This book hits the challenges and strengths of Plano solidly. If you wondered why Planoites do not support their local charities or local quality of life issues, here is the answer. Wonder why building community is so difficult in Plano? Here it is. Some come to Plano and "bloom where they're planted." Others never get involved. A must read

Set in the 30's in the Adirondacks, this is a story about very rich people behaving very badly. A womanizing, drinking, brawling, artist mixes with a beautiful daughter of a rich doctor and his socialite wife. The big fireworks explode on the 4th of July, when Jordan Groves lands his biplane in the Second Lake of the Cole's property. Vanessa and Jordan embark on a delicious, although quite wicked, relationship. What is the dark, nasty secret from Vanessa's past and why does she decide to make everyone pay for her unhappiness? Jordan Groves, very much "his own man" is, unfortunately, attracted to Vanessa and possible tricked into granting her every wish. Has Jordan met his match? Is his wife, Alicia, really the happy homemaker and devoted mom she seems? Is Vanessa really mad? Who does Russell Banks model his "artist-hero" after? Hint: popular American woodcut artist of the 1930's. Is Vanessa modeled after F. Scott Fitgerald's Zelda? Read it and let me know what you think. Great summer read.

This book was unexpectedly good. Surprising from the other books that I read. As the synopsis says it talks about a girl who meets the famous Steve Raleigh due to her brother Jeremy having cancer. This book dealt with emotional struggles of the main character, Annika, as her younger brother dealt with the hardships and nervousness of cancer. Annika started by getting the "Robin hood" figurine for her brother, yet her brother wished to actually see "Robin Hood" or Steve Raleigh in real life. Annika goes through many disguises and fake I.D.s to get to Steve Raleigh and finally invites him. They go through an eleven hour ride and eventually start to become friends. Annika's emotional struggles are obvious and are described in detail, while Steve Raleigh's are more hidden and not really shown. They are secondary to her struggles obviously. Though all in all, the book was good, and definitely worth a read.

This book was very powerful and I want to share it with everybody. It’s an amazing story (or should I say journal) of a little girls abuse and also her healing, and the author donates from the proceeds to a foundation that helps abused children. You really should check it out!