Ryn is the main character, and she's a badass gravedigger who also slays bone houses (living dead) in her spare time. This YA fantasy reads like a step back in time but it packs a modern punch. Ryn and her siblings live on their own in a small village surrounded by an iron fence built to keep the bone houses out. Much of the folklore surrounding the bone houses in Colbren is viewed as just that - old stories, but Ryn knows better. She comes upon a mysterious man named Ellis being attacked by one of the risen dead, and after she saves him (hooray for females who do the saving) she finds out he's a mapmaker who has gotten himself lost. I felt very distant from the characters when I first started reading this, and the magical elements felt too separate from Ryn's story, but I stuck with it and was not disappointed. In fact, I was riveted. Things pick up when Ryn and Ellis team up to figure out why the bone houses are suddenly attacking in mass. Some of the plot elements surprised me so much that I had to reread parts to make sure I was understanding what happened. I love when books take me by surprise.
I especially love how both Ryn and Ellis' characters were developed slowly and expertly. Ellis may have some physical weaknesses but Ryn's strengths make up for it, and they complement each other in a way that doesn't leave one overpowering the other. They become a team that isn't based on stereotypical gender roles. When Ellis is tender, Ryn is tough. They bond as orphans and the agony of not knowing exactly what happened to one of their parents. Without spoiling anything, there's also a zombie animal that plays a big part of Ryn and Ellis' journey to stop the bone houses. This decaying pet becomes their savior in many ways and was a fascinating supernatural element. Bravo to Emily Lloyd-Jones for a fantasy zombie book that is so satisfyingly unique and special.
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Prologue My husband and I, as inexperienced international travelers, embarked on a six country European travel blitz a few years after getting married. We had no idea what we were doing, but this trip is what started our travel obsession. Out of the six cities we stopped in, Budapest was the one that left me with the most wonder. Split into two parts, Buda is the western, hilly side with grand views and thermal spas. Pest (pronounced PESHT) is the flat, commercial business side. The two sides united into one city in 1873, but they couldn't be more distinct. Budapest has a beauty and grandeur that I wasn't expecting. There's a curious juxtaposition of atmospheres here that entranced me from the moment we arrived. Turning Pages: Places to Check Out
Hungarian Parliament Building This was under renovation when we visited, and we didn't end up visiting the interior of the building at all. Taking in this grand structure from across the Danube both during the day and night are some of the most vivid memories I have from our entire Europe trip. The symmetry of all the arches and spires is dazzling. I can't imagine living and working in a place where this is your view on a daily basis. How does this thing even exist? Bridges Galore Younger, thinner, and sporting natural, unprocessed hair, I couldn't get enough of these bridges. They're everywhere. I loved how each bridge has it's own character and personality. The Elizabeth Bridge is modern while the Chain Bridge is more historic and the most recognized in all of Budapest. Vaci Utca This street is known as the soul of the tourist district. Here you will find tons of shopping and cafes, all located along a pedestrian walkway lined with sophisticated buildings. Szechenyi Baths We were surprised to learn that Budapest is well known for its thermal waters, and there are many baths to choose from, each with it's own unique features. The baths all use the mineral-rich water from the ground and are great for entertainment, healing, and just general relaxation. Completely unprepared and having done zero research ahead of time, we chose one, Szechenyi, and showed up with suits in hand. The man in the window knew we were idiots as we couldn't figure out what to do. He spoke no English, and this was before cell phones so we couldn't look up anything to translate. As I said before, we were very inexperienced and should have been prepared to ask for help in Hungarian. There was a menu hanging up above the ticket window, so we randomly pointed to something and hoped it was an entrance ticket we were paying for. He pointed to a door and off we went. We went to separate gender changing rooms and then met up on the other side in a beautiful room with tall columns and a long, skinny pool. There are varying temperatures in each of the different indoor pools, and we tried several. The outdoor pools weren't open when we visited which was a bummer because they're incredibly grand. See photos and videos of both: Menu Pages: Eats and Drinks Great Market Hall This indoor market is located on the Pest side, and is an overwhelming assault on your senses. You can definitely spend hours here eating your way through the first floor food vendors. Try the langos. These are a deep-fried bread that you can get with various sweet or savory toppings. We tried the cheese, and it was amazing and incredibly cheap.
Unicum Hungary's national drink, Unicum is everywhere. We had it in shots before a meal. It's bitter and has a piney taste that was just too medicinal and herbal for me, but it obviously has its fans all over this country. Appendix: A Hodge PodgeHolocaust Memorial Center - a moving tribute to the more than half a million Hungarian citizens/deports who became victims in the Holocaust Heroes Square - largest square in Budapest Folk Dinner and Gypsy Show - lots of places offer folk shows, and these are fun to watch people in traditional Hungarian costumes dancing with bottles on their heads and cracking whips. They often grab tourists out of their seats to join in on the fun. Postscript: What I Missed There are oodles of places that we didn't get to and wish we had. These are just a few on our list for next time. Royal Palace (Buda Castle) - includes the Hungarian National Gallery, the National Széchenyi Library, and the Castle Museum Gellert Baths - has an Art Nouveau style and an outdoor wave pool Danube river cruise - we did one in Amsterdam instead so we decided to skip it here Faust Wine Cellars - sample wines underneath Buda Castle Budapest is only one of the stops in this impressive historical fiction monstrosity, and the city fits the vampiric, moody vibe of this book like a sleek, black velvet glove. Review
Vampires and librarians and history, oh my! It's a nerd trifecta, and I loved every bit of it. You have to love historical fiction to read this. It's very dense in the history department but in an exquisite, luscious, romantic kind of way. It's also a beast of a book, literally. At 642 pages, I found myself slogging through it at times and just wishing it would wrap up. In the end, I was satisfied and glad to have stuck it out. The narrator begins the story as a young girl who finds a book with a woodcut of a dragon in it among her father's things. She asks him about it, and Paul slowly and reluctantly unravels the story. The book mysteriously appeared in his study carrel when he was a younger man studying at the library during his graduate program. Interested in it's origin, he takes the book to his mentor, Professor Rossi and is stunned to find out that Rossi also has a copy of the same book. Rossi explains that in his research of the strange book, he uncovers information about Vlad Tepes (Dracula) and believes he is still alive. Soon after, Rossi goes missing, leaving behind a blood-smeared office. Paul is devastated and heads off on a whirlwind world adventure to figure out what happened to his beloved mentor. All three characters are presumed to be white. The book weaves in and out of libraries, small villages, quaint cafes, and monasteries. The adventures span various cities including Amsterdam, Istanbul, Budapest, and a host of other eastern European locations. I was spellbound by the vivid descriptions of each location. Elizabeth Kostova does an incredible job capturing the hypnotic effect of traveling around the world. Not only was the travel meticulously detailed, but the historical backgrounds of every, single location were weaved in so seamlessly, you felt like you were part of each page. Now I love historical fiction, but this one really crammed it in. The middle pages got repetitive, and I was wishing for a change of pace in the plot elements. I wasn't sure if I would ever finish this book, but you could tell this was a dramatic labor of love for this author. Without spoiling too much, I can't stop thinking about how awesome it is to have beady, little librarian vampires roaming around. I keep imagining scrawny, bat-faced men dressed up in tweed suits. Libraries are pretty much my world and combining these two elements is almost too much for my bibliophile heart to take. This is a prototypical, young adult, dystopian series that leaves teen girls swooning in a science fiction love triangle between Cassia and two super hunky, brooding boys. All is not as it seems in Cassia's world where young people are paired up with their spouses at age 17 at a special banquet. She's matched with her best friend, Xander, but when she views her Match video giving information about Xander, a picture of mysterious Ky flashes into view and makes her question whether the Match is destiny or not. The Society has close control over romantic partners, death, jobs, and food intake, and Cassia begins to wonder why everything is chosen for them. Matched is an interesting YA exploration of free will and how a tightly controlled environment always has dirty secrets lurking in the shadows. This was a very popular series when it first came out, and a classic constant in the dystopian genre.
Eleanor Oliphant is bizarre and responds to people with such a black and white obliviousness that she's rude and misunderstood. She's also deeply lonely and doesn't realize it. She lives each day with order and repetition that includes minimal contact with other people, vodka, frozen pizza, and her mundane office job. Then the order of her life gets thrown off track when she meets new IT guy, Raymond, and his warmth and gentleness show Eleanor how much friendship and love are missing from her life. She begins to slowly reveal her childhood trauma and the lingering effects of a desolate upbringing. Eleanor starts off as a pitiful, sad character, but painfully develops into a likeable oddball who braves the deluge of emotions locked away to create a better, completely fine life. Eleanor was so hard to read at first, and I thought I would dislike this book right away. Honeyman has clearly mastered character development, and it's a sweet read up until the last word.
The Stranger Things vibe is all over this book initially but then it diverts and goes down its own majestic Stephen King path. I'm a HUGE King fan and while this did not disappoint, it's definitely not my favorite of his work. Luke Ellis is a super genius twelve-year-old who has big plans to attend college when his whole world is altered the night a group of people break into his house, murder his parents, and ferry him off to the Institute. He wakes up in a bedroom almost identical to his own at home and discovers other kids at the Institute who are being held and forced to endure experiments and shots to expand their telekinetic and telepathic powers. All of this experimental torture takes place in Front Half but eventually kids are moved to Back Half where the real horrors exist, and they're never seen again. The staff at the Institute are heartless and cruel. King builds two simultaneous story lines between the Institute and Tim Jamieson, a disgraced former cop, now working the nightknocker shift in Dupray, South Carolina. I've always loved King's supernatural books more than his true horror (weird, I know) but the only thing I didn't love about this one is that it seems watered down. It's not as nasty as some of his books get, and I quite frankly miss the carnage. This makes me seem like a complete psycho since we're talking about kids, torture experiments, and kidnapping but in comparison to his other greats like The Stand and Under the Dome, this one was just sort of thinned out more than what I prefer in my King reads.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars Yet another book that shows why librarians are the coolest and toughest scrappers hitting the grind for literacy. This evocative historical fiction set in the 1930s paints a vivid picture of Appalachian Kentucky and the hill country's colorful, impoverished people. Cussy, also known as Bluet for her blue-tinged skin, is feared, loved, and hated by everyone. She is the last living female with her blue-skin condition, and is treated as a pariah by people who don't understand it's just a genetic condition caused by an enzyme deficiency. Cussy is tough but extremely kind and giving. She takes a job as a Pack-Horse Librarian after a brutal forced marriage that almost led to her death. She rides a cantankerous mule through the twisted and and dangerous Appalachian hills to reach her patrons, bringing them reading material and the loving, kindnesses of a true, gentlewoman. I used to volunteer housing service work in Appalachian Kentucky as a teen, and the imagery depicted in this book really brought me back in time. I loved reading about that swirling fog, switchback roads, and fiercely loyal neighbors. Cussy is determined to reach her patrons, and they return her dedication with kindness that turns out to be her saving grace in the end when she needs it most. This book is rife with sorrow but also spilling over the top with heart-warming goodness. View all my reviews Prologue
We never really planned on going to Iceland. Our original itinerary for the girls' first international vacation was Nicaragua. We had everything researched, flights booked, Airbnbs reserved, transportation arranged, and then the 2018 protests and civil conflict erupted making travel with kids too dicey for us. My husband randomly suggested Iceland, and as I started reading about it, I got hooked on the idea. We switched out our shorts and sandals for rain jackets, sweaters, and hiking boots.
I planned our trip around three different areas that seemed realistic with a six and nine-year-old. Originally, I thought we could do this major haul and drive the whole way around the island in a week, but after I started researching, the possibility of that with kids was pretty much out of the question. I reeled in the fantasy and gave ourselves some wiggle room. I pared it down to three and a half days exploring the southern coast, two and a half days around the Snaefellsnes western peninsula, and a day and a half in Reykjavik.
General Notes:
Transportation - We took a red-eye flight and did not sleep at all on the plane. We felt comfortable enough to drive on our own, so we rented a car through Blue Car Rental. They have a free shuttle from Keflavik International Airport which worked out really well for us. We were exhausted but motivated by pure adrenaline to see as much as possible on our first day which ultimately felt like a sleep-deprived hallucination on a frosty planet of lush green mountains and milky, jade water. I highly recommend driving in Iceland. There were so many moments where we stopped spontaneously and saw things that weren't planned. I can't imagine seeing this country any other way.
Lodging - Because of the last minute travel plans, we found Airbnb to have the most reasonable rates with interesting and unique accommodations. Our first night was an adorable little tin cottage in a tiny fishing village on the southern coast called Eyrarbakki. It didn't look like much from the outside, but the inside was quaint and comfortable. Our host welcomed us with some licorice-flavored chocolate. We did explore the village and coastline, and enjoyed the sleepy feel of the area.
Weather and Time Change - Our visit was in July which is also Iceland's summer. Their summer months only average a temperature of 55°F so it's nothing like our hot, humid summers in PA. We packed lots of rain gear, hats, and wore layers and hiking boots every day. We had a fair amount of rain and a few days that were in the low 60s. When the sun is shining, Icelandic people flock to their decks and lawns in bathing suits. We're walking around in sweaters while everyone else is out sunning. They probably thought we were nuts all bundled up like that. The other lovely thing about Icelandic summers is the never-ending daylight.
Our nights and days were messed up from day one since we caught an overnight flight. Then the sun shines crazily past 10pm, and it makes you feel like the day never ends, basically because it doesn't! Our youngest was at her melting point one night, and I couldn't understand why she was so cranky. I checked my phone and realized it was 10:30pm, sun blasting us past the ability to gauge time. We slept in really late after our first night, and this helped. We also made sure our Airbnbs had black-out shades, and we brought melatonin along for getting settled in when the body is tired but the mind is thinking it's noon adventure time. Turning Pages: Places to Check Out
The Golden Circle
This route takes you from Reykjavik to three of Iceland's most well-known tourist attractions including Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, Geysir Hot Spring Area, and Gullfoss Waterfall. The circle can be driven in one day, and we did all three before heading to our Airbnb. I would definitely love to go back and spend some more time in Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park as we really only saw the Öxarárfoss Waterfall on our quick spin through these top sites.
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
This is the waterfall I dream about. There are so many incredible things about this country. One is that there are lots of free and inexpensive things to see. While you may be spending a lot on food and gas, the sightseeing is very affordable. The other thing that we love about Iceland is how raw and undisturbed everything is. You can view nature without all sorts of ropes and signs up warning off stupid behavior. I couldn't believe this place. Not only is the water cascading from impossible heights, but you can also walk the whole way around the falls and see it from behind. We were like little kids dancing under the droplets and watching the rainbows shine from every angle. The rocks are slippery and the going is slow, but Seljalandsfoss is something out of a fantasy movie.
After taking in Seljalandsfoss, continue down the trail along the mountains and you'll see some beautiful wildflowers and other falls. The girls were especially excited about this gem hiding behind a crack in the cliffs, Gljufrabui.
Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin)
Iceland has geothermal hot springs everywhere. They also have tons of swimming spots that are fed by these naturally occurring springs. The Secret Lagoon was our favorite. Locals call it Gamla Laugin, "Old Pool," since it was the first public swimming pool. The hot springs surround the man-made pool and run directly into it . Some areas in the pool are just warm and those closer to the bubbling, mushy springs are hot, hot, hot. Lounging in this hotpot water was ahhhhmazing. They even supplied pool noodles to float around on. The bottom is made of large, smooth rocks that make the whole experience feel completely natural and relaxing.
An important note about hot pot swimming hole etiquette ... you have to shower and wash with soap before entering the pools, naked and with other guests. It's a big deal here, and we prepped the kids for it ahead of time. Custom requires you to shower fully and wash off any contaminants you may have on your skin before entering the swimming area. It's like gym class all over again. Ultimately, it's really not a big deal but nice to know before you go.
The surrounding mountains and billowing fog made for a hazy dreamlike setting, but then you get closer and see that the pool is pretty decrepit. The day we were visiting, the water level was less than half of what it should be. You could see the water line left on the rocks and mud, making the shallow end only about ankle deep. Even though this was disappointing, we still wanted to have the experience so we left our clothes with our backpacks and climbed into the pool. The bottom was slimy and there were chunks of mud and sediment floating everywhere. We walked around, snapped a few pictures, and got out of there. The water was lukewarm at best, and we were freezing in that brisk Icelandic air. Changing out of our wet clothes in the ramshackle building was an adventure.
The hike would have been too cold in wet clothing, so we definitely had to brave the co-ed changing shed. It's really just a concrete room with a few hooks. Too many tourists have trashed the place leaving it a junky mess. Get in, get changed FAST, and take all of your crap with you. It was quite an experience. The views from the pool were incredible. The hike was incredible. The pool was not so much but in all, a fun adventure worth checking out.
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
This famous beach was used in filming for Game of Thrones, and I can see why. It's dark and dramatic with black pebbles, black sand, caves, and intimidating rock formations. It poured rain all day when we visited Reynisfjara which was such a bummer. This was one of my favorite two things we saw, and I could have easily spent hours wandering around. Parking is free, and they do have pay bathrooms available as well. Even with our full rain gear, we were soaked all day. We didn't let the rain stop us from exploring, and the weather only added to the moody environment. It felt like a place where it should always be raining.
The beach is juxtaposed with towering basalt columns. There are also lots of warnings about dangerous sneaker waves that can roll onto the beach at any time. Make sure to visit at low tide times so you have enough beach area to walk on without getting too close to the water and so you have enough safe space to view the black, looming columns. We also found all sorts of little rock sculptures and stacks left by creative visitors.
Menu Pages
Postscript: What I Missed
Things to hit up next visit:
Thingvellir National Park : Silfra Fissure - you can dive or snorkel in the crack between two tectonic plates in what is said to be the clearest water in the world Faxi Waterfall - part of the Golden Circle drive Kerid Crater Lake - a bright blue lake inside a volcano surrounded by red rock. This is also part of the Golden Circle route. Laugarvatn Fontana - natural steam baths/pools and a geothermal bakery. Wait, what? They dig up pots of fresh bread from the hot, black sand. Um yes please. Slakki Petting Zoo - Admission includes a mini-golf course Skogafoss Waterfall - beautiful falls that come directly from two different glaciers Myrdalsjokull - glacier sitting atop the volcano, Katla where people take lots of tours on snowmobiles or into ice caves Skogar Museum and Turf Houses - museum to experience Icelandic architectural heritage. We were lucky enough to see some turf houses from the road while driving but did not get to see this museum. Landmannalaugar - Rhyolite Mountains, lava field and hot springs. The mountains consist of a range of geological elements that leave them dappled with lots of contrasting colors. Solheimssandur airplane wreckage and beach - Ugh we almost made it to this one. This was the day it was pouring at Reynisfjara. We stopped to start this hike but the rain was so torrential, and the girls were so tired, we just couldn't get into the spirit it required. This is a longer hike along a black sand beach to a real plane wreck. The abandoned plane, a Navy DC, ran out of fuel in the 70s and crashed on the beach. Dyrholaey Arch - a massive rock arch with lots of birds to watch Svartifoss Black Falls - waterfall surround by basalt columns in Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon - take boat tours to see the wildlife and free-flowing icebergs. Check out the black sand at Diamond Beach. This beach has little ice chunks lying all over the sand like glistening diamonds.
I reviewed this book earlier on it's own but was having a hard time finding a new pairing for Iceland. Although Kristin Hannah's book is set in Alaska, it brings to mind a lot of the things we loved about Iceland. Both settings are vast, dangerous, beautiful, and unique. They both share a lush bounty but also an element of wildness. People travel to these locations to see nature in its raw forms, and that experience can be life-changing.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 3 of 5 stars It's me not you. I feel bad that I'm not crazy about this book. It's just a book with no feelings, yet I want to prop it up and just can't. The writing is beautiful and sets the scene of Alaska's untamed, dangerous, and addicting landscape. There's really nothing wrong with the book. I think part of my issue was that I just didn't have a lot of time and was reading it in such small doses, that I lost my connection with it. I couldn't absorb the setting and characters in the way they deserved. Leni's father, Ernt, comes home from his time as a POW in the Vietnam War, and fights demons that manifest in violence with his family. He's irrational and impulsive and packs the family up to head to Alaska to fend for themselves while retreating from the world. Isolated and unprepared, Ernt forges ahead, quickly making enemies. Leni finds comfort in her newly learned independence and the strength of the local people who show her kindness and compassion. Her coming-of-age arc also includes her mother, Cora, who is the main target of Ernt's rage. Leni finds her first love and a tragic end amidst the formidable allure of the Alaskan backdrop. Kristin Hannah's book paints a raw and emotional picture of domestic violence and the way in which it festers and infects all those involved. View all my reviews
Sorry I've been a little lazy about posting reviews lately ... I needed a break from constant laptop work during the quarantine. I read this book right at the start of summer, and what a way to kick off my favorite reading season. This one is incredible.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars Perfect for summer, this delicate story weaves little savory bits of nature and beauty in with a slow, sad, coming-of-age element, intricately ushering readers through the investigation of the death of the handsome local bachelor, Chase Andrews. I've added this to my "New Loves" collection because the character development is so sweet and intelligent, but the possible murder mystery kept me glued to the book. Kya Clark, known as the Marsh Girl in Barkley Cove, North Carolina, is brought up in the marshlands of the coast in a poverty-stricken home filled with abuse and loneliness. Kya eventually outlasts everyone in her family, and her resilience keeps her company along with the seagulls and other parts of the marsh that wrap her in comfort. Two different men take an interest in her wild, untamed beauty, and she navigates her blossoming changes into adulthood with naivete and tenderness, opening up her heart to love and belonging only to have it drowned in the sea again and again. The locals treat Kya like an outcast and a creature to fear in the night. Their fears turn into accusations when Chase Andrews turns up dead. I love how Delia Owens wrote about the marsh and how Kya's story shapes her into a woman who becomes strong, intelligent, and an expert in her own surroundings. She takes her pain and suffering and makes something new and beautiful. The ENDING!! It made my head shriek but my heart sigh. It's just the absolute best book. View all my reviews
Crushing the Red Flowers by Jennifer Voigt Kaplan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is a solid middle grade historical fiction, but I do feel like there are better options. This book has unique perspective from the lives of two German boys living among the growing anti-Semitism that led to Kristallnacht and eventually the Holocaust. Emil is a funny, tubby kid that just likes to explore and get dirty in mud puddles, trying hard to ignore the growing stress among his Jewish family. The other, Friedrich, is a member of the Hitler Youth. Friedrich questions his cruel leader and the group's drastic changes from what started as fun scouting experiences to hate-filled speeches and brutal attacks against Jews. The boys eventually cross paths and have to determine what truths they really believe in. "The Night of Broken Glass" is a peak moment in the book, and it was chilling to read how the characters experienced this awful event. The main issue I have with this book is that the boys' voices read much younger and felt more childish than what a middle grade book deserves. View all my reviews Prologue
The first place I want to go when the stay-at-home orders are lifted is Assateague. This beach holds a special place in my heart and invokes a nostalgia and memory that warms me to the core. My family grew up vacationing many summers in Chincoteague, Assateague's southern district located in Virginia. Both beach districts have wild horses roaming the area and are a big tourist draw. We bought a cozy, little place in West Ocean City a little over a year ago, and Assateague is always our favorite place to enjoy the ocean.
Turning Pages
There are two different parks on Assateague Island, and each has different costs and different services.
Assateague Island National Seashore
The national park side is a little more basic in terms of facilities but also costs less if you're planning to visit for multiple days. They charge $25 per vehicle for a 7-day pass. They do not offer a daily rate. You can also purchase a yearly pass for $45. They have basic facilities at the beach including pit toilets and outdoor showers just for a quick rinse-off. You can bring pets on some parts of the beach, and we see lots of people taking advantage of this. They have camping facilities on this side as well, but we have never tried them out. We mainly use the national park beaches. There are two main parking areas. North Ocean Beach is the first one you come to after paying to enter. South Ocean Beach has a tiny parking lot and fills up pretty early in the morning during the summer months. Beyond that is the Over Sand Vehicle Zone which requires a permit.
Wild Horses
Assateague is best known for the wild horses that roam freely all over the island. It's rare that we drive to the beach and don't see them grazing by the sides of the road. They are often clumped in groups in the parking lots and will wander the beaches as well. I've seen them early in the morning before the sands get busy, but we've also seen them traipsing through throngs of beach goers in the middle of the day at the height of the summer season. There are signs everywhere cautioning people to keep a safe distance as they do bite and kick. They also will rummage through your belongings to find food. Coolers are allowed on the beach but they must be hard-sided containers that close tightly. The horses will try to bite through bags if they smell food. We've seen them sniff out a sandwich and banana from a closed beach bag and destroy it in seconds. The posted rules are for your safety and that of the horses as they can get sick from food and non-food items like plastic bags that aren't properly secured. The horses are lovely to watch and part of the charm of this beach sanctuary.
When I think of light, airy beach books, I think of Nicholas Sparks. Even though I'm not a huge fan, the books certainly do possess an air of reverence for the calming effect the ocean and those quaint coastal towns have on our psyche and souls.
Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars I don't know why I do this to myself. I read a lot of books with heavy, dark themes, and when I need something different and lighter, my first instinct is to look to Sparks. I rarely like his books, and yet I still read them for some unknown reason. I guess it's the predictability and the beach themes that suck me in. Set on a North Carolina beach, Hope Anderson laments her crappy boyfriend and longs for something different without knowing it yet. The part of the summary that caught my attention and is probably the reason why I decided to try Sparks again is the character, Tru Walls. Tru is a safari guide living in Zimbabwe who comes to Sunset Beach, North Carolina at the request of a man claiming to be his father. Tru's tumultuous childhood and back story is interesting but ultimately blends in with Hope's boring one and becomes a glob of gelatinous mush. The strangers meet, slowly reveal their lives to each other, and the love story bulldozes the rest of the book. The one part I really enjoyed is the Kindred Spirit mailbox. A random mailbox is posted up on a beach with a bench beside it. People write stories, letters, drawings, recipes, and whatever else is on their minds, leaving them signed or anonymous inside the box. It's a sweet idea and plays a big part in Hope and Tru's story. View all my reviews |
AuthorTravel All the Pages is inspired by my two loves - travel and reading, a combo I can't resist. Enjoy these little pairings. Archives
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