If you’re already quite familiar with verb tenses and grammar and vocabulary in general (intermediate to advanced level), this will help you with the bits that will make you sound more fluent when you speak. I was unsure how I would feel about this book because usually I wait until some people have reviewed something until I consider buying it and I didn’t do that with this.

I’ll go over just some of the things in the book that I liked because really, there are lots of useful exercises/sections and I won’t explain them all =)

You’ll learn how to phrase things in different ways, how to use conjunctions (practicing writing and reading sentences using words like : in spite of, despite, not only.. but also, however, otherwise, since, so, still/yet, therefore, when, while, for, both… and, either…or/neither…nor, besides, although, though, and, as, etc.

There is a section on translating direct speech to reported speech which was helpful(eg. Juan le dijo a Antonio, “No me va muy bien con los estudios”. to “report it” it would be: Juan le dijo a Antonio que no le iba muy bien con los estudios”)

Also a section on some/any and other determiners like when using algunas vs. unas, cualquier(a), poco/poca/unas cuantas, ambos/los dos, todos los dias/cada dia, ningun/ninguna, etc.

There’s a chapter on commands and requests, one on using the passive voice “Juan esta pintando las paredes” becomes “Las paredes estan siendo pintadas” (por Juan)

I liked the section on problematic prepositions including : to and toward (which can be “hacia” or “a” or “para” in different sentences) , into (“en”, “dentro de”), onto, out of, and off, across, over, through, up and down, over, above, below, under, etc.

There are sections on object pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, and omission of subject pronouns…

And the last section has idiomatic constructions or “sayings” that would not make sense usually if you tried to directly translate them to English. (eg. “llover sobre mojado” refers to adding one problem to another problem but literally translated would be in English like, “To rain over wet”.)

As in the other PMP books, there are good explanations and LOTS of different exercises to practice what you learn, which is what I have loved so far in the Spanish Practice Makes Perfect series. Worth getting!

I think to me this book was more “intense” than the first just because crazy limb-chopping Dr. Danco had Deb’s boyfriend and for a while the reader doesn’t really know exactly what will happen to him. (And also you don’t know who will be next and how this guy will be stopped) And once again Dexter himself is a brilliant and likable character and his patience is tested because a certain suspicious sergeant keeps watch over him much too often and Dexter can’t “do his job”. Unpredictable and very entertaining… I can’t wait ‘til I get Dexter in the Dark now from the library, but I think I’ll have to because so many people requested to borrow that book. =(

The events are of course not exactly the same as in the 13 episodes of the first season of the TV show but the characters’ personalities (well, especially Dexter and Deborah) in my opinion are almost dead-on and just like in the shows. (Especially when they talk to each other, I can picture the actors in my mind =]) This book is definitely worth the read – I just got the sequel from the library and I’ve heard good things about it!

I think even if you’ve already gone through another really good verb review book like Dorothy Richmond’s, this one is also worth getting. There are some things one book goes over that the other doesn’t. (goes both ways..) One thing I remember off the top of my head that is shown very clearly in this book that I don’t remember from PMP is the way you use the “passive voice”: How to say things like :

“The food was prepared” vs. “The food was prepared by the chef”
(When it isn’t specifically stated that someone is doing the action, you would use ‘estaba’ for the word ‘was’, and when you include who did the action, you would use ‘fue’), so,
“La comida estaba preparada.” vs. “La comida fue preparada por el cocinero”.

What both books have in common though is that there are LOTS of exercises and really good, clear explanations on all the tenses as well as an answer key in the back.

Both Practice Makes Perfect: Verb Tenses and The Ultimate Spanish Verb Review and Practice are about $10 each on amazon.com. And in my opinion, everyone serious about learning Spanish should get both. It really is a good value for what you learn!

I thought it was almost as good as Angela’s Ashes! I’ll have to read the third book, “Teacher Man”

The program is a great and healthy way to lose weight. I love the meetings because the people are supportive and the “leaders” make you feel welcome. Not once did I feel hungry or deprived (because you can eat whatever you want—- in moderation). When I joined I realized just how much I used to eat and with the program I learned about portion control.
Anyone can lose weight on this program if they want to lose it in a healthy way AND if they are ready to lose weight. No one program is perfect for every individual, but Weight Watchers is one of the programs that is most successful because people can easily fit it into their lifestyles. It makes me wonder if the other reviewer actually was READY to lose weight.

This is almost as good as “Angus, Thongs…” I laughed out loud more than a few times. Her experience in “Hamburger-a-gogo” was funny and well, interesting. I’ll have to start reading the next book so I can find out what her “Italian Stallion” Masimo says to being her boyfriend. And I’m wondering why he has to think about his answer… probably something to do with “Wet Lindsay”. I wonder how old Georgia is supposed to be now o.O Anyway, this was definitely worth reading.

Well, at least it was worth consuming when I was 10

These books were fun to read when I was younger, I know I liked them and kept reading them, though of course, they are quite “fluffy” and therefore forgettable. I don’t remember what happened in any of them.

Doesn’t taste bad, keeps me awake for a bit, though expensive. Still, I’d buy it again… in fact, I want it noooooow