travlbug

Thanks for your input. (California law is not so straightforward, and I have no idea about Australian law at all.) I presume that the insurance would need to go after the perps, not the father, who bears no actual liability in this matter, and that it would be out of luck if the children had no money in their own name. 🤔

Nice to have a wealthy Dad who tries to buy the court's leniency (not that he got it). However, if he was hoping for leniency, then at least no drugs or smuggling goods were found to compound the joyriding/ theft/ vandalizing charges, and the perps must have otherwise had clean records. (Maybe the rich, bored kids will find something better to do with their time in the future.) The good news--Jordan will receive a bigger, better yacht! The bad news--higher insurance costs, higher mooring fees, and higher crew costs (though Jordan does not seem to be bothered in this regard and even spends the money for refreshments and a temporary crew for an afternoon sailing! He appears to have more funds than we previously thought, so his restoration of the prior cat may have been a labor of love and not necessity.) I am somewhat confused about the insurance on Sheila: If Jordan is provided with compensation through the courts, is he also still eligible for the compensation he paid for through the insurance? (If so, it would be like receiving a double payment for Sheila's demise, so maybe that's where the extra funds to cover the new ship are coming from.) “Sorry to rush you, but I do have other things to do today,” the yacht club staff member said to us, bringing us out of our daze. At first, the staff member appears rude, but when we discover that Carter is actually the skipper for today's sailing, we realize that he is simply being mischievous and playing with the family. A lovely end to a satisfying chapter!

Hubby and I just got back from the Costa Mesa (Orange County) County Fair in Southern California (such a fun day!). Then, to find this story is the icing on the cake! (Did I mention the cake judging? I have pictures…. 😂) The name Reza Farzan suggests Middle Eastern ancestry, despite his living in Guildford, and his GCSE exams indicate a British upbringing. Clearly, Naples is new territory for him, but he'd rather pay attention to his phone and girlfriend than his new surroundings. (He's a teen, all right!) He's obviously discontented with being on the trip (amusing, as the dictionary says that his name means contentment): As his exasperated father says, "...Who judges a place by its airport?" 😂😂😂 Despite his snap judgment, Reza starts to thaw towards Ravello fairly quickly – a good thing, if he wants to enjoy his vacation. And Reza, if you look at the boys, it's only fair that they look at you back…. 😉

I'm with Elijah on this one: If Huntington is a "big bad (kitty 😂)," then I doubt if Kage's boss could really cause him to back off. Rather, he'd tell the boss what he wants to hear and pursue his goals in a more clandestine fashion. (Elijah's language is a bit more colorful! 💩) "[Kage's] McBroodiness outweiged his McSexiness by an unfair margin." Best line in the chapter. 😂🤣😁 "Elijah never saw the point of race cars going round and round in an endless circle." Try hamster wheels! 😉 (At least, the hamsters look cute!) And to give equal time to guinea pigs, happy Guinea Pig Appreciation Day! “Do you believe in unicorns?” Kaya wanted to know. “Of course.” Children ask the important questions. Meatloaf war: A single bead of sweat, and Kage goes down in flames! (Mama wins! 😂😂😂) I love this chapter: it's the humorous respite we all needed before the bad stuff starts happening again. And of course, Elijah is an excellent camper: With Kage's help, he's had plenty of practice in pitching a tent. 😏

Exciting chapter. Rather than abandon the catamaran, the thieves choose to assault a policeman (wow!) in order to steal the yacht a second time. Yet, why would they do such a thing? They may have wanted to retrieve their loot if it were still hidden on board. Then, they may have abandoned the cat, purposely beaching it on the reef, to get rid of the evidence. (I'll bet that a dinghy is missing from the wreckage, and I doubt that they'll find any bodies either!) The next step may be to search the shoreline for an abandoned dinghy. Poor Jordan! A possible solution is for Jordan and Zac to pool their resources, buy another fixer-upper, and work at restoring it together.

"Will you tell me what your boss said?" …Kage was pretty sure his boss didn’t want his words and opinions repeated, but fuck him. …Kage nodded. Kage's transition to the "Elijah" side is now complete…. 😂😂😂 "I’ve seen how Tyler’s mother looks at you. It’s the exact same look she gets when she’s looking at Tyler. You’re not like one of her own kids, you are one of them." Awww. Best line in the chapter! 🥰 "I can’t imagine any reason why a parent would give up their child." I wonder if Kage ever tried to track down his own parents. (I wouldn't be shocked to find that the fae actually kidnapped him to perform his present work and that he wasn't abandoned like he was told. [The fae have this thing about changelings….] I see that @84Mags had the same general idea, but I write my posts before reading the others and will keep the comment because I think it's important.) "...When had a cart full of groceries gotten as expensive as a car payment?" Tell it like it is, Sister! 🤑 As for the sex scenes, I'm too young to comment.... 😉😏

The theft of Sheila is not a simple joyride, as someone has purposely changed her name. (Jordan's friends are not very good caretakers, and the police will investigate if they are complicit in the theft.) The investigation has just started, but the marina should have records as to who has rented the slip. Further, the police are likely to keep the ship under surveillance in case the thieves return. Jordan has kindly given Zac permission to live on the ship, but this would be a dead give-away to the thieves and likely scare them off: Zac won't be able to take Jordan up on his offer until after the thieves are caught.

Kage is raised as an assassin, but in his early days, does he ever say "no" to his adopted family? If so, what are the consequences for his disobedience? Does Kage ever try to run away (and with what result)? Is he an eager student or a coerced one? Does the adopted family have some hold over Kage even now to force compliance, or has he been so brainwashed as to think that no other life is possible for him? (The boss may want Elijah "gone," not because of an advantage to the case at hand, but because Elijah opens the door to other life alternatives [caring/ affection/ love] that may wrest Kage from the family's control. )

"In time, Tani would be capable of uniting the two clans and holding them together, becoming an everlasting Emperor." After his thousand years of punishment, Tani is not likely to be well disposed to the Immortal Clan, and doubtless, the Immortal Clan would feel uncomfortable being ruled by its victim. Unification may not proceed as Anit hopes. “You still can’t look at me.” Anit decides to "make it up" to Tani when he moves back to the Ekho realm, but it's a bad situation where one has to depend on the future to rectify today's mistakes. (Now would be better. [Just sayin'.]) Nela Bao--l'm seeing visions of Nela stuffed into a bun! Sorry, Sui (char Sui bao?! I must be hungry! ). The Anael Sentinel Branch has retained the same man as head of the branch for nearly one thousand years (the time of Tani's punishment–not suspicious at all!) despite the mandate that sentinel heads change every three years. Further, "those opposed to the continued reign of the same Anael leader have gone missing in mysterious ways." Yet, Nela remains unconcerned (is she an idiot?), saying that the "branches have a right to run their houses as they see fit." Really? But the branch is not being run as it seems fit; rather, a ruthless dictator has taken over, suppressing (killing?) all rivals. I would actually be suspicious of Nela for her view, but Anit trusts her implicitly. (That's a good thing, right? ) Ah, a quest: “It’s been a long time since I was in the Zona Forest,” Anit murmured. “I do not know what you will find, but I want to know what triggered those branches. The Immortal Lord bestowed good fortune upon them. They will have survived all this while. Trace the source of their malice.” Suddenly, after thousands of years, Anit has become suspicious of the circumstances leading to her rescue by Sunu. Interestingly, Sunu has become suspicious at the exact same time (odd, I know, and I wonder at the timing). Neta and Kinon may actually find themselves working together to figure out the original assault. The conspiracy revealed: "[Zal] had planned so carefully. Tani’s beloved always chose the mortal woman. If he refused to return to Viola, then the mortal would die at the hands of Lua. …If his plan were to play out right, Tani Ryuzo would end up in the Citadel in the Immortal Clan, or in the god of calamity’s domain. He would be too broken with loss to think of his birthright for centuries, and Anit would have no heir to take on the fox clan. …Zal would be the only option left to take over from Anit." Sadly, the Big Bad turns out to be a megalomaniac/psychopath with delusions of grandeur. He may have a devious mind (definitely godlike) but he doesn't have the power, which he will find out quickly if his plan succeeds. (He should recall the showdown between Nua and the Dragon Clan and ask how he would have fared in Nua's place. Or don't megalomaniac think that far ahead?) Further, his logic may be faulty, and Anit may never consider him as heir. (What would he do if she passed over him?) OK, Sui, why is Zal and Anit's father named after the Thai word for beef (Nua)? I'm beginning to see a trend…. (Either that, or I'm in desperate need of breakfast! ) Uh oh, Dante is approaching 36: Lua is likely to attempt his murder at any time! Tani's presence shocks Dante's father, but Tani himself is not shocked. Apparently, the breakfast conversation is about to get interesting!

While the last chapter includes dramatic action, the present chapter is a character study of our three principles, and it's the perfect vehicle for Elijah and Kage to share their knowledge about the werewolves, traffickers, and Huntington. Everyone is now on the same page. I love that Tyler is perceptive enough to see what's going on between Elijah an Kage and that he feels compelled to give the "don't hurt him" big brother speech. While even Kage sees the likelihood he'll hurt Elijah, Elijah himself sees the best in Kage, so we'll have to see if Elijah can redeem him. (Of course he can! ) Again, someone seems more intent on making a hit...er, statement...than finding the laptop. If Huntington set a trap to see if someone would steal the laptop, then the laptop itself may be a decoy--a meaningless dummy--and the deaths intended as a message not to cross him. (Could the parents have been killed by one set of perps and the house trashed by another?) That said, the parents may have been completely unaware (or not) of the laptop, which may reside--at least, theoretically-- in the garaged Bel Air that the characters continue to ignore! (I'm sure Kage's boss has seen the Garrison's will, so he must be aware of the car as a potential hiding place!) Also, if the laptop were hidden in the car, and the Garrison's didn't put it there, then we have another, as yet unknown, player working against Huntington (but who doesn't care if he implicates innocents... ).

All good things come to an end, but it was fun to visit the cattle station with Jordan and Zac! Congratulations to Zac on being made a watch leader! A shame that he can't join Jordan for the cruise leaving from Freemantle (it couldn't hurt to ask his family if he can fly to New Zealand a day later.... ). Hmmm. Moving Sheila closer to Zac is a great excuse for Jordan to see him more often. While sounding facetious about Jordan making a pass, Zac clearly sees through to Jordan's intent; and rather than sounding offended or upset, he calls his friend "Jordie" for the first time. "...Unfortunately, I will have to wait for over a year before I can actually do anything physical." If there was any previous ambiguity about his intent, Jordan has just dispelled it; and Zac actually blushes. (So cute!) Perhaps it's time for both of them to consider telling their families....

California used to have huge ranchos in the mid 1700s and 1800s, though all that's left of most of them is the adobe ranch house (which I think would be the equivalent of an Australian station homestead), and you can still visit or tour quite a few of them. I would love to visit a working station to see how they function in the present day. I love that Quokka brings up the School of the Air, as I hadn't given much thought as to how the kids are educated in remote areas. (I suppose boarding school might work for some, though the School of the Air seems like a more practical solution.) Bad weather on the horizon, so no catamaran ride after all, though Zac has indeed been offered a future position as Sheila's crew member! Hope the weather doesn't impact the STS Leeuwin's next tour (though come to think of it, bad weather on the ship is probably viewed as simply part of the learning experience!).

Zac has a groupie! (Apparently, Jordan likes his singing. ) Quite the compliment: The skipper asks Zac to stay on another week! (By the time he gets to his next STS trainee posting, he'll be so far beyond what it can teach him, he might as well cancel and look for a more advanced position!) You don't usually think of a cattle station and a yacht at the same time, but Jordan has managed to combine the two. And the yacht is just about finished, and it likely requires a crew of two, and Zac will no longer need the training position he's reserved for the next holiday.... I wonder where this is going....

Lucky! Zac's offer for a volunteer spot on the STS Leeuwin is heaven sent--or at least "Jordan sent!" (Nice of Jordan to think of him. ) Further, this voyage--where Zac is working as crew--may help him decide how much he actually enjoys sailing (when it's more a job than a holiday! ). 🎵 What shall we do with a drunken sailor....🎶 Ah, the skipper has caught Zac (in another crow's nest performance) playing a shanty and has requested him to play for the trainees. But don't worry, Zac, no one would think of recording you! (Hahahaha!!!)

Funeral "service coordinator?" That's like calling a physician a health care provider. And buying a funeral "package" just sounds weird. "...Knowing Kage was close by gave [Elijah] an unexpected feeling of comfort…." Killers will do that to you…. 😏 (Actually, "Kage was… hard to explain." You got that right, though maybe it has to do with "Kage's strong arms!" 😂😂😂) That said, Elijah is very lucky to have a friend like Tyler (and his family) to ground him. "Whatever Fate decided to cross a Mexican with an Italian deserved a medal." The food gods were going for gold! (Dibs on dessert. ) Wow! Kage stops a hit on Elijah (and Tyler). Since the attempt is outside Tyler's apartment, the bad guys must be tailing Elijah as well (to know his temporary living arrangements). Yet, why try to kill him? If he knows where the laptop is (which he doesn't), then they destroy a possible source of information. (Guys, don't be surprised if the apartment is trashed!) Alternatively, maybe the hit is in revenge for Elijah's work with the Montana werewolves. Perhaps Kage will have some insight for them....

Actually, the meaning may not be in the present but in the future: I can imagine a great English historian of Italian culture being asked what prompted his love for Italy; and in consequence, his thoughts drift back to his teen years and a certain idyllic week spent in Ravello....

I'll wait. ❤️

Yes, tongue in cheek . However, minor ideas can make for great short stories (not everything has to be a book), and I accept crumbs....

Even though their mission is an important one, our Ravello Irregulars start it with ice cream. (They're still young teens, after all! ) Interestingly, as they discuss Marco's whereabouts, Emilia and Giaco turn to Dani for guidance: They instinctively realize that he may understand Marco's thinking better than they can, despite their longer association.They also feel that Dani should "talk to him first"--be their spokesman–probably for the same reason. Giaco continues to express some doubt about Marco rejoining their group, and I have to wonder if he feels concern about possible competition for Dani's attention. (Of course he does! ) I love that Emilia–not Dani–is the one who stands up for Marco at this point, saying, "We’ve been stupid. Marco does belong with us." Patrizia drops a bombshell: Marco actually visits the house looking for Daniele. It seems that he, too, wishes to salvage their friendship; but in his damaged state, how long will he be open to Dani's overtures? (I love that James adds a time constraint–and thus a bit of tension–to the search for Marco: i.e., he turns it into a race. Clearly, Dani feels the pressure: "This, he felt, was his moment. What little faith Marco had left in him was probably at breaking point by now. He suspected it was now or never." Beautifully said!) Now that the friends are about to find Marco, Giacomo has his own "now or never" moment: "...I’d better make the most of the time we still have together,” he said, tightening his grip on Daniele’s hand. “You’re still my best friend, Giaco,” Daniele assured him. Still, Giaco confesses his worry: "...When are we going to have all those times we promised each other? You know, when it’s just the two of us?" "I love you, too," Daniele said lightly. In the final analysis, Marco doesn't subtract from what Giaco and Dani share (whatever that is), and their relationship will continue to grow along its own path and in its own time. Dani finds Marco by lantern light; and in that light, Marco asks the most important questions: "Why are you really here, Dani? …What’s with all the little notes…? What do you want from me?" And Dani's response couldn't be more perfect: Tentatively, he reached for the smaller boy’s hand. Marco looked down in faint wonder as Daniele took it gently in his own. He leaned in and placed a quick kiss on the smaller boy’s tear-stained cheek. "…I’m not ready for more than this, just now," Daniele said. "I’m not even sure who, or how exactly… but… maybe, one day. Right now… I just know I need my friends." When Marco accepts his plea and the friends reunite, the world comes back into "balance" (and the reader grabs for the tissue box). Yet, change is in the air! Claudia departs for college. Sami's placement remains temporary (though "temporary" placements can last a long time!). Toto and Michele will still need to navigate a long-distance relationship. And as for Emilia, Giaco, Marco, and Dani, only time will tell (but then, they have a lot of time ahead of them). Clearly, the Ravello saga will require many additional books to address the t̶e̶a̶s̶e̶r̶s̶ scenarios our author has thoughtfully provided (and why provide them except to wet our appetites for more!) Thank you, James, for yet another wonderful sojourn into Ravello (and into youth. [It's easy to forget just how hard growing up can be.]) I've enjoyed the book immensely, and I'm already greedy for more! Till the next time we meet in Ravello's ancient Square….

Apparently, Zac has sailing in his blood, and he's thrilled with the idea of a new tall ship adventure. (He has good parents!) Jordan may simply be a "hugger," so I need to know if he hugs any of the other sailing students (or just Zac ). "...I had totally forgotten about hiding my musical talent." @Freemantleman asks, "Why would you hide the fact you can sing well & can sing in Italian???" The answer: So you don't get asked to perform. You don't have to worry about an audience in the shower (at least, not usually!), but apparently, you do have to worry about performances in the crow's nest: You just know that, somehow, his singing ability will come back to bite him! (His family may be fooled--or not--but the cat is out of the bag! )

Ah, so life goes on, and the trimaran has vanished into the sunset. However, Dad has been sneaky, holding on to the sailing lessons certificate just in case. (I wonder if he knew that the STS Leeuwin would be in town for their holiday.... )

Hmmm. The trimaran is a great fixer upper, but it proves too good to be true. In a classic bait-and-switch, Eric now tells Zac that his money–far from buying the yacht–will give him only a one-eighth interest with no control. In fact, Eric has arranged for himself to own a 75% interest in the yacht; and considering his business tactics, I think that Zac should be leery of joining any venture which includes Eric as the principle. (Unless he's an idiot, Eric knows exactly what he's done.) While I can understand his disappointment (and I do believe that he has been taken advantage of), Zac reacts childishly and shirks his responsibility to his new job. Now, he has neither a trimaran nor summer employment, and his character has taken a bruising. It's hard to see where we go from here.

I have caught a grand total of two fish in my life (at the long-gone Knott's Berry Farm trout pond), and the closest I've come to being a fisherman is reading Captains Courageous when I was a teen. That said, I can imagine Zac's excitement when offered his new position. Further, in view of his prior summer job, he likely has a good idea of what he's getting into, without romanticizing it. A trimaran! If Zac was concerned about having his parents agree to the purchase, their gift of advanced sail lessons certainly puts that issue to rest. Just one little problem–Mack is asking $4500, and Zac has only $3500. So what can be done about the missing $1000?

Marco is still nowhere to be found; and Dani, as always, focuses on his missing friend's emotional state, especially after he finds the destroyed portrait: "...Why had the other boy torn the picture in two? Had he been unhappy with his drawing? Or was it Daniele himself he was unhappy with?" A flash of insight decides Dani to write a compliment (using the word love, no less) onto the portrait, providing the emotionally needy Marco with the support he craves. (Dani instinctively uses Marco's need for validation as a tool to breach his walls. No doubt he sees his action as supportive, rather than manipulative, but Dani is a born psychologist!) Yay for Sami! Marco may still be searching for love, but Sami has found a temporary haven. Wonderful to see that Gianni and Angelo have love enough to spare for a child, but the unfairness of the gay adoption ban is made even more stark when painted in human terms. "...Anyway, we’re not the sort of family he really needs. Sami was raised a Muslim, and we know next to nothing about his culture, or how to support him in his faith." I have seen this argument before and am not swayed by it: Kids become "non adoptable" if parents with the "right" background never come forward, and I'd rather see a child raised with an additional culture than with no parents. (But that's just me.) Finally, the truth comes out: Dani tells Giaco and Emilia about Marco's love for Giaco and how it transferred to Dani. "He kissed me, Giaco. He kissed me, and… I almost wanted to..but almost wasn’t enough. He ran off, and now he’s out there somewhere, and he’s even more hurt than ever." Giaco's response is in character, as he looks at the situation from how it affects him, as opposed to how it hurt Marco: "Marco… kissed you?" Giacomo asked quietly. (You can almost see the wheels spinning in his head as to how the kiss affects his relationship with Dani. [It may even cause him to reassess their relationship and what he wants from it.]) His lack of empathy (for Marco) is made even more clear when he subsequently asks, “What does all this have to do with us…?" (It's at times like this that I feel Marco is truly a better match for Dani–someone who thinks more with his heart. That said, I keep forgetting that Giaco is still a child whose heart can be expected to grow with time. [Of course he's selfish: He's only 12.]) "We have to go and find him… together. He needs to know that he’s forgiven and that we all still care about him." Ultimately, the friends agree with Dani, and rescue mission "Little Lost Sheep" is a go! And all it took is confiding the truth…. (Since communication is so useful, why can it seem so difficult? [I know: I'll ask Toto! ])

Actually, we have the best snacks.