We may have received complimentary copies and/or review access to any books, products, and/or other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.
Books: So It Grows & The Zoo Lady
Today, we are talking about So It Grows by Andie Burke. Still in recovery from a trauma, Felicity moves to Kansas to take over the plant shop she inherited from her late aunt, where she is antagonized by the arrogant chef next door, Nic. When they are forced to join forces to keep a greedy developer from building a parking garage that will ruin their businesses, their relationship begins to blossom into something else that hopefully old secrets won't tear apart.
This book has a lot of heart. It is full of really good, caring, loving family, both the kind you're born with and the kind you choose.
Felicity is a very relatable heroine. She is extremely brave, feisty, and outspoken. Yet, she worries that she is too much.
Nic is really good for her. He is extremely supportive. On the other hand, his former actions border on the stalkerish. Realizing that you need to get yourself together before you can be with anybody else is admirable; to continue to lurk in the background of someone else's life once you have already done so is not.
The sex scenes in the book are extremely graphic, which may delight some readers and disturb others. The latter may also find it cringey and uncomfortable how we are privy to Felicity's every dirty thought about Nic. Thus, a large part of whether you will enjoy this book depends on how explicit you like your romance novels.
Today we are recommending The Zoo Lady by Sandra E. Bonura. This book thoroughly covers the life and career of the equally admirable and formidable Belle Benchley, the woman largely responsible for the growth and development of the San Diego Zoo into the revered institution it is today. Although she started as an executive secretary, she soon became the de facto zoo director, a position she held for almost thirty years without ever receiving the appropriate title or salary commensurate with her actual role.
On the one hand, her inspirational life and career clearly illustrate that a woman can be more than capable in a position of power. On the other hand, she had to fight for every achievement and was not always accepted or taken seriously by many of the men she dealt with, at least those outside of the zoo. Her employees loved her. She was a strict but fair leader who truly demonstrated deep love and concern for both the people who worked for her and the animals in her care.
Her deep love and respect for animals led to changes in how the zoo was run and its primary purpose. Her humane changes to how the zoo housed, fed, and cared for its animals not only provided a blueprint for the future of the San Diego Zoo, but also set the standard for zoos around the world. To her, the zoo was not about spectacle; it was about research, learning, and conservation.
Highlights of the book include chapters on the zoo's acquisitions of its first gorillas, giraffes, and koalas. It also includes numerous pictures from Belle's granddaughter's own private collection. If you are an animal lover, you will definitely want to read this heartwarming and inspiring true tale of the woman behind the rise of one of the world's most famous and beloved zoos.
Movie: UFOs and God
Today, we are talking about UFOs and God. This is a documentary that examines the phenomenon of UFOs from a theological standpoint. However, it is all just speculation. It doesn't really offer any real new insight into the topic and may be offensive to some people. If you are interested in exploring any alleged connection between UFO's and God, you may enjoy it. Otherwise, probably not.
And that's our view. So It Grows was published last Tuesday, September 22. The Zoo Lady will publish this Thursday, October 1. UFOs and God is available for purchase or rental digitally.
Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.
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