Category: book review

March 1, 2017

How To Find Your Dream Dog

In How To Find Your Dream Dog, bringing a new dog into the household should be one of life’s happiest events.

About How To Find Your Dream Dog

Bringing a new dog into the household should be one of life’s happiest events. The process always starts with excitement and high expectations. Too often, though, it ends in disappointment. The new puppy wakes everyone three times a night, gnaws on furniture, piddles everywhere, knocks the children down. The new adolescent dog is too wild. The new adult dog growls at your neighbors. And where did all this dog hair come from?

Most people spend hours researching a new mattress, days researching a new car, and weeks researching a new home or job. Yet for a new dog, a companion for the next 10-15 years, the most they do is visit the nearest shelter or pet shop and buy whatever looks cute and appealing. It’s no wonder they end up disappointed.

Whether you are looking for a purebred puppy or a charming mixed-breed, the type of dog you bring into your home matters. A quiet owner will struggle to keep up with a high-energy labrador mix, for instance, while an active outdoor family will be impatient with a snoozy bulldog. And finding the right kind of dog means becoming the right kind of owner—a task that takes some forethought and planning.

How To Find Your Dream Dog is here to fix the disconnect of dog ownership. It walks you step-by-step through the process of choosing the right type of dog for you—not only exploring the canine qualities that can determine your perfect puppy, adolescent, or adult dog, but also assessing your lifestyle to make sure you’re a good match for the dog, too. The book also looks at good (and bad) sources for finding healthy and sound pet dogs, gives guidelines for evaluating individual puppies, and warns of some red flags to watch out for during your dog search. With this guidebook in hand, you can be confident that the next puppy or dog you bring home will be the right companion and friend for you for the rest of its days.

?Dixie Tenny is a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behavior. During her 30+ years spent working with people and their pets, she has seen again and again how mismatches between dog and owner can create “behavior problems” that never would have happened if the right dog had been matched to the right owner in the first place. She wrote this book to help puppy buyers and dog adopters start out on the best possible foot with their new pet dogs, and stay on that path for years to come. If you’re a true dog lover then you may have considered owning a doggy daycare. If you haven’t already considered it, you should definitely check it out!

My Thoughts

When we purchased our dog we knew we wanted a small breed due to the size of our home but other than that our decision was mostly impulsive. My husband came home with a dog for Valentine’s Day to surprise me and our son! While it was a great decision in the long run, the first months were very hard. I spent nights laying on the floor with her not sure how to comfort her as she cried at night.

I loved how this book started out, explaining about there is a perfect match between dog and humans but you need to know and learn what it is. Those cute little puppies can have different temperaments and grow up to be quite differently. Understanding your needs, expectations and the breed personality is so important. It will save you and the dog heartbreak as well as unnecessary dog drop offs at shelters.

This book gets down to the nitty gritty on everything you need to know about buying a puppy or older dog. She doesn’t sugar coat the hard parts but instead makes you understand the commitment that this will be. She helps you figure out what breed matches your lifestyle and expectations as well as your home life. She teaches you about what to watch out for in breeds and where the best places to purchase a puppy is from.

How To Find Your Dream Dog should be a must read book for all individuals and families who are looking to expand their family with a dog. This should never be an impulsive decision, instead a lot of research, thought and meeting the animal should go into place. She takes all the guess work out of this for you – and you can tell she knows what she is talking about!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Dixie Tenny has been helping people and their dogs find each other and form successful partnerships since the early 1980s. She founded two rescue organizations: Purebred Dog Rescue of Saint Louis in 1984, and Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue, Inc. in 1987. Dixie was the Director of Training for the Greater St. Louis Training Club, Inc., for five years, creating classes and overseeing the work of 40 head and assistant trainers. In 2003 she and another experienced trainer created Dogs Unleashed, LLC. They traveled to clients’ homes and worked with behavior and training issues.

Dixie’s professional credentials include trainer certifications from the prestigious Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, and the Association for Pet Dog Trainers. Dixie formed her own business, Human-Animal Learning Opportunities, LLC (HALO) in 2013. HALO hosts continuing education seminars for dog trainers.

Dixie has lived with a wide range of dogs over the years including mixed breeds, Australian Shepherds, Welsh and Cairn terriers, and more. While in Seattle, Dixie raised a labrador puppy for Canine Companions for Independence, Inc. (CCI). Currently Dixie lives with a Beauceron and an elderly Papillon, as well as four cats. When not doing things related to animals, she reads widely, enjoys the company of her three grown children, follows baseball and English Premier League football, and travels the world.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 28, 2017

Beauty of the Beast Book Review

In Beauty of the Beast, we have the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.

About Beauty of the Beast

Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.

Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.

Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places. But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face the world once more.

My Thoughts

Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my all time favourite stories. A story of seeing past the outside to see the true beauty that lies within a person’s soul (and not to mention full of adventure, mystery and even some scarier parts).

Beauty of the Beast is a beautiful tale of two incredible individuals who have faced difficult moments in their young lives. Adam was once a young Prince, destined for much glory – handsome and so full of potential! One night changes his life forever – leaving him more than just emotionally scarred, he wears his scars on his body now too. He is full of anger and hurt, his years of living alone and hiding from the world that hurt him has taken its toll on him. He has forgotten how to trust, how to love and how to even treat people with kindness.

Isabelle has had her own shares of pain. She lost her Mother, the woman her Father re-married was unkind and her daughters picked up their Mother’s behaviour. Her Father is very sick and will likely die at any moment. To top this all off she is being forced to wed a man she does not love just to save her family.

On a chance escape from her future, Isabelle ends up on the doorstep of Adam’s once beautiful home. For her Father, she pushes her way into his home. This is when things go both bad and good. The initial meeting spirals downwards when tragedy strikes the home (I can’t tell too much or it will give away parts of the book!). This tragedy first pulls the pair apart but then slowly brings them together. Adam begins to gain back some of his humanity and empathy, while Isabelle realizes there is a lot more to the man hiding behind his physical and emotional scars. Their journey to friendship is fraught with mistrust from others and one huge betrayal could separate the two permanently.

Beauty of the Beast is not just a simple re-telling of a famous story. Rachel uses it for her framework but builds upon in her own special way so that you don’t really know what to expect next. It definitely is a bit darker, full of pain but of happiness too. We learn that deep down inside we all need and want love, to be accepted for who we are despite what others may see on the outside. We are much more than our physical forms. It was a truly beautiful tale of love, hope, empathy, seeing the good that lies within each of us and trust. The ending of the story left my heart full of joy (and almost praying for a second part to see how they continue to grow as a couple!). Beauty of the Beast is a definite must read, that you will cherish over and over again.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing poignant romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 14, 2017

Let’s Try This Again Book Review

In Let’s Try This Again we have one girl and two guys. It’s complicated. And hot.

About Let’s Try This Again

First there is Isaac, the ex-boyfriend who threatens her move to a sunny new life on the west coast when he suddenly comes back into the picture. The chemistry is intoxicating and Josie starts eating, breathing, and sleeping with him again until the move. Things are hard enough saying goodbye to her childhood home and very best friends, but when Isaac makes it seem like he might actually want her to stay, Josie wonders if she’s giving up on him too quickly.

Josie takes the plunge and moves to California.

Then comes Carter. Sweet, doting – and, oh my god! – former boy band heartthrob, Carter. Josie’s new life falls into place, with new friends and a job working as the personal assistant for Carter as he plans the re-launch of his career. When it seems like there might be something between Josie and her new boss, she can’t help but hold back in fear of crossing a line and, worse yet, getting her heart crushed. Once again.

What spirals into a complicated, heart wrenching, unexpected love triangle forces Josie to face a decision that she is not sure she can make. Carter or Isaac. Or – who knows?

It’s Sex in the City meets Bridget Jones Diary under the Hollywood sign. A masterful debut novel of love, sex and rock & roll in the New Adult genre.

My Thoughts

Oh my goodness – Let’s Try This Again is hilarious, honest, emotional and full of hope. We have Josie, who is like your best friend. The one you love with all your heart but who makes the same bad decisions over and over again. You want nothing more than the absolute best for her but can’t help her when she makes the same decisions over and over again (like going back to the bad ex-boyfriend who makes her feel used and unloved). You just have to be there for them with the ice cream and wine. And that’s what her friends do in this hilarious novel.

Just when you think she can’t make any more bad decisions when it comes to her ex, Josie decides to move to California. Some of this was to make him jealous and another part for a fresh start for her. This is when it gets really steamy (and a tad bit confusing and fun!). She meets her teenage crush, Carter, and actually begins to work for him. This slowly becomes a little bit more until a romance emerges. A huge part of me kept rooting for her and Carter – he seemed so perfect for her! But she feels conflicted every step of the way. Carter and Isaac. And then back again.

This novel was awesome – fun, sexy and felt like a conversation with your best friend. Hearing it described as Sex in the City meets Bridget Jones Diary is the exact way I would describe it. If you are a huge fan of those movies, you will love Josie and the adventure she gets herself in. A definite great read that you will fall in love with over and over again.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo books and iTunes.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Jordyn Woodtke is an exceedingly gifted new author who is destined to take the New Adult genre by storm with her debut novel entitled Let’s Try This Again.

A graduate of NYU, she majored in screenwriting with a minor in bottomless brunching, skills she took with her when she moved to Los Angeles to follow her dream of becoming a writer. Jordyn started writing poetry and plays in high school, garnering prestigious awards and accolades from the Hartford Stage, Drexel University, the Waterbury Young Playwrights Festival and the national Scholastic Art & Writing awards, among others.

Now, on any given afternoon you are likely to find Jordyn petting random dogs on her street, noshing at any of the numerous brunch spots in LA, or bingeing Netflix on her couch. She’s grateful and dedicated to the art of storytelling because it lets her say all the things she wished she’d said when she had the chance.

And if Let’s Try This Again is any indicator of future success, Jordyn will get to keep saying them for a long, long time.

Connect with Jordyn on her website, Twitter and Instagram.

Cinematic Scene

Book Trailer

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 13, 2017

Restoring Love Book Review

Restoring Love, part of New Hope Publishers’ line of contemporary missional fiction, demonstrates how God can turn our greatest tragedies and failures into beautiful acts of love and grace that can impact the lives of others.

About Restoring Love

Mitch, a contractor and house-flipper, is restoring a beautiful old house in an idyllic Midwestern neighborhood. Angela, a woman filled with regrets and recently transplanted to his area, is anything but idyllic. She’s almost his worst nightmare, and she’s also working on restoring something herself. As he struggles to keep his business afloat and she works to overcome mistakes of her past, these two unlikely friends soon discover they have something unexpected in common, a young mom who is fighting to give her children a better life after her husband’s incarceration. While both Mitch and Angela are drawn to help this young mother survive, they also find themselves drawn to each other. Will a lifetime of regrets hold them back or unite them and bring redemption along with true love?

My Thoughts

A truly lovely story about starting over, believing in one’s self and hope for the future. Both of our main characters, Mitch and Angela have had difficult lives. They have tried over and over again but they always seem to be faced with just one more obstacle. Angela is a beautiful woman on the inside and out but is sometimes viewed as odd for her style of clothing, carefree spirit and sometimes bad cooking! She has also made some pretty bad mistakes in her past, these mistakes are what she lets guide her and sometimes stop her from stepping forward in life. Mitch has had a different type of difficult times more so with his son and ex-wife. Both have been scarred and changed by these moments in life and can sometimes stop them from moving forward.

They are drawn together by a young mother who is doing everything she can to survive. They make it their mission to help her and her children see that they are loved and that there are people in this world that truly want to help others. Their hopes for this young family draw them together in many ways, and at times they both want to let go of their past but find it hard to do so. They both have so many things about each other that they love and respect but are afraid to let go of their past and move forward.

Restoring Love is a well written, thought out novel of hope, faith and moving forward in life. We all mistakes that feel like they haunt us but we shouldn’t let them stop us from seeking happiness. We are loved by the people around us, by God and our community and it is so important to recognize and accept this love. It is even more important to forgive ourselves and move forward. We watch as our main characters learn to forgive themselves, learn to let love in and find happiness again. A truly beautiful story!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating:5/5

About the Author

Jennifer Slattery, author of Breaking Free, Beyond I Do, Intertwined, and When Dawn Breaks, is an inspiring contemporary novelist whose stories of hope, love, and grace resonate with real people. She also writes Christian Living articles for Crosswalk.com and devotions for her personal blog, JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com; Internet Cafe Devotions; and oversees the blog and social media accounts for Takin’ It To The Streets, a ministry serving Omaha Metro’s working poor and homeless. When not writing, she enjoys hanging out with her teenage daughter and real-life hero husband, as well as serving in her church.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 12, 2017

Show Your Love with Books from Raincoast Books

There is no better way to show your love for your children and the special person in your life then with a book. Books take your children on an adventure, teach them a moral lesson and give them a chance to learn and explore. You can literally find a book for every occasion, whether it be birthdays, holidays or special occasions. As you prepare your gifts for your loved ones, think about adding a book in with the chocolates, flowers, gift card or toy – they make lasting memories for your child.

This Valentine’s Day, Raincoast books has rounded up their top four picks of special books that showcase love, strength, believing in yourself and grace.

The Fox Wish

This story follows two children who go looking for their jump rope and discover that a group of foxes have claimed it as an answer to their wish. With classic illustrations and lyrical text, here is a subtle, sensitive piece of magic that proves to sisters, brothers, and foxes alike that the trusted familiar often lives right next to the truly extraordinary-if only you have the eyes to see it.

Kimiko Aman is one of Japan’s leading children’s book authors and her fantasy tales are loved by all generations. Her books have won awards such as the Noma Children’s Literature Award, the Shogakukan Literature Award, and-for this book-the Japan Picture Book Award. She lives in Kyoto, Japan.

Komako Sakai has illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, many of which have been published in the United States, including Emily’s Balloon . Her illustrations have garnered such awards as the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava Golden Apple and the Nati per Leggere. She lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Love Is

Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any tender moment, this story of a girl and a duckling who share a touching year together will melt the hearts of old and young a like. In this tenderly funny book, a girl and a duckling grow in their understanding of what it is to care for each other, discovering that love is as much about letting go as it is about holding on tight. Children and parents together will adore this fond exploration of growing up while learning about the joys of love offered and love returned.

Diane Adams is the author of Two Hands to Love You, among other picture books. She lives in California.

Claire Keane is the author and illustrator of Once Upon A Cloud and is also known for her development art for the movies Tangled and Frozen . She lives in Venice Beach, California, with her husband and kids.

Leave Me Alone!

A 2017 Caldecott Honor Book that The New York Times calls both classic and ultra contemporary,” Leave Me Alone! is an epic tale about one grandmother, a giant sack of yarn, and her ultimate quest to finish her knitting.

One day, a grandmother shouts, “LEAVE ME ALONE!” and leaves her tiny home and her very big family to journey to the moon and beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting. Along the way, she encounters ravenous bears, obnoxious goats, and even hordes of aliens! But nothing stops grandma from accomplishing her goal – knitting sweaters for her many grandchildren to keep them warm and toasty for the coming winter.

Vera Brosgol’s slyly clever and unexpectedly funny modern folktale is certain to warm even the coldest of hearts.

Vera Brosgol was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. Her first graphic novel, Anya’s Ghost, was published in 2011 by First Second. Her picture book Leave Me Alone! was a 2017 Caldecott Honor book. She drew storyboards for the animated films Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls . She lives in Portland, Oregon, and at last count has knit twenty-two sweaters. Vera Brosgol was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. Her first graphic novel, Anya’s Ghost, was published in 2011 by First Second. Her picture book Leave Me Alone! was a 2017 Caldecott Honor book. She drew storyboards for the animated films Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls . She lives in Portland, Oregon, and at last count has knit twenty-two sweaters.

Gracious

From New York Times bestselling author of Adulting: How to Become a Grown-Up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps Kelly Williams Brown comes a funny, charming guide to modern civility.

Graciousness is practicing the arts of kindness, thoughtfulness, good manners, humanity, and basic decency. As a bonus, it makes your life and even the world much lovelier.

It’s not about memorizing every rule of traditional etiquette to a T (though there is so much there to explore!) or spending all your time maintaining a spotless house. It’s about approaching the world with compassion, conviction, self-confidence, and whole-heartedness, whether you’re at the Met Gala or saying good morning to a convenience store clerk.

Throughout the book, she provides tips on how to deal with the people and circumstances that challenge even the most socially graceful among us, advice on how to practice graciousness in everyday life, and thoughtful discussions on being kind to those around you without ever losing your sense of self. With the wisdom of gracious folk ranging from celebrities to the author’s mother-in-law, this book explains the perspective, actions – and, sometimes, inaction – that help us move smoothly and effectively through whatever life tosses at us.

So as you finish up your Valentine’s day shopping, it’s not too late to pick up a great story of love, inspiration and strength to add to your gift and to show your love for the special person in your life. Make the gift even more personalized with a special note written on the inside cover that they can cherish for years to come.

Wishing you all the best this Valentine’s Day!