Rating: 
Summary: Charmless Imitation of the "Soup" Books
Review: My mother got me this book as a gift...and it is a truly interesting idea for a book. This book lacks the charm of the "soup" books...most of the stories are drawn out from the one sentence in which they could be summarized. It seems as though Ford, in trying to solicit stories, accepted the first 101 and did not edit or improve any submissions at all. Some of the stories, granted, are interesting, engaging, and even a bit spooky. Unfortunately, the majority seem contrived and more the fare of late-night campfire chats or urban legends than genuinely inspiring stories of the "other side". In future editions of this book (which I am sure there will be), Ford could, should, and for her own integrity as a writer, must be more selective in choosing her stories. And.. just *perhaps* she could make the parody title a tiny, tiny bit less obvious.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fabulous Book!
Review: This is a book for all ages... even though it is written about teens. It is full of stories that make you believe that there is something exciting going on in the world! You can read it a little at a time, and each story is more amazing than the next.
Rating: 
Summary: Common Ground Spiritually
Review: What can you do when your teenager comes to you and asks about Spirituality? How do you answer their questions?We are not experts on spirituality, though we do walk a very different path than others. Some of us are fortunate enough to have support at these trying time, through the elders of our covens. But many of us do not, either because of choice or unavailability. So how do we answer our teenagers questions? Hot Chocolate was so much fun to read. I found it to be as entertaining as it is thought provoking. And this makes it a great choice to offer a teenager. We all know how bored they can get so fast. This book is one I can honestly say I did not get the least bit bored with. Hot Chocolate is a collection of personal experiences in small autobiographical format from people who have experienced, in one way or another, a personal spiritual touch or awakening. Most stories are told in the first person, and this makes it easy to relate to the story on a one to one level. Each story is well written for the most part, and does not go over the head of the reader, nor are any of them so "way out" as to be unbelievable. But each story does provoke thought, questions and ideas. From the "spooky" stories to a biography of Joan of Arc to Vision Quests and Angels, each story relates personal experiences on a variety of spiritual paths. As I read, I found myself contemplating the stories, looking at each of them as a basis for discussion between parent and teenager. What grand discussion some of these stories would make in an open forum with a group of teens, or, for that matter, a group of adults. As a tool, this book would be of value to the average pagan parent seeking a "common ground" platform with which to discuss spirituality with their teenager. I would recommend it to parents following any spiritual path as a book to inspire as well providing good conversational material for themselves and their teenage.
| 
