Eagle Reviews

The only thing good about this book was the very first chapter and because of that chapter, I thought the book was going to be a page turner. I was completely mislead. This book was totally boring. It did not reach me at an emotional level at all. I did not find any part of this book exciting in the least and at times, I had to force myself not to put it down and never pick it back up because the author babbled on about stupid stuff. I had looked forward to reading this book and am sorry to say that I was very dissapointed. I would have to be desperate to pick up another by this author.

I liked the book pretty well. The characters were great. The plot wasn't especially good. The undercurrent between the hero and the heroine was superb. All the way through the book, I could feel it. I thought the beginning and middle were the best parts. Then when the end comes, it's like is this it. No wonderful ending. Although, I did learn something about the time period. The ritual about the bathing were interesting. All in all, it was a good book. Not as great as her other books. Try reading it and see what you think. email me and tell me what you think @ torey_music@yahoo.com

I absolutely loved this book!!! Fantastic story, page-turner, couldn't put it down and what-have-you. The thought of 'a soul in exchange for a kingdom'...passionate and romantic. Jane's detailed description of the Alhambra...so true. This book got me interested in Ancient Spanish history all over again. Note: Know this is purely fiction but adding Boabdil el chico to the story made it almost believably true. Also, Muley Hassan is in fact a Caliph before Boabdil's reign but it is actually Muley Ali Hassan. Overall great read...recommend it.

The reason I didn't particularly care for The Love Killers was that the characters seemed shallow. I finished the book in two days, so it is a fast paced read, I just didn't bond with her characters. There wasn't enough depth to truly feel like you could 'see' what was going on. I was unable to 'step into the adventure' which I can easily do in her other novels.

I still recommend it, but only because it was written by my favorite author!

A tight plot. Attention to detail. Characters that blaze off the page. Sexy dialogues...What else could you possibly hope for in a book? (except maybe some credibility?)

This is my favorite of Jackie's older novels. It is very smart. Being a huge fan, I find that no suprise. If you don't think Jackie has talent, you should read this book. I think you might change your mind.

While I much admire Ms. Michaels writing, I really don't think that this is one of her best. It seemed rather messy and unresolved. The ending was just not really up to her usual mind-boggling style. All in all though, it was an entertaining read for a gloomy afternoon.

This book is not the best by Barbara Michaels, but it's still better than 95% percent of the books in print. Though it lacks the wry humor of some of her books, it nevertheless has a nice storyline and some truly spinechilling moments.

A young writer named Michael Collins (I wonder, did Ms. Michaels deliberately give this guy the same name as the Irish rebel? Or a coincidence?) arrives as the home or wealthy intelligent philanthropist millionaire Randolph. Collins is immediately attracted to Randolph's beautiful younger wife Linda, but can't help noticing that Linda is dulling her pain with alcohol, seems to be both hateful toward her husband and terrified of something she can't name. The sight of large dogs, for example, throws her into fainting fits.

Collins also senses something strange and sinister about Randolph, despite the latter's charming and hearty manner. He checks into the backgrounds of people who knew Randolph before he married his wife, and finds disturbing but nebulous results. Then Linda, whom her husband claims is insane, runs away and keeps running, with a bizarre old witch as her only solid ally. But Linda has a counter-claim about Randolph, that implies something far darker and more horrifying than mere insanity.

This book has amazing atmosphere, especially in the first chapter where Linda is clearly terrified and emotionally threadbare, but there is no sign as to why. The creepiness pervades virtually every scene with and about Randolph. Collins himself is a nice, sympathetic character with a great balance of sensitivity and "macho"; as for Linda, it's a little difficult to determine whether she's correct, insane, or a bit of both. As for Randolph--he WILL give you goosebumps.

The book is hardly flawless - Ms. Michaels's brilliant humor is often missing (though I loved Collins' buddy coming in and finding Linda tied down to the bed); there is a large "dead" section in the middle of the book where the characters do little but talk; also, the ending seems to be a bit rushed and hastily written. I also found the smallness of the cast disconcerting, and the character of the witch rather badly drawn.

However, if you're in the mood for a good ol' fashioned thriller with appropriate chills, and no sex or vulgarity, then this is for you!

The Dark on the Other Side is probably my favorite Barbara Michaels. It isn't just about being 'spooky'. It's about basic issues of trust, whether in other people or in your own perceptions. It is about how people use one another to achieve gain or safety. It is about the power of love, both to heal and destroy. There are no chain-saw killers jumping out of the closet, no menacing ghosts. Most of the action takes place in the minds of the characters and you must decide whether their POV is valid. A superficial read won't give you much; but if you really think about Linda Randolph's predicament and the risks both she and Michael Collins take to save her, you will have chills that will keep you up late. (I do wish Barbara Michaels had made Galen a series character. I just love his sang froid.)

I cannot believe I paid money for this book. There book is filled with factual errors and misrepresentations. I will not be so bold as to call them outright lies, but the information is wrong. I finished it just to see if it got better but it didn't. The book perpetuates myths left over from the war and more that have been fabricated since. There are no notes to check the authors' reputed "sources," the research is shoddy, and the text is laughable. This should be in the section under histical fiction - not history. As a historian I would suggest that the authors stick to sculpture and theatre (see bios)! I was very dissapointed with this book but not surprised at the content from two amateurs.

This is a great book for anyone with an interest in WW2 German technology.Europe would have been a much different place if the Nazi leadership had decided not to interfere with research and development of the German Luftwaffe. I would recommend this book as a starting point for research,or an introduction to collecting books on this subject.It is by no means exhaustive in it's coverage of German technology,but it is nonetheless a very interesting and surprising read.I gave this book three stars for the content alone, and if I have any critisism it was that it should have covered a greater range of subjects ie.Panther tanks fitted with night vision etc.,and more photos and drawings.This is a book that deserved a A4 size hardbound format but I gave a extra star for it's presentation.

A well written and researched book.Packed with facts and astonishing information on Germany's, ahead of their time aircraft, and the beurocracy that surrounded them. This book certainly proves that necessity is the mother of invention. What would have happened had the German efforts come to fruition? We can perhaps only ever have an incling on how close they were to success. Heartily recomended!

This book starts out slow, and I had to get through the first couple of chapters to get to the interesting part. A young college student and her boyfriend journey to Mexico to find the woman's father. The father left when she was a child and has not communicated with her since. He seems to be ambivalent about seeing her again and his household is a strange one. The boyfriend strikes up a friendship with Ivan, the son of Carol's father's paramour, and the trip seems to disintegrate from there. His previously mild drug habit becomes worse and a strange man seems to be following Carol.

There are a few unexplained plot points and loose ends here, and the language is a bit dated, but this is an entertaining book, good for the beach.

I've read 8 Elizabeth Peters books to date and this was the only one that I didn't absolutely adore. I was not prepared for the amount of drug content in it, and frankly it caught me completely off guard and made me uncomfortable. If you're looking for something light-hearted and a more fun read, stick to the Vicky Bliss books.

Elizabeth Peters is a great writer of mysteries. Most of her books have a terrific mixture of lighthearted style, tricky puzzles, exotic settings, and characters endowed with personality. I almost always enjoy their interactions. Four Hundred Rabbits was written in the early 70s, and the protagonist is still something of a stereotypical helpless woman--understandable for its time, but not so great when you compare her to the protagonists in Ms. Peters' later books (especially the Amelia Peabody mysteries). However, what really disappointed me was the shallowness of secondary characters, and the relationships among the characters. In 400 Rabbits, there's a murkiness in the relationships that doesn't feel mysterious, just not carefully thought out. The voices don't sound as real as usual.

Of course, I'm comparing thsi work to other works by the same author; I'd recommend you select one of Ms. Peters more recent mysteries, which are nearly note-perfect, over this. But by all means, pick something she's written; you're certain to be hooked.

I didn't bother to finish this book. The writing is amateurish, and the author's attempts at descriptive narrative are cliche and often repetative. The characters are one-dimensional and predicatable. Overall, this book reads like a bad romance novel disguised as a legal thriller.

District Attorney Lily Forrester has recently been promoted to Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit. She is glad to get the appointment but it came at a high price. She is unhappy with her marriage and her relationship with her daughter is deteriorating day by day.

Lily decides to get a fresh start when she asks her husband for a divorce and move out to a new apartment. Her life is irrevocably changed when an intruder storms into her home and rapes both her and her daughter, Shana. Lily believes she recognizes her assailant as one of the case files she brought home from work. Without thinking it over she decides to go kill him. She tracks the suspect and shoots him dead without even flinching. She then erases all traces of evidence she can think of that might identify her. She will now try to continue her life and help her daughter.

Unfortunately, things do not go as planned. Both Lily and Shana are still traumatized by the events and they both disagree as to who raped them. Lily wonders if she has made a mistake now that there is a relentless cop investigating the case.

Nancy Taylor Rosenberg does a good job in applying what she knows in this novel. She has worked in law enforcement for many years and has dealt with sexual offenders. The victims and situations felt real as well as the emotional trauma Lily feels for her action. The novel reads like a Lifetime movie but it kept my interest.

I haven't read any good books lately (trying to decipher the monotony of Mary Higgins Clark, I suppose) and this book was lying around in my father's office, so I seized the moment and borrowed it. From the very beginning, this cross between John Grisham's "A Time To Kill" and Sandrs Brown's "Charade" captivates the audience and holds on for an entertaining, if somewhat predictable, ride. I recommend this to people who haven't had a good read and would like a fast-paced, realistic novel. Enjoy.

This novel is a fascinating read. But, in comparison to "Three Blind Mice" it is anticlimatic. And one is left wondering exactly why Mary's twin sister decided to show up at Matthew's house and attack his daughter after the verdict was announced when all she had to do was disappear.

This book never really seems to get going. There is too much time spent in the courtroom while basic questions about the crime and the suspect/defendant are left unasked.

After 200 pages, I realized that this book wasn't going to pick up or reveal any crucial information to make sense out of things until the very end.

As a result, the whole story rapped up very quickly in an unbelievable way and you are left wondering why no one could figure anything out earlier. Based on the ending, the detectives and attorneys appear rather incompetent.

I did enjoy parts of the book, however, and I think the plot needs to be unfolded at a different rate (not so slow in the beginning and not so fast at the end). I am a McBain fan and think that some of his other books are better written.

Mary, Mary is a fascinating courtroom drama....except for the ending. The ending is contrived and just plain silly. But then, if one must run out of gas, I suppose it is better to do it near the end rather than the beginning.

A Review by Jon Clegg
The story begins with a young boy named Liam. He is currently in school and is living with his mother in a small apartment near a burned down church. One day he looks out his window to notice there is a bum outside with a sign saying he needs money he's got AIDS. The story goes into his father and how he's fighting Aids.

I didn't enjoy reading this story at all and its not common for me to say that because I am very picky when it comes to books I can not enjoy almost any of the books because they aren't on a topic I enjoy. It wasn't at anyway adventurous or outgoing it was extremely boring I caught myself sleeping while reading it at many points. The main character has some pretty dumb problems that everyone has but he can't deal with them. I think it was a waste of ink and paper! The first part of the book wasn't even necessary when he meets the homeless person with aids. It didn't really blend into the story that well.

I would not recommend this book to anyone it wasn't even fun to note read I should have never picked it up off the shelve it is a big waste of everything in the world that was put into it!

Paula Fox has tackled a sensitive topic in The Eagle Kite and has handled it with much feeling and warmth. It is the story of Liam and his father who had secrets and now has AIDS. It could be their last chance to repair any damage done to their relationship. It is a short little book for teenagers but it packs quite an emotional wallop but in a sweetly subtle and quiet manner. This book will be a nice revelation for any teenager dealing with relationship issues with their parents. It is a look at dealing honestly with one's parents and one's children and building a relationship through that honesty whatever it reveals. It is a sad, touching story.

The only problem with this book is that it is too short.

Paula Fox manages to paint a picture of our society within the microcosm of a family that reflects the good and bad attitudes many otherwise good people have regarding gays and AIDS. Don't be put off by any warnings. The people, both young and old, who have trouble with the book reflect more of their own personal problems in dealing with the subject matter. After speaking to several middle school students who found the book at a recent book fair, I discovered that they were able to empathize with Liam, the hero of the story. The only thing they couldn't understand is why Liam's mother and aunt behaved the way they did. They could see in the adults' attempts to protect the boy that they were hurting him more than helping him.

This is a book that should be a welcome addition to any classroom library. It would even make an excellant text on which to base a series of lessons on tolerance and acceptance.

"The Eagle Kite" soars.

Usually Barbara Vine novels feature richly drawn, believable characters, but I found the people in this book uninteresting, unlikeable and (especially in the case of the dimwitted central character) unintelligent. Plus the novel just drags on and on and on--I wanted it to end long before it did. I'm surprised I finished it at all, that's how bad it was. But Vine/Rendell is one of my favorite novelists ever, that's why I stayed with it. Those new to her work will be much better served by reading fascinating and gripping Vine novels such as "Anna's Book," "No Night Is Too Long," "The Chimney Sweeper's Boy" and "A Dark-Adapted Eye." She's a master at creating vivid, suspenseful psychological novels, and she's at the peak of her powers in those books.

absorbing reading, as always from Rendell. The peopel are believeable and the story is fascinating. i quibble with the plot line though, i wonder that the ending is possible with a security freak for a husband as Nina had, and i wonder at the character of Sandor to be so obsessivly in love with a woman he kidnapped? Other than that, it agian shows Rendells abbility to read minds and her charchaters inner souls. very interesting story.

Vine's strength lies precisely in the fact that she often does deal with unsavoury and unlikeable characters and yet through her handling of them, get the reader to identify with and almost like them, certainly to care deeply what happens to them. It's amazing how she gets inside the heads of her characters. Does she really know people like this or is she simply intuitive to the nth degree? Sandor is obsessed with Nina, Joe is obsessed with Sandor and neither has their love returned. Unlike a previous reviewer, I found the ending very satisfying as really, how else could it end? The character of Sandor's mother, Diana, and the character of Paul, the bodyguard, are made extremely believable. In the case of Diana, who is a very minor character, it is truly amazing what the author is able to achieve with such a small part given over to her. The only slightly unbelievable part was that Apsoland, such a very thorough, security expert, gets fooled by 2 of the characters whom I won't name as it would give the game away if someone has not yet read the book. I think that Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine is truly the best mystery writer alive today. She surpasses all the competition.

I was very disappointed with this book. I bought Once upon a Wedding because I am a huge fan of Kathleen Eagle. I should have known something was up when I saw the pink and pastel colored cover; her books, in the past, have never been pink and pastel; they are rich and earthy.

The story was forgettable with forgettable characters. Camille and her friends are in their late forties, but act and speak like they are in their eighties. Frump this; frump that.

Camille, who is openly concerned and whiny about her daughter dropping out of college, doesn't bat an eyelash when the daughter announces she is going to marry a childhood crush she met the day before at a wedding. Huh? If you are going to whine about something, this would be a good thing to crank about.

I don't know what happens in the end. Maybe she gets upset. I don't know...I couldn't make it past page 60.

If you like gather-around-the-girlfriends chick books flavored with a beige plot, this book is for you. If not, save your money and buy one of her other books.

Kathleen Eagle is one of only two authors whose hardbound books I've consistently bought new ... with everyone else I wait till the paperback, or at least till the hardback prices have dropped.

I value her writing for its deep insights into the human heart, emotional honesty and intensity, social consciousness, admirable and irresistible heroes, and the fact that most of her heroines must be Virgos like me. ;-)

So, it is with a sigh that I see that the trend I detected in The Last Good Man - away from romance and toward the kind of women's issues novels that Barbara Delinsky and Patricia Gaffney and many others also have embraced - is continuing. I sigh, because I find women's issues novels really, really boring ... but that's my bias, and obviously one many women don't share, or good novelists wouldn't find their editors encouraging them to write that kind of thing.

Once Upon A Wedding is about three generations of women and women friends, and only peripherally about a mature (nearly 50) woman discovering that she still loves her gifted, charming but unambitious ex-husband. I was reminded now and again of LaVyrle Spencer's Bygones in terms of situation, but not in impact, because I also wondered if Ms. Eagle was as bored by the constraints of this style as I am ... I experienced no deep involvement, no pangs, no real concerns about the people involved, no real liking, actually, for anyone in the book but Rosemary, with her cancer treatments and eBay addiction.

After Night Remembers and Sunrise Song, This Time Forever and Reason to Believe it's deeply disappointing to find Ms. Eagle's novels getting shorter and more superficial, apparently turning away from the things that draw me to read and re-read all of her earlier books, not just the mass market ones I mentioned above.

This is my first foray into Kathleen Eagle's world! My rough-hewn self wanted to categorize ONCE UPON A WEDDING as a fantasy...except, this author does have a way with words, & women will drool over them.

A womanly read, about articulate women well versed in relationships; unafraid to murmur awful things to each other, & make up afterwards - it is rich with textures, scents, family scenes, rueful memories & second chances at happiness, at getting it right. Will they take the plunge?