Grab a Book & Play Booktivity! discussion
What Are You Reading?
>
Reviews for August 2022 Theme: DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
date
newest »
newest »
3 stars
Anne LaBastille does not hold back on her feelings for the outdoors, the animals she encounters and the humans while living in her Log Cabin. After her divorce she built herself a cabin in the Adirondack Mountains and lived alone without electricity or plumbing. Annie does not go into much of her very personal life but does give you peeks here and there until the ninth chapter and then she is forced to make a decision that impacts two lives.
I enjoyed much of the book, her focus on the land and enjoying life. She is one spunky woman.
The book was published in 1976 making her 43 when the book came out.
Mod
All I Want For Christmas Is a Cowboy – Jessica Clare – 3***
Young woman with a stressful job decides to go to her family’s cabin in Wyoming over Christmas for some alone time. Misses the turn in a blizzard, crashes her car and is rescued by a handsome cowboy. It's a predictable, fast holiday cowboy romance. And I did so like looking at the cover!
LINK to my full review
3 stars
Molly's Story is told by Molly, a fun feisty little dog that knew the moment she saw and smelled CJ she was her girl. This is a children's book but does have a couple of mature topics but does not go overboard with the subject matter. It is predictable but overall, a sweet story with a feel-good ending.
Cowboy & Wills by Monica Holloway4 stars
I started this book and almost put it aside. I was frustrated that every time the author was upset about something she went to the pet store and brought home another animal. I will say, she did seem to take good care of the animals, though. I stuck with it because I have a son with autism and there were so many things about Wills that reminded me of when my son was that age. Although, we did have a dog, my son wasn't as attached to the dog as Wills was. I'm glad Wills became more social after he got a dog. Just a warning, you will need a whole box of tissues at the end.
2 stars
Taken from the back of the book. " With the horrors of war bearing down on them, fourteen-year-old Aman and his mother are barely surviving in an Afghan cave. The only comfort Aman has is Shadow, the loyal spaniel who shows up form places unknown, it seems, just when the boy needs him most. The three finally leave the cave in hopes of escaping to England, but as a check point during their journey, Shadow runs away after being shot at by police.
Meanwhile, Aman and his mother's new life in England does not bring them the freedom they's hope for, and they must rely on a classmate, Matt, his grandpa, and the hope of Shadow's return. "
This was a hard book to get through. The story is very sad in parts and hard to follow because of how the Author set it up. Each chapter is the views or story line of the characters. To me that breaks up the flow of the story telling. The story as a whole is just ok and this is definitely a children's book because of the downplay of the horror while living through what they did.
Fish in a Barrel - Amy Lane -(California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #7
5 ++★
I can't even say how excited I was to see this book. This was the first M/M romance series I had ever read when several years ago the first book in the "Fish Out of Water" series appeared in a box of books that my 'BBB's - ("Book Bringing Buddies"), brought to me. I thought after book #6 that I had said "see you later"...but never goodbye, since I would read those books over and over until the either the covers fell off or the print disappeared. But here are Ellery and Jackson again and they have brought lots of friends who I have had the pleasure of meeting through Amy Lane's "Johnnie" series. One big happy family now. Everyone has a part to play here, as Ellery and Jackson take on several corrupt members of the police department who thought it would be a grand idea to drug an encampment of peaceful homeless people, put them on a bus in the middle of the night and move them to "Heaven Only Knows Where"...oh, and one of them wanted to shoot a homeless man's little dog. Loved seeing how they made the "bad guys" pay, and something very special happened for Ellery and Jackson as soon as Jackson got out of hospital...AGAIN. I hope that there is going to be a book #8. Amy Lane can't, wouldn't, couldn't just leave us hanging and waiting. If you like this genre...and I know it's controversial to some and I respect that fully, but if you like it and haven't read the first six books, do so before reading this one. It is SO worth the time.
Mod
Life Among the Savages – Shirley Jackson – 3***
This collection of essays / vignettes is about Jackson and her family’s 1953 move to a small town in Vermont, where she and her husband settled into a large house and proceeded to fill it with children and books, a dog, two cats, and “literally thousands of socks.” I’ve read two of Jackson’s classic “horror” tales previously, so, I knew she was a talented writer. But I had no idea she had such a wicked sense of humor!
LINK to my full review
What He Left Behind - L.A. Witt - (California)
3.5★ (1 Neurotic dog and a cat that hates everyone)
Possible Triggers - Domestic Violence
Just a warning: If you aren't a diehard M/M romance fan this one might be a bit too much. Even if you are...there are parts of this that are very hard to read. I've never read anything by this author that was quite like this. Josh and Ian have been happily married for a decade. They have a friend, Michael, who has been through a violent experience that left him physically and mentally devasted and afraid to trust anyone again. I did like the life that Michael & Josh had made along with their rescue dog and cat, before the arrival of Michael. Michael coming into their lives changed everything and not always for the better. I had a lot of trouble with the execution of this story. I love L.A. Witt's work...I own several of her books, so she has written m/m/m romances before that I thought were much better than this.... but none carried the impact that this story carried. The ending was realistic although very different from others but then they were dealing with a man that was becoming more than a friend to both of them. They didn't have all the answers...and they knew that Michael may never be "Okay "again ...but they were willing to try and work it out. What Ms. Witt did manage to do was to get across in spades the damage, both physical and emotional, that domestic violence leaves behind, and that NO ONE DESERVES IT, no matter if its victim is a woman or a man...straight or gay.
Long Shadow - Elle Keaton - (Washington, Piedras Island)
Veiled Intentions series Book #2
5★
Niall has softened some in this one and I liked him much more because of it. I understood that he was afraid of showing too much of how he felt about Mat but he should have seen enough of Mat and his family to know he could risk it. This is not only an M/M romance, it's also a murder mystery, it has an arson case, and a whole train load of action. Niall is more committed to staying on Piedras except since his grandparent's cabin burned, he now doesn’t have a place to live. The hotel where he has a room is a far cry from the Hilton, but the owners don't care much for his wolf hound. Fenrir, who is without a doubt my favorite character in the entire series. The motel people are crazy to not like him since he is better behaved than most people's children. Of course, since he has fur and four legs, I'm a bit prejudice. In order to not miss too much and see how the relationship between Niall and Mat develops, the books should be read in order. Unfortunately, it seems there are only 3 of them, but I have found that the characters have a tendency to reappear in some of Elle Keaton's other books. Each book solves the current mystery while introducing the next book, so they keep you coming back for more.
The Land Below - William Meikle - (Austria)
4★
A very, very short story, only 151 pages. If it had been a bit longer, I believe the plot could have been built up more and the characters could have been rounded out and given the reader a better sense of what the "things" actually were. When the party started to enter the cave, they found the remains of the last two unlucky explorers. I would have thought they would have been a bit more apprehensive. Again, another reason why the story could have been built up more if it had been longer. The character of Stefan was another lost opportunity. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it was a fairly good start to what I understand are two more books. Perhaps they will explain things more and move the story on. I gave the book 4 stars because it was well written...it was a great idea...and I really wanted those "things red in tooth and claw" to be just as scary as they sounded...and they were. I also loved Elsa, the dog. I will try the second book and hope the little band of treasure hunters won't be the "welcome party" at the entrance for the next group.
Mod
The Boxcar Children – Gertrude Chandler Warner – 4****
This is the first in a very popular series for children. First published in 1942 it introduces readers to the four orphaned siblings: Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny. They may be alone except for one another but they are very resourceful and work well as a team. It’s a grand adventure and a charming story with a happy ending.
LINK to my full review
Mod
The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket – John Boyne – 3***
Eleanor and Alistair Brocket are perfectly normal, and that is what they want. But their youngest child, Barnaby, is decidedly and obviously “different.” This is a fable and a children’s adventure story full of improbable and exciting adventures but teaching a lesson about acceptance and compassion and courage. The entire story is a lesson on tolerance.
LINK to my full review
Mod
Iona Iverson’s Rules For Commuting – Clare Pooley – 3***
This is a delightful ensemble piece featuring Iona Iverson, a woman of a certain age, who has long held a position as an advice columnist, and the other regular riders of a particular tube route in London. I really liked all these characters, even the insufferable Piers, and enjoyed watching how their expanded circle of friendship affected each of them. I worried for some of them as their backstories unfolded and cheered them all on as they emerged from their troubles and all vowed to “be more Iona.” It’s my own new rallying cry!
LINK to my full review
5 stars
This is a children's book, so it is child friendly. The Book does not hold back on showing raw, not overdone, pictures of Monty's wounds and telling his life story. Heartbreaking but beautiful story.
1 star
I made it to page 22 and stopped reading. Way too much anguish and clueless humans.
Started this book in August and finished 9/7The Doggie in the Window: How One Beloved Dog Opened My Eyes to the Complicated Story Behind Man's Best Friend by Rory Cress
4 stars
A very difficult book to read, but one I think everyone that is considering buying a dog should read. It's crazy that puppy mills are allowed to be in business and the laws are woefully inadequate to stop them. The author buys a dog from a pet shop and it doesn't turn out to be what she thought it was going to be and makes her curious as to how dogs are raised that are sold in pet shops. As you can probably guess, most of the backgrounds are horrendous. The biggest take away from this book is that as consumers, we can do a lot to stop puppy mills by researching where our pets come from and not buying from them.
Grab a Book & Play Booktivity!
Books mentioned in this topic
The Doggie in the Window: How One Dog Led Me from the Pet Store to the Factory Farm to Uncover the Truth of Where Puppies Really Come From (other topics)Monty: The Courageous Survival of a Rescue Dog (other topics)
Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish (other topics)
Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting (other topics)
The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket (other topics)
More...
Here's the place to share your opinions / reactions / recommendations.
Our July theme was suggested by Tessa (Book Concierge).
Dog Days of Summer: Read a book with a dog on the COVER. (Please post cover image)
Don't forget to post your review.
Happy reading!
.