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Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home–Christmas at the Dog Rescue
Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home
by Sarah Hope
This author seems to specialize in romances set in Cornwall. Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home is a sweet, clean romance. If you like dogs in general or rescue animals in particular, you will be attracted to this book. Poppy had bought a city home with Ben, but they are ending the relationship, and Poppy’s job as a supply teacher is on a holiday break. So, she packs a bag and heads to West Par where her beloved Aunt Flora has a dog shelter.
Poppy eventually realizes she has just been existing in her life with Ben. She has even gotten grouchy over the very idea of the Christmas spirit. She soon meets Mack, the new veterinarian in town. He is very nice to both people and animals. He buys expensive things, but says he is unable to keep up the former vet’s policy of only charging for medicines. Of course shelter animals often require medical assistance, and the shelter depends on donations and volunteers for its existence. Mack and Poppy are attracted to each other, but they both have childhood and more recent baggage to overcome.
There are lots of likable characters, and the community spirit is outstanding from sing-a-longs at the town center to visits to the local Christmas Market. There are lots of fundraisers for the shelter that are also fun for the community. Percy is a special friend of Flora’s who helps at the shelter and repairs various things as breakdowns arise and Flora is too frugal to hire the work out. The money needs to go to the dogs. Included in the story is a dog hoarder: Mr. Thomas has taken in many animals over the years, but he is too old now to take care of them or clean up after them. Flora spends a lot of time trying to convince him to put them in her shelter. Mack has two younger siblings that he has raised. The younger one, Spencer, is convinced that Percy, who has a white beard, is Santa Claus. It’s easy to see why—he looks like Santa and is always helping someone. Spencer is an enthusiastic Christmas lover and cute too. The story behind Mack and his brothers helps Poppy and the reader understand his attitude towards money.
The Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home is in serious trouble. Read this gentle romance to see if the shelter can survive and what happens to certain special dogs. Also, you’ll want to see what develops between Mack and Poppy and how Poppy manages her house sale. The shelter’s future as well as Poppy’s and Flora’s are all tied up in the finances.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: #2 in the Wagging Tails Dogs’ Home Series. I read it as a standalone. Although I enjoyed it, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first in the series as there are many delightful characters, but it is hard to jump in with the community spirit that they share without knowing more about them.
Publication: October 25, 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
Ralph was a complete softie with them, but was terrified of other dogs and reacted when scared, so it was best he was walked at times when the likelihood of running into another dog was low.
“She’s the miniature poodle, isn’t she?” “Oh yes, although she may be miniature, she has the personality of a young boisterous Labrador.”
This was what Wagging Tails was all about, community, the coming together of like-minded people for the greater good. It sounded deep, but it was true. Each and every person here, staff members and volunteers alike, turned up each day or once or twice a week to give their time to the dogs. She’d missed this feeling of belonging.
Zeus: Water Rescue
Zeus: Water Rescue
by W. Bruce Cameron
Do you know a kid who loves dogs? They just might be interested in Zeus: Water Rescue. Written for Middle Grade children, this book shares the story of Zeus, a puppy who watches his littermates find new homes while he is left desperately wanting a person of his own. It is charmingly told from Zeus’ point of view as the puppy tries to understand what the people are doing and to please them.
In Hawaii, Marco pieces a living together between jobs focusing on Search and Rescue and as an Emergency Responder. He especially needs the income he receives when he trains a dog in water rescue and sells it in Europe. Not many dogs are right for the job especially when they are given the final test—jumping from a helicopter.
Kimo lives with his dad Marco and his grandmother and wants a puppy of his own as much as Zeus wants a boy of his own. Because of the financial need to sell a trained dog, even if Kimo can train the rambunctious Zeus, there doesn’t seem to be a way forward for the pair to stay together. Kimo’s cousin Giana is smart and not intimidated by adults. She helps Kimo in his efforts to keep Zeus. Their banter is fun and lightens the sadness that naturally occurs as the impending separation looms on the horizon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Children’s Fiction
Notes: #1 in the series Dogs with a Purpose
Publication: September 26, 2023—Tor Publishing Group
Memorable Lines:
“Giana’s the only person in history to be kicked off the debate team for arguing,” Kimo informed me.
I could feel some of the fear leaving her as I lay there, so I didn’t try to change position. Having a dog nearby always makes things better.
I did not know why he had shouted Bear’s name. Bear obviously wasn’t here. Anyone could smell that.
Flop Dead Gorgeous–action, mystery, dogs, and fun
Flop Dead Gorgeous
by David Rosenfelt
There are lots of things reading can and should be, but in the case of Flop Dead Gorgeous, it is FUN! I enjoyed this legal mystery with a dollop of cozy and a heavy dose of humor. The dogs add animal charm, and now I’m addicted. That is okay because this book is the 27th book in the Andy Carpenter Mystery Series!
Out to dinner with a starlet, lawyer Andy and his retired cop wife Laurie experience some real life drama when Jenny’s demanding and irrational ex-boyfriend shows up. Thanks to Laurie’s reflexes, all seems well until Jenny discovers his body on the floor of her kitchen in the middle of the night. Andy, who dated Jenny a few times in high school (as he humorously reminds the reader multiple times), is convinced Jenny did not kill Ryan, but the only way to persuade the jury of her innocence is to find out who did kill him. Sam, his cyber investigator who has a way of “entering” off limit computers is called upon to track phones, to find out what the authorities know, and to learn what those active in the dark web are up to. Andy also has his team safe guarding himself and Jenny—a smart move since some really nasty foreign mobsters may be involved.
I enjoyed Andy’s persistence and his straight-faced wise cracks in the face of a probably negative outcome for his lovely client. He has a number of loyal friends that include a police chief and a local newspaper editor. They are ethically sound, but they also will help when they can. Andy has an excellent record as an attorney, but he maintains a fairly rundown office above a fruit stand that successfully throws some off guard.
The author’s love of rescue dogs is reflected in this mystery in which he has three dogs living with him. Mamie, Jenny’s dog, adds to the pack when Jenny and Mamie live with his family during the trial to avoid the press. As a Basset hound aficionado, I particularly enjoyed these quotes about his Basset Sebastian:
“…Mamie runs around him, trying to get him to play. She doesn’t know it yet, but she has more chance of getting a response from a clothes hamper.”
and
“Ricky always holds Sebastian’s leash because there is no danger that Sebastian will pull free and run off. It’s like walking a barking turtle.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Legal Mystery, Humor
Notes: 1. #27 in the Andy Carpenter Mystery Series. This could definitely be read as a standalone. This is my first book by David Rosenfelt, and I had no problem with bouncing into this large series.
2. There is some inappropriate language which could have been left out, but not enough to keep me from reading another in the series.
Publication: July 4, 2023—St. Martin’s Press (Minotaur Books)
Memorable Lines:
“I’ve got water, flavored water, and flavored carbonated water.” “None of the above,” I say. Just because I’m in California, it doesn’t mean I am going to abandon my principles and start being health conscious.” …“You’re representing the person who killed Ryan.” “Apparently the innocent until proven guilty concept hasn’t worked its way west?” “It’s probably somewhere over Nebraska at this point,” he says.
…people who invest in movies are not usually the killer types. They certainly are not above stabbing people in the back, but they do it metaphorically.
He spit at Marcus Clark. As stupid maneuvers go, that ranks well above tugging on Superman’s cape and pulling the mask off that old Lone Ranger.
Dogwinks: True Godwink Stories of Dogs and the Blessings They Bring
Dogwinks
by Squire Rushnell and Louise DuArt
Not long after my beloved Mexican rescue dog crossed the rainbow bridge at age 16, my copy of Dogwinks arrived in the mail. “Godwinks,” according to author Rushnell, are events that some might call coincidences and others might say are reminders that God sees you and loves you. I felt like the arrival of Dogwinks was indeed a Godwink. I read it a chapter per night, and it was a much needed and comforting read.
The book is composed of short stories about dogs and their remarkable resilience and ability to love their human families. They are true stories and each is followed by a short reflection. Some will make you laugh; some will make you cry. All will inspire you to have a character more like a dog.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Nonfiction, Inspiration, short stories
Notes: I have read the original Godwinks book, and I found it more compelling than Dogwinks; but to the author’s credit, when you are writing about things that happen to people, you have more to go on. Dogs can’t share their memories or viewpoints of what happened so the authors had to make that part up, as is typical of other dog books or movies. Still, I enjoyed it and recommend it.
Publication: 2020—Howard Books (Simon and Schuster)
Memorable Lines:
“Son,” said Johnny’s dad, grasping him by the shoulders, “love isn’t something you say…it’s something you do.” … “Humans and dogs are just alike.” his dad continued. “You can tell someone you love ‘em all day long, but it’s when you reach out and touch them, showing affection, that’s when they really know it.”
When we lose a beloved pet, we ache from their absence. We feel the loss just as deeply as we would that of a human companion. God cares about all His creations and He knows how much we love our furry friends. The good book tells us: God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the sky…whatever man called every living creature, that was its name.” {Genesis 2:19 (BSB)}
The sweet deaf and blind dog, once left by the side of the road like a bag of trash, is today a celebrity dog touching the hearts of thousands. Even more important, Keller is a canine ambassador for God, delivering hope and encouragement to people young and old, in schools and hospitals.
Snowed Under–snowy mystery
Snowed Under
by Mary Feliz
“Flatlander” and professional organizer Maggie McDonald is out to combine business with pleasure when she heads to Lake Tahoe with her friend Tess. They want to declutter Tess’ cabin to free up funds for her son’s college and her own career change. After a week of work, Tess and Maggie will be joined by Maggie’s husband and two sons along with Tess’ son.
When Maggie finds a man frozen in deep snow near Tess’ cabin, all plans are put on hold. The two ladies become involved in trying to determine the identity of the victim and the murderer and the cause of death. They have to accomplish all this in the middle of a succession of snow storms along with a power outage. As Tess and Maggie suffer through multiple cold days and nights, the reader meets a lot of locals. Many of them come under suspicion, but we also see unusual cooperation of neighbors and other locals who help each other out with no expectation of reward or payment.
I enjoyed Snowed Under although I felt like I was cold along with the characters. I also didn’t want any of the characters to be a murderer. The snowy setting is well described along with the terrible driving conditions. This cozy mystery includes teenagers, cute kids, and an assortment of friendly dogs—Labrador, mastiff, golden retriever, German shepherd, and a Chihuahua mix.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #6 in the Maggie McDonald Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone.
Publication: June 9, 2020—Kensington (Lyrical Underground)
Memorable Lines:
Normally, I would have found the timepiece’s relentless ticking annoying, but among the sounds of the wind, the shuddering of the walls in the gusts, and the growl of the snowplows, it offered a predictable and comforting counterpoint.
“Ryan’s one of those soft guys. Spots roadkill and wants to give it CPR. Wrecks his day. Couldn’t drum up enough hate to kill anyone.”
“…a good murder mystery. There’s something about knowing detectives will set the world right in 300 pages that is so comforting when everything turns upside down.”
All Creatures Great and Small–more than an animal story
All Creatures Great and Small
by James Herriot
Veterinarian James Herriot set the bar high for veterinarian memoirs when he penned All Creatures Great and Small. Humorous, touching, joyful, personal, this book had me smiling and laughing through the tales of this newly qualified vet who begins his career in the Yorkshire Dales where he falls in love with the land, his patients, and their hard-working owners.
Much of the book’s humor is self-deprecating as Herriot describes unfortunate circumstances in which he is enmeshed. Some come from his visits to various farms, often for middle of the night emergencies. A great deal of amusement arises from Siegfried Farnon, Herriot’s likable, dashingly charming, energetic, and volatile boss and from Siegfried’s younger brother Tristan. Although the brothers love each other, they are frequently at odds due to Tristan’s carefree attitudes.
Although I read this book over thirty years ago, my recent reread was a pure delight. The characters are down to earth and detailed so well the reader can easily picture them. There are customs and manners in the Dales that are foreign to twenty-first century denizens. Herriot is quick to contrast the tools, techniques and medicines available to him as a young vet in 1937 with those used later in his career. All of this is quite interesting, but Herriot’s storytelling abilities are what draw the reader in and keep him returning chapter after chapter. I was so sad when I came to the last page. The fun was over! I read this book with my book club, but I think I may “need” to do a reread of the other books in the series as well.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir
Notes: 1. The series is based on Herriot’s experiences and those of other vets. The characters’ names have been created for the series. Some of the nonfiction may be embellished.
2. It is hard to pull out a passage and say “See how funny this is” because so much of the humor relies on the context and the characters, but it is very funny.
3. There are at least two television series and a movie based on these characters.
4. I would be remiss if I did not note that the word d__n is sprinkled throughout the book. I did not remember this from my earlier reading. In this case I felt the usage fit the story and the characters. It is not used in a mean spirited way and did not detract from the book for me.
Publication: 1972—St. Martin’s Press
Memorable Lines:
“Animals are unpredictable things so our whole life is unpredictable. It’s a long tale of little triumphs and disasters and you’ve got to really like it to stick it…One thing, you never get bored.”
I had learned enough of Dales ways to keep quiet at meals; when I first came to the district I had thought it incumbent on me to provide light conversation in return for their hospitality but the questioning glances they exchanged with each other silenced me effectively.
…now that I was away from the noise and stuffiness of the buildings, the silence and the emptiness enveloped me like a soothing blanket. I leaned my head against the back of the seat and looked out at the checkered greens of the little fields along the flanks of the hills; thrusting upwards between their walls till they gave way to the jutting rocks and the harsh brown of the heather which flooded the wild country above.
People who think farming is a pleasant, easy life should have been there to see the hunched figure disappear into the blackness and the driving rain. No car, no telephone, a night with the heifer, eight miles biking in the rain and a back-breaking day ahead of him. Whenever I thought of the existence of the small farmer it made my own occasional bursts of activity seem small stuff indeed.
Sit, Stay, Heal: What Dogs Can Teach Us About Living Well
Sit, Stay, Heal
by Dr. Renee Alsarraf
Dr. Alsarraf is a veterinary oncologist. Her training and profession put her in the odd position of knowing way more than most people about cancer in both animals and people. Even as she works with cancer patients and their pet parents every day, she is shocked when she is diagnosed with what she calls “the C word.”
Dr. Alsarraf’s story is quite properly told in the first person. She shares the struggles of some of her patients and compares them with her own battles. Because animals live in a present mindset, they don’t have a fear of the tomorrows of cancer. They have fewer side effects from treatments. For example, they don’t lose their fur. There are many similarities, however, in the unknown outcomes of treatments and the unpredictability of cancer.
I thought this might be a very dark book, but it isn’t. It is inspiring to watch Dr. Alsarraf and her team of assistants work diligently and with care and respect as they treat their patients. Dr. Alsarraf takes time to explain everything to the pet’s human parents and to answer their questions. She never hurries them or makes them feel guilty about their decisions assuring them that there are no right or wrong answers in treatment choice.
There is another situation in this dedicated vet’s life that doubles the emotional impact, but to share it would be a spoiler. I found tears streaming down my face and had to wait a day to finish the book. Sit, Stay, Heal is very well written. The Introduction sets up the reader to journey with the author through her personal battle and shares her philosophies about cancer, pets, and fighting back. Each of the ten chapters that follow focuses on the story of a pet patient, the pet’s family, and her interaction with them all the while enduring her own health struggles. Sit, Stay, Heal is a heart felt book with more smiles than tears for a dog owner.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir, Nonfiction
Publication: October 18, 2022—Harper One
Memorable Lines:
All cats and dogs live in the moment, carefree. They do not waste the present, worried about what might happen in the future. Or how much longer they have to live.
Before the C word, I’d always thought that life was so under my control, and yet the disease has helped me realize that I was never in control of the really big things, or even the medium things.
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a loved one. Through good days and bad, our pets provide such unconditional love, support, and companionship. They’re with us for fun times, and also are there to snuggle with when the outside world seems too harsh.
Battle Cry of the Siamese Kitten: even more tales from the Accidental Veterinarian
Battle Cry of the Siamese Kitten
by Philipp Schott, DVM
I had a delightful journey through a series of tales, compared by the author to snacks, in Philipp Schott’s latest book Battle Cry of the Siamese Kitten. It is his third book of this type. It includes animal stories, vet stories, and client stories along with memories dredged up from his unusual childhood as a German immigrant. We gain insight into how he thinks and how he relates to others. There is a lot of humor in the book, and Schott doesn’t shy away from laughing at himself. He has a great way with words that lets the reader experience the animal encounters whether they be disgusting and smelly, bloodletting, or laugh out loud funny. The second tale about a two pound “gorgeous fluffy kitten who channels Satan” will ensure that you are fully engaged as this tiny, very loud, little guy “starfished himself across the entrance” to the kennel looking for a “decisive victory.”
Philipp Schott draws on over 30 years of experience with animals. He is the kind of vet you would want for your own pets—caring, hardworking, kind, intelligent, and honest. Unless you live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, you are unlikely to meet him. He lives there with his family and four animals who admittedly receive people food from time to time as treats. Although she did not contribute to this book, his wife is also a veterinarian and probably a very patient person.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir, Nonfiction
Notes: The more I read, the more I liked what I was reading and even went back to read a few tales again for pure pleasure.
Publication: October 11, 2022—ECW Press
Memorable Lines:
Supercat put his ears back flat and stared at me with an intensity that signaled a level of hatred two steps beyond loathing.
I am not easily bored, but this was an exception. Flies fell asleep in that class.
Have you ever noticed this? The happiest dogs are the ones carrying sticks. And if the sight of a happy dog carrying a stick doesn’t gladden your heart, then what are you doing with this book in your hands?
Goodbye to fall and Hello to fall!
As this blog post finds its way to your computer, I am on my way from fall in the mountains of northern New Mexico at 7,000 feet to fall in Oklahoma at 1,200 feet. We have had our first hard freeze and our first snowfall of the season (with no real accumulation). It’s time to transition.
Fall was beautiful this year with lots of blazing yellow. Now I’m hoping to see fall again in Oklahoma. Last year there were beautiful yellows, reds, and oranges, but strong winds blew them away in just a few days’ time.
I am sharing a few pictures from end of summer and fall in a climate that never got hot this year.
- Ammo in the middle of New Mexico sunflowers that grow abundantly here.
- A tiny berry from a black currant bush that grows wild on our property. It is the first time the bushes have produced fruit in 20 years. Time intensive to collect and remove the ends, but they were fun to eat added into a rhubarb/apple pie.
- Worth the walk up the hill to get a good view of the Brazos Cliffs which are the tallest in New Mexico.
- New Mexico sunflowers that didn’t get planted in the pot until the first of August, and they bloomed before the frost.
- Lovely fall colors.
- Lucy is a nosy chiweenie. This was a little scary because these wildflowers attract wasps.
- A giant sunflower in another pot on the deck. I held my breath until it bloomed! The last frost of the winter and the first frost of the fall can overlap in this area; that can make for a really short growing season.
- Sunrise!
Sowing Malice–page turner
Sowing Malice
by Wendy Tyson
I am overwhelmed at the plot complexity in Wendy Tyson’s Sowing Malice. When a rich man dies in Winsome, Pennsylvania, a storm of activities is released including a murder, distraught widows and lovers, planted evidence, semi-abandoned houses, and inheritance issues. More importantly, a murder victim is transferred to Megan’s property where it can’t be missed and attention is diverted to Megan Sawyer. Megan, the widow of a soldier she loved deeply, lives in Winsome with Bibi, her grandmother. She owns and manages an organic farm that supplies her café and other restaurants with fresh organic produce. In this book in the series, she is also finishing renovations on a house on adjoining land she purchased. Her goal is to convert it and a barn into an inn, education facility, and event center. Her Scottish boyfriend, the local veterinarian, continues to play a role as he supports her and patiently waits for her to be ready for a deeper commitment.
All of this story background is the vehicle for delivering a plot with more legitimate suspects than you would think possible. Megan has to work hard to discern the motivations of the various characters and determine who is lying and why. Family relationships keep the focus on tangled connections; extra effort is needed to sort out what occurred when and who benefits from it.
It will come as no surprise to Wendy Tyson fans that she achieves success with this cozy mystery as she racks up yet another page turner. As the book concludes, there are also several surprises in the personal arena that will leave the reader smiling with satisfaction.
I would like to extend my thanks to Edelweiss and Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #6 in the Greenhouse Mystery Series, but would be great as a standalone.
Publication: July 14, 2020—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
“My grandfather liked to play games with people. If you understand that about him, then everything makes sense.”
“You’re impossible, you know.” “I think these days I’d be called strong and independent.” Megan laughed. As usual, her grandmother was right.
“I don’t follow.” “Because you’re probably sane, and the actions of cruel people don’t make sense.”
education pathways 