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Skyward
by
Mary Alice Monroe (Goodreads Author)
E.R. nurse Ella Majors has seen all the misery that she can handle. Burned-out and unsure of her next step, she accepts the temporary position as caregiver to Marion Henderson, a frightened five-year-old who suffers from juvenile diabetes. But Ella soon realizes there is more sorrow in the isolated home than the little girl’s illness can account for. Harris Henderson, a si...more
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
June 1st 2005
by Mira Books
(first published July 1st 2003)
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To me the magic of this book was not the story, as much as it was the birds and the South Carolina lowcountry. The story was, despite my history as a pediatric nurse, incidental. Btu reading of the raptors, now that was something!
I do admire Mary Alice Monroe's ability to capture our area and focus in on a habitat or a species or environment. She did it with Beach House and the turtles, too. And her characters seem very, very real to me. Not always clever or perfect or beautiful, but then again,...more
I do admire Mary Alice Monroe's ability to capture our area and focus in on a habitat or a species or environment. She did it with Beach House and the turtles, too. And her characters seem very, very real to me. Not always clever or perfect or beautiful, but then again,...more
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I simply could not put Skyward down. The story moves along at just the right pace, all the while sneaking in tidbits of information about birds-of-prey that make you realize how truly amazing and majestic these birds are.
This romance novel manages to stray away from the soap opera-y tale it could have told solely because the three main characters, Ella, Harris, and Marion, are so believable. However, the return of the mother made me quiet angry, especially at Harris, because I believe his action...more
This romance novel manages to stray away from the soap opera-y tale it could have told solely because the three main characters, Ella, Harris, and Marion, are so believable. However, the return of the mother made me quiet angry, especially at Harris, because I believe his action...more
This was a very good book, but in all honesty not quite as good as The Beach House. It was just a bit too predictable. But I still enjoyed it. I loved Ella, and Marion, and the volunteers at the clinic. . . all good.
This is only the second Mary Alice Monroe book I've read, but I wonder if she isn't trying too hard to put "everything" into her books. This book had Brady, a young punk who turns his life around. The Beach House had a young pregnant girl. This one has, of course, the birds of prey a...more
This is only the second Mary Alice Monroe book I've read, but I wonder if she isn't trying too hard to put "everything" into her books. This book had Brady, a young punk who turns his life around. The Beach House had a young pregnant girl. This one has, of course, the birds of prey a...more
Skyward, by Mary Alice Monroe, is a story that will stay with me for a long time to come. I keep thinking about all that I learned about Raptors, while reading the plot of the book. Because it takes place at a raptor rehabilitation center, the reader naturally learns a lot about raptors (falcons, eagles, owls, osprey, and vultures, to name a few) as they follow the lives of the characters. It follows the life of Ella, a former nurse who has decided to move on after one too many deaths in a pedia...more
This book had several positive attributes. It was meant to be a light, romantic type of read and as such, it succeeded. It was set in South Carolina and the author conveyed a genuine feel for the area. The story revolved around characters who worked at a bird sanctuary and the author obviously did her homework on raptors. OK, that was the good stuff.
The not-so-good: well, the bird information was thorough and informative, but if you're not at all interested in birds, I think you're going to find...more
The not-so-good: well, the bird information was thorough and informative, but if you're not at all interested in birds, I think you're going to find...more
I'm sorry, Mary Alive Monroe, but were you trying to rewrite Jane Eyre? Because you didn't do a very good job. Honestly, the predictability of this book was ridiculous and 50 pages in I said, "Oh, she's trying to re-do Jane Eyre and is failing."
SPOILERS AHEAD
There is everything from the female protagonist coming to nanny for the male protagonist's 5 year old daughter, to them falling in love, to the lead male being married to a woman who's unavailable to him, to a fire caused by the wife, to b...more
SPOILERS AHEAD
There is everything from the female protagonist coming to nanny for the male protagonist's 5 year old daughter, to them falling in love, to the lead male being married to a woman who's unavailable to him, to a fire caused by the wife, to b...more
Jun 28, 2011
Staci
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2011-reads,
netgalley-books
First thoughts after finishing this book: I want to work in a birds of prey sanctuary!
What I liked about the book:
The birds of prey aspect...about eight years ago I was on this big kick of becoming a falconer and training a Peregrine Falcon. I read up on the birds and all that went with training one. It is very extensive and not just a passing hobby. My husband talked me out of it due to our lifestyle and if you want to go on vacation there's no way you can with a falcon depending on you for hu...more
What I liked about the book:
The birds of prey aspect...about eight years ago I was on this big kick of becoming a falconer and training a Peregrine Falcon. I read up on the birds and all that went with training one. It is very extensive and not just a passing hobby. My husband talked me out of it due to our lifestyle and if you want to go on vacation there's no way you can with a falcon depending on you for hu...more
I enjoyed this book and was interested to read it after reading The Butterfly's Daughter and also The Beach House.The story involves nurse Ella who burnt out,takes on a job looking after a five year old child with juvenile diabetes and the interaction between her and Harris, the child's father and other members of the buird sanctuary. I liked the information about the birds added in but really it was the characters and the situation that kept me reading and wanting to read straight through. My o...more
A gentle tale, that circle and eddy like the slow current of a river, sweeping birds and children and adults together as they all learn from one another and grow.
If you like slow-moving stories of discovery, character and nature, this is the book for you. (If you're looking for something with a distinct plotline or something that's exciting, try something else and come back when you're in a more reflective mood.) Ideal for reading outside in the sun with a breeze rustling leaves nearby.
If you like slow-moving stories of discovery, character and nature, this is the book for you. (If you're looking for something with a distinct plotline or something that's exciting, try something else and come back when you're in a more reflective mood.) Ideal for reading outside in the sun with a breeze rustling leaves nearby.
Loved it! When a burned-out ER nurse steps up to care for a five-year-old who was recently diagnosed with juvenile diabetes she finds more than she bargained for. Set among the beauty of the South Carolina coast, Ella reaches out to this single father and his daughter to find the bonds that will tie this family together. In this book, the author teaches us about the wild beauty of the birds-of-prey sanctuary and just how far one must sometimes go to rehabilitate the soul.
I am in the middle of reading all of this author's books so be prepared. I like the South Carolina settings of her books, the naturalist themes and the range of characters in her books. A bit of the character's behaviors were too pat in the end, but nevertheless, the connections between humans and the environment made the book a good read.
Harris helps injured birds along the South Carolina coast at a rehabilitation center and to help him take care of his diabetic son, he enlists the aid of nurse and nanny, Ella. Through their time together, romance develops. Human relationships are juxtaposed with birds, to create a riveting story.
I loved this book by Mary Alice Moore. Set in South Carolina at a rehab raptor center, nurse Ella Majors comes to care for a 5-year-old newly diagnosed diabetic girl. She learns to love life again, and helps others develop trust. I hated to put this book down. Plus--great information on raptors!
This book was to wrapped up in the birds. I wanted to slap the main male character throughout the book. I personally think the book would have been a lot better if the author would have spent more time on the relationship between the people in the books instead of the relationship between the birds and the people.
I learn so much from reading Mary Alice Monroe's books. This one deals with a raptor habitat and hospital in South Carolina. From now on I will look at vultures with a new appreciation. Monroe's books combine a social issue with a little bit of romance to go with.
It took me 2 days o get past the first couple of pages. The bird stuff and wildlife was interesting but a little much at times. The story was pretty predictable with a few twists thrown in like Fanny coming back and the fire. It was a good book though.
I really enjoyed this book. Anyone interested in raptors would like all the information provided about these birds. The book takes place at a sanctuary where they take care of injured raptors and eventually release them back into the wild.
Excellent book. I would recommend this book to my reading friends. Boy gets in trouble but learns to believe in himself when others show him that they do and a man and his daughter who learn to love another and a man who sees everything as it really is.
I read this book while visiting Tortuguero over Thanksgiving break. It was an entertaining, fast-moving book that I enjoyed reading. There were some interesting parallels between the book and my trip: the Gullah culture and the culture of the people living along the isolated section of Caribbean coast where I was seem to have some similarities; there was a huge downpour in Tortuguero that changed the course of my trip, and there was a rainstorm in the book that changed the course of the relation...more
Another great read by this wonderful author. Her quest to save the birds in the book is truly inspiring. She is an advocate for all the wild animal life on the planet and you can tell by her extensive research and her participation in saving them.
Heartwarming, refreshing, and passionate-- all mixed together.
The only thing I'd complain about is that the plot was too predictable. (and check the edition of the book. The book I got had pages in the wrong order AND upside down.)
The only thing I'd complain about is that the plot was too predictable. (and check the edition of the book. The book I got had pages in the wrong order AND upside down.)
http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....
I will say that I did not enjoy Skyward as much as I had hoped I would. I think it boils down to the birds. I am not a huge fan of birds.
I will say that I did not enjoy Skyward as much as I had hoped I would. I think it boils down to the birds. I am not a huge fan of birds.
More Mary Alice Monroe. What can I say? I like sitting on my deck and reading and her books are perfect for that. This is probably my least favorite, although still very enjoyable. Just felt like it wrapped up too quickly.
it had to be the 'bird' thing. while i tho't it was good, i just didnt think it was as good as 'the book club'. i dont regret reading it i probably wouldnt say it was one of the best of hers
Well done, characters and setting varied. I did feel it was just a bit too predictable. Then, I suppose most of these books follow a format. It just would not do to have an unhappy ending, would it?
this writer writes kind of romance combined with nature books and I learned something from every book she wrote. This is a light read, a quick read and i enjoyed it.
Once again I was smitten. Such a positive experience and the things she teaches about new places, people and animals have me so entertained.
great story if you are interested in raptors, diabetes, and a heartwarming love story this book could be for you I had a hard time putting it down.
I loved this book. A quick read that I couldn't put down. The characters felt like friends and the nonfiction information about birds (I am a bird lover) was interesting.
I've read and enjoyed Mary Alice Monroe about the Carolina low county, so I'm trying another.
I thoroughly enjoyed Beach House by this author. I can't say the same for the book, however.
Maybe I'm just not that into bird sanctuaries.
I thoroughly enjoyed Beach House by this author. I can't say the same for the book, however.
Maybe I'm just not that into bird sanctuaries.
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New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe found her true calling in environmental fiction when she moved to coastal South Carolina. Already a successful author, she was captivated by the beauty and fragility of her new home. Her experiences living in the midst of a habitat that was quickly changing gave her a strong and important focus for her books.
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