <div> home without wheels under it. </div> <bR> <div> Soon Novalee's dreams come to a screeching halt when</div> <div> Willy Jack deserts her at a Wal-Mart in Oklahoma. </div> <div> Yet, had it not been for this 'seemingly unlucky'</div> <div> event, she never would have found the gifts that</div> <div> awaited her...a home, a family and love in the small</div> <div> town of Sequoyah. </div> <bR> <div> Each of Letts characters seem to rise up from the</div> <div> printed page, to overwhelm the reader with their</div> <div> realness and to engrave a place in the heart. </div> <div> After everything Novalee has been through and seen,</div> <div> she still possesses an innocence that is enduring and</div> <div> captivating. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>'Where The Heart Is'</B></I> is extremely well written and</div> <div> thoroughly entertaining. I recommend this novel as a</div> <div> must read and I give it the highest rating of ***** 5</div> <div> Stars!</div> <bR> <div> Vote for my review of, <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446672211/qid=1032703376/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-0503247-0789549" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0"><U><I><B>'</B></I></U></A><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446672211/qid=1032703376/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-0503247-0789549" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0"><U><I><B>Where the Heart Is'</B></I></U></A><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446672211/qid=1032703376/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-0503247-0789549" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0"><U> </U></A> at Amazon.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>____________________________________________________________</U></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>The Patriot</B></I></div> <div> Columbia Pictures</div> <div> <I><B>Griping and Powerful</B></I></div> <bR> <div> To be truthful with everyone, I really didn't want to watch this movie.  It was ‘forced’ on me, but am I ever glad it was!  </div> <bR> <div> I don't really care for explicit violence, this move was very gory to say the least, but in the grand overall view of this film, all I have is praise for it.  The fight for this country ‘was’ bloody…wars always are.  This movie smacks you in the face with that fact.  </div> <bR> <div> But, it was also beautiful, Gibson, plays the loving, widowed, father of seven children.  His sins from the French and Indian war haunt him.  Now, all he wishes for is peace, but soon finds that impossible when the American Revolution is, literally, fought in his front yard.  </div> <bR> <div> I was on the edge of my seat through the entire 165 minutes of this griping and powerful film.  The acting is superb, the  scenes or breathtaking, the DVD overall is wonderful with great Special Features.  Of course, I had to run out and buy my own copy after watching it.  I have to say, its  Well worth the money I spent on it!  I am one happy shopper!  </div> <bR> <div> I cried,…I got gooseflesh…I got angry and I got stunned.  I highly recommend this film, but  must stress that it is graphic in violence, but there is a beauty to this film that overpowers that. </div> <div>  </div> <div> Vote for my review of, <I><B>'</B></I><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004XPPG/qid=1032700886/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-0503247-0789549" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B"><U><I><B>The Patriot'</B></I></U></A><I><B> </B></I>at Amazon.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>____________________________________________________________</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Check back often for new reviews! :)</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>____________________________________________________________</U></B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>