![]() And, yes, of course, I also went to Tulum and Xelha and Coba and other more touristic sites, pretty much covering the coast from Cancun to the southern border with Belize, much of it on foot. There, among other things, I found a cave with an island in it, and many square limestone structures, open on their sides, ranging in size from buildings a dozen feet tall to stupas the height of one's chest. Then, following the paths of generations of little kids, I would go into the jungle to the places the tourists never venture, the places without roads. ![]() To do so I befriended the locals, the descendants of the Maya, particularly the children, asking them where interesting things were. While Linda preferred the beach, I preferred exploring the ruins which are abundant in the area. Ultimately, I made three trips, all of them to the area midway between Cancun and Belize, preparing for them each time by reading up on the region and its original inhabitants, the Maya. ![]() ![]() Although reluctant to be a first world tourist in a third world area, my wife Linda eventually got me to go down to Quintana Roo in the NE Yucatan with her. ![]()
0 Comments
![]() He's from San Francisco Bay Area, and moved to Hawaii since 2003. He likes sailing, playing guitar & piano and riding his motorcycle. While not traveling, Paul has a full time job. They have published the first in their series, Paul and Kiki's Guide to Vacationing in Italy and are now working on two more books in their series, including a guide for traveling in Thailand (to be released at the end of this year 2015) and also one to New Zealand and Australia (To be released in the Spring of 2016). Together, Paul and Kiki coauthor travel guide books. ![]() ![]() They have been to Italy five times and decided to share this last trip with you. Paul and Kiki Stuart live in Hawaii on the island of Oahu and are world travelers, going each year on two extensive vacation trips with each being over at least one ocean and a number of shorter excursions as well. ![]() ![]() ![]() I’m that guy who jokes about love and how settling down is overrated. But how do I save her when I can't even save myself? Read online ![]() For the first time in my life, I want to save someone. Even if that means destroying myself in the process.But what I didn't know was that she has nightmares of her own-because of me. ![]() But hope is what makes you weak, makes you think you can be better, and it's a lie.A man like me deserves to be alone forever because one day, I will come face to face with my past, and I will destroy it. I'll never be that man again.But there is one person who has always made me think there may be more to life than hatred and revenge. I wake up hating the world, and I go to sleep knowing that the memories of my past will visit me-remind me that I once was weak and a coward. The type of secrets that haunt your dreams at night. But Unforgettable can be read as a standalone.My name is Tate. Unforgettable is the fourth book in the Undescribable series Undescribable, Unbearable and Uncontrollable. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I remember Princess Margaret and I would make sandcastles and dig holes, hoping that people would fall into them. We used to meet the family on the beach, too. ![]() My father was an equerry to King George VI when he was Duke of York so, as a result, we were asked to Christmas parties and birthday parties at Buckingham Palace. The Queen was always very sensible-I think she was quite old for her age-and she was a wonderful older sister to Princess Margaret. I remember the late Queen coming down the steps, with her friends who were her age, and saying, "What are you doing, Anne and Margaret? Very naughty." We shrieked with laughter and pedaled off. We used to ride our tricycles in the hall. At Holkham, there was a big, marble hall that we weren't allowed to go into-but of course we did. Princess Margaret and I got on very well. My family home, Holkham Hall, is less than 20 miles from Sandringham, so Queen Mary used to bring Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret round when she visited. I first met Princess Margaret in 1936 when I was 3 and she was 5 years old. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() To have him just be part of the background now is a waste. ![]() Having not read The Rising, I'm sure much of the book was eaten up by Jim's quest to find his son at all costs. He's just along for the ride, adding nothing to the story - in fact, it must be a bit of a dissapointment for Danny to turn out to be nothing more than just a normal kid. ![]() The largest plot point from the previous book - the quest to find Danny - is resolved early on, and from that point on Danny becomes dead weight. All the build up, backstory, breakdown and plotting of the first book are in the past by the time the first few pages fly by (although some backstory, problems and unresolved issues do crop up in later chapters) leaving the reader with just "the payoff" - an outright battle between the teeming masses of the dead and the remaining few of the living. I've looked all over the front and back covers and inside pages, and there's nothing there to tell me this is a direct sequel to Brian Keene's The Rising.īut does that matter? In the case of City of the Dead, it turns out to be something of a plus. It's fast becoming a habit with me to pick up books that are either a sequel or part of a series, and not realize it until it's too late. ![]() ![]() ![]() The fourth essay examines marriage equality suggesting that those who oppose same-sex marriage are motivated by a desire to maintain traditional gender roles. She also draws symbolic parallels between Strauss-Kahn’s alleged actions and neo-colonial violence enacted by Western institutions like the IMF. She uses this encounter to explore the roles of gender, power, and privilege in enabling men to commit violence against women. The third essay continues to explore violence against women, focusing on the alleged sexual assault of Nafissatou Diallo, an African immigrant working as a hotel maid, by Dominique Strauss-Kahn, then director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). ![]() ![]() From this she concludes that tackling violence against women will require us to properly recognize the way gender roles and masculinity help perpetuate abuse. She observes that the vast majority of this violence is committed by men but that this pattern of gendered abuse is rarely recognized or discussed. The second essay explores violence against women, providing a variety of statistics that demonstrate the scale of rape, domestic violence, and other abuse in the U.S. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Beautifully written, honest, and moving, If Women Rose Rooted is a passionate song to a different kind of femininity, a rallying, feminist cry for the rewilding of womanhood reclaiming our role as guardians of the land. Described as both transformative and essential, Sharon Blackie leads the listener on a quest to find their place in the world, drawing inspiration from the wise and powerful females in native mythology, and guidance from contemporary women who have re-rooted themselves in land and community and taken responsibility for shaping the future. I sincerely hope every woman who can read has the time and space to read it." -Manda Scott, author of Boudica and A Treachery of Spies Like Women who Run with the Wolves, this is powerful rallying cry to women to embrace a different kind of femininity. The Imitation of the Rose by Clarice Lispector (isbn:9780241630846) Introducing Little Clothbound Classics- irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the worlds greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith The small incidents of life become moments. Sharon Blackie journeys from the wasteland of modern society to a place of nourishment and connection. ![]() In this life-changing book that blends myth, memoir, and modern-day mentors, renowned psychologist Dr. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Using the only resource she has to pay the brilliant musician back, Holland gets Calvin an audition with her uncle, Broadway’s hottest musical director. Calvin Mcloughlin rescues her, but quickly disappears when the police start asking questions. ![]() Lacking the nerve to actually talk to the gorgeous stranger, fate steps in one night in the form of a drunken attacker. inconvenient.įor months Holland Bakker has invented excuses to descend into the subway station near her apartment, drawn to the captivating music performed by her street musician crush. Modern love in all its thrill, hilarity, and uncertainty has never been so compulsively readable as in New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren’s Roomies. From subway to Broadway to happily ever after. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() One thing I really loved about Vampire Diariesis that it is a darker series where evil is always lurking. ![]() I had the combined volumes I used for the covers for this post so I really have a hard time differentiating the plot of each book because it just seems like one big story–which is what a series is really–but what I’m trying to say is that it is all one big blur so don’t ask me about individual books! I can’t remember if I read these books before or after Twilight I’m pretty sure it was after but definitely before the show first aired. There are a number of spin-offs that I have never read…find out why below… Also, I want to be clear that I am only rating the original 4 Vampire Diaries novels. PLEASE NOTE: First and foremost, I read these books a looooonnnngggg time ago. Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Vampires, Magic, Witches # of Books: 4 (The Awakening, The Struggle, The Fury, Dark Reunion) The Wikipedia page for the series has some interesting statements about how this series and the spin-offs are published. There are a number of spin-off series some written by L.J. Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below: ![]() ![]() **MISTER O is a standalone romantic comedy and it follows supporting characters first introduced in BIG ROCK** Looks like the real Adventures of Mister Orgasm have only just begun…. And for the first time ever, I’m not only thinking about how to make a woman cry out in pleasure –I’m thinking about how to keep her in my arms for a long time to come. The trouble is the more nights I spend with her in bed, the more days I want to spend with her out of bed. Not on that! Or if she gives me those f*&k-me-eyes on the train in front of her whole family. Or if the zipper on her dress gets stuck. ![]() No one will know, even if we send a few dirty sexts. What could possibly go wrong as I give the woman I’ve secretly wanted some no-strings-attached lessons in seduction? The only problem? She’s my best friend’s sister, but she’s far too tempting to resist–especially when I learn that sweet, sexy Harper, has a dirty mind too and wants to put it to good use. I suppose that makes me a superhero of pleasure, and my mission is to always deliver.īut then I’m thrown for a loop when a certain woman asks me to teach her everything about how to win a man. ![]() I’m talking toe-curling, mind-blowing, sheet-grabbing ecstasy. Making a woman feel ‘oh-god-that’s-good’ is the name of the game, and if a man can’t get the job done, he should get the hell out of the bedroom. From the NYT Bestselling author of BIG ROCK, comes a hot and hilarious new standalone… ![]() |