RENEWING THE FRIENDSHIP BOND
924519
Its a piece of news Daphne never expected to hear: Her globe-trotting friend Skylar, who vowed never to get married, is engaged! Time to celebrate in ManhattanSkylars treat, of course. After years scaling the corporate ladder, she can more than afford it.

  Daphne arrives in NYC with news of her ownthe novel shes finally finished appears to be going nowhere but the trash bin of every publishing house around. Shes devastated but plans to keep her disappointment under wraps, something that becomes trickier when she sees Skylars spectacular apartment. Could her life have been like this if shed chosen a different path?

  What Daphne doesnt know is shes not the only one with a secret. Skylar and their friend KC are also holding something back, but what? As the trip unfolds, the truth about each woman emerges, along with tears.

  And laughter. And love.

My Thoughts: Who doesnt love a great friends weekend? I definitely couldn't wait to curl up with these three college friends for a Manhattan getaway, to celebrate something special, and to reconnect.

Bridges was the kind of story that resonated with me, as I have always enjoyed the special connections that Ive felt with college friends. Add in the perfect setting of Manhattan, and there is nothing better. Girl talk, sharing secrets, and even trying new things.

Daphne was my favorite character, primarily because she was a single mother and an aspiring author. I loved watching her experience her first trip to Manhattan. I could see Skylars world from her perspective, including visualizing the fabulous apartment that she shared with her fianc&eacute; James. I walked the streets with her and her friends. From the Brooklyn Bridge to the cute boutiques and flea markets, I felt as though I was along for the ride.

I was a little intimidated by Skylar, and even by her soon-to-be stepdaughter Sloaneuntil one night when Daphne lost her cool and let Skylar have it. It was inevitable that old feelings of envy might creep into their moments together, but those conflicts made them all feel very real. When envy reared its head, the air was cleared and they grew even closer.

Events unfolded in unexpected ways, and by the end of the weekend, I wanted more. More of the friends and their unique connection, and more about Daphnes writing experiences. 5 stars.
4258726
This is a great book on the value of friendship.  The book talks about the importance of being a good friend as well as giving examples of  things children can do to be a good friend.  I really liked this book!!!!
1565472
This is a great little book on friendship and the difficulties that are often involved in making friendships. Having friends is a very important part of life for children. Children often say to me I want so and so the be my friend but they do not want too. In the story, the peanut butter asks several different foods to be his friends but they say no. Peanut butter keeps asking until he finds the perfect friend for him "jelly."
1934977
In this book and all around you there are friends to be had.  There are young friends, old friends.  In these pages you can see very different kinds of people who are friends.  They are laughing, they are smiling, and they are good friends. There are new friends, best friends, family friends and more.  What kind of friends do you have?  There are two girls hugging and smiling.  I think they are best friends, do you?  If you have a best friend you are a very lucky person!

Perhaps you have friends at school.  You can share a book with them, laugh, or play with them.  Of course, animals can be friends too.  There are furry friends and feathered friends too.  In this book youll get to take a look at all kinds of friends, including friends with different ways to walk and friends with different ways to talk.  What kind of friends do you have?  I bet you have all kinds of friendships, including some of the kinds youll read about in this book.

This is a fabulously fun and engaging book about friends that young children will enjoy.  The layout pops with pictures of all kinds of friendships that children encounter in their lives.  Theres also one interesting two-page spread that briefly shows us that sometimes friends can make you sad or even mad!  I do love the realism and most certainly can appreciate the fact that even best friends don't always get along.  The layout of the book pops with full color photographs of friendship in action.  This is the perfect book to have on hand, one that shows the diversity and joys of friendship.

Nonfiction
Social Studies
Grades K - 2

This book courtesy of the publisher (to library).
3936882
About two best friends as they prepare for their high school reunion, this is a story about the power and grace of friendship. Melanie and B.J. have a friendship that we would all be blessed to have. The characters are compelling and I was engaged in their story from the start.
3356806
It's been so long since I read this book, but I know I've pursued friendships in a much different way since reading.  This book has put into practical words the healthy way to make and have friends.  It allows me to be who God made me without compromising out of guilt or feeling like I have to be everything to everybody.  With boundaries in place in my friendships, there is such sweet freedom.  Wish I had read it 15 years ago!
429383
When Ida May's best friend, Elizabeth Evans, moves away, Ida's life nosedives into depression and isolation. She swears never to have another best friend again --- they're much too painful to lose.

So Ida starts fourth grade without any friends. Her mother tries to set her up with the PTA president's daughter --- the snooty Jenna Drews, who tormented Ida and Elizabeth --- but Ida knows it will never work. How can you be friends with someone who calls you "I-duh"? But to please her parents, she agrees to go to the movies and a sleepover party with Jenna.

Both activities turn out just as Ida expects, with Jenna insulting and rejecting her. But there's one surprise --- a new girl named Stacey Merriweather who has just moved into town and happens to be in the same class as Ida and Jenna. Ida can't help but notice Stacey's huge, friendly smile and senses an instant connection with her. However, Ida fights these feelings with all of her strength; she must remember her vow of no more best friends. They just end up leaving.

Nevertheless, Ida's curiosity gets the best of her. How can she find out more about this stranger without opening herself up for more hurt? She soon figures out a way --- by writing a note yet keeping her identity a secret. Ida scribbles a quick question, signs it "a girl" and leaves it on Stacey's desk. This inspires a secret letter-writing venture that brings light and smiles back into Ida's life. Through the anonymous letters, Ida and Stacey share stories, drawings, jokes and concerns. Without meaning to do so, Ida has slipped into another special friendship. Should Ida risk revealing her true identity?

What a delightful story this is! Julie Bowe has created a thoughtful, funny and realistic look at one girl's struggles with losing her best friend. Readers will quickly bond with Ida, feeling her pain, sharing her hopes and fears, and urging her to open up for a new relationship. The exciting concept of sharing secret letters with a special someone keeps the pages turning fast, and MY LAST BEST FRIEND ends all too soon. We hope to read more from this talented new author.

  --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman
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A sweet story about the strength of friendship. Children of all ages will relate to a relationship that's tested by a misunderstanding and then learn the value of saying sorry. As an added bonus, we are given a glimpse into another important relationship;bees and trees as well as how they need each other. Brilliant book by Ruth Horowitz!
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This is a book about realizing and cultivating true friendships. It's impressively thorough, meaning it's not just fluff. It describes various types of "friendships" - from acquaintance, other types of relationships to true friendship. It offers much insight into such topics as cultivating friendships and using discernment when choosing friends. In today's age of "friendship" this book demonstrates the benefits of true friendship and examines how to be a true friend. It distinguishes between one-sided friendships, using people, what can ruin friendships, and the limitations of friendship.

I really like the book. It does warn about being cynical about the possibility of true friendship, which is another way I can benefit from this book. One of my pet peeves is facebook and "friends". I do not take the word "friend" lightly and you cannot convince me that someone has over five hundred friends on facebook. The majority of these five hundred friends most likely are not true friends. (How can you even cultivate and maintain over five hundred true friendships?!).

That is why this book is so valuable in today's age. This book delves deep into the concept of true friendships and, in my opinion, facebook just serves to erode the concept of friendship. Maybe, this is part of being cynical, but with facebook being the huge social network it is, what are people really learning about friendship? I have to also note, this book was written well before facebook came into existence. I wonder what the author would say about facebook.

Sophia Institute Press sent me a complimentary copy of this book for me to review. This in no way influenced my review.
439083
A good story about the progression of  a friendship that goes beyond cultural, economic, and age barriers. I was glad it stayed that way, too, and not develop into some cheap, sultry, sex yarn. A good read.
4693402
It's easy to fall in love with the characters in this book.  It's a friendship story we all want to have.
172373
Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'In Twenty Years,' A Novel by Allison Winn Scotch.

College is a time to stretch your wings, meet new people and chose a direction in life. The friendships made during this time often last a lifetime. Yet there are times that we also lose touch. In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch we follow a group of six friends from Penn State. Twenty years previous when they were all together they were sure their friendships would last. Held together by Bea, the one they all connected to, life seemed as magical as it could be.

Yet when she dies, the group splinters, they are now leaderless and the ties no longer seem to be enough to hold them. Each find themselves estranged, holding old grudges and feelings they have buried that helps to separate them from the easy camaraderie they once shared.

After twenty years they have agreed to meet again, the five remaining friends on the eve of what would have been Beas 40h birthday. They have all made their way in life and it is with great reluctance they meet. However, such was her influence upon them their promise to Bea twenty years prior binds them to this reunion.

Not knowing what will happen at this meeting, especially without their leader, they soon find they must confront their past, and come to terms with each other in order to heal and move forward. Even with her death, and the pain that came with it, Bea holds them as if she were still there. Can they find the glue that binds them and make the peace that seems to be what their old friend and ally Bea has expected from them even in death?

Scotch has given us a group of friends whose lives have grown and evolved over the years. Allowing hurts and grudges against each other they have unraveled their bond, which makes them very human. She takes us into their lives as well as that of Bea as they travel on the road that destroyed their trust. The telling evokes tears and joy as well as sadness and death. You will find yourself immersed in this group as they come to terms with their own feelings. Scotch pulls us into her story and the outcome seems to be one we need for ourselves.

If you enjoy literary excellence and friendships that last a lifetime, you will want this book for your library. If you enjoy drama and love this will fit the bill.

This would be a great book for both a Reading group or Book club with a great deal of information to decipher and debate.
1501262
This was a good quick read.  It dealt with how to establish relationships.  It provides five major connectors that are in the majority of friendships.  Some of these are just natural, but having the knowledge of them is helpful.  In a people business, having these skills, or maybe the knowledge of these skills can be highly helpful.  You will learn how to connect at a deeper level with people through the level of communication.  You can create better "click" through how you talk to people.  You also will learn that adversity will build relationships, and of course similarity.  This was a excellent book on relationships.  It is not going to give you new earth shaking news if you have a background in communication, but will give a wonderful refresher on the basic components to connections with other people.  This is a perfect book for preachers.  Also, this is a good back for those trying to make friends in life.  I believe I will do a sermon on "why you have no friends at church."  This is a good read everyone.
2348032
This book contains solid truths about friendship without sacrificing humor. (Really, it's so funny!) I love the author's ideas for ways that women can make new friends and deepen old ones. Easily applicable, full of wisdom, and a fast and enjoyable read.
900172
How many of us can relate to this tale of friendship and trying to figure out where we belong?
4625308
The Bond by the Three Doctors, as they are more affectionately called, is an extension of their first book, The Pact. In The Pact, Sampson Davis, George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt tell how they became friends in high school and ultimately, how they promised to stick together and graduate from college to become doctors. The Bond goes even further into the friendship of these three young men.

Davis, Jenkins and Hunt were able to become friends because of what is considered a growing epidemic in the African American community - children growing up in single family homes. Each doctor tells the reason why his father was not present in his home. They also give their fathers an opportunity to share their stories. They learn that their fathers either grew up in the same circumstances or they did not know themselves, the impact they were passing on through each generation. The doctors discuss how they struggled to learn about developing relationships with women, building confidence, and peer pressure and to learn a simple task such as how to fix a tie or picking out a suit without the guidance of male presence in their lives. They also discuss their devotions to their mothers, who sacrificed to keep their families together. Despite not having a male role model, the doctors basically learned from each other. The Bond tells of their need and desire to understand the reasons why their fathers were absent and what they have done to begin to build relationships with their fathers. Dr. Hunt stated "even though they missed out on a portion of their lives, parenthood last a lifetime".

The story was very compelling and thought provoking. The Doctors also describe the ways that they have set out to mentor other children who are growing up in similar homes. This is a recommended book that can be read by both males and females who are living in single family homes and are struggling to come to terms with an absent parent.

Reviewed by: Priscilla C. Johnson
APOOO BookClub
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What a wonderful look at the strength and importance of friendship, and the honesty that is needed to maintain it.  This book had me hooked right away.  These characters will live with me for quite some time.