Subscribe via RSS Feed

Category: For the Pet Lover

Review: Stay by Allie Larkin

[ 6 ] November 19, 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer Leisey

Savannah “Van” Leone is downright miserable during the wedding of her best friend, Julie. But what else is expected, when Peter Clarke, Julie’s new groom, is the man who Savannah has loved since her freshman year of college. And when Julie’s mother tries to pay Van to keep away from the newlyweds, it’s clear that the only people who haven’t spoken about Van’s feelings are Van and Peter. Even Van’s mother, who passed away from cancer a few years prior, knew the truth.

Van returns home alone – her mother is gone, her best friends enjoying their honeymoon – and nurses her sorrows with vodka, Kool-Aid, and a Rin Tin Tin marathon. Angry at the world and too drunk to care, Van starts searching the web for German Sheppard puppies. After waking up the next morning wrapped around her toilet, Van realizes she spent six thousand dollars on a dog.

The “puppy” Van was expecting turns out to be Joe; a black, long-haired, 100-pound 6 month old German Sheppard who steals Van’s side of the bed and ultimately, her heart. Van tries desperately to learn how to live with her new furry roommate with the help of Joe’s vet, Dr. Alex Brand, who teaches Van the Slovakian commands and leash skills for Joe.

An enormous canine that has the home owner’s association at her condo livid, the possibility of a new love interest, and mourning the loss of both Peter and her mother have quickly thrown Van’s world upside down. And soon, she realizes that just when you think life can’t get any more complicated . . . it inevitably does.

Stay was one of those books that I just couldn’t put down. With three dogs running my own household, I immediately fell in love with Joe’s unconditional spirit and charismatic personality. An easy but so very fulfilling story of friendship, love, and loss that’s reminiscent of Marley & Me and Something Borrowed (see our review), Larkin’s novel takes less than a day to read, but will stick with you for much longer.

Rating: 4.5/5

Since graduating from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Professional Writing, Jenn works as a freelance writer, poet, and blogger at south of sheridan. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, and loves baking, crafting, and anything that requires a hot glue gun.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Plume. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review: Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa

[ 4 ] April 6, 2011

Reviewed by Jessa Larsen

Oscar was adopted as a kitten from an animal shelter and grew up on the end-stage dementia unit at Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The nursing home treats people with advanced Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other illnesses, most of whom are generally unaware of their surroundings. Oscar was one of six cats adopted by Steere House as they felt that the pets were a source of comfort to the patients and made the facility more homelike. Along with the cats, they had a few birds and bunnies.

After about six months, the staff noticed that Oscar, just like the doctors and nurses, would make his own rounds. Oscar would sniff and observe patients, then curl up to sleep with certain people. The patients he would sleep with often died within several hours of his arrival. One of the first cases involved a patient who had a blood clot in her leg. Oscar wrapped his body around her leg and stayed until the woman died. In another case, the doctor had made a determination that the patient would soon die based on their condition, while Oscar simply walked away, causing the doctor to believe that Oscar’s streak had ended. However, it would be later discovered that the doctor’s prediction was simply 10 hours too early: Oscar did eventually visit the patient, who died two hours later.

Oscar’s accuracy led the staff to institute a new and unusual protocol: once he was discovered sleeping with a patient, the staff would call family members to notify them that they should come immediately and be with their loved one. The patient’s family typically didn’t have any issue with Oscar being present at the time of death. When there were objections, or when the nurse on call simply didn’t allow the cat in the room, Oscar would pace back and forth in front of the door and meow in protest.

Dr. David Dosa, a self-proclaimed cat person, noticed that in general, the cat was not particularly friendly and would most often hide away. People usually knew to leave Oscar alone. Very seldom did he display any affection other than to curl up next to a dying patient.

Dr. Dosa compiled his observations of Oscar and met with many family members who had seen Oscar in action. He couldn’t figure out how Oscar was predicting death and didn’t learn much from those he talked to about their experiences. His current theory is that Oscar can smell the release of chemicals that can be detected when someone is dying. Whether or not that is the case, Oscar brings contentment and has a calming effect on the patients and their families, and that is enough.

I had seen a few articles here and there about Oscar the cat, but did not know much prior to reading Making Rounds with Oscar. I figured he was just some overly friendly cat, but became quite interested and intrigued by Dr. Dosa’s account of what he observed.

I was particularly invested in reading about people’s personal dealings with family members going through the degenerative diseases. I have personally lost family members to Parkinson’s, dementia and other disabling diseases. Making Rounds with Oscar gave me a lot of insight on how they must have felt and what their spouses and children had to go through. I think that even though they seemed to have lost most of their memory and/or their ability to communicate, they were still comforted by the presence of loved ones.

Making Rounds with Oscar is definitely a must read.

Rating: 4/5

Jessa lives in Utah with her husband, 2 sons, 2 cats, and 2 dogs. She goes to school full time as an English major with a focus in creative writing. She likes anime and reads books and plays video games in her moments of spare time.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Kelley & Hall Book Publicity. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review: Emily and Einstein by Linda Francis Lee

[ 5 ] April 1, 2011

Reviewed by Colleen Turner

Sandy Portman is rich, handsome, charismatic and incredibly pompous. He has gone through life with ease and, when faced with adversity or discomfort, has talked or bought his way out. The spark he had felt for his wife, Emily, has dwindled; he is on his way to pick her up from her volunteer job at a vet’s clinic, take her out to dinner and announce that he wants a divorce.

Outside the clinic he is involved in an accident and finds himself beside his body, greeted by a “triage specialist” who gives him a choice: fade into nothing or agree to help Emily cope after his death. Reluctantly, Sandy agrees to the man’s terms and is unpleasantly surprised when he wakes up in the body of Einstein, an old dog.

At the same time that Sandy is fighting his new life as a mangy canine, Emily is doing everything she can to keep her safe, orderly life from falling apart. Within a short span of time, she has lost the husband she loved, has learned that her in-laws are reclaiming the beautiful apartment in the famed New York City Dakota building that Sandy promised to her and that her job as a senior editor at a publishing house has begun spinning out of control. She brings Einstein home and steadily proceeds to fall apart. The break down seems to reach its zenith when she discovers that her perfect life with Sandy was very far from it.

While both Emily and Einstein work through their current issues they are also forced to look at who they are and how the choices they have made have led them to this place in time. Both begin to explore and resolve their familial issues and to discover what is really important in life. Sandy finally learns that, while he didn’t give Emily the love and support he should have while alive, he can make sure she has the confidence and strength she needs now that he is gone. Emily learns that what makes life perfect isn’t detailing it out on a spreadsheet and turning a blind eye to what doesn’t seem to fit but actually embracing the chaos and working it into the life she, and she alone, wants.

When I first read that Sandy inhabited the dog Einstein and was going to help Emily move on, I thought the book could only get worse. I was so wrong. In Emily and Einstein, Linda Francis Lee has found a way to not only merge the mystical and ordinary but to meld family conflict, love, death and redemption into one neat little package. The only negative I found was that, at times, it seemed as if the author was trying a little too hard to make Sandy seem completely self-centered and devoid of a natural ability for affection. This withstanding, the book is truly magical and will keep you entertained to the very end.

Rating: 4.5/5

This book was provided free of any obligation by St. Martin’s Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review: You Had Me at Woof by Julie Klam

[ 7 ] March 20, 2011

Reviewed by Jessa Larsen

Julie Klam, a single 30-year-old part-time insurance clerk, feared that she’d never find her significant other. She had begun consulting various psychics and getting tarot card readings to find out when she might find Mr. Right. She did eventually find him, but he was a bit shorter, furrier, bug-eyed, and smooshed in the face than she expected. His name was Otto. Otto was Julie’s furry soul mate, but first came Paul, her future husband who fortunately had a place in his heart for a lady crazy about filling her house with dogs.

Thus began the long train of events which filled Julie’s house with a husband, a daughter, her dearly loved dogs, and fosters needing to be rescued. Julie’s love for dogs led to her desire to contribute to society by helping the little furry rascals she found so dear. She joined a group specifically aimed towards fostering and finding new homes for Boston Terriers who had been given up to shelters or left for dead. Some pups found wonderful homes, others wormed their way into the Klam family’s heart and found their forever homes right there.

You Had Me at Woof is quite the romantic love story, just not the kind most people might expect. Julie has an immense love for dogs, Boston Terriers in particular, and has enough love to go around for all the lost and abandoned dogs. Otto stole her heart and she just kept going from there. Julie, her husband and her daughter pulled through all the sad little sick dogs, the obnoxious traumatized biters, and the sweethearts they could not bare to let go of even though they knew they were going to a good home and a family that would love them just as much.

I am amazed at the patience of both Julie and her husband. I don’t think I could tolerate dogs that had biting problems if I were Julie, or a house of chaotic hyper pooping machines if I were Paul. I give Julie a lot of credit for having so much patience and devoting so much time to creatures often overlooked for the unique little souls they are. I warn you now that there are a few tear-jerker moments, but this book is well worth it.

You Had Me at Woof is full of amazing people AND dogs.

Rating: 3.5/5

Jessa lives in Utah with her husband, 2 sons, 2 cats, and 2 dogs. She goes to school full time as an English major with a focus in creative writing. She likes anime and reads books and plays video games in her moments of spare time.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Riverhead. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review: Love Like a Dog by Anne Calcagno

[ 5 ] December 22, 2010

Reviewed by Jenn L.

Sometimes we find love in unexpected places. For Dirk Seward, it’s found in a 10-month-old, white and black spotted Pitt Bull puppy, abandoned in a grocery store dumpster, named Bull’s Eye.

Suppressed by the void of a disappearing mother, Dirk’s world is sheltered and restricted by his unrelenting, selfish father, Russ. Where his father fails, Bull’s Eye offers Dirk purpose, attention, unconditional affection, and protection – the latter being exceptionally important for a young boy in Chicago.

At first, the addition to the household seems to improve the family unit. Dirk and his dad spend evenings reading library books on Pitt Bulls and how to care for the breed. And with a stranger’s suggestion of enrolling Bull’s Eye in an upcoming weight pull, the pup gives father and son a concrete, unified front: spending night and day on training exercises. As Bull’s Eye begins to garner attention for his title-winning pulls, Dirk falls deeper in love with his furry companion and the breed. His father, on the other hand, only realizes the financial potential Bull’s Eye presents for breeding . . . and much, much worse.

By the time Dirk reaches high school, the family increases by two more Pitts, but Dirk and his father barely speak. Instead, Dirk converses with his father’s ex, Nellie, who shows Dirk how to train his animals with love and kindness instead of his father’s callous alternatives. Like most young men, he also attempts a few relationships of his own. But Dirk’s deep compassion for the animals often separates him from his other classmates; he is unable to understand why his community is so biased of Pitt Bulls, only to realize a source of the stereotype is living under the same roof. His father suddenly sends all three dogs away, telling Dirk the pups are at a weight training kennel. Dirk can no longer avoid the truth of his father’s actions when one of the dogs returns home with visible signs of dog fighting. With graduation looming, Dirk must decide whether to escape his troubled home life and start over with a full scholarship to college, or find a way to stop his father and save his beloved dogs.

Love Like a Dog will melt the heart of every animal lover, making you laugh, cry, and rage as the novel characterizes the emotional relationships of dogs, people, and abusers. Calcagno’s remarkable description and study of the meaning of “love” between a dysfunctional family and the animals who love them, regardless of their flaws, makes her novel an instant favorite.

Since graduating from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Professional Writing, Jenn works as a freelance writer, poet, and blogger at south of sheridan. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, and loves baking, crafting, and anything that requires a hot glue gun.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Anne Calcagno. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review: ZooBorns by Andrew Bleiman and Chris Eastland

[ 7 ] November 24, 2010

Reviewed by Vera (Luxury Reading)

I was not quite sure what to expect from ZooBorns by Andrew Bleiman and Chris Eastland. I wondered whether it was targeted towards adults or kids, or if it was just a coffee table book. As it turned out, ZooBorns was all of these things! For an entire week after I received ZooBorns, I brought it out to almost every dinner I went to. Without a fail, the first viewer’s oohs and aahs had everyone else grappling to take a look at the adorable animals pictured of the book’s pages.

ZooBorns features baby animals from zoos and aquariums around the world, and discusses the role that these births play in conservation efforts. Beautiful photos of animals are accompanied by descriptions that include the dates of births, their endangered status, and background stories for each baby.

In ZooBorns pages, you will find well known animals like orangutans, giraffes and kangaroos. However, you will also see photos of animals like the crowned sifaka and the rock hyrax that I’ve personally never seen or heard of before.

ZooBorns is more of a photo/coffee table book than one that required dedicated reading. The images are too adorable for words and you will definitely find an animal or two that you knew nothing before opening this book. It’s likely to appeal to adults and children alike, and will surely spark a conversation in any room!

Photo credits:

Tamandua (Lesser Anteater) – David Collier / Discovery Cove

Asian Small-clawed Otters – Jason Collier / SeaWorld Orlando

Red Kangaroo – Darlene Stack / Assiniboine Park Zoo

This book was provided free of any obligation by FSB Associates. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Review & Giveaway: Dewey’s Nine Lives by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

[ 187 ] October 30, 2010

Reviewed by Carly L.

I recently finished Dewey’s Nine Lives: The Legacy of the Small-Town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter, a collection of stories that compliment the original Dewey book, Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World. I loved the first book and, although this new collection of stories wasn’t quite as endearing, it was nice to curl up again with Dewey and his friends.

The new Dewey book, again written by Dewey’s “mom”, librarian Vicki Myron, introduces readers to a new group of cat-lovers who have been affected by Dewey or by Dewey-esque kitties. It’s really more of a collection of happy cat stories than a continuation of the Dewey story, since this book introduces readers to other amazing cats and the people that they touched. The book definitely has a little “Chicken Soup for the Soul” in it, complete with tearjerkers and stories your grandparents would love, but I didn’t think it was too canned or cheesy to be enjoyable. On the contrary, it was just warm and fuzzy enough to pull me in, without beating me over the head with the cuteness.

I’d like to tell you that this isn’t one of those crazy cat people books that only works if you own felines, since the stories seem to be universally engrossing and uplifting, but I’m probably not qualified to make that statement, being a crazy cat owner myself. What I can tell you is that the book is more than a collection of happy kitty stories fit for children’s hour. It’s actually very interesting to see how all of these different people were deeply affected by Dewey and cats like Dewey and I think the authors have found a solid common [amazonify]0525951865[/amazonify]thread between different kinds of people. So, from a human interest perspective, this book is worth reading. Then again, if you want to just pick it up for the crazy cat person inside of you (like I did), I highly recommend this fast and delightful read.

Carly lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and their two cats. Her favorite thing to do is to curl up by a window with a library book.

Giveaway
I have 2 hardcover copies of Dewey’s Nine Lives to give away!

Mandatory entry: Please comment on this post with your e-mail address.

Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
- Subscribe via e-mail, follow or subscribe to the feed. You must verify the subscriptions. (1 entry each)
- Enter another giveaway on this blog (1 entry each)
- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (1 entry, 1 tweet per person)
- Grab our Holiday Gift Guide button on the right sidebar (2 entries)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on November 20th.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by The Book Report Network. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

View Post

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant

[ 200 ] October 24, 2010

Please join Jim Gorant, author of The Lost Dogs, as he tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours!

Reviewed by Vera Pereskokova (Luxury Reading)

When authorities first raided Michael Vick’s home in rural Virginia, the NFL player claimed that he had simply allowed the wrong people to take advantage of him, and that had no knowledge of the dog fighting on the premises. Despite the mounting evidence, – buried dog carcasses, testimony by the gardener who witnessed the horrific treatment of dogs, blood splatters all over the room used as the fighting pit, and so on – Vick continued to proclaim his innocence. Only when his business partners spilled all the facts in the hopes of getting reduced sentences did Vick realize that he was backed into a corner.

The bust of the dog fighting operation on Vick’s property was the result of cooperation between state and federal authorities; it was the result of hard work by people who refused to give up and pushed on in spite of the obstacles. Because of Vick’s notoriety, the case also received intense media coverage and brought much needed attention to the plight of dogs involved in such operations. Because of Vick’s wealth, the fine he was forced to pay gave his dogs another chance at life, whereas most fighting dogs are usually euthanized.

I was hesitant to read the The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant. I love animals, and reading about the cruelty they have to endure at the hands of people like Vick is sometimes too much to bear. However, The Lost Dogs was so well written and so sensitive to the subject matter that I can honestly say it was one of my favorite books this year.

[amazonify]1592405509[/amazonify]Yes, The Lost Dogs is about dog fighting and all that that entails, but graphic descriptions are sparse and are by no means the focal point of the book. One third of the book is spent discussing the events leading up to the bust, the investigation and the ensuing ramifications for Vick and his friends. The rest of The Lost Dogs is dedicated to the dogs that were rescued and their journey back from the hell that they experienced. Ultimately, the book is one of hope and a tribute to the people who dedicated their hearts and their time to helping these dogs survive.

Giveaway:
1 winner will receive a copy of The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant!

Mandatory entry: Please comment on this post with your e-mail address.

Extra entries (please post each entry separately, i.e. 2 posts for subscribing):
- Subscribe via e-mail, follow or subscribe to the feed. You must verify the subscriptions. (1 entry each)
- Enter another giveaway on this blog (1 entry each)
- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (1 entry, 1 tweet per person)
- Become a fan on Facebook (2 entries)

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on November 15th.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Gotham. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
View Post
Page 1 of 212