Book Description
From the acclaimed author of Younger and Babes in Captivity, a funny and moving novel about friendship, fame, and the fight for one suburb's future!
Greetings from New Jersey
Stella Powers is an A-list movie star who has just landed an Oscar-worthy role and a hot new rock-star husband when her mother's death brings her world tumbling down. Floundering as her life becomes one tabloid horror after another, Stella finds herself stuck in the New Jersey suburb she fled twenty years ago. But Homewood is no longer the sleepy town she remembers: housing prices are skyrocketing and glitzy new stores -- and people -- are moving in. To Stella and her young daughter, this is good news.
Wish you weren't here.
The bad news: Stella's childhood best friend, Mary Jean, who married Stella's old boyfriend and raised four kids in Homewood, can no longer afford to live there. Mary Jean is determined to wrest back the town but needs Stella on her side. The stakes for both women are high, but how can these old friends reconnect after so much time has passed? Or more importantly, how can they not?
Download Description
Stella Powers is an A-list movie star who has just landed an Oscar-worthy role and a hot new rock-star husband when her mother's death brings her world tumbling down. Floundering as her life becomes one tabloid horror after another, Stella finds herself stuck in the New Jersey suburb she fled twenty years ago. But Homewood is no longer the sleepy town she remembers: housing prices are skyrocketing and glitzy new stores -- and people -- are moving in. To Stella and her young daughter, this is good news. The bad news: Stella's childhood best friend, Mary Jean, who married Stella's old boyfriend and raised four kids in Homewood, can no longer afford to live there. Mary Jean is determined to wrest back the town but needs Stella on her side. The stakes for both women are high, but how can these old friends reconnect after so much time has passed? Or more importantly, how can they not?
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable!.......2007-03-27
Very enjoyable book about two childhood friends. I liked how each chapter was laid out by a different character. Can't wait to read more by this author!!
Predictably Fun Chick-Lit..........2006-11-02
This is a hard book to rate. Part of me says 4 stars, but the other part says 3 stars. In the end I'm going with 4 because, while it may not be the greatest book out there, it sure was hard to put down. Now, I've always made it clear that I'm not a fan of chick-lit, most of it's just shallow women in the big city going from one superficial crises to the next...but 'Suburbanistas' actually has some meat to it.
I liked the dynamic between the two friends...they both grow up in a small Jersey town, and one (Mary Jean) becomes a cop's wife and raises four kids, while the other (Stella) runs off to Hollywood and becomes a super famous actress. The two have lost touch ever since Stella left abruptly for California, but when she returns home to visit her mother, who dies shortly after, they get back together and slowly regain the close bond they once shared.
Now...as for the political end of the story, this is why I was wanting to give it 3 stars. It was just silly, and predictable. I could see from a mile away who was going to end up becoming the mayor of Homewood...and are we really supposed to believe that Pete (Mary Jeans husband) would campaign against her and continue to help Henry Sladowsky just for the sake of becoming Chief of Police? Isn't it obvious that if Mary Jean were to win that she would appoint her husband to that position? Because of this I really didn't care too much for Pete, or Mary Jean's daughter Fanny, who was just a little to over-the-top in my opinion.
But, those few things aside, and as mad as I would get during some parts of the book, I just couldn't put the darn thing down. And something should be said for that. Ms. Satran may not have a classic here, but she certainly knows who to keep the readers attention, and that's big. Upon reading the interview section at the end, I learned that her other two novels take place in Homewood, New Jersey as well, and I'm thinking I just might pick them up. So...if your a fan of chick-lit, I absolutely think you'll enjoy this, and even if your not, it's still not a bad way to pass a couple of rainy afternoons.
Sassy Suburbanistas.......2006-06-28
I devoured this book--it's a fun, fast-paced read with clever characters drawn closely from life. In fact, I think I know some of these people! If you live in the suburbs, you will enjoy Satran's take on the whole thing. Her books are smart and sassy. Don't miss this one!
Political Morals and Chick-Lit Don't Mix.......2006-06-14
Since so many popular chick-literature focuses on the privileged, glamorous lives of beautiful Manhattanites, I was curious to read this book which focuses instead on the lifestyle of women in Hollywood and suburban New Jersey (especially since I am former New Yorker, who lives in the New York suburbs and works in the New Jersey suburbs).
However, I was left disappointed and annoyed.
Compared to other popular chick-lit, the author's characters are fully-dimensional and likeable (compared to say Plum Sykes' inanely vapid and selfish characters in Bergdorf Blondes). It was for this reason that I finished the book, and other readers will want to as well, since the author excels at making the reader care about the characters.
However, advertised as a book about "friendship", this book is no different than any of the NYC-center chic-lit narratives which center on a have v. have not lifestyle. The problem being that in works such as "The Devil Wears Prada" or "The Ivy Chronicles" which are a humorous look at the lives of the haves, they make no particular moral statement about the class differentials of the have-nots.
Suburbanistas, on the other hand is infused with a subtle brand of class issues, and populist, democratic socialism and anti-corporate message which in my opinion has no place in chic-lit. What makes this subtle moralistic message annoying, is that in the end the glamorous, thin, beautiful woman from Hollywood continues to be fabulous and continue her acting on Broadway, while there is no Cinderella ending for her childhood friend from New Jersey. Since the author took it upon herself to promote a socially democratic message throughout the book, suggesting that at the end, both characters will achieve equality, to end the book with this obvious contraction is frustrating and annoying.
fine contemporary tale .......2006-03-01
Recently married to rock star Eddie Skinner, movie superstar Stella Powers returns home to Homewood, New Jersey with her six years old daughter Idaho to spend time with her mom before starting her next film. Eddie failed to accompany her as he was to busy with a gig. However, Stella is stunned when her mom suddenly dies. The funeral is a farce with reporters and fans trampling on everything and her husband stays in Hollywood grooving with Idaho's nanny while Stella grieves. Her best friend in high school Mary Jean Wright helps her escape the mob, whose despicable actions at the funeral were a disgrace.
As Stella feels guilt and loneliness, she begins seeing developer Henry Sladowski who wants to convert the small sleepy down into an expensive burb for the rich and famous. This will price Mary Jean, her spouse a cop, and their four children out of the town. However, as Stella begins to understand local politics she becomes involved as any place in which her beloved mom could not call home is not for her.
Stella will learn that you can go home though it takes the death of her beloved mom and a lesson in civics to do so. She is a fine protagonist who nicely keeps the story line in focus. The cast makes for a fine tale as the war between "progress" and. "heritage" though perhaps too simplified, is nicely fought in New Jersey.
Harriet Klausner
Product Description
In August 1811, George, Prince of Wales and the Prince Regent is horrified to find his mistress Sarah, Marchioness of Creeve dead in his bed, strangled by the string of pearls around her neck. The Prince realizes what a scandal could come out of a dead married woman (not to mention his younger brother's mistress) so he has Tam Eildor, masquerading as a Scottish lawyer, investigate the murder. Tam's investigation is interrupted by an attempt on his life and the Prince's discovery that the Stuart Sapphire has gone missing. Tam's search for the killer and the thief puts his life in danger. Amidst a cast of royally quirky, entertaining, and psychologically complex characters, Tam needs to figure out his purpose in the Prince Regent's service, find the killer thief, and get home before time does away with Tam's memory of home, or someone does away with Tam.
Book Description
The Shrouded Walls: When her parents die in a car accident, Marianne loses her home and all her worldly goods. She faces life as a governess, until she meets Axel Branson. A lonely house in the Kent Marshes is now her home. But distrust of her husband and fear of the house seem to roll in as steadily as the sea mist...
April's Grave: Three years after they parted, Karen and Neville decide to resume their life together, returning to the isolated Highland croft where April, Karen's sister, had shattered their marriage. Since then, the selfish and beautiful April has vanished…
The Devil on Lammas Night: When Tristan Poole moved to a remote Welsh seaside village, what was he planning? Nicola Morrison suspects foul play, particularly when sudden illnesses, accidents, and death shatter the peace…
Customer Reviews:
Tales of Murder and Mystery; ..........2007-10-11
Susan Howatch is one of my favorite authors, and I find it impossible to find fault with any of her novels. This trilogy of short novels is suspensefully plotted and employs the usual elegance of diction I expect from this author. Nevertheless, and perhaps it is due to their brevity, I did not enjoy these novels quite as much as, say, the Church of England series, or the longer works of romantic suspense.
Book Description
What Magic Can Stop Adolf Hitler -- History's Most Evil Black Magician?
Modern War
The year is 1940. Hitler's Germany is about to employ the secret arts of evil witchcraft to destroy England. What can stop them?
Ancient Weapon
It is the mission of John Graham, colonel in British Intelligence, to stop the onslaught of evil with an extraordinary strategy that defies all the rules of twentieth-century warfare: Unite the different witches' covens throughout England, drawing upon powers that reach back through dark centuries, in a ritual of awesome sacrifice on the first night of August, the magical
Lammas Night
Customer Reviews:
Simply the Best Fiction I've Ever Read.......2006-04-10
And I suspect that not all of it is fiction. Never cared for any of "The Adept" books and was startled to find myself so very moved by this. The setting, the terminology, the pace of the story are all exceptional.
Tears for Lammas Night.......2006-03-19
I just finished Lammas Night. Like the Adept series, I couldn't put it down. This book at the end is a real tear jerker. However the abiding love between the characters more than makes up for the ending. I highly reccomend this book. I just wish she would write more about John Graham. He is a character with a lot of depth.
Beautiful novel.......2005-12-31
I agree with most of the reviews of Lammas Night. I, too, read it at least once a year, despite its ending which can have me melancholy for hours after. But the one thing that stands out clearly, for me anyway, is - this is a novel about a deep and abiding friendship. Hence my sadness toward the end. Such is the talent of the author that I find myself wishing it would end differently each time I re-read it.
More Than Fiction.......2005-10-25
Some readers of Ms. Kurtz's works will know the name of the author, Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki. Her mother and father had an association with an occult group during WWII and had somewhat to do with events similar to those portrayed in the book. Katherine Kurtz was given her mother's diary and papers by Dolores. Katherine returned them to her, along with the galley proof of the book, saying, "You'll need a box of tissues handy when you read this."
And you, the reader, may well do so also. While a fictional book, there are strong, true esoteric underpinnings to the story. That is why it works so well, resonates so well, reads so well. Having spoken with both Dolores and Katherine about this book, I will say it is indeed, 'more than fiction'. Which, of course, makes it all the more delicious. I re-read it about once a year.
Find this book.
Spectacular!.......2002-02-09
LAMMAS NIGHT is one of the most original and interesting treatments of World War Two-era fiction ever to be penned. Like many another reader, I came across Sir John Cathal Graham while reading the ADEPT series, and wondered why he didn't rate his own series. I still wonder why he is the central character in only this one book, because Gray Graham is fascinating and complex, far more multidimensional than the too-well-turned-out Sir Adam Sinclair, and capable of so much more literary development. This is one of my favorite books.
Kurtz's writing is crisp, detailed, fast-paced, informative and even educational without being dry. The book could serve as a primer on practices of the Old Religion, which it portrays in a sensitive and sympathetic light. LAMMAS NIGHT includes a spirited discussion of reincarnation theories and comparative religion, written with subtlety and creativity. There are no lectures in the book, just presentations fitting seamlessly into the telling of the tale. There are no magical pyrotechnics here, just psychological drama, good taut storytelling, a compelling plot, and a sense of historical place and time that is undeniably alluring. Hardly the stuff of "Sword and Sorcery" or "fantasy," writing, this novel could easily be classed with Ludlum, LeCarre, Forsyth, and Follett as an espionage thriller par excellence. This may be Ms. Kurtz's finest book.
Average customer rating:
- Caulked full of the occult....
- Magnetic devil
- Wonderful read!
- Hauntingly sexy
|
The Devil on Lammas Night
Susan Howatch
Manufacturer: Time Warner Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Howatch, Susan
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0751533920 |
Customer Reviews:
Caulked full of the occult...........2007-07-27
Even though the book is categorized as gothic genre, in reality it is a work of fiction which totally revolves around witchcraft -- imitative magic with waxen images, pentagrams, Sator formulas, covens, black mass, clairvoyants, animal sacrifices, incantations, possessed animals (attendant demons). Only because a reading group had chosen this book did I persevere and finish. This book was my first Susan Howatch; will probably be my last.
Magnetic devil.......2005-01-03
This is a one-of-a-kind book. The story is just so fantastic and well told. Tristan Poole is not your average idea of a devil personified. He seems more like a pop star cum beatnik. Fans of Susan Howatch will be pleasantly surprised at how different this book is from her usual style. Unputdownable!
Wonderful read!.......2003-03-04
This book that is guaranteed to keep you spellbound.
Hauntingly sexy.......2000-08-28
Here's an example of how an author can take a genre like gothic horror/romance and come up with a book that breaks some rules and shocks the reader. The identity of the person in the book who is able to break the spell of the man who believes (or is) the Devil is very shocking indeed.
This book was very entertaining and the sexual innuendos are unusual in this genre of books in which the heroine is usually a virgin who saves herself somehow, despite the male romantic figure's efforts to save her.
"The Devil on Lammas Night" was a titilating read, making one wonder about the power of suggestion.
Average customer rating:
- An idea that failed.
- Unbelievable! If you celebrate seasons, you need this book!
- Tribute to Lackey
- Well...
- Short Stories themed by Lammas Night
|
In Celebration of Lammas Night
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Baudino, Gael
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Hoffman, Nina Kiriki
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Paxson, Diana
| ( P )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Sherman, Josepha
| ( S )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Waters, Elisabeth
| ( W )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Lackey, Mercedes
| ( L )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Paperback
| Lackey, Mercedes
| ( L )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Fiddler Fair
-
The Dragon Quintet
-
One Good Knight (Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Book 2)
-
Charmed Destinies: 3 Novels in 1
-
The Otherworld
ASIN: 0671877135 |
Customer Reviews:
An idea that failed........2004-11-29
Mercedes Lackey wrote a poem (a not-very-good one) about a wizard who settles in a village where the previous wizard has died. She begins to sense his presence in the house where he lived (and she lives now). In the end, she is faced with a choice of laying his soul, or bringing him back to life.
The conceit of this book is to have several authors use this theme as a jumping off point for their stories. It's an intriguing idea, but it doesn't work. The primary reason for this is, I think, that rather than use the story as inspiration, the authors simply put flesh on its bones. They don't use their own creative powers (assuming they have any) to make something unique and different of it. As a result, it's all much of a muchness and ultimately boring.
The other difficulty I had with it is the same difficulty that I have with much current fantasy writing. Many writers of this kind think that putting together a hash of various mythologies along with invented names that have no linguistic similarities are all you need. It's all very unsatisfying.
Having been introduced to fantasy via masters such as Lord Dunsany and Arthur Machen, I have no patience for this sort of thing.
Unbelievable! If you celebrate seasons, you need this book!.......2003-08-18
This book is amazing. The reviewer above who was disappointed in an anthology obviously never looked at the contents to see what she was buying. This is one of the best pieces of fantasy I have ever read. Each author puts their own spin on a basic premise designed by Mercedes Lackey. Some of the authors I recognized, some I didn't. A brief introduction of each author would have been helpful, but didn't detract from the story. If anyone figures out why the pig story is in there, please let me know. Also,the last entry could have been left out and the book would have had a better ending. I hope this comes out in a collector's edition someday because it's going on the shelf next to Shakespear, Homer, and Chaucer as a commentary on the human condition. This is a must-have for anyone who likes to read through the ancient seasons of the year!
Tribute to Lackey.......2002-05-30
THe local high school had a "tribute to Elvis" which wasn't bad as school concerts go - but I would be unhappy had I bought the tape believing it was bonafide Presley.
I felt the same about this book. Big type saying MERCEDES LACKEY and obvious fantasy - great, picked it up for airplane reading, and was annoyed to find Lackey had written only the verses it was based on. ANd I have never been an admirer of her verses.
It was a bit like being a high school teacher and having to read the efforts of a whole class told to write an essay on one topic. I would want to get paid to do that!
Well..........2002-04-11
I think that as a short story, Lackey could have done this very,very well. The story of Lammas Night is interesting, but an entire BOOK based simply on retellings of the original story with so-called "twists"? No, thank you. A wiser idea would have been to write a book of short stories of the "and-THEN-what-happened" of other ballads.
Short Stories themed by Lammas Night.......2002-03-24
Interesting set of short stories based around the Lammas Night premise. Anchored by Mercedes Lackey and with contributions from many people
Average customer rating:
|
DEVIL ON LAMMAS NIGHT
SUSAN HOWATCH
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Howatch, Susan
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000J2GX64 |
Average customer rating:
|
THE DEVIL ON LAMMAS NIGHT
Susan HOWATCH
Manufacturer: Fawcett Crest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Howatch, Susan
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000GZCE4E |
Average customer rating:
|
The Devil On Lammas Night
Manufacturer: ACE Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Howatch, Susan
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000HZGX7W |
Average customer rating:
|
THE DEVIL ON LAMMAS NIGHT
SUSAN HOWATCH
Manufacturer: fawcett crest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Howatch, Susan
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000QRV89E |
Customer Reviews:
Choosing to live is one of a kind.......2004-04-29
Choosing to live is one of a kind. It offers cognitive behavioral therapy as the basis for effective suicide intervention. The first few chapters discuss suicide's stigma and risk factors. The first chapter appropriately opens with the statement, "Getting Rid of the Stigma"-an accurate description of our priorities.
The remaining chapters deal with various cognitive distortions and strategies. These thought distortions such as all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, and shoulds and musts, can be the precursors of aggravation. They are also the fuel that maintain and worsen the suicidal fire.
The book's cognitive behavioral interventions to manage and control suicidal thoughts are remarkable. I like the "Socratic Method"-asking the right questions to create clarity in ones thinking. "Logical/Empirical Approach" is also an effective way of dispelling inappropriate thoughts about oneself. For instance, if you believe that you're performing poorly at work, then you have to start "testing" the validity of such belief.
Choosing to live has offered a lot of strategies-ventilation, mobilizing support networks, and distraction-that sound reasonable and easy to do. I therefore recommend this book to anyone who desperately needs to cope.
Cognitive therapy.......2001-02-23
I read this book for obvious reasons. I believe that this is a valuable book for many people out there who are suffering so much that living has become unbearable. However, in my case, it didn't give me the help that I needed. I don't have answers of why, since other reviews show positive accomplishment. I am severely depressed and found myself struggling very hard to do the book's homework. Regardless, I worked on the procedures and even felt positive for a very brief moment but unfortunately I am back to square one.
Perfect for both the person struggling and for the clinician.......2000-02-08
I do individual therapy and crisis intervention in a large community mental health center. This book has proven itself as an effective tool for helping those in crisis, as well as those who have an ongoing struggle with suicidal thoughts. This is, by far, the most practical, readable, and useful book written for the person struggling to stay alive. I encourage nearly all of the clients with whom I work to purchase and use this book. I even keep a loaner copy on hand for those who cannot afford it!
Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is the authors' ability to teach numerous proven therapy techniques while conveying a genuine concern and respect for the person struggling to stay alive. This helps create a sense of hope. For treatment providers, it models compassionate cognitive therapy for those who arguably need it most. I think this book should be required reading for mental health professionals whose training programs often do not adequately address work with suicidal individuals.
If you struggle with thoughts of suicide, know someone who does, or work in the field of mental health, I highly recommend this book. It will change the way you look at suicide.
Excellent book if you or a loved one is struggling.......1999-11-07
I read this book at a tough time in my life when I was being treated for depression and seeking and collecting reasons to "keep on keeping on." Besides clear information on the nature of depression and suicidal thinking, the book has several ways to personally interact with the material, through charts to complete, lists to make, etc. These help the reader to brainstorm about wiser and healthier responses to problems and sad or overwhelming emotions. It was a significant aid to the work that an experienced therapist was able to offer me. Now a few years later, as a counselor myself, I find I can use this book with my clients who are in therapy as a type of "homework" that they can work through on their own. I recommend this book as well to anyone who has a loved one dealing with suicidality. It will help you get inside his/her thinking so you can be a wiser helper. One cavaet: if you buy this book because you are wrestling with suicidal thinking or plans please also talk to your M.D., call a local crisis hotline (or 1-800-273-TALK) or 911, or go to your hospital's ER. Let a professional add his/her training to your wise and brave choice to live!
Best book on the market regarding the issue of suicide........1999-10-24
As an RN and a person with bipolar disorder, I have walked the tightrope of life/death scenerio many times. Stressors of daily living, family, divorce etc. had cause my cycling and depression to increase and had I have attempted suicide several times.
I have read extensively both selfhelp books and autobiographies of people with depression and bipolar disorder to no avail looking for help.
Although I am on medications and seeing a cognitive-behavorial therapist for some time and while I understood what he was saying. I wasn't able to assimiliate it until I read this book.
This book changed my life. I give this book freely to friends who are in need of answers for this book has both rich insite and the forthrightness that hits home.
Thank you,the authors, for writing it. It has closed the door to suicide forever for me and has truly changed my life.
Books:
- Sweet Hereafter: A Novel
- Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice: An Ethnobotanist Searches for New Medicines in the Amazon Rain Forest
- Teen Titans Vol. 3: Beast Boys and Girls
- Tennis Tactics: Winning Patterns of Play
- The Butcher's Boy
- The Caine Mutiny: A Novel
- The Chairman: A Novel
- The Chocolate Cat Caper
- The DC Comics Guide to Inking Comics
- The Death of Artemio Cruz: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Sex Money Kiss
- History: Fiction or Science
- Ape and Essence
- Bringing Up Ziggy: Lessons from a Helping Hands Monkey Mom
- Counter Culture: The Allure of Mini-Mannequins
- History: Fiction or Science
- Fundamentals of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing
- Field Guide to Wildlife Habitats of the Western United States
- Diana: A Portrait in Her Own Words
- Northern Mariana Islands Business & Investment Opportunities Yearbook
