Heaven In The Real World - Steven Curtis Chapman

Advantages: great plot, great characters, important message, very moving
Disadvantages: None

...The Best Little Girl in the World was a book I vaguely recalled a friend in school saying was good. When I saw a second hand copy selling cheaply, I didn't hesitate to buy it. Now, I'm very glad I did. Fifteen-year-old Francesca is the good girl of the family. Her older sister Susanne has gone off to live in a commune in California. Her older brother Gregg is at Harvard doing exceptionally well and never has the time to write or call. Francesca is the one who never causes trouble. She's good to the extent that any conversation about her inevitably ends up turning into an argument about Susanne. She dreams of being a dancer so when her teacher tells her to lose a little weight, she takes it to heart. She decides to reinvent herself as the new, thin Kessa. As Kessa, she starts calculating each meal, creating little rituals to do... Read review

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Advantages: great summer read
Disadvantages: none

...We have just had a few days away so I wanted to take with me a book that was light, easy to read and not too taxing on the brain! Of course it needed to be very entertaining and a thoroughly good read as well. I had read other books by Carole Matthews in the past so I suspected that her latest offering - 'Welcome to the Real World' - would tick all my holiday reading boxes and I was not disappointed! 'Welcome to the Real World' tells the story of frustrated wanabee Fern Kendal, a pub singer with a very complicated family to boot. At the start of the book, she is serving drinks and singing in the same pub whilst trying to support her brother Joe look after his asthmatic son. At the same time her mum throws her dad out after one dalliance too many so she ends up with him sleeping on her settee! In order to make ends meet she then takes... Read review

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Advantages: Great, Great, Great
Disadvantages: Last album, paralysed

...**Introduction** Widely regarded as one of Soul's finest, Curtis Mayfield first tasted success in The Impressions before embarking on a solo career. With hits such as Superfly, Hard Times and Baby It's you amongst others he was praised for his songwriting and silky smooth voice. Sadly tragedy struck his life in August of 1990 when he an outdoor concert at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. He was paralyzed from the neck down after stage lighting equipment fell on him. In his remaining years he was largely a recluse apart from a few appearances for award ceremonies. In 1998 things got worse and he had to have his right leg amputated due to complications with his Diabetes. But the year before that he released one last studio album. "New World Order". Just two years later he died **New World Order** This album was recorded... Read review

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