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Roxanne (13 KP) rated A Vegan Ethic: Embracing a Life of Compassion Toward All in Books
Nov 14, 2018
5 Stars _____
If I could give everyone a copy of this book to read, I would. Whether you are vegan, vegan curious, vegetarian or omni, this book is a must read. It just might change your life and also save many others.
<i>A person's "right" to eat whatever they want ends where another's life begins.</i>
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/bsG83K/cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277.jpg"; alt="cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277" border="0">
I'm currently going through some lifestyle changes which include removing meat from my diet and reducing the amount of diary I consume considerably. My reasons for doing this is (1) for the animals and (2) for health reasons. I was introduced to veganism through my mum's partner and his brother, for this I am very grateful.
When it comes to veganism I knew the basics, not consuming any animal products, that was pretty much it...and to be honest I thought that was all of it. Oh how wrong I was...how very very wrong...and you know what? I'm glad I was wrong as I have learnt so much more. I learnt how being an ethical vegan includes not just animal rights but human rights as well, including racism, sexism, homophobia and feminism.
I feel that it's really important that we're exposed to how things work behind closed doors, how animals are really treated, rather than being lied to by the media. Oh here's an advert featuring a happy cow...umm...no, that is NOT a happy cow. That is a cow whose whole life purpose is to produce milk and end up on a plate.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/eDyKtK/25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380.jpg"; alt="25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380" border="0">
This is a very well researched book which has been well thought out, the references are well organised which allows you to do further reading into veganism and best of all it's not preachy, it's factual.
In conclusion, if you were to read any book this year please make it this one.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/kjnvYK/go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1.png"; alt="go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1" border="0">
If I could give everyone a copy of this book to read, I would. Whether you are vegan, vegan curious, vegetarian or omni, this book is a must read. It just might change your life and also save many others.
<i>A person's "right" to eat whatever they want ends where another's life begins.</i>
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/bsG83K/cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277.jpg"; alt="cute_cow_pictures_15_360x277" border="0">
I'm currently going through some lifestyle changes which include removing meat from my diet and reducing the amount of diary I consume considerably. My reasons for doing this is (1) for the animals and (2) for health reasons. I was introduced to veganism through my mum's partner and his brother, for this I am very grateful.
When it comes to veganism I knew the basics, not consuming any animal products, that was pretty much it...and to be honest I thought that was all of it. Oh how wrong I was...how very very wrong...and you know what? I'm glad I was wrong as I have learnt so much more. I learnt how being an ethical vegan includes not just animal rights but human rights as well, including racism, sexism, homophobia and feminism.
I feel that it's really important that we're exposed to how things work behind closed doors, how animals are really treated, rather than being lied to by the media. Oh here's an advert featuring a happy cow...umm...no, that is NOT a happy cow. That is a cow whose whole life purpose is to produce milk and end up on a plate.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/eDyKtK/25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380.jpg"; alt="25118785_Grunge_rubber_stamp_with_text_No_Meat_vector_illustration_Stock_Vector_1080x380" border="0">
This is a very well researched book which has been well thought out, the references are well organised which allows you to do further reading into veganism and best of all it's not preachy, it's factual.
In conclusion, if you were to read any book this year please make it this one.
<img src="https://image.ibb.co/kjnvYK/go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1.png"; alt="go_vegan_for_the_animals_i_14138563044114138520_x_20_w_520_m_1" border="0">
David McK (3425 KP) rated The Four Feathers in Books
Jan 28, 2019
'Every man would be a coward where he but brave enough' is a quote that I thought came from this novel.
Turns out I was wrong on both counts - the actual quote is 'For all men would be cowards if they durst', and was actually written by John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester in his poem "A Satyr against Reason and Mankind" roughly 2 centuries before the publication of this novel.
It's also a line that Mason, ad the others of his generation, would have had absolutely no understanding of and would (probably) have been vehemently against, as depicted in the events of this story.
This story starts on the eve of his regiment sailing off to fight in Sudan, when Harry Feversham resigns his commission, having just gotten engaged to his fiancee. When his 'friends' find out they send him three white feathers - the symbols of cowardice - which he receives in the company of that fiancee, who adds a fourth.
In a bid to retain his honour - valued above all else by the Colonial British of the time - Harry hatches a plan to go under-cover to Sudan, looking for opportunities to prove his bravery to those friends and (finally) his fiancee so they will take their feather back.
(Personally, I don't know why he didn't just do the same as Nobby Nobs in [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg]'s [b:Jingo|47990|Jingo (Discworld, #21)|Terry Pratchett|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327921813s/47990.jpg|1128623], and save said feathers for a mattress ... )
The result is very much a book of its time, very much a 'boys-own' story of Harry and his daring escapades in the Sudan. It's also very much so a novel that needs read with that in mind: to modern minds, the entire premise might seem a little rickety (would someone really go to those extremes just to 'prove' their bravery?), but such was the mores of the day.
Turns out I was wrong on both counts - the actual quote is 'For all men would be cowards if they durst', and was actually written by John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester in his poem "A Satyr against Reason and Mankind" roughly 2 centuries before the publication of this novel.
It's also a line that Mason, ad the others of his generation, would have had absolutely no understanding of and would (probably) have been vehemently against, as depicted in the events of this story.
This story starts on the eve of his regiment sailing off to fight in Sudan, when Harry Feversham resigns his commission, having just gotten engaged to his fiancee. When his 'friends' find out they send him three white feathers - the symbols of cowardice - which he receives in the company of that fiancee, who adds a fourth.
In a bid to retain his honour - valued above all else by the Colonial British of the time - Harry hatches a plan to go under-cover to Sudan, looking for opportunities to prove his bravery to those friends and (finally) his fiancee so they will take their feather back.
(Personally, I don't know why he didn't just do the same as Nobby Nobs in [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg]'s [b:Jingo|47990|Jingo (Discworld, #21)|Terry Pratchett|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327921813s/47990.jpg|1128623], and save said feathers for a mattress ... )
The result is very much a book of its time, very much a 'boys-own' story of Harry and his daring escapades in the Sudan. It's also very much so a novel that needs read with that in mind: to modern minds, the entire premise might seem a little rickety (would someone really go to those extremes just to 'prove' their bravery?), but such was the mores of the day.
David McK (3425 KP) rated Star Wars: Bloodline in Books
Jan 30, 2019
By and large, most of the Star Wars books to date (including in the old EU), have pretty much belonged to the 'boys club', dfocusing more on the male characters (Han, Luke, the X-Wing pilots, etc) than on their female contemporaries.
I think that's to be expected, given the predominantly male targer audience of the film series - an expectation that Disney themselves are trying to shake up, both in the new films (both of which - The Force Awakens and Rogue One - , so far, have female leads), and in the wider media, as can be shown by their 'Princess Leia' series of comics.
This follows(?) (or did it come first?) in the latter footsteps, with nary a sign of Luke and Han only popping in to give Leia a hand towards the climax of the novel.
Set in the period between the end of 'Return of the Jedi' and the start of 'The Force Awakens', this also seeks to bridge the gap between those two films, providing a bit of background to the history of The First Order and explaining why, if Leia was part of the Rebellion which toppled the Empire, just why she is now a key member in The Resistance - the Resistance to what, I hear you ask? This answers that question.
It's not a bad read by any strecth of the imagination - according to Goodreads own rating system, 2 stars is a 'I liked it'; I just personally found this a slower, somewhat heavier read than [a:Claudia Gray|1192311|Claudia Gray|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234643683p2/1192311.jpg]'s other Star Wars title: '[b:Lost Stars|25067046|Lost Stars (Star Wars Journey to the Force Awakens)|Claudia Gray|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462731623s/25067046.jpg|44751860]';. And yes, I'm aware that this is aimed at a different audience.
How best to put it? I didn't find myself reading this quite so much in my spare time on the bus on the way to work!
I think that's to be expected, given the predominantly male targer audience of the film series - an expectation that Disney themselves are trying to shake up, both in the new films (both of which - The Force Awakens and Rogue One - , so far, have female leads), and in the wider media, as can be shown by their 'Princess Leia' series of comics.
This follows(?) (or did it come first?) in the latter footsteps, with nary a sign of Luke and Han only popping in to give Leia a hand towards the climax of the novel.
Set in the period between the end of 'Return of the Jedi' and the start of 'The Force Awakens', this also seeks to bridge the gap between those two films, providing a bit of background to the history of The First Order and explaining why, if Leia was part of the Rebellion which toppled the Empire, just why she is now a key member in The Resistance - the Resistance to what, I hear you ask? This answers that question.
It's not a bad read by any strecth of the imagination - according to Goodreads own rating system, 2 stars is a 'I liked it'; I just personally found this a slower, somewhat heavier read than [a:Claudia Gray|1192311|Claudia Gray|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234643683p2/1192311.jpg]'s other Star Wars title: '[b:Lost Stars|25067046|Lost Stars (Star Wars Journey to the Force Awakens)|Claudia Gray|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462731623s/25067046.jpg|44751860]';. And yes, I'm aware that this is aimed at a different audience.
How best to put it? I didn't find myself reading this quite so much in my spare time on the bus on the way to work!
David McK (3425 KP) rated The Blade Itself in Books
Jan 28, 2019
So, 'The Blade Itself'.
Like some other of these sprawling epic fantasies, this was a novel that, while I'd heard of it and had heard good things, I'd never actually got round to reading: put off, perhaps, by the sheer size of it?
That is, I'd never read it until now.
Following a group of disparate characters who eventually, by the end of the novel, more-or-less come together (in the same geographical location) or, at least, very obviously heading towards doing so, I have to say that I did quite enjoy it.
While I was initially concerned that the book may drag a bit (again, due to the sheer size ...), thankfully this did not prove to be the case. OK, there may have been certain sections that (IMO) it would have been better where they pruned somewhat, overall the story did move along well enough, and did hold my attention.
Like a heavy dinner, however, I think I may need a break before moving onto the next ([b: Before They Are Hanged|902715|Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)|Joe Abercrombie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1179318094s/902715.jpg|2116927]): two back-to-back is one too many!
Like some other of these sprawling epic fantasies, this was a novel that, while I'd heard of it and had heard good things, I'd never actually got round to reading: put off, perhaps, by the sheer size of it?
That is, I'd never read it until now.
Following a group of disparate characters who eventually, by the end of the novel, more-or-less come together (in the same geographical location) or, at least, very obviously heading towards doing so, I have to say that I did quite enjoy it.
While I was initially concerned that the book may drag a bit (again, due to the sheer size ...), thankfully this did not prove to be the case. OK, there may have been certain sections that (IMO) it would have been better where they pruned somewhat, overall the story did move along well enough, and did hold my attention.
Like a heavy dinner, however, I think I may need a break before moving onto the next ([b: Before They Are Hanged|902715|Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)|Joe Abercrombie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1179318094s/902715.jpg|2116927]): two back-to-back is one too many!
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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Confession (David de Morrissey, #3) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
It's been many years since i read books 1 and 2 of this series and as much as i wanted to read them all together, it took me a long time to find them in paperback considering how old they are (1992). Because of their age, they are rather old fashioned in style, using terms like "vampiress" and it took me quite a bit to get back into. Once i got past the first third of the book, I was used to it and though it took me a while, i got into the series again.
I feel a little bad for Darienne, though i do think she brought it on herself and the fact that she's off to London is not looking good. As for David and Veronica, I'm happy for them. It's taken three books but they're finally getting their HAE.
And because they got their HAE, I'm confused by book 4, [b:Eternity|1935575|Eternity (David de Morrissey, #4)|Lori Herter|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1317366813s/1935575.jpg|1938087]. I always assumed it would be David and Veronica as vampires spending eternity together, but maybe it has something to to with Darienne?
I'm off to go find out.
I feel a little bad for Darienne, though i do think she brought it on herself and the fact that she's off to London is not looking good. As for David and Veronica, I'm happy for them. It's taken three books but they're finally getting their HAE.
And because they got their HAE, I'm confused by book 4, [b:Eternity|1935575|Eternity (David de Morrissey, #4)|Lori Herter|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1317366813s/1935575.jpg|1938087]. I always assumed it would be David and Veronica as vampires spending eternity together, but maybe it has something to to with Darienne?
I'm off to go find out.
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graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Blast from the Past (Where Are They Now? #3) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
In this third entry into the Where Are They Now? series, Tilda Harper finds herself doubting her abilities as a journalist after two unfortunate incidents go awry. Invited to meet and interview the star of the movie, which itself is based on a comic from the eighties that is now a cult classic, Tilda sets off. As she interviews the star, John Laryea, who was also in a musical-adventure television show as a teen, and various others involved with the film project, she witnesses the hit-and-run of Laryea and his assistant. While she discovers who was behind that "accident" and works to clear the main suspect's name, she also is hired to find out who Leviathan, the mysterious creator of the classic comic book series, Pharos, actually is.
A smart main character, Tilda may make some mistakes but she's never dumb and never annoying. She goes about her work in a very professional way even if she may have some sarcastic thoughts about someone or something. I really do like her, she's not a silly nitwit who gets by on luck or relies on a guy. The cast of characters are, as usual, interesting and incorporated very well into the plot. Along with the new faces, some familiar ones are here as well. Cooper, Tilda's best friend who always brings some lightheartedness, isn't as prominent in this book as he has been in the others, I believe it's only through phone conversations, but luckily the book doesn't suffer because of this. Tilda's sister, June is in it for a short amount of time that doesn't diminish her repartee with Tilda. Nick (Tilda's former and maybe future love interest) and his dad, Dom, are the two who feature predominantly since Dom's company is in charge of the film's security. Following the pattern of each book, a new roommate is introduced, though I'm sure she'll be gone by the next outing, this time the roommate is an animal collector, the latest being a snake Tilda's not too fond of.
The two plots are well-paced and complement each other nicely. Pretty much every page of the book was interesting, with clues so subtly embedded I didn't always pick up on them, that it held my attention to the very end. I love the concept of this series and while I liked the previous books, I believe this may just be the best one to date and hope there are many more to come.
Series order:
[b:Curse of the Kissing Cousins|2384227|Curse of the Kissing Cousins (Where are They Now?, #1)|Toni L.P. Kelner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266777949s/2384227.jpg|2391239]
[b:Who Killed the Pinup Queen?|7518303|Who Killed the Pinup Queen? (Where are They Now?, #2)|Toni L.P. Kelner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1277167352s/7518303.jpg|9733117]
[b:Blast from the Past|8592435|Blast from the Past (Where Are They Now? #3)|Toni L. P. Kelner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327922876s/8592435.jpg|13462058]
A smart main character, Tilda may make some mistakes but she's never dumb and never annoying. She goes about her work in a very professional way even if she may have some sarcastic thoughts about someone or something. I really do like her, she's not a silly nitwit who gets by on luck or relies on a guy. The cast of characters are, as usual, interesting and incorporated very well into the plot. Along with the new faces, some familiar ones are here as well. Cooper, Tilda's best friend who always brings some lightheartedness, isn't as prominent in this book as he has been in the others, I believe it's only through phone conversations, but luckily the book doesn't suffer because of this. Tilda's sister, June is in it for a short amount of time that doesn't diminish her repartee with Tilda. Nick (Tilda's former and maybe future love interest) and his dad, Dom, are the two who feature predominantly since Dom's company is in charge of the film's security. Following the pattern of each book, a new roommate is introduced, though I'm sure she'll be gone by the next outing, this time the roommate is an animal collector, the latest being a snake Tilda's not too fond of.
The two plots are well-paced and complement each other nicely. Pretty much every page of the book was interesting, with clues so subtly embedded I didn't always pick up on them, that it held my attention to the very end. I love the concept of this series and while I liked the previous books, I believe this may just be the best one to date and hope there are many more to come.
Series order:
[b:Curse of the Kissing Cousins|2384227|Curse of the Kissing Cousins (Where are They Now?, #1)|Toni L.P. Kelner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266777949s/2384227.jpg|2391239]
[b:Who Killed the Pinup Queen?|7518303|Who Killed the Pinup Queen? (Where are They Now?, #2)|Toni L.P. Kelner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1277167352s/7518303.jpg|9733117]
[b:Blast from the Past|8592435|Blast from the Past (Where Are They Now? #3)|Toni L. P. Kelner|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327922876s/8592435.jpg|13462058]
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David McK (3425 KP) rated A Ship of War (Charles Hayden, #3) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The third novel in Sean Thomas Russell's <i>Charles Hayden</i> series (after [b:Under Enemy Colours] and [b:A Battle Won|7977384|A Battle Won (Charles Hayden, #2)|S. Thomas Russell|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348601989s/7977384.jpg|12314972]) which, I have to say, I did not enjoy as much as either of the previous two.
A large reason for that, perhaps, is that I spent roughly about the first half of the book trying to remember what had happened previously, particularly in relation to Hayden's private life! As such, I wouldn't recommend this as the first novel to read in the series: although it is (eventually) cleared up over the course of the events, having some clear idea of just why the characters are acting the way they are/even who they are does help immeasurably.
While it largely alternates between events at home and on the sea, this novel can also be split into several distinct sections: the first section dealing with Hayden (aboard his ship <i>Themis</i>) blockade of France, and his attempts to get back to England with news of vital import, the next section with shipwreck and recovery in France and the final section with the battle of 'The Glorious First of June'.
And yes, some of that has been covered before (and, IMO, better) in CS Forester's famous <i>Hornblower</i> series.
A large reason for that, perhaps, is that I spent roughly about the first half of the book trying to remember what had happened previously, particularly in relation to Hayden's private life! As such, I wouldn't recommend this as the first novel to read in the series: although it is (eventually) cleared up over the course of the events, having some clear idea of just why the characters are acting the way they are/even who they are does help immeasurably.
While it largely alternates between events at home and on the sea, this novel can also be split into several distinct sections: the first section dealing with Hayden (aboard his ship <i>Themis</i>) blockade of France, and his attempts to get back to England with news of vital import, the next section with shipwreck and recovery in France and the final section with the battle of 'The Glorious First of June'.
And yes, some of that has been covered before (and, IMO, better) in CS Forester's famous <i>Hornblower</i> series.
