M.L. Sparrow's Blog, page 24
October 1, 2016
September 29, 2016
Killer in the Pool
Killer in the Pool, by Tim Zimmermann
Firstly, I just want to say that this is a short article, not a full length book and can be found FREE online. I brought a Kindle copy of the book, just because I wanted easy access even when I don't have internet and I find Kindle best for highlighting and annotating. That said, on to the actual review...I thought this was a good, eye-opening articles for people who don't necessarily know the effect of captivity on killer whales and I'm sure it packed a punch when it was first published after the death of Dawn Brancheau. It would work well as an introduction to the subject for someone who wants to know more, but there are much more informative books out there, like Death at SeaWorld and Beneath the Surface - both of which I've done reviews on. For someone who has read quite a bit on the subject, I found that this just repeated what I already knew and didn't really add much.The only thing I didn't particularly like was the name of this article. Killer in the Pool just sounds so negative; yes, Tilikum has now killed three people, yet we started this "war", we took them from their homes, from their families and held them captive, forced them to perform for our own amusement. Who can blame them for wanting to hurt us? Especially when captivity has prematurely ended the lives of many whales... So I suppose Killer in the Pool could also be referring to the humans...My favourite quotes from 'Killer in the Pool':' "If you fail to provide your animals with the excitement they need, you may be certain that they will create the excitement themselves." '' "If you pen killer whales in a small tank, you are imposing an extreme level of sensory deprivation on them," he told me. "Humans who are subjected to these same conditions become mentally disturbed." '' "The group is your home, and your whole identity is with your group." ''... it is like I put you in a light blue room with a bed, toilet, and sink, and brought you all your food, but there was also 3 1,000-watt lights in the ceiling that could never be turned off.''Maybe we as a species have outgrown the need to keep such wild, enormous, complex, intelligent, and free-ranging animals in captivity, where their behaviour is not only unnatural; it can become pathological. Maybe we have learned all we can from keeping them captive.''He is living the life Tilikum was meant to live, the life Tilikum was denied....He knows nothing of the life of Tilikum or the artificial world humans have manufactured for him.'
Firstly, I just want to say that this is a short article, not a full length book and can be found FREE online. I brought a Kindle copy of the book, just because I wanted easy access even when I don't have internet and I find Kindle best for highlighting and annotating. That said, on to the actual review...I thought this was a good, eye-opening articles for people who don't necessarily know the effect of captivity on killer whales and I'm sure it packed a punch when it was first published after the death of Dawn Brancheau. It would work well as an introduction to the subject for someone who wants to know more, but there are much more informative books out there, like Death at SeaWorld and Beneath the Surface - both of which I've done reviews on. For someone who has read quite a bit on the subject, I found that this just repeated what I already knew and didn't really add much.The only thing I didn't particularly like was the name of this article. Killer in the Pool just sounds so negative; yes, Tilikum has now killed three people, yet we started this "war", we took them from their homes, from their families and held them captive, forced them to perform for our own amusement. Who can blame them for wanting to hurt us? Especially when captivity has prematurely ended the lives of many whales... So I suppose Killer in the Pool could also be referring to the humans...My favourite quotes from 'Killer in the Pool':' "If you fail to provide your animals with the excitement they need, you may be certain that they will create the excitement themselves." '' "If you pen killer whales in a small tank, you are imposing an extreme level of sensory deprivation on them," he told me. "Humans who are subjected to these same conditions become mentally disturbed." '' "The group is your home, and your whole identity is with your group." ''... it is like I put you in a light blue room with a bed, toilet, and sink, and brought you all your food, but there was also 3 1,000-watt lights in the ceiling that could never be turned off.''Maybe we as a species have outgrown the need to keep such wild, enormous, complex, intelligent, and free-ranging animals in captivity, where their behaviour is not only unnatural; it can become pathological. Maybe we have learned all we can from keeping them captive.''He is living the life Tilikum was meant to live, the life Tilikum was denied....He knows nothing of the life of Tilikum or the artificial world humans have manufactured for him.'
September 28, 2016
Dangerous Tides
Dangerous Tides, (Drake Sisters Series, Book 4,) by Christine Feehan
Blurb:Dr. Libby Drake is sensible and practical. To her more adventurous sisters, she’s always been the “good girl”. Certainly not the kind to attract the attention of a genius like Ty Derrick—until a tragic accident leaves the handsome biochemist at her mercy.Acting on her uncanny ability to heal, she stirs in the reawakened Ty his own long-suppressed desires for the woman who saved his life. But he’s not the only man with designs on Libby Drake. Her miraculous and selfless power has also captured the attention of a dangerously influential admirer. He’s pursuing the elementally gifted beauty for his own wicked purpose. And he’s willing to go to deadly lengths to make it happen.I love this series, but I'll admit that my favourite ones are the younger sisters, Joley, Hannah and Elle. I just don't really feel much of a connection to the other sisters - they're too good. However, I did like Tyson - sure he was annoying at times, but he was also so vulnerable and the fact that he thought he was unlovable made my heart twist.This isn't the first time I've read this book, but I remember being surprised by the culprit the first time around and I still think it's a good twist, though with hindsight it was easy to pick out the clues.As usual I loved the banter when the Drake sisters get together and I just really love the bond between them all. I wish I could get on with my sister that well. My favourite scene in the book was when they all decided to show Ty their magic so that he would believe them - hilarious! And the conversation about how many times to say 'I love you' is one I'll be reading over and over.All in all, a good book, but they get better as the series goes on!My favourite quotes from 'Dangerous Tides':'Harry didn't like him at all. He doubted if many people did. He wishes it mattered to him,'' "You're repeating everything I say." ..."Because I can't believe you would say such a thing, even if you're thinking it." '' "... If you were interested in money, I'd have something to offer you." '' "... I don't do anything that warrants protection."... "You go out with Tyson Derrick." '' "What do I do that's so wrong all the time? I've seen exasperation in your eyes, the same as I've seen in Sam's, in my parents. What is it I do that you don't do, that Sam doesn't? The rest of the world? What makes me so damned unlovable?" '
Blurb:Dr. Libby Drake is sensible and practical. To her more adventurous sisters, she’s always been the “good girl”. Certainly not the kind to attract the attention of a genius like Ty Derrick—until a tragic accident leaves the handsome biochemist at her mercy.Acting on her uncanny ability to heal, she stirs in the reawakened Ty his own long-suppressed desires for the woman who saved his life. But he’s not the only man with designs on Libby Drake. Her miraculous and selfless power has also captured the attention of a dangerously influential admirer. He’s pursuing the elementally gifted beauty for his own wicked purpose. And he’s willing to go to deadly lengths to make it happen.I love this series, but I'll admit that my favourite ones are the younger sisters, Joley, Hannah and Elle. I just don't really feel much of a connection to the other sisters - they're too good. However, I did like Tyson - sure he was annoying at times, but he was also so vulnerable and the fact that he thought he was unlovable made my heart twist.This isn't the first time I've read this book, but I remember being surprised by the culprit the first time around and I still think it's a good twist, though with hindsight it was easy to pick out the clues.As usual I loved the banter when the Drake sisters get together and I just really love the bond between them all. I wish I could get on with my sister that well. My favourite scene in the book was when they all decided to show Ty their magic so that he would believe them - hilarious! And the conversation about how many times to say 'I love you' is one I'll be reading over and over.All in all, a good book, but they get better as the series goes on!My favourite quotes from 'Dangerous Tides':'Harry didn't like him at all. He doubted if many people did. He wishes it mattered to him,'' "You're repeating everything I say." ..."Because I can't believe you would say such a thing, even if you're thinking it." '' "... If you were interested in money, I'd have something to offer you." '' "... I don't do anything that warrants protection."... "You go out with Tyson Derrick." '' "What do I do that's so wrong all the time? I've seen exasperation in your eyes, the same as I've seen in Sam's, in my parents. What is it I do that you don't do, that Sam doesn't? The rest of the world? What makes me so damned unlovable?" '
September 26, 2016
September 25, 2016
Beneath the Surface
Beneath the Surface, by John Hargrove with Howard Chua-Eoan
Blurb:Over the course of two decades, John Hargrove worked with 20 different whales on two continents and at two of SeaWorld's U.S. facilities. For Hargrove, becoming an orca trainer fulfilled a childhood dream. However, as his experience with the whales deepened, Hargrove came to doubt that their needs could ever be met in captivity. When two fellow trainers were killed by orcas in marine parks, Hargrove decided that SeaWorld's wildly popular programs were both detrimental to the whales and ultimately unsafe for trainers.After leaving SeaWorld, Hargrove became one of the stars of the controversial documentary Blackfish. The outcry over the treatment of SeaWorld's orca has now expanded beyond the outlines sketched by the award-winning documentary, with Hargrove contributing his expertise to an advocacy movement that is convincing both federal and state governments to act.In Beneath the Surface, Hargrove paints a compelling portrait of these highly intelligent and social creatures, including his favorite whales Takara and her mother Kasatka, two of the most dominant orcas in SeaWorld. And he includes vibrant descriptions of the lives of orcas in the wild, contrasting their freedom in the ocean with their lives in SeaWorld.Hargrove's journey is one that humanity has just begun to take-toward the realization that the relationship between the human and animal worlds must be radically rethought.This is the second book I've read on the subject of killer whales in captivity, a subject I'm very passionate about and interested in. Beneath the Surface is very different from Death at SeaWorld, but no less interesting, just different. It was less on an information dump and more readable. Written by a former sea world trainer, it tells the side of the trainers and even though it's got less figures and scientific facts, it feels a lot more personal as Hargrove tells you stories and anecdotes about the whales. It was really just a different set of information.It was well-written and very easy to read - it pretty much devoured it in one sitting! The complexity of the trainers relationships with the orca and the slow change in feelings towards captivity were fascinating and well depicted.The one thing I didn't like that he kept referring to the whales as going over to the 'dark side' when they showed aggression, but to me those words give the wrong impression. It sounds evil and cruel, but their anger and agitation is natural to me.All in all, very good book for people who want to know more about the daily lives of these beautiful animals in captivity, but don't fancy reading a huge, heavy-going tome like Death at SeaWorld.My favourite quotes from 'Beneath the Surface':'We swam with them. We kept them healthy. We saw them give birth. We watched them suffer. We looked them in the eye and caught a glimpse of their souls. Sometimes, we saw joy. Sometimes we saw things that were terrifying.''Captivity is always captivity, no matter how gentle the jailer.''SeaWorld may have set itself up as a kind of paradise - all theme parks do - but even the Garden of Eden was part of a morality story.''Whales do remember. Are they able to forgive?''In captivity, all the orcas are 'feral' children - they ha no adult orcas to socialise them properly. ... None of the original captive orcas were mature enough to take on the full role that matriarchs play in the wild.''A calf is always a calf, no matter how old the whale becomes, it is always its mother's son or daughter.''Your emotions shift. You move towards the dark side. And then, suddenly, an opportunity comes for revenge. Will you take it?'' "We need to realise that these are beings that suffer the same as we suffer, they want freedom the way we want freedom." '
Blurb:Over the course of two decades, John Hargrove worked with 20 different whales on two continents and at two of SeaWorld's U.S. facilities. For Hargrove, becoming an orca trainer fulfilled a childhood dream. However, as his experience with the whales deepened, Hargrove came to doubt that their needs could ever be met in captivity. When two fellow trainers were killed by orcas in marine parks, Hargrove decided that SeaWorld's wildly popular programs were both detrimental to the whales and ultimately unsafe for trainers.After leaving SeaWorld, Hargrove became one of the stars of the controversial documentary Blackfish. The outcry over the treatment of SeaWorld's orca has now expanded beyond the outlines sketched by the award-winning documentary, with Hargrove contributing his expertise to an advocacy movement that is convincing both federal and state governments to act.In Beneath the Surface, Hargrove paints a compelling portrait of these highly intelligent and social creatures, including his favorite whales Takara and her mother Kasatka, two of the most dominant orcas in SeaWorld. And he includes vibrant descriptions of the lives of orcas in the wild, contrasting their freedom in the ocean with their lives in SeaWorld.Hargrove's journey is one that humanity has just begun to take-toward the realization that the relationship between the human and animal worlds must be radically rethought.This is the second book I've read on the subject of killer whales in captivity, a subject I'm very passionate about and interested in. Beneath the Surface is very different from Death at SeaWorld, but no less interesting, just different. It was less on an information dump and more readable. Written by a former sea world trainer, it tells the side of the trainers and even though it's got less figures and scientific facts, it feels a lot more personal as Hargrove tells you stories and anecdotes about the whales. It was really just a different set of information.It was well-written and very easy to read - it pretty much devoured it in one sitting! The complexity of the trainers relationships with the orca and the slow change in feelings towards captivity were fascinating and well depicted.The one thing I didn't like that he kept referring to the whales as going over to the 'dark side' when they showed aggression, but to me those words give the wrong impression. It sounds evil and cruel, but their anger and agitation is natural to me.All in all, very good book for people who want to know more about the daily lives of these beautiful animals in captivity, but don't fancy reading a huge, heavy-going tome like Death at SeaWorld.My favourite quotes from 'Beneath the Surface':'We swam with them. We kept them healthy. We saw them give birth. We watched them suffer. We looked them in the eye and caught a glimpse of their souls. Sometimes, we saw joy. Sometimes we saw things that were terrifying.''Captivity is always captivity, no matter how gentle the jailer.''SeaWorld may have set itself up as a kind of paradise - all theme parks do - but even the Garden of Eden was part of a morality story.''Whales do remember. Are they able to forgive?''In captivity, all the orcas are 'feral' children - they ha no adult orcas to socialise them properly. ... None of the original captive orcas were mature enough to take on the full role that matriarchs play in the wild.''A calf is always a calf, no matter how old the whale becomes, it is always its mother's son or daughter.''Your emotions shift. You move towards the dark side. And then, suddenly, an opportunity comes for revenge. Will you take it?'' "We need to realise that these are beings that suffer the same as we suffer, they want freedom the way we want freedom." '
September 24, 2016
You Before Me
Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes
Blurb:Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.I've put off reading this book for ages, even though several people continually recommended it to me, for two reasons. 1) I wasn't all that intrigued to be honest 2) I wasn't sure if it would live up to the hype. I'll be honest, I didn't think it was as amazing as everyone keeps saying, but I did think it was a good book. It was a little slow to begin with, but once it got into the story I was hooked. There were parts that were actually quite funny, which wasn't what I expected, but there is a serious undertone as it explores the issues behind assisted suicide. However, my main problem was that I didn't find it as emotional as I thought; I'll admit in the last few chapters I was tearing up, but I'd thought it would be more emotional throughout.Some people have spoken out about this book, saying that it encourages assisted suicides and makes out as if disabled people shouldn't want to live, but I didn't think that was true at all. This entire book is about trying to make Will realise that life can still be good even though he's paralysed. For me, the message in this book is that they should have a choice, which is a basic human right. Many able-bodied people commit suicide for various reasons, many of which are not as severe as being permanently paralysed and dependant on others. I honestly don't know what I'd choose, to live or die, but I think it's right that people have a choice and I don't see how it was so hard for everyone in this book to understand Will's reasons. Honestly, I felt a very strong connection to Will.For me, Will was the making of this book. He was such a strong, relatable character, with a biting sense of humour. Louisa was also a good character, though I related to her less - probably because of her refusal in the beginning to try new things and go different places, though this eventually changes. All the other characters though - her parents and sister, his parents, friends and sister - with the exception of Nathan, were horrible. I couldn't imagine belonging to either of their families.Finally, I liked that, though the book was told primarily from Lou's POV, there were also random chapters with other peoples perspectives. However, I was a little disappointed there was nothing directly from Will, but then I suppose that echoes the meaning of the book; everyone thought they knew what was best for him and tried to speak for him.Though I really enjoyed this book and it's message about the freedom of choice, I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel. For me, it seems as if the story has ended and, occasionally, I think some stories have to end sadly because, in real life, not everyone gets a happy ending.My favourite quotes from 'Me Before You':' "You know, you can only actually help someone who wants to be helped." ''Spring arrived overnight, as if winter, like some unwanted guest, had abruptly shrugged its way into its coat and vanished without saying goodbye.'' "I always think this is the kind of place people come back to. When they've got tired of everything else. Or when they don't have enough imagination to go anywhere else." ''It can be oddly dispiriting, the blank refusal of humankind to even attempt to function responsibly.''More my son, I found myself thinking. You were never really there for him. Not emotionally. You were just the absence he was always striving to impress.''He was a man who was used to being heard, after all. He couldn't bear it that in some way I had the power to dictate his future, that I had somehow become mother again.''That's what he was asking me to extinguish - the small child as well as the man - all that love, all that history.''... she had never quite lost that sense of being the baby of the family - the deep-rooted feeling that the whole world actually did revolve around her.'' "... You've done nothing, been nowhere. How do you have the faintest idea hat kind of person you are?" ''I was afraid of what he might be feeling, the depth of his loss, the extent of his fears. Will Traynor's life had been so far beyond the experiences of mine. Who was I to tell him how he should want to live it?''Just a few weeks from home could rub the familiarity right off someone. I felt like se was on the path to being someone I wasn't quite sure of. I felt, weirdly, as if I were being left behind.''Mine was to be the small life, my ambitions the petty ones.'' "... Ultimately, they want to look on the bright side. They need me to look on the bright side."He paused. "They need to believe there is a bright side." '' "...I can't judge him for what he wants to do. It's his choice. It should be his choice." '' "... She wants to keep him alive at any cost. ..." '' "The thing is, I get that this could be a good life. I get that with you around, perhaps it could even be a very good life. But it's not my life. ..." '' "... from that complete arse I was at the start of this, you managed to salvage something to love ..." ''I realized I was afraid of living without him. How is it that you have the right to destroy my life, I wanted to demand of him, but I'm not allowed a say in yours?'
Blurb:Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.I've put off reading this book for ages, even though several people continually recommended it to me, for two reasons. 1) I wasn't all that intrigued to be honest 2) I wasn't sure if it would live up to the hype. I'll be honest, I didn't think it was as amazing as everyone keeps saying, but I did think it was a good book. It was a little slow to begin with, but once it got into the story I was hooked. There were parts that were actually quite funny, which wasn't what I expected, but there is a serious undertone as it explores the issues behind assisted suicide. However, my main problem was that I didn't find it as emotional as I thought; I'll admit in the last few chapters I was tearing up, but I'd thought it would be more emotional throughout.Some people have spoken out about this book, saying that it encourages assisted suicides and makes out as if disabled people shouldn't want to live, but I didn't think that was true at all. This entire book is about trying to make Will realise that life can still be good even though he's paralysed. For me, the message in this book is that they should have a choice, which is a basic human right. Many able-bodied people commit suicide for various reasons, many of which are not as severe as being permanently paralysed and dependant on others. I honestly don't know what I'd choose, to live or die, but I think it's right that people have a choice and I don't see how it was so hard for everyone in this book to understand Will's reasons. Honestly, I felt a very strong connection to Will.For me, Will was the making of this book. He was such a strong, relatable character, with a biting sense of humour. Louisa was also a good character, though I related to her less - probably because of her refusal in the beginning to try new things and go different places, though this eventually changes. All the other characters though - her parents and sister, his parents, friends and sister - with the exception of Nathan, were horrible. I couldn't imagine belonging to either of their families.Finally, I liked that, though the book was told primarily from Lou's POV, there were also random chapters with other peoples perspectives. However, I was a little disappointed there was nothing directly from Will, but then I suppose that echoes the meaning of the book; everyone thought they knew what was best for him and tried to speak for him.Though I really enjoyed this book and it's message about the freedom of choice, I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel. For me, it seems as if the story has ended and, occasionally, I think some stories have to end sadly because, in real life, not everyone gets a happy ending.My favourite quotes from 'Me Before You':' "You know, you can only actually help someone who wants to be helped." ''Spring arrived overnight, as if winter, like some unwanted guest, had abruptly shrugged its way into its coat and vanished without saying goodbye.'' "I always think this is the kind of place people come back to. When they've got tired of everything else. Or when they don't have enough imagination to go anywhere else." ''It can be oddly dispiriting, the blank refusal of humankind to even attempt to function responsibly.''More my son, I found myself thinking. You were never really there for him. Not emotionally. You were just the absence he was always striving to impress.''He was a man who was used to being heard, after all. He couldn't bear it that in some way I had the power to dictate his future, that I had somehow become mother again.''That's what he was asking me to extinguish - the small child as well as the man - all that love, all that history.''... she had never quite lost that sense of being the baby of the family - the deep-rooted feeling that the whole world actually did revolve around her.'' "... You've done nothing, been nowhere. How do you have the faintest idea hat kind of person you are?" ''I was afraid of what he might be feeling, the depth of his loss, the extent of his fears. Will Traynor's life had been so far beyond the experiences of mine. Who was I to tell him how he should want to live it?''Just a few weeks from home could rub the familiarity right off someone. I felt like se was on the path to being someone I wasn't quite sure of. I felt, weirdly, as if I were being left behind.''Mine was to be the small life, my ambitions the petty ones.'' "... Ultimately, they want to look on the bright side. They need me to look on the bright side."He paused. "They need to believe there is a bright side." '' "...I can't judge him for what he wants to do. It's his choice. It should be his choice." '' "... She wants to keep him alive at any cost. ..." '' "The thing is, I get that this could be a good life. I get that with you around, perhaps it could even be a very good life. But it's not my life. ..." '' "... from that complete arse I was at the start of this, you managed to salvage something to love ..." ''I realized I was afraid of living without him. How is it that you have the right to destroy my life, I wanted to demand of him, but I'm not allowed a say in yours?'
The Summer Bride
The Summer Bride, (Chance Sisters Series, Book 4), by Anne Gracie
Blurb:Fiercely independent Daisy Chance has a dream—and it doesn’t involve marriage or babies (or being under any man’s thumb). Raised in poverty, she has a passion—and a talent—for making beautiful clothes. Daisy aims to become the finest dressmaker in London.Dashing Irishman Patrick Flynn is wealthy and ambitious, and has entered society to find an aristocratic bride. Instead, he finds himself growing increasingly attracted to the headstrong, clever and outspoken Daisy. She’s wrong in every way—except the way she sets his heart racing.However, when Flynn proposes marriage, Daisy refuses. She won't give up her hard-won independence. Besides, she doesn't want to join the fine ladies of society—she wants to dress them. She might, however, consider becoming Flynn's secret mistress. . .But Flynn wants a wife, not a mistress, and when Flynn sets his heart on something, nothing can stand in his way. . .Having been disappointed in the third book in this series, I didn't rush to read this one, though Flynn and especially Daisy have always intrigued me and I've been waiting for their book. However, you can usually rely on Anne Gracie to produce a witty, well-written and easy-going regency romance, so - clearly! - I read it in the end and really enjoyed it.I still don't think this series lives up to her other books, which are the reason I fell in love with this authors writing many years ago, but it was fun and well rounded. I loved the characters, especially Daisy; she's tough and prickly, but she has a gentle heart and it was good to see a woman with ambition. But I think the thing that intrigued me the most is that she's not like any other female character I've ever seen in a regency romance, most of which are gently spoken and well-mannered even if they happen to be going through a hard patch. Daisy speaks with a cockney accent, swears and has a limp. Flynn was also very charming, though I'm not sure I'd be able to bear the colourful waistcoats!I had mixed feelings about the end - which I won't reveal! On one hand it brought out loads of emotion and the scene where she finally accepts Flynn was lovely, but on the other I felt like it trapped her, which goes against everything we know about Daisy. After all, she's the ambitious one, she wants to have a career, not just marry a rich guy and pop out kids - not that their is necessarily anything wrong with that.Despite that though a good end to the series and I'm going to miss the great cast of characters, especially Aunt Bea! I look forward to whatever Anne Gracie writes next.My favourite quotes from this 'The Summer Bride':'Men were liars and cheats - at least they were to a girl on her own with nothing to offer except herself.''She knew what it was to stand in the gutter and look up at the stars.''He quite enjoyed being disapproved of. It gave him something to work with.''... he wanted his children to have every advantage. He didn't want them to suffer the way he had suffered as a boy. On the other hand, he didn't want to be raising a pack of little snobs who imagined the world owed them a living - and considered themselves superior to ordinary folks - simply because of who they were and who they were related to.'' " but I still reckon you're making a mistake.""Maybe, but it's my mistake, ain't it?" ''Polite society... He snorted. The politeness was about as thin as a layer of silk.''Refusing his was the right thing for both of them, she knew. But oh, how it hurt to have to tell him no.''The list of things a lady wasn't allowed to say was never-ending. She was bloody glad she wasn't going to be one - she'd never be able to open her mouth.''It was't Flynn she didn't want; it was marriage.''It would be mortifying to the feelings of many ladies, could they be made to understand how little the heart of a man is affected by what is costly and new in their attire.'' "... I coulda been a daughter to you but, like me real mother, you threw me away. And I reckon she might have been desperate, but you sure as hell weren't." '' "I might have been gutter-born and gutter-bred, but the gutter ain't goin' to tell me who I am." ''Sometimes what you didn't know was an unhealed wound that quietly festered.'' "You're the woman I fell in love with. Why the hell would I then want you to become something different?" '' "I wouldn't take your dream away from you, darlin'." '
Blurb:Fiercely independent Daisy Chance has a dream—and it doesn’t involve marriage or babies (or being under any man’s thumb). Raised in poverty, she has a passion—and a talent—for making beautiful clothes. Daisy aims to become the finest dressmaker in London.Dashing Irishman Patrick Flynn is wealthy and ambitious, and has entered society to find an aristocratic bride. Instead, he finds himself growing increasingly attracted to the headstrong, clever and outspoken Daisy. She’s wrong in every way—except the way she sets his heart racing.However, when Flynn proposes marriage, Daisy refuses. She won't give up her hard-won independence. Besides, she doesn't want to join the fine ladies of society—she wants to dress them. She might, however, consider becoming Flynn's secret mistress. . .But Flynn wants a wife, not a mistress, and when Flynn sets his heart on something, nothing can stand in his way. . .Having been disappointed in the third book in this series, I didn't rush to read this one, though Flynn and especially Daisy have always intrigued me and I've been waiting for their book. However, you can usually rely on Anne Gracie to produce a witty, well-written and easy-going regency romance, so - clearly! - I read it in the end and really enjoyed it.I still don't think this series lives up to her other books, which are the reason I fell in love with this authors writing many years ago, but it was fun and well rounded. I loved the characters, especially Daisy; she's tough and prickly, but she has a gentle heart and it was good to see a woman with ambition. But I think the thing that intrigued me the most is that she's not like any other female character I've ever seen in a regency romance, most of which are gently spoken and well-mannered even if they happen to be going through a hard patch. Daisy speaks with a cockney accent, swears and has a limp. Flynn was also very charming, though I'm not sure I'd be able to bear the colourful waistcoats!I had mixed feelings about the end - which I won't reveal! On one hand it brought out loads of emotion and the scene where she finally accepts Flynn was lovely, but on the other I felt like it trapped her, which goes against everything we know about Daisy. After all, she's the ambitious one, she wants to have a career, not just marry a rich guy and pop out kids - not that their is necessarily anything wrong with that.Despite that though a good end to the series and I'm going to miss the great cast of characters, especially Aunt Bea! I look forward to whatever Anne Gracie writes next.My favourite quotes from this 'The Summer Bride':'Men were liars and cheats - at least they were to a girl on her own with nothing to offer except herself.''She knew what it was to stand in the gutter and look up at the stars.''He quite enjoyed being disapproved of. It gave him something to work with.''... he wanted his children to have every advantage. He didn't want them to suffer the way he had suffered as a boy. On the other hand, he didn't want to be raising a pack of little snobs who imagined the world owed them a living - and considered themselves superior to ordinary folks - simply because of who they were and who they were related to.'' " but I still reckon you're making a mistake.""Maybe, but it's my mistake, ain't it?" ''Polite society... He snorted. The politeness was about as thin as a layer of silk.''Refusing his was the right thing for both of them, she knew. But oh, how it hurt to have to tell him no.''The list of things a lady wasn't allowed to say was never-ending. She was bloody glad she wasn't going to be one - she'd never be able to open her mouth.''It was't Flynn she didn't want; it was marriage.''It would be mortifying to the feelings of many ladies, could they be made to understand how little the heart of a man is affected by what is costly and new in their attire.'' "... I coulda been a daughter to you but, like me real mother, you threw me away. And I reckon she might have been desperate, but you sure as hell weren't." '' "I might have been gutter-born and gutter-bred, but the gutter ain't goin' to tell me who I am." ''Sometimes what you didn't know was an unhealed wound that quietly festered.'' "You're the woman I fell in love with. Why the hell would I then want you to become something different?" '' "I wouldn't take your dream away from you, darlin'." '
September 23, 2016
Bloodwalker
Bloodwalker, by L.X. Cain
Blurb:Lightning flashes. Another child disappears…When Zorka Circus performs, its big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, there are fewer children in the European towns it leaves behind.Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the international performers, but they close ranks—they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. Nevertheless, he's determined to find the culprit and stop them before anyone else dies and the only place he can call home is ripped apart by the murders.Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravediggers and ghoulish bloodwalkers. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict rules, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.When more bodies turn up, the killer's trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues—even if they lead to something unimaginable.Wow! This book swept me away. From start to finish, I loved it! Not only was it very well written, but the story line was also unique and intriguing, as well as action packed. I was never bored reading this book!The characters were also brilliantly developed and I fell a little bit in love with Rurik; he was such a strong, stoic characters, but also human in the fact that he had fears and doubts. Sylvie also drew me, since she was so quiet and shy, but I was sure she had some hidden strength and in the end I was proved right. The huge cast of circus people were also great supporting characters.Finally, the ending was just what I wanted from the moment Rurik and Sylvie first met!My only little niggle was that I kept expecting Rurik's dad to play a bigger part, however, he never did, which made me feel as if his brief appearances in the book were a little redundant and I felt that he wasn't developed enough. That hasn't effected my rating though and I thought this was a fantastic book which I definitely recommend reading.My favourite quotes from 'Bloodwalker':'... it was light, although it contained all her belongings. A tiny box for a tiny life.''... with enough vodka, the dead could come back to life.'' "...I'm old enough to be your father. Show some respect.""Then act like a man who deserves respect," '' "...stop looking for bad omens, and you'll stop finding them." ''It wasn't the men's fault. They simply weren't equipped to provide the love and care needed to make a family happy and harmonious.The wife needed to step up - whilst appearing to step back.''What did Sylvie want? - this complete stranger wanted to know. He was the only one who cared enough to ask.''The world was a bad place. If she wanted to live in it, maybe she had to be equally bad.''... her mere existence threatened the life he'd wanted. A life he never intended to share with her ....''Death and blood walkers are old friends.The kind of friends that don't lie to each other.''... embarrassment was fear's smaller, chubby cousin. The one who tagged along when he was least wanted and you could never get rid of.''No one really wanted to know the truth. They liked believing their world was safe and predictable.'
Blurb:Lightning flashes. Another child disappears…When Zorka Circus performs, its big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, there are fewer children in the European towns it leaves behind.Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the international performers, but they close ranks—they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. Nevertheless, he's determined to find the culprit and stop them before anyone else dies and the only place he can call home is ripped apart by the murders.Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravediggers and ghoulish bloodwalkers. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict rules, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.When more bodies turn up, the killer's trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues—even if they lead to something unimaginable.Wow! This book swept me away. From start to finish, I loved it! Not only was it very well written, but the story line was also unique and intriguing, as well as action packed. I was never bored reading this book!The characters were also brilliantly developed and I fell a little bit in love with Rurik; he was such a strong, stoic characters, but also human in the fact that he had fears and doubts. Sylvie also drew me, since she was so quiet and shy, but I was sure she had some hidden strength and in the end I was proved right. The huge cast of circus people were also great supporting characters.Finally, the ending was just what I wanted from the moment Rurik and Sylvie first met!My only little niggle was that I kept expecting Rurik's dad to play a bigger part, however, he never did, which made me feel as if his brief appearances in the book were a little redundant and I felt that he wasn't developed enough. That hasn't effected my rating though and I thought this was a fantastic book which I definitely recommend reading.My favourite quotes from 'Bloodwalker':'... it was light, although it contained all her belongings. A tiny box for a tiny life.''... with enough vodka, the dead could come back to life.'' "...I'm old enough to be your father. Show some respect.""Then act like a man who deserves respect," '' "...stop looking for bad omens, and you'll stop finding them." ''It wasn't the men's fault. They simply weren't equipped to provide the love and care needed to make a family happy and harmonious.The wife needed to step up - whilst appearing to step back.''What did Sylvie want? - this complete stranger wanted to know. He was the only one who cared enough to ask.''The world was a bad place. If she wanted to live in it, maybe she had to be equally bad.''... her mere existence threatened the life he'd wanted. A life he never intended to share with her ....''Death and blood walkers are old friends.The kind of friends that don't lie to each other.''... embarrassment was fear's smaller, chubby cousin. The one who tagged along when he was least wanted and you could never get rid of.''No one really wanted to know the truth. They liked believing their world was safe and predictable.'
September 10, 2016
Before
Before, (After Zombie Series, Book 2,) by Samantha Gregory
Blurb:One mistake could doom mankind...A young intern discovers that the company he works for is developing a deadly virus. Terrified of what it could do, he steals the virus and the antidote. When it is accidentally released on a subway train, the occupants all perish. The problem is they don't stay dead.Jack, a computer geek, receives an email which leads her to a scientist and a street smart punk called Danny who holds the antidote in his veins. The unlikely allies fight to expose the company and their virus to the media, but can they stay alive long enough to synthesize a cure? And how far will the virus spread?I loved the first book in this series and this one didn't disappoint! It was fast paced and action packed, plus I liked the twist with the Dr at the end! Slightly confusing, this book actually comes before the first one, but I liked having the background knowledge that we got in the first one before reading this. It doesn't feature the same characters, which I was a bit disappointed about, since I thought Jenna was great in the first book, but Jack and Danny made brilliant alternatives and I'd love to hear more from them.All in all, a very exciting book and I look forward to the rest of the series!
Blurb:One mistake could doom mankind...A young intern discovers that the company he works for is developing a deadly virus. Terrified of what it could do, he steals the virus and the antidote. When it is accidentally released on a subway train, the occupants all perish. The problem is they don't stay dead.Jack, a computer geek, receives an email which leads her to a scientist and a street smart punk called Danny who holds the antidote in his veins. The unlikely allies fight to expose the company and their virus to the media, but can they stay alive long enough to synthesize a cure? And how far will the virus spread?I loved the first book in this series and this one didn't disappoint! It was fast paced and action packed, plus I liked the twist with the Dr at the end! Slightly confusing, this book actually comes before the first one, but I liked having the background knowledge that we got in the first one before reading this. It doesn't feature the same characters, which I was a bit disappointed about, since I thought Jenna was great in the first book, but Jack and Danny made brilliant alternatives and I'd love to hear more from them.All in all, a very exciting book and I look forward to the rest of the series!
September 4, 2016
Death at SeaWorld
Death at SeaWorld, by David Kirby
Blurb:Death at SeaWorld centers on the battle with the multimillion-dollar marine park industry over the controversial and even lethal ramifications of keeping killer whales in captivity. Following the story of marine biologist and animal advocate at the Humane Society of the US, Naomi Rose, Kirby tells the gripping story of the two-decade fight against PR-savvy SeaWorld, which came to a head with the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010. Kirby puts that horrific animal-on-human attack in context. Brancheau’s death was the most publicized among several brutal attacks that have occurred at Sea World and other marine mammal theme parks.Death at SeaWorld introduces real people taking part in this debate, from former trainers turned animal rights activists to the men and women that champion SeaWorld and the captivity of whales. In section two the orcas act out. And as the story progresses and orca attacks on trainers become increasingly violent, the warnings of Naomi Rose and other scientists fall on deaf ears, only to be realized with the death of Dawn Brancheau. Finally he covers the media backlash, the eyewitnesses who come forward to challenge SeaWorld’s glossy image, and the groundbreaking OSHA case that challenges the very idea of keeping killer whales in captivity and may spell the end of having trainers in the water with the ocean’s top predators.Okay, so I brought this book after watching the documentary Blackfish and being so moved by the contents that I decided to write my own fictional book on the subject. Of course, to do that, I also need to doa lotof research and this book is my first step in that direction. I found it to be a very fascinating and informative read once I got into it, though I found it a little slow in parts, especially to begin with. For example, all the background on the people - some of it was interesting and useful, but some just felt like they were trying to fill pages.I am most definitely anti-caps, but even so I'll admit that it was light on information from SeaWorlds point of view, though the corporation clearly didn't help itself since they apparently denied all attempts at interviews for the book and also all the reasons that were mentioned for why they though captivity was good for killer whales sounded like BS, or they were just plain stupid. Like the fact that the ocean is a dark, big, scary place. Yes, to us, but that's where whales are meant to be; it's their natural habitat! I was also amazed by how the corporation seems to blatantly deny the truth and continues to peddle it's lies. I was not surprised, however, that they use their great expanse of money and influence to their advantage.Despite the name of the book, there is a lot more to it than the story of Tilikum, who was the whale who killed his trainer, there was also a lot of information about Keiko an the other whales, as well as scientific research about killer whales in the wild and the politics behind it all. I really did think this was a great book to start my research and it has only increased by desire to learn more about this subject. However, I was a little disappointed by the ending; I wanted to know the results of the case - living in England and being only a teenager when this took place, I don't remember hearing anything about it in the news. I don't know if this book was written before the results were known, or if there were other reasons for leaving the story so abruptly, but I plan to search online to find out!
Blurb:Death at SeaWorld centers on the battle with the multimillion-dollar marine park industry over the controversial and even lethal ramifications of keeping killer whales in captivity. Following the story of marine biologist and animal advocate at the Humane Society of the US, Naomi Rose, Kirby tells the gripping story of the two-decade fight against PR-savvy SeaWorld, which came to a head with the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010. Kirby puts that horrific animal-on-human attack in context. Brancheau’s death was the most publicized among several brutal attacks that have occurred at Sea World and other marine mammal theme parks.Death at SeaWorld introduces real people taking part in this debate, from former trainers turned animal rights activists to the men and women that champion SeaWorld and the captivity of whales. In section two the orcas act out. And as the story progresses and orca attacks on trainers become increasingly violent, the warnings of Naomi Rose and other scientists fall on deaf ears, only to be realized with the death of Dawn Brancheau. Finally he covers the media backlash, the eyewitnesses who come forward to challenge SeaWorld’s glossy image, and the groundbreaking OSHA case that challenges the very idea of keeping killer whales in captivity and may spell the end of having trainers in the water with the ocean’s top predators.Okay, so I brought this book after watching the documentary Blackfish and being so moved by the contents that I decided to write my own fictional book on the subject. Of course, to do that, I also need to doa lotof research and this book is my first step in that direction. I found it to be a very fascinating and informative read once I got into it, though I found it a little slow in parts, especially to begin with. For example, all the background on the people - some of it was interesting and useful, but some just felt like they were trying to fill pages.I am most definitely anti-caps, but even so I'll admit that it was light on information from SeaWorlds point of view, though the corporation clearly didn't help itself since they apparently denied all attempts at interviews for the book and also all the reasons that were mentioned for why they though captivity was good for killer whales sounded like BS, or they were just plain stupid. Like the fact that the ocean is a dark, big, scary place. Yes, to us, but that's where whales are meant to be; it's their natural habitat! I was also amazed by how the corporation seems to blatantly deny the truth and continues to peddle it's lies. I was not surprised, however, that they use their great expanse of money and influence to their advantage.Despite the name of the book, there is a lot more to it than the story of Tilikum, who was the whale who killed his trainer, there was also a lot of information about Keiko an the other whales, as well as scientific research about killer whales in the wild and the politics behind it all. I really did think this was a great book to start my research and it has only increased by desire to learn more about this subject. However, I was a little disappointed by the ending; I wanted to know the results of the case - living in England and being only a teenager when this took place, I don't remember hearing anything about it in the news. I don't know if this book was written before the results were known, or if there were other reasons for leaving the story so abruptly, but I plan to search online to find out!
