This is clearly a work of love for the author
597999
This is clearly a work of love for the author.  The game blends the simplicity of BECMI D&D with modern mechanics and is easy to learn and so much fun to play.
3428159
Firstly, I urge you not to be put off reading this book by any preconceptions about the subject matter. There are certainly many moving moments throughout the book, but overall, it's a testament to the life of an extraordinary lady. Both her personal achievements and, perhaps more importantly, her philosophy of life. And this is very much a book about living. It's also a literary journey, with the illness of the author's mother providing a framework to explore so many incredible books.

The discussions about books don't include spoilers and very helpfully, there's an appendix which lists all titles discussed. This really is what I'd call a 'readers book'. There are so many literary references; a memory lane trip if you've already read the books and an exciting taster for titles unread. For many reasons, it's one of the most powerful and thought provoking books I've read. It describes heartbreak without being mawkish or over sentimental. It's an inspired and inspiring tribute to a selfless, unassuming individual and through her experiences, I've taken a number of very positive lessons about life. Will Schwalbe has every reason to be proud of this work and I feel certain his mother will look upon it with a smile.

Copy of review posted on Amazon.co.uk
3011666
If you treasured Kara Tippetts' blog posts, then this is your chance to own a collection of them bound in book form. Kara continued to add to her blog, aptly titled "Mundane Faithfulness," as often as she could while fighting Stage IV cancer. Her words dripped with grace and radiated love.

Kara found the wellspring of Life in her Savior, and she continually described the Living Water that He gave her. She let us all know Who the source of true life is.

Having satisfied her soul on the love of God, she deeply, madly, fully loved her family and friends. Her writing will inspire you to look closely at your own people, to reach out and touch them and enjoy them as gifts from your Heavenly Father.

Because these essays were blog posts, they are about a page in length. Each one will find a place in your heart. Some will laser you right open, and leave you saying "It isn't just me struggling with this. And God is here for me, too." And some will soothe like a balm, as this woman's final earthly words remind you of all the lasting truths.

Obviously, these reflections are born out of Kara's particular story. That's one thing that she made clear in her writing. Nobody can have any story other than their own. The particulars of dates and circumstances will change for each reader, but "hard" comes into every life. Kara wrote to the hard times, always trying to point to the one sweet thing that stays the same- Jesus.

And when she talks about His mercy and His grace, she means that she's seen those things, real and raw and present in the grit and mess and awkwardness. She ate and drank grace and mercy, and she shares the feast with her readers. You go away feeling nourished.

I thank David C Cook Publishers for providing me this review copy through Litfuse.
2866654
Not sure how I missed reading this book given I love the author's work.  Am very glad to come across this treat; great writing.
634385
Sometimes, you can just tell when an author loves his job.  Dark Energy is clearly a labor of love.  The author's energy and enthusiasm shine through each page, and the "science" portion of the science fiction is plausible and well thought-out.  As a digital project, the author has also gone through a couple of revisions, improving it along the way.  It's an interesting aspect of the digital age, where a book can get patched after release.  I have to admit, I was doubtful about the book when I initially downloaded it but I finished it in a single weekend and found it hard to put down.
4782903
Haven't read it yet, but I know the author's work, so I'm sure I'll love it.
94817
There's so much to love about this book..! I like the writing style. It's quite clear, easy to follow, and accessible to all levels of reader. I really loved the story. It was so amazing
I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good story!
2017480
Sometimes you encounter a work that is moving, that teaches, and that is clear.  This is such a work, as I am certain you will agree.  If you will read this work with an open heart and mind it will give you power over your state of well being you may have never imagined possessing.  I wish everyone could make the calm strong lifelong peace in their hearts that this teaching leads you to.  Dr. Matt is a living treasure and to have a chance to experience his lifelong knowledge quickly and easily shared is amazing, don't you agree?  Amazing and beautiful!  I wish I could give it seven stars!
4885628
Being a rabid fan of Bechdel's work for years now (including the two stories she did for AMERICAN SPLENDOUR back in her more sketchy-style days), I've often wondered what she would do if she had more space and time to play with.  The answer is FUN HOME, and what a truly amazing work it is.

It's not as funny as an episode of DTOWF; instead, it's more true and profound as Bechdel delves into the more sobering territory of her own past.  Like anyone who prefers to crack jokes at life rather than be mired down in melodrama, DTOWF has reflected Bechdel's ability to confront a problem while safely steering the reader around it to a punchline.  Now she takes the reader down a new path, one that neither she nor the reader may feel entirely ocmfortable traversing, but the journey is then that much more intense.  Armed with beautiful beautiful beautiful art, and a wealth of literary allusions, Bechdel reveals her past and how it was bound up in the secrets her father kept.  But never does she lapse into the bogs of soppy sentimentality.  Instead, the painful moments are simple and true, brought out by the aforementioned art and the direct unflowery language.  A balance is struck between essaying turbulent emotional territory and retaining some detached control in the narration, producing an elegantly crafted book about fathers and daughters, coming out and staying in, and the role of personal bravery.

Readers of THE INDELIBLE ALISON BECHDEL will recognize bits from her coming out story and other short vignettes about being lesbian before knowing what that meant.  Instead of feeling recycled, Bechdel reworks these moments in a fresh way and integrates them smoothly into the other material.  The downside of most autobiographical comics is usually the snapshot feel of the narration creates a distance between the reader and author.  Bechdel's deeper exploration of these crucial moments in her personal development echo the progression of Fun Home from a simple summary of her relationship with and image of her father and his fate to the deeper and more complex exploration of where they could intersect and where they kept themselves apart.  Often, what they both had in common or wanted from each other were exactly the obstacles standing in their way.

This is turning into a book report rather than a review, so I'll just sum up here:  excellent.  Well worth the wait and speculation.  If ever Bechdel decides to do another graphic novel, I'll be the first in line to buy it.  Read this book.  You will not regret it for one second.
2357948
The author has opened up prison life to those of us who have not had first-hand experience with it, especially as it affects young people.  Ms. Walker developed Sybil, the imprisoned youth's mother, into the sort of woman I would value as a friend--bright, straight-forward, loyal, conscientious, devoted to family, and fun-loving. Sybil uses her love of literature to recommend and provide books to her son Jon. Those books prove to be a vital component of his perseverance within prison life and its many arbitrary and seemingly capricious regulations. And Jon, despite his utterly stupid, but ultimately, harmless crime, seems like the ideal son, despite the long and unjust sentence, often cheering up his family from behind bars. The mother-son relationship is central to the novel, perhaps better described as a "roman a clef."  The author has made a major contribution to the body of work surrounding the incarceration of youthful offenders.
678985
I made the mistake of peeking at the first few pages of Blankets this morning, a day when I have a ton of stuff to accomplish. Needless to say, it is now hours later and I read the graphic novel cover to cover. This act of severe procrastination is testament in itself to the gripping nature of this work. Almost 600 pages later I am stunned by the beauty and love that Craig Thompson captures in his gentle and deeply telling work of art. His mastery of graphic form blends perfectly with an innate ability to to tell a moving story. I was, like reviewers before me, deeply touched by his work, a work that defines the pains of childhood, found and lost love, and a young man's grapplings with his own spiritual awakenings. It captures the essence of the beauty and pain of loving another wholeheartedly. You will not be disappointed and I highly urge you to pick up a copy of Blankets today.
3200432
I rarely write a review for a book before reading it in its entirety, but for this book I shall make an exception. The artwork is beautiful, yes. But the book's contents are even more lovely. The introduction is revealing, and the prose is well-formulated, insightful, and inspiring. I intend to gift this to someone very special.
4929357
The Hours defines wonderful. A novel full of wonder by author Michael Cunningham, that is the fine line seperating the understanding from the knowledge that indigo and blue are in fact two different colours. If this book does not revolutionize your perception of this world and what "life" really means from one person to the next, I fear the worst. Michael's talent and ecrition are unsurpassed; he writes with egality in beauty to great authors such as Kate Chopin, and of course Virginia Woolf. Although a fictional piece of work, The Hours leaves you with intense empathy and for the characters and a hint of brilliance in one owns mind. This is truely a work for the times.
4423965
I would like to congratulate the author on her wonderful creation.  From the very first page I completely lost myself in the book. The language is so light, and narration is so skilful that I got totally carried away. Mrs. Barbara Raghavan depicts life as it is with its unpredictability, happiness, frustration and determination.  The characters are so true to life that their words and behaviour  make you feel the whole range of feelings: at some moments you feel glad for them, at other times you feel angry and want to argue with them, you cry and laugh, feel sadness or tranquility. I want to thank the author for the unexpected ending, which can be interpreted in different ways
3592649
The book is kinetic. It moves itself along, and her command of the language is impressive. But like many young and talented authors, she simply needs more life experience. There's nothing to tell me why I should care about any of these characters. I can't find much to take away from the novel, except "keep an eye on this author". In 20 years, after enduring some of life's vicissitudes, she will probably have something more meaningful to say.
1404395
The title of my review basically tells exactly how I feel about this work. The writing (and the translation) is simply beautiful, and it's of such a length that it will take about 2 hours of your time to read. These 2 hours will not be wasted, I assure you, for you will read words written by a modern master of literature. The plot is quite simple, and often not even necessary, for the language and the writing carries this book from beginning to end. I only wish that the book were longer so that I could spend more time with a very delightful elderly man.
3258802
Holly Payne's Kingdom of Simplicity is so full of love and hope, and the real meaning of forgiveness that I can hardly speak or see for the tears I shed at having finished this beautiful story.  My heart is so full and I am so thankful and feel so blessed for having had the experience of reading this inspiring work of art.