Desert Blood: The Juarez Murders

Book Description

Desert Blood: The Juárez Murders Alicia Gaspar de Alba, March 31, 2005, ISBN 1-55885-446-0, Clothbound, $23.95

An incisive mystery that delves into the violent deaths of young women plaguing the US / Mexico border

It's the summer of 1998 and for five years over a hundred mangled and desecrated bodies have been found dumped on the Chihuahua desert outside of Juárez, México, just across the river from El Paso, Texas. The perpetrators of the ever-rising number of violent deaths target poor young women, terrifying inhabitants of both sides of the border.

El Paso native Ivon Villa has returned to her hometown to adopt the baby of Cecilia, a pregnant maquiladora worker in Juárez. When Cecilia turns up strangled and disemboweled in the desert, Ivon is thrown into the churning chaos of abuse and murder. Even as the rapes and killings of "girls from the south" continue—their tragic stories written in desert blood—a conspiracy covers up the crimes that implicate everyone from the Maquiladora Association to the Border Patrol.

When Ivon's younger sister gets kidnapped in Juárez, Ivon knows that it's up to her to find her sister, whatever it takes. Despite the sharp warnings she gets from family, friends, and nervous officials, Ivon's investigation moves her deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of silence. From acclaimed poet and prose-writer Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Desert Blood is a gripping thriller that ponders the effects of patriarchy, gender identity, border culture, transnationalism, and globalization on an international crisis.

Customer Reviews:

Horrifying and Wonderful At the Same Time.......2006-06-23

This book made the hair on my neck stand straight up! But I couldn't stop reading. The fact that it is fiction centered around real events made it even more horrifying and compelling. But even if the Juarez murders had not and were not taking place, this is still an incredible book. It's well written, the story riveting, and the characters (very important to me) are drawn with great reality. The protagonist, Ivon Villa, is a strong but flawed gay woman, fiercely loyal to her family in spite of her mother's hatefulness, and her iron will and determination make her a perfect vehicle for the non-fictional message of this book. BRAVO ALICIA!

A Simple Yet Facinating Read.......2005-12-12

I initially was going to give this book three stars, but in all fairness, I was hooked and couldn't put it down.

The only problem I had with this book was the way it was written. I believe the author had a message to say, theories to give, and details to offer. She then constructed a story AROUND her facts, hoping they'd fit perfectly. The story is too coincidental and unlikely in some areas. The constant Spanish dialogue was sometimes translated in same sentence, which bugged me some. She would of been better off using footnotes, in my opinion.

The writing was a bit too simple for me, but I can understand that maybe she wanted to reacher a wider audience.

The theories fascinated me though. That was what kept me turning the pages. I usually read a book in a few days, but I stayed up very late to finish this one. And I also felt satisfied when I got to the ending. Not the actual story's ending, but the way the author summed everything up in theory.
This fictional book was a vehicle to spread a horrible reality, and I am grateful. ---- Carolyn, 35, Native El Pasoan.

A farce? .......2005-07-07

This book read like a cheezy, mystery version of Rubyfruit Jungle--set on the border, Chicana style. It is overflowing with stereotype and is in need of serious editing. Despite its length, I read it in 2 days (for me not always a good sign) and was slightly shocked at how disappointed I felt because I have been a fan of Gaspar de Alba's thoughtful, theoretical work. I wonder what, if anything, this perfectly-resolved tale will do to shed light on the murdered women of Juarez, other than to detail the horror of the killings, which her readers are likely to already know.

riveting! - it will pull you in and keep you reading 'til the last page.......2005-07-04

A HUGE fan of Gaspar de Alba's earlier historical fiction, and an ardent admirer of her writing style, I was excited to find that she'd penned a new novel! -- yet, even so, for some inexplicably incomprehensible reason (I wasn't in the mood for gory violence? Mysteries are not my genre of choice?), I picked this book up several times - only to put it back down, before -- finally giving in to a closer look -- and, that was all it took!! Once I got through the first few pages, I couldn't put it down! It's true that the sometimes graphic images crafted by the carefully chosen words of Gaspar de Alba's skilled writing are often hard to stomache (that's how good she is!) -- but then - so, too, must be the very real murders and mutilations that her book fictionalizes. I commend Gaspar de Alba for her effort/s at spreading the word/s .... and .... give her "mil gracias" for the very affable creation of her "tough yet tender," "gender-bending," mapi-to-be, Yvonne-turned-Ivon. ; )

Book Description

When Dr. Nikki Adenike's rendezvous with an Internet playmate turns into a life-and-death fling with the serial killer called "Lucifer," she manages to escape--into the arms of the detective investigating the case. But the danger is far from over--and a newfound passion is just beginning.

Customer Reviews:

ummm....no.......2007-06-17

Let me start by saying this was my first , and last Jaid Black book.

I had no idea that this author must write predominantly about submissive and domination erotica. The side of the book said Romantic Suspense. Berkley should be ashamed for trying to pass off graphic erotica as Romantic Suspense. While I'm no prude and have read many sensual but still entertaining and mature erotic romances-this stuff is just soft core porn being shilled as romance. There is nothing romantic about this book.

That being said the book was just plain horrible. Three fourths amateur "suspense" with one fourth implausible and twisted sub/dom stuff thrown in. At the point where the "hero" calls the "heroine" "my little girl" and calls himself "daddy" during the bedroom scenes, sickened, I just chunked this bad boy in the trash where it belongs. So glad I only paid a quarter for this at a garage sale.

no stars.

Good read.........2007-05-02

So this was very different than what I usually read from MS Black. Its nothing like the Trek series, but it was still very exciting more suspense..touch of drama mixed with dash of romance and VERY mild D/s. It was nice:}

Jaid Black knows a thing or two about erotica... and it shows.......2007-05-01

Successful Cleveland surgeon Dr. Nikki Adenike has a secret. She wants to be dominated. Desperately. Nikki dreams of having a man dominate her and being free to be submissive. She can't let her secret fantasies get out to anyone she knows because she thinks the information could potentially ruin her career. So instead, she goes looking for a Master on a Dominant/submission web site. She finds what she's looking for, but little does she know that the man in question is the serial killer known as Lucifer. A sadistic murderer who tortures his victims and has been on the run from the law for nearly a decade.

Detective Thomas Cavanah has been hunting Lucifer for the past nine years and is determined to find out his identity. When he meets the sweet Dr. Adenike and finds out about her secret predilections, he's both turned on and intrigued. When Nikki becomes one of two victims to escape Lucifer's clutches and the killer sets his sights on her, Thomas vows to protect the good doctor. Somewhere along the line, though, he begins to fall for her and might turn out to be the Master Nikki's been looking for.

One Dark Night was, in a word, HOT! Jaid Black knows a thing or two about erotica, and this book was no exception. One Dark Night was a perfect mix of romance, erotica, and suspense. I was intrigued by the mystery enough to keep wondering who would turn out to be Lucifer while at the same time being enthralled by the passionate connection between Thomas and Nikki. Though I'm familiar with Black's short stories, this was the first full-length novel of hers I had a chance to pick up. Now I can't wait to go out and read more. I look forward to seeing what else Jaid Black has up her sleeve.

An author that can combine sex and plot = eroplotica.......2007-01-24

"Lucifer" has already claimed the lives of several women in Cleveland, and has escalated his violence. The police suspect that he chooses his victims from on-line personals. Thomas Cavanaugh is the detective on the case, and as he surfs the chat rooms, he comes across an unlikely victim.

Dr. Nicole Adenike is a surgeon by day and at night roams chat rooms seeking out a dominant male to satisfy her submissive fantasies. She gets more than she bargained for when she decides to meet a paramour in real life, and is attacked, resulting in Cavanaugh moving in to protect her, since she got away, she is more of a challenge to Lucifer. But who'll protect her from Cavanaugh, who seems to be in tune with her deepest erotic desires?

Jaid Black deftly combines eroticism with suspense and a touch of the supernatural to create a fast-paced sensual suspense. This ain't your mother's pulpy Harlequin romance novel - the sex is plentiful and heavy on the domination. But unlike some writers who try to combine explicit sex with a plot, this one actually works, with plenty of plot twists and red herrings tossed in to give the story added momentum.

The Best So Far!.......2006-04-19

Finally! A Jaid Black book with a meaningful plot! I was actually engrossed in the mystery of this little who-done-it and not just in the sex scenes. Reading many of Jaid's other stories is a cross between the story line of a cheap porno and the sickeningly sweet endings of a childhood fairy tale. But not this book! Amazing! I hope she keeps it up!

If You're Afraid of the Dark Add One More Star to the Night

Average customer rating:

A terrific sequel
Hope on every page

If You're Afraid of the Dark Add One More Star to the Night
Cooper Edens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000IMV88S

Book Description

"If you're at the end of your rope...
untie the knot in your heart."
Such are the delightfully unconventional solutions offered in this long-awaited follow-up to the perennial If You re Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow, which has sold over a million copies. Cooper Edens's brand-new illustrations, in his bright and inimitable style, are paired with an equally new collection of phrases full of sparkling wisdom to soothe the fear and doubt lurking inside all of us. For those moments when the world - or at least the afternoon - looks a little bleak, this inspiring work offers whimsy, hope, and joy for every age.

Customer Reviews:

A terrific sequel.......2005-02-21

I absolutely loved and still treasure "If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow," so when I saw this one I had to add it to the collection. Its terrific too - really like a continuation of the first book which is neat - it has the same type of drawings and phrases that on the surface seem so simple but in fact are such wonderful truths/messages. I gave this to my cousin along with the first book as she goes on her journey to college....."if one day you must leave home...draw stars on the bottom of your shoes to light your way back." Just such a wonderful book. Hard to describe the depth in the simplicity.

Hope on every page.......2003-12-06

I grew up with a copy of "If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow" on my bookshelf, and love it. I came to appreciate it in different ways as I got older, and have given it as gifts on many occasions. This morning, I failed a major exam, and was in my local bookstore doing Christmas shopping as a grief-management attempt. There, I picked up this book, and read through it. It made me cry, but it was exactly what I needed. In the last three hours, I have read this book over and over again.

"If your world has come undone... fasten it securely to the horizon."
"If you're at the end of your rope... untie the knot in your heart."
"If you become lost... make wherever you are look like home."

Book Description

Evenings at home with Mouse and Mole are always safe and cozy, until one dark night they venture outside for a moonlit walk and find something waiting for them. With its satisfying ending, this adventure is a perfect read-aloud for every night.

Customer Reviews:

Well illustrated, delightful book........2005-03-19

The animals have great expressions on their faces. Entertaining book with a happy ending. Just the right amount of text on each page to retain the attention of a young child (probably those on the younger side of 3-7). It only got 4 stars (3 1/2 if I had that option) because 1) there was a full moon during the dark night. 2) the bear was hungry for meat but (spoiler!) not at the end? 3) this book does not have many "hidden things" - we like looking at books with "things" hidden within each page, things that we find after reading the same book many many times. BTW, points 1 was raised by my younger son and our explanation was nights were always dark in the forest. Point 2 was raised by my older son who was (and still is) in the habit of asking insightful questions... I'm glad to get this book for a bargain but wouldn't spend the full hardcover price.

Loved this one.......2004-03-08

Adorable and well illustrated. The author leads the young reader to believe that Mouse and Mole are headed to their own demise. This book is a great read aloud also and I have used it in my classroom. Children love the meter of the ryhmed text. Highly recommended. You'll love the happy ending.

Lovely Book.......2004-02-07

I have a two year old daughter who loves this book. I also have a nine year old daughter who thinks that this book is alot of fun. They both enjoy the nice surprsie at the end of the book after all of the built up suspense! This book is a treasure!

SURE TO BECOME A CLASSIC.......2003-10-08

This is simply the best children's book I've read in a long time. The story is compelling, surprising, and fun. The text is perfectly balanced and easy to read. My 4 year old daughter loves it, and I love to read it to her. This is one I never get tired of.

This book is a definite keeper!.......2003-07-09

Mouse and Mole are two teensy-tiny creatures in the woods. There's a BIG GIANT hungry bear there too. "Then, one dark night. . ." Mouse and Mole venture out and travel through the woods. Meanwhile the bear is getting hungrier and hungrier. Of course, they meet. . .and, the ending will surprise you! You will fall in love with the characters because the illustrations are so well done. But the best part of all for me, as a teacher, is the rhythm and rhyme of this story. Kids love to hear good verse and Lisa Wheeler has it!

One Dark and Scary Night (A Little Bill Book for Beginning Readers)

Average customer rating:

One Dark and Scary Night
Helped My Son's Night Terrors
Ultimately supports belief in magic and monsters
This is an excellent book
A Classroom Favorite

One Dark and Scary Night (A Little Bill Book for Beginning Readers)
Bill Cosby
Manufacturer: CARTWHEEL BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0590514768

Book Description

This Little Bill adventure is now a Scholastic Reader!As Little Bill lies in bed, he hears noises in the dark and sees strange lights on the wall. There is something scary hiding inside his closet! First, he wants to sleep in his parents' room. Then he wants to sleep in his great-grandmother's room. At last, with her gentle touch and wise words, Alice the Great makes sure the scary things are gone for good.Grandma's gentle touch and calm makes everything okay.

Customer Reviews:

One Dark and Scary Night.......2007-09-08

ISBN 0590514768 - It never occurred to me to think that the magic in this book could possibly be construed as bad until a review mentioned it. If you're one of THOSE parents, skip this book. If you're normal, however, I'm sure you'll find it at least as fun and funny as your child does.

Little Bill's afraid. He's not actually afraid of the dark - he's afraid of what's IN the dark. Specifically, in his closet. His mother packs him right back into bed when he takes cover in his parents' room, so the next time he runs, he runs to Alice the Great, his great-grandmother. She tries a few different approaches, including offering to switch rooms with Little Bill, before finally introducing him to the magic way his quilt can protect him from the things with things in his closet.

The first thing to catch my attention was the dedication to Cosby's son, Ennis, who was dyslexic, which says "Hello, friend" - these are also the first words of the book AND the name of the foundation created in his name by his parents after his death. Just a nice touch, I thought. The style is absolutely perfect - you can almost hear the words coming out of the mouth of a kid, even while you can hear Bill Cosby saying them. Cosby has never lost the ability to speak in that voice, which makes him very good at telling a story to, and about, them. Lines like "I had to talk fast because if you talk slowly, they send you back to bed." couldn't come from anyone else. Great easy reader, a tale they can relate to and illustrations by Honeywood that suit the book perfectly. (Back cover says RL 2.0, ages 6 - 10)

Helped My Son's Night Terrors.......2006-03-30

My son loves this book! My 3 and a half year old was suffering from night terrors. His uncle purchased this book for him for Christmas and we've read it so much that he has memorized the words and can read most of the book to me! When he got it, he wanted to read it every night, sometimes twice - I think it allowed him to laugh at Little Bill and helped him feel better about the noises that a little one hears at night. It also helped me understand how he feels and what to do to make him feel safe. Now, I tuck him into bed the same way Little Bill's grandmother does, and he sleeps so much better. I recommend this book highly!

Ultimately supports belief in magic and monsters.......2003-07-17

I LOVED this book....right up until the end, when the grandmother has to resort to "magic" to get rid of the "monsters"---thereby supporting a child's belief in both.

This is an excellent book.......2001-07-01

This book was real good. I like the quilt part. I also like the part where he was running down the hall to his Grandma's room. I am not scared of the dark anymore.

A Classroom Favorite.......2000-07-07

In our resource room we have several Little Bill books available for the students. One Dark and Scary Night has to be the favorite of my students with learning disabilities. The illustrations and text quickly develop the personality of the characters to hold the student's attention. Frequently, students want to reread this book which is a great sign of student success and enjoyment of reading. I also appreciate how the author presents the elderly grandma character in the story.

One Night With The King (The Call Of Destiny ,A Dark Prince Rises, The Complete Screenplay

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One Night With The King (The Call Of Destiny ,A Dark Prince Rises, The Complete Screenplay
Stephan Blinn
Manufacturer: TBN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BUWYA8

Average customer rating:

One Dark Night
Edna Mitchell Preston
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0670050733

Average customer rating:

Exciting and sweet
A STORY OF DEVOTION AND CARING

One Dark Night
Hazel Hutchins
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0670892467

Book Description

One dark night, Jonathan watches from his window as a summer storm rumbles in the distance. Outside, a stray cat searches the bushes for something. As lightning flashes and the first heavy raindrops begin to fall, Jonathan worries: will the stray cat find what she's looking for before the thunderstorm is upon them? Young listeners will delight in the drama of a summer storm come to life-and breathe a sigh of relief at the story's reassuring ending.

Customer Reviews:

Exciting and sweet.......2005-04-04

My four-year-old son loves this book. It has three elements he thinks are great: grandparents, cats, and a storm. The illustrations are very well done and give you a feeling of the storm. My son particularly loves the counting in the book to determine distance as you are seeing the lightning and listening to the thunder race ever closer while the mother cat tries to save her kittens from the oncoming storm.

A STORY OF DEVOTION AND CARING.......2001-06-11

When young Jonathan opens the door of his grandparents' home on a dark and stormy night, he finds a stray cat that he thinks is afraid of the thunder. His grandmother, on the other hand, doesn't believe that cats fear thunder - she thinks the cat is trying to bring in a mouse.

Before grandmother or grandfather can stop her, stray cat has lain her surprise on the rug. It isn't a mouse at all but a tiny kitten, "soft as whispers, gray as dawn."

One small kitten isn't the only surprise stray cat has for Jonathan in this warm story of parental devotion and caring.

Illustrator Susan Kathleen Hartung used oil paint glazes on sealed paper to create memorable illustrations of rain washed darkness broken by the welcoming lights of a home.

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If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow: Add One More Star to the Night
Cooper Edens
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Motivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow

The Starcleaner Reunion

If You're Afraid of the Dark Add One More Star to the Night

ASIN: 0811860485

Book Description

If tomorrow morning the sky falls . . . have clouds for breakfast.
If you have butterflies in your stomach . . . ask them into your heart.

Clouds for breakfast and butterflies in your heart these are the unconventional solutions to life's problems offered in Cooper Edens's classic tale If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow and its long-awaited follow-up, If You're Afraid of the Dark, Add One More Star to the Night. This new edition combines both books into a single volume. The magical words and pictures in this whimsical book still have the power to reveal the unexpected silver lining glistening in every gloomy cloud.

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One Night With The King (The Call Of Destiny ,A Dark Prince Rises, The Complete Screenplay)

Manufacturer: Trinity Broadcasting Network
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Hadassah: One Night With the King

ASIN: B000ERQIIC

Average customer rating:
Angel: The work of one night in the dark, solitary confinement, New Jersey State Prison, Trenton (Tompkins Square Poets No. 1)
Ray Bremser
Manufacturer: Tompkins Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: B0007EATU0

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