The book is based upon true events of the French Revolution. Many of the characters are inspired by historical figures.

The story centers on Gabrielle de Montserrat, born of noble blood. Her mistake was to fall in love with a commoner, Pierre-Andrè Coffinhal. Throughout the story, I tingled with excitement as I thought I knew what was going to happen next. This was all a vain attempt on my part, as the author surprised me with each new twist.

Gabrielle’s story is a fictional memoir, told in her own voice as she recounts her life beginning when her brother and guardian, Gèraud de Monsterrat, Marquis de Castel, brought her to live with him. Later on in the story, after meeting and falling in love with Pierre-Andrè Coffinhal, her brother finds out and she is forced into a marriage with a sadistic husband.

Her life has many phases, one of which will lead her to Paris where she will again meet Pierre-Andrè. During this time, France is unstable, on the brink of political and social upheaval. The decisions she made seemed the best at the time, but even towards the end, she wondered what would have happened if she had decided differently. It’s something I am still pondering over.

The author should be commended her display of realism. This book took me so far into the story that I completely forgot about my own life. Luckily, we are on spring break and I have some free time. Oh, let me warn you now, although it might be tempting to read the last few chapter to see what will happen in the end, DON'T! I am one to talk since that is what I usually do. For some reason, I didn’t in this book. I guess I was so busy reading that I forgot. Anyway, I’m glad I didn't as it will ruin the book.

A little more about Catherine Delors…

She was born and raised in France. She graduated from the University of Paris-Sorbonne School of Law and became a member of the Bar of Paris at the age of twenty-one.

She moved to the United States after her marriage and passed the California Bar. She worked at a few large law firms, then, after the birth of her son, set up a solo practice. She now splits her time between Los Angeles and Paris.

Did you know that she is currently working on a second novel? It’s a historical thriller about a terrorist attack in 1800 Paris, at the beginning of Bonaparte's reign.

Since thrillers are my favorite, I am so excited about this subgenre!

Longevity Made Simple by Richard Flanigan M.D. and Kate Flanigan Sawyer MD, MPH, has a subtitle, ‘How to Add 20 Good Years to Your Life.’ This book is not a diet book or is it an exercise book. It is longevity book that explains in simple language what science tells us about living long, healthy lives.

The book consists of eleven chapters plus an appendix with simple recipes. Some topics covered in the book are how long should we live? Eighty-five if we are in good health. The top 10 causes of death in the U.S. Did you know the 10th leading cause of death is Septicemia? Find out what that is in Chapter 2.

Also included is a personal risk profile. It explains what is good and bad cholesterol. Along with BMI charts, a good predictor of health risk is your abdomen size, that’s your waist size. It also states the limits for men and women.

Which is better, to be Fit and Fat or Sedentary and Lean? The Cooper Institute, using data from the Aerobics Center Longitude Study answers that question. The minimum amount of exercise is listed and some cautions on over-exercising.

Health foods are also covered. There is a list of Super foods that help to reduce oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, improve the elasticity of the arteries, and improve blood pressure. Heard of plant Stanols and Sterols? These lower serum cholesterol naturally.

Tea or coffee, which is healthier? Seems like both are. Tea contains antioxidants and coffee is associated with a lower risk of diabetes. Also explained are vitamin supplements and some common medications like statins for cholesterol and different type of high blood pressure medicines. A whole chapter is devoted to common health tests, such as EKG, ultrasounds for heart and arteries, and cancer screening tests to name a few.

Rounding out the book is 10 health tips that are practical and do-able. Several of the suggestions I have already started on, such as eating several veggie meals a week and changing my exercise routine.

With charts, graphs, and lists and concise explanations, the Flanigans have made the medical science easy to understand. They write with just enough science to provide meaning and with common language to make it understandable. The amount of data inside makes this a very good quick reference book to have on hand.

More about these authors:

Dr. Flanigan is an assistant clinical professor of cardiology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and a private practitioner. He is also co-director of the Heart and Health Prevention Center in Denver, Colorado.

A frequent lecturer and author, Dr. Flanigan is president of the Colorado Chapter of the American Heart Association, as well as an active member of a number of medical associations, including the National Lipid Education Council, the International Vascular Biology Working Group, and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology.

Dr. Flanigan received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he started his academic career with a Bachelors of Science from St. Joseph’s College and a Masters of Chemistry from Villanova University. His medical training includes an internship at the University of Illinois, Chicago, a residency in internal medicine at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and a cardiology fellowship at the University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado.

When not lecturing or practicing medicine, Dr. Flanigan is an accomplished artist and avid sportsman. A world champion rower, Dr. Flanigan has won the National Championship 3 times and Masters’ Championship races 45 times. He has competed worldwide with the U.S. National, Pan-American, and pre-Olympic rowing teams. In 2004, he was inducted into St. Joseph’s University Athletes Hall of Fame for international accomplishments in the sport of rowing.

After receiving her BA from Boston College, Dr. Flanigan Sawyer moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University, where she received her MD from Tulane Medical School and MPH from Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, both in 2000.

Dr. Flanigan Sawyer’s medical training continued in California where she completed an internal medicine internship at Alameda County Medical Center, Highland Hospital. After her internship, Dr. Sawyer completed two residencies at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, one in preventive medicine and the other in occupational and environmental medicine.

At present, Dr. Flanigan Sawyer is co-director of the Heart and Health Prevention Center, as well as the reviewing medical officer for the Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Occupational Health Division. She is also founder and CEO of Colorado Prevention Consultants, LLC.

Dr. Flanigan Sawyer is married to Michael M. Sawyer, MD, and the mother of two young children, Ryan and Kathleen. Despite her busy schedule, Dr. Sawyer makes time to play the piano, practice yoga, and participate in outdoor sports, including skiing and running.

I debated over whether or not to dedicate time to reading a book that was a tad bit over 700 pages. So I made a deal with myself. I’d give it the 50 page test. If in 50 pages, I am not hook then I won’t finish the book. Can you believe I was hooked on the prologue? In a word, the book was unbelievably great! Okay, so that’s two words.

The story centers around India Selwyn Jones, a lady doctor, her ambitious fiancé, Freddie Lytton and the man she falls in love with, a crime boss Sid Malone. Their story collides with the characters from THE TEA ROSE, the first book in this trilogy. The characters’ lives with its turmoil had me so wound up emotionally that I needed to read a bit of nonfiction before dozing off at night. Without giving anything away, you won’t know until the very end if there is a happy ending for India and Sid or if they are doomed to more tragedy. This riveting love story had so many unexpected turns that it was hard to guess what would happen next.

Even though it’s a mammoth of a book, I was sorry to see the story end. Jennifer Donnelly, with her masterful skill of story telling, moved me out of my comfort zone and had me wanting more. I can’t wait to read more of her creative tales.

More about this fabulous author…

Jennifer Donnelly lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two greyhounds. She grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties. As a child, she loved to write and often inflicted really dreadful poems and stories on her family and friends. She loved to read, too, and the high point of her grade-school week was a Saturday trip to the library. It still is.

Treasure in Tahiti by Connie Lee Berry is the second book of the Incredible Journey series. In the first book, we met the Stone family and the Incredible Journey map. A ‘W’ had mysteriously appeared on the map beside the Cayman Islands, where book one’s adventure was.

This adventure takes place in the summer when Mr. Stone has to go to Tahiti for a week long business trip and decides to take the family along. The plan is a family vacation for the first week, and then Mr. Stone will stay for his business week.

Since this was a last minute decision, all had to pack up and leave the next morning. After a long flight to Tahiti and a scary taxi cab ride up a winding mountainous road, the family discovers their vacation cabin has only 3 walls, along with a fire pit, jugs of water and soda, a box of can goods, four cots, and a big mosquito net. The view of the ocean, the private beach, the lush, green forest, and gorgeous sunsets makes up for the hardship.

As in the first book, there is a fact sheet on the Tahiti Islands. Also the science page is how sand filters water and how to make your own sand water filter. Something I didn’t know.

The island adventure starts with ocean fishing, and after catching a small shark we see the Stone family males are not outdoorsmen. Next, Max finds a sealed jar under a floorboard and it contains a map, a treasure map. The treasure is on a small island near by, protected by warnings and a hermit. After solving the puzzling landmarks, the boys found the treasure, which were bonds and gold coins from a bank robbery in 1904. Their reward was a write up in the local newspaper and the vacation hut and land.

This is a good read for the grade school group. There is plenty of fun and adventure with a bit of mystery and pictures and illustrations highlighting the ten chapters. The mysterious map now has an ‘I’ that appeared beside Tahiti. What does this mean? We’ll have to read to whole series to find out.

About the author:

Connie Lee Berry grew up in a small town in Kentucky and after college became a flight attendant for a major airline. After a few years of working for the airline, Connie married and became a mother of three. She became very active in her children’s school activities and doing creative projects. For about five years, she volunteered heavily at her children's schools, even automating a school library at one point. It was during these five years that Mrs. Berry started writing. The idea for the Incredible Journey Books stemmed from a combination of her experiences in her adult life, traveling the world and doing creative kids' projects.

STONE COLD is the third in the Camel Club Series and boy, what a series it is. If you’ve read the previous books, Oliver Stone’s past has remained a bit of a mystery. Oh sure, we knew some, but in this one we’ll find out all the little details. And for those of you who have been feeling a bit tepid about the first two books, this one will rock your socks off. That said, you’ll need to read (or for audio buffs, listen to) the first two books in order to be emotionally invested for this third book. Baldacci has an ending that will leave you absolutely stunned. For me, this book was the best of the three.

For viewers who haven’t read this series, here’s a recap from the publisher on all three:

In THE CAMEL CLUB: It exists at the fringes of Washington, D.C., has no power, and consists solely of four eccentric and downtrodden members whom society has forgotten. Their simple goal is to find the "truth" behind their country's actions.

One man leads this aging, ragtag crew. He has no known past and has taken the name "Oliver Stone." Day and night, Stone and his friends study wild conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government, hoping to discover some truth that will hold America's leaders accountable to its citizens. Yet never in Stone's wildest nightmares could he imagine the conspiracy the Camel Club is about to uncover...

After witnessing a shocking murder, the Club is slammed headfirst into a plot that threatens the very security of the nation, full of stunning twists, high-stakes intrigue, and global gamesmanship rocketing to the Oval Office and beyond. Soon the Club must join forces with veteran Secret Service agent Alex Ford, who becomes an unwilling participant in one of the most chilling spectacles to ever take place on American soil. It's an event that may well be the catalyst for the long-threatened Armageddon between two different worlds, and all that stands in the way of this apocalypse are five unexpected heroes.

In THE COLLECTORS, Oliver Stone and his Camel Club are in a race to stop a man who is determined to auction off America to the highest bidder: Roger Seagraves is selling America to her enemies, one devastating secret at a time. On a local level, Annabelle Conroy, the most gifted con artist of her generation, is becoming a bit of a Robin Hood as she plots a monumental scam against one of the most ruthless businessmen on earth. As the killings on both fronts mount, the Camel Club fights the most deadly foes they've ever faced.

(On a personal note - I felt the book didn’t end. After reading STONE COLD, I can see it didn’t as the third book picked up where the second one ended.)

In STONE COLD, Oliver Stone and the Camel Club are back in their most dangerous adventure yet, a war on two fronts. Casino king Jerry Bagger from THE COLLECTORS is hunting Annabelle Conroy who conned him out of millions. Stone and his colleagues Reuben, Milton, and Caleb marshal all their resources to protect Annabelle. Yet all their skills may not be enough when a deadly new opponent rips off the veneer of Stone's own mysterious past. Bagger's menace pales next to newcomer Harry Finn's lethality. Seeming a normal family-man, Finn has already killed three men with more targets to come. When Finn also sets his bulls-eye on Stone, his reason why will be the greatest shock of all, making readers reconsider their beliefs in good and evil. As bodies and institutions topple, the story rockets toward a shattering finale that will leave the survivors of this explosive tale changed forever.

Four years ago, Caitlyn Thompson met Cole Mazzei, a charming, attentive man. Two months into the relationship, things changed. He became obsessive, controlling and would call her work twenty times. He wanted an account of her whereabouts every minute of the day.

It became real clear; this wasn’t going to work out. Refusing to let the relationship go, the phone calls increased. He started showing up at her job. When she’d come home, there he was. It seemed like everywhere she went, so was he.

Since Caitlyn didn’t have close ties in New Jersey, she relocated to Atlanta. She came home one night and Cole was there. He brutally raped her. Eventually, she escaped and this time she was smarter. Leaving no paper trail to follow or staying any one place too long, Caitlyn has eluded Cole.

Now she’s living in Oakland, California and is the director of the East Oakland Youth Center. She’s sent out proposals for funding to help the struggling center where she meets Marcel Baptiste, owner of several BMW dealerships. Immediately Marcel is attracted to Caitlyn, but she can’t trust a man again or can she? And what about Cole? Has he forgotten about her or is he waiting for her to surface again?

About the author:

LaConnie Taylor-Jones, a native Memphian, is a health educator consultant and holds advanced degrees in community public health and business administration. Married, she is the mother of four and resides with her family in Northern California.

For over twenty-five years, Ms. Taylor-Jones has been an avid romance reader. In the summer of 2003 a challenge from her husband made her seize the opportunity to blend her enthusiasm for teaching health, social responsibility and social justice with her love for reading the genre. Her experience as a health educator sparked a multitude of storylines and her romance, which she defines as the spirit of adventure, played a pivotal part in her road to publication. In a little over four years, she’s authored three full-length novels.

Ms. Taylor-Jones is an active member of the Contra Costa Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the African American Community Health Advisory Committee, Black Women Organized for Political Action, and the San Francisco Area and Black Diamond chapters of Romance Writers of America.

Recharge in Minutes by Suzanne Zoglio, has 101 ways to rev up your focus, confidence, and energy. This book has ten easy-to-read chapters with titles and topics like Chapter 1 “I can’t think straight” for finding mental focus, Chapter 3 “I’m OK…Just stuck in a rut” for revving up, Chapter 5 “I haven’t got a clue” for inviting inspiration, Chapter 8:”If I’m so smart, why don’t I know it” for boosting confidence, and Chapter 10 “Just my luck” for acknowledging abundance. Chapter 10 is also good for those ‘pity parties’ and ‘why me’ feelings.

Dr. Zoglio has done an outstanding job organizing each chapter into nine to eleven one page tips, called Quick Lifts for resolving the chapter’s main issue. The chapters start with an explanation, followed by the list of the Quick Lift suggestions. Each Quick Lift has its own page with a brief statement and several action suggestions.

What I like about Recharge in Minutes is each of the 101 ways has several suggestions which are short to implement. One of Quick Lift 97, Share your bounty, suggestions is silently say a pray for someone who is facing a challenge. Another is share a funny story to someone who could use a cheer. All of the actions are quick and easy to implement and specifically designed to address the Quick Lift.

Recharge in Minutes is highly organized and efficiently written to deal with life’s many problems. The 101 ways are useful for work or at home and simple to implement. It is organized and simple to reference the particular life problem and Quick Lift, making it an excellent book to keep around!

About the Author:

Suzanne Zoglio is often described as “a master energizer.” For over 20 years she has coached executives, facilitated team-building meetings, and presented motivational speeches and seminars to audiences in the US and Europe. Her clients include healthcare organizations, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies including American Express, Hewlett-Packard, Lockheed Martin and GlaxoSmithKline. In 1986 she was named Outstanding Woman In Business by the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce.

Rachel and her friends are at Down Town's eating pizza when Gary walked in. He's the town's star athlete, but he's from a rival school. It's taboo to form friendships much less date guys from there. So he's considered off limits to Rachel.

Going against tradition, she went out with Gary. Their summer long romance was kept secret from friends. Shortly before school was to start back, they took the relationship to a physical level which resulted in an unplanned pregnancy.

Attempts to contact Gary failed and Rachel ends up at an abortion clinic. Feeling alone, she turns to God for guidance. Waiting in the room, she is given a vision of what could happen if she were to choose a different path.

In Thomas Wade Bounds book, CHOICES, MY SECRET is clearly a Pro-Life message and is a great guide to assist youth ministers as well as families with the same belief.

About the author:

Thomas Wade Bounds was born in New Orleans, LA, on Dec 22, 1967, enjoying an early childhood playing along the Mississippi River and swimming, diving, and golf at neighborhood clubs. At six his family moved to Kingston, New York which introduced him to deep snow and sledding along with his two older sisters and younger brother.

Choices, My Secrets is a first of a series for teens and parents which can be utilized to bridge the gap and improve the art of conversation between child and parents. Talking things out without being critical, argumentative, or misunderstanding the issue of choices can help relieve pressures teens face alone today.

Thomas is also writing a series for younger kids teaching the basics of wisdom and the hero’s of the Bible. He hopes this will encourage valuable conversation between the younger child and their parents to whom God has entrusted them. The first story is nearing completion.

ACROSS TIME by Linda Kay Silva is the second book I’ve run across this week where I felt inadequate as a reviewer. What both books had in common were historical facts and details - lots of details. Neither can be summarized well in a couple of paragraphs. To do so will minimize the book’s importance. Keep this in mind as I stumble through this review.

The Romans are intent on destroying every Druid they can find. Cate, a very young, but powerful Druid Priestess, travels into the future by way of soul migration to find answers to help her people. Some have tried to go through the portal only to never return.

Cate connects with present day Jessie Ferguson, who in her junior year of high school was busted for drugs, been in a drug treatment program, and forced to do community service. Her life’s going nowhere and her parents are afraid that their daughter will be back to using drugs in no time.

Seeing no other way, her parents sell off everything and move from the bad influence of California to a small quaint town in Oregon. There they invest in a bed and breakfast dubbed the Money Pit, because the previous owners went broke before the place was renovated. To add a little more spice to the story, Daniel, Jessie’s brother, believes the house is haunted.

When a secret door, which is really a portal for Cate to connect to Jessie shows itself, Jessie walks through. She learns that Cate needs her to research history of the Romans during the defeat of the Druids. Cate believes by doing so, she can find a way to change her present situation.

The task set before Jessie won’t be easy, but she’s not alone. With the aid of Tanner, a boy I hope to learn more about in future books and the town’s psychic, Jessie races against time. Her success might save lives.

ACROSS TIME is the first in a series that will take Jessie Ferguson from the first century AD, to 16th century England under Queen Elizabeth, to ancient Egypt, and into the jungles of the Vietnam War. What Jessie learns in this book is just a tiny piece of the wisdom and knowledge she is going to need to face the other tasks at hand.

Love scrapbooking? EASY SCRAPBOOK EMBELLISHMENT will take you to a whole new level. Even if you are new to the craft, this book offers many easy step-by-step instructions with a list of materials and tips for the beginner with an expertise guide.

This book provides 65 scrapbook layouts, information about tools needed, such as various adhesives to use, the top five tools to use as well as tools for the pros. The book also includes where to store your materials and 15 extra project ideas, such as party favors, keepsake boxes and framing suggestions.

Each project in the book focuses on one embellishment and includes a list of what you’ll need in order to complete it. You’ll not only get written instructions, but nice large photos to accompany each step.

About the author:

Heidi Schueller is a contributor to scrapbooking publications such as Scrapbooking with Beads, More Scrapbooking with Beads, and Scrapbooking for the Time Impaired. She leads scrapbooking classes nationally and locally in Waukesha, WI where she calls home with her husband and three children - her first being her scrapbooking muse.

I could go on and on about this book, because it’s a must have for scrapbooking fans. I highly recommend it. This is something you’ll use time and time again as a reference guide.