Two Dogs and a Book

Infinity Son by Adam Silvera My rating: 4 of 5 stars Infinity Son is about twin brothers, Brighton and Emil. They live in a world where some people have birth-right powers (celestials) and some acquire powers through alchemy (specters), and some have no power. Some of those non-power people will do anything to get rid of those with powers. Brighton and Emil used to dream of the powers they might have when they turn eighteen. To their surprise, only Emil comes into his power and this triggers the revelation that they are not blood brothers. Emil finds himself forced to join a group of other people with powers who believe he is the chosen one to end the war between the celestials and the specters. What will that decision cost him? Will his bond to his brother be put to the test? Who will survive, who will die? This book deals with themes of family, loyalty, homosexuality, and courage. This is a great start for this series, and I am looking forward to reading the second book. 🙋

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain My rating: 5 of 5 stars Diane Chamberlain is one of my favourite authors. Her books are sensational. Big Lies in a Small Town is now my most favourite book by her. It is a two timelines story that takes place in 1939-40 and 2018. Anna Dale, a young artist, won a government-sponsored contest to paint a mural in a small town called Edenton, North Carolina. Morgan Christopher, an in-mate with artistic talent, is bailed out of jail with a tight condition to restore a mural created by Anna Dale. The link between the two women will reveal a story of violence, secrets, friendship, and forgiveness. This book is so well written. The panoply of emotions that is given in this tale incites the readers to fall in love with the characters and their stories. This book will keep you enthralled with each page turn so you can find out what is coming next. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC of this extraordinary novel. Big Lie

Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I by Hazel Gaynor My rating: 4 of 5 stars This dynamic duo writer team did it again. They delivered a wonderful love story that takes place during WWI. Thomas knows that his days are counted, and he wants to be in Paris to read the last letter from the love of his life. But before he does, he rereads all the correspondence written between 1914 and 1918 by him, Evie, Will, Alice, and many others. The letters offer the reader a beautiful picture of friendship, courage, despair, and love. This novel is beautifully written, and the characters are superb. Each letter brought me closer to understand their feelings and struggles. I love the gallantry of these times, and how respectful people were to one and another. The story did not hide the ugliness of the war, but it shined a light on the men and women who courageously served their country even when it no longer made sense. If you are a history novel lover, this is a must-read. 🙋🏼‍♀️

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really did not know what to expect from this book. It took me a while to get into the story. Halfway through, I still did not know what to make of this story. At about three-fourth in the book, a plot grenade exploded, and I could not put it down right to the end. I recommend you pick up this book and be as surprised as I was. The story has a lot of vulnerable and intimate moments. The book explores themes of soulmate, grief, blame, and love. It is not your usual love story, but I encourage you to read it to the end to find out how destiny has ways to play tricks on our hearts. This book is truly a not-to-be-missed book. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you Berkley Publishing and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC of this moving novel. You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley will be available at your favourite bookstore on January 7, 2020. #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagra

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the story of Lacey a teenager who dreams to work at Moncha Corp. one day as a companioneer. You probably wonder what a companioneer is. A companioneer is a person working on bakus. Now you probably wonder what a baku is. A baku is an electronic helper which connects with its owner and performs all kinds of tasks such as getting recipes, calling or texting. It has replaced the smartphones. In order to live her dream, Lacey must first attend and graduate from the Profectus Academy of Science. Lacey has maintained high grades in school and has done everything she can to be accepted by the Academy. To her surprise, she received a rejection letter from the Academy. When she thinks all is lost, she finds a baku in pieces in a ravine. After some preliminary repairs, she discovers that the baku is a cat. It is in bad shape, but she thinks she can fix it. After connecting with the cat, she receives a letter of acceptance from the

Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book was exactly what I needed right now. I have been reading emotionally charged novels lately and needed something on the lighter side. This is a retelling of Mansfield Park. After spending three years in foster care after the death of her mother, Edie is moving in with her uncle, aunt, and two cousins. She knows that this is only temporary until she graduates high school and heads out to college in the fall. Soon after moving in, she rekindles her friendship with Sebastian, the cute next-door neighbour and she discovers that she has strong feelings for him. Sebastian is dating Claire and their relationship is pretty serious. Edie tries her best to stay away but he is like a magnet and she keeps wanting to see him until she meets Henry, Claire’s brother. For a while, she stays away from Henry because she thinks he is a player, but he proves her wrong. Edie is caught between her lov

Today is my stop on the Regretting You by Colleen Hoover Blog Tour. I am very grateful to Thomas Allen & Son for inviting me to participate. Scroll down to enter a giveaway for this wonderful book. 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 ✏️ My Review: This is the first book by Colleen Hoover I read. It is the story of secrets, betrayals, hurts, and reconciliation. Morgan’s husband and sister die in a car accident. This event will unveil secrets and betrayals that will break Morgan’s heart and put a rift between her and her teenage daughter Clara. Clara is also heartbroken for losing her father and aunt. She finds refuge in the arms of Miller, but their relationship is chaotic because of all the family drama she is going through. Will Morgan and Clara find a way to forgive? Will they find happiness? The book is beautifully written, and the characters are real-to-life. Right from the beginning, you are hooked to the story and accompany Morgan and Clara through their journey of reconci

💁🏼‍♀️ Wishing a Happy Publication Day to this fantastic romance novel. My book review is coming on my blog tour stop on December 13th. You can find the blog tour schedule below. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you Thomas Allen and Son for sending me an ARC of this incredible novel. In the Regretting You by Colleen Hoover is now available at your favourite bookstore. Description: From #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us comes a poignant novel about family, first love, grief, and betrayal that will touch the hearts of both mothers and daughters. Morgan Grant and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara, would like nothing more than to be nothing alike. Morgan is determined to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. By getting pregnant and married way too young, Morgan put her own dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her predictable mother doesn’t have a spontaneous bone in her body. With warring personalities and confl

All That's Bright and Gone by Eliza Nellums My rating: 4 of 5 stars Eliza Nellums delivers an emotional story about loss, pain, and mental illness. The book is written in the voice of six-year-old Aoife who is trying to make sense of her family. With the help of her imaginary friend Teddy, a bear, she will navigate the secrets and discover the truth about what happened to her brother Theo. This book is pure raw emotions and will leave you stunned in the end. At first, I was not sure I would like it, but as the story developed, I could not put it down. A new side of the story was offered as I read along. The writing is beautiful and poignant. Kudo to Eliza Nellums for writing the book from the perspective of a child. Brilliantly done! 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a final copy of this amazing novel. All That’s Bright and Gone by Eliza Nellums will be available at your favourite bookstore on December 10th. #poodles #poodl

Everafter Song by Emily R. King My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the third and last book in the Evermore Chronicles Series. I gave 5-❤️ to each book in the series because they are equally great. This series is filled with action, suspense, courage, surprises, and, of course, love. The last book concluded the series in a spectacular way. In the last book, Everley is in hiding because of the queen’s false accusations. She is still mourning the loss of her family and is determined to find Killian Markham and make his pay for his sins. With the help of her friends, she will travel the worlds to find him before it is too late. Father Time has shown her the future and she can see that Killian has figured out a way to bring destruction to her world. He also showed her what she must sacrifice to stop Killian. Will she find a way to stop him before it is too late? Will she be willing to make that sacrifice? This is an awesome read. I recommend this series wholeheartedly. It would be a g

In the Dark by Loreth Anne White My rating: 4 of 5 stars Loreth Anne White delivers a thriller set in Northern British Columbia. A hit and run, a child’s death, a mother’s nightmare. Nine strangers are asked to come and visit a new Wilderness Health Spa Resort and bid for different contracts that will be available. One gets sick and cannot join the group. The other eight fly to this remote place but upon landing they discover that what was promised to them is not there. There is no resort, only a log cabin. A storm is coming and they cannot return to the mainland. They will have to stay in the cabin until the storm passes. A poem is discovered in the cabin and warns that “Nine Little Liars thought they’d escaped” and that only one could survive. It is no coincidence that they have been brought together. They are linked to one another and everyone has secrets they don’t want to surface. How far are people willing to go to protect their secrets? Sergeant Mason Deniaud is new to

Wherever She Goes by Kelley Armstrong My rating: 5 of 5 stars I gave this book 5-❤️ just because it is another fantastic thriller by Kelley Armstrong. Have I told you that Ms. Armstrong is one of my top five favourite authors? Well, now you know…. She does not disappoint. Wherever She Goes is a stand-alone book and it is packed with action and surprising moments. I love how the story is going one way and, when you least expect it, it does a one-eighty on you. Aubrey has worked very hard for her past to remain in the past. Soon after her marriage falls apart and trying to get her life in order to get primary custody of her daughter, she witnesses the kidnapping of a young boy. No one believes her and thinks that she is an attention seeker. But Aubrey’s past can help her prove that the kidnapping really happened and that she is not making things up. Her skills lead her to discover many secrets and eventually puts her own family at risk. She is faced with the dilemma to find the

Thank you Rockstar Book Tours & Publicity for including me in this awesome book tour and for sending me an eCopy of this exciting book. Glow Girl by M. Weidenbenner is now available at your favourite bookstore. Don't forget to go visit Fire and Ice  tomorrow and  two points of interest on Friday to see their book tour posts. 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 ✏️ My Review: When she was a child, Willow discovered that she can heal animals. Her adoptive parents make her promise never to use these abilities. Now as a teenager, Willow is faced with the decision to openly be a Droit or continue to hide even if she could lose someone she loves. Trae is new at her school and she is instantly attracted to him. He is also a Droit. Will Willow find the courage to be who she is intended to be, or will she choose to hide? This book gave me the same vibes as Twilight by Stephenie Meyer or Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. Although there are elements already explored in other series, Gl

The House of Brides by Jane Cockram My rating: 5 of 5 stars On her death bed, Miranda’s mother made her promise that she would be an extraordinary person. Miranda has had wonderful success with social media but after the launch of her health app, the world comes crashing down. Miranda has never met her mother’s family and they have been a bit of a mystery. When a letter comes from her cousin asking for help, Miranda cannot resist and heads for England. She accepts a nanny position for the family and promises herself to reveal who she is when the time is right. But is there really a right time? Her aunt suddenly is missing, and no one seems worried about it. Miranda feels that there are too many secrets in this family, and she is having difficulty to know who to trust. Where is Daphne, and is she coming? If not, what has happened to her? I looooooove this book! It has a fantastic plot; splendid characters and the writing is superb. I recommend it. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you Harper Colli

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin My rating: 3 of 5 stars Murder in paradise! While on a family vacation on the island of Saint X, Alison makes the wrong kind of friends. On her last night on the island, she fails to return to the hotel. Her body is found a few days later. Who killed Alison and why? This book has a good storyline and I like the way the author told the story from different perspectives. The characters were believable and well developed. I found the story was dragging a bit. The book was a mix of mystery/thriller and family drama. The back and forth between the two sisters’ narratives showed how both were similar in their dysfunctionalities. From the first to the last chapter, the author will keep you guessing who the murderer is. Well done! 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you Celadon Books for sending me an ARC of this excellent book. Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin will be available at your favourite bookstore on February 18, 2020. #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #

The Secret Orphan by Glynis Peters My rating: 2 of 5 stars I am a huge fan of historical novels. I love it when a book starts in the present and than transports you to the past to reveal the full story. Unfortunately, The Secret Orphan by Glynis Peters was disappointing. The story had many too many loose ends and the characters were unrealistic. Events happened without knowing why and how. I also had a hard time to believe that Elenore would be such a wonderful, patient, and forgiving person after the misery her father and brothers put her through. Yet she was such a positive person, and nothing seemed to phase her. This book had enough material to write three completely different books. I believe this is the reason why the plot was diluted and failed short. The biggest disappointment was that the author did not loop the story back to the present to conclude the story. It felt incomplete. #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #dogsandbooks #bo

The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg My rating: 4 of 5 stars Elizabeth Berg is one of my favourite authors. I like that her writing makes you feel like you are part of the story and that the characters are your friends or neighbours. All her books are heartwarming. They are funny and moving. The Confession Club is no exception. It is the story of a group of mature women who meet once a week and take a turn to confess misdeeds they have done in the past or recently. The beauty of this group is that there is no judgment and you leave the meeting feeling better as everyone wishes you “Go in Peace”. Maddy Harris is back in Mason with her daughter. She is taking a break from her husband and New York. She is not sure that she is able to love Matthew the way he deserves to be. Iris Winter meets a very nice homeless man and falls head over heels for him. But John has a dark past and is homeless after all. Maddy and Iris both join the Confession Club and find the support th

Mercy Road by Ann Howard Creel My rating: 4 of 5 stars After the loss of her father to a house fire, and facing imminent financial ruin, Arlene accepts a position of ambulance driver with the AWH in France. As part of her employment, Arlene must never put herself in a compromising position which could bring shame to the AWH. The money she will make, if she stays to the end of the war, will be enough to rebuild their home and continue her father’s Thoroughbred stud service with her younger brother Luc. Being an ambulance driver in war-torn France is not an easy job and can lead to an emotional impediment. Although she is witnessing the horror of the war, Arlene works without rest to bring as many injured to the makeshift hospitals. Some make it, some don’t. While in France, she attracts the attention of Captain Felix Brohammer. Captain Brohammer is not all he appears to be, and Arlene does all she can to dissuade him while trying to prove that he is not an honest man. Arlene re

Twenty-one Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book was so entertaining, fun, and original. It is completely written in lists. Dan Mayrock has a list compulsion. This book follows Dan’s life events through his daily lists. At first, I thought it would be confusing, and it was not the case. The lists are moving you along the story and Dan’s unusual and often very funny thinking. I had several chuckles while reading. I finished it in one day because I just needed to know what happened at this end. It is witty, enjoyable, and humorous… a literary gem. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC of this special novel. Twenty-One Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks will be available at your favourite bookstore on November 19, 2019. #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #book #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadi

Raven Lane by Amber Cowie My rating: 3 of 5 stars Ummmm!?!? This is not what I expected it was going to be. They listed this book as a mystery/thriller, and it is more a domestic drama, in my opinion. Although it was not what I expected, it was still a well-written story about deception, lust, and obsession. You must be someone special to live on Raven Lane. The neighbours are close friends and, like with any close friends, lines are often crossed. Benedict is backing out of his driveway on his way to get more wine. He did not see his neighbour Torn passing behind the car on his bike; now Torn is dead. This is a dramatic event and, as in all good drama, the truth comes out. Not everyone is innocent. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Amazon Publishing for sending me a final copy of this good book. Raven Lane by Amber Cowie will be available at your favourite bookstore on November 12, 2019. #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookst

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book totally surprised me. I could not put it down. The writing is superb, and the story is wild. I was amazed by some elements of the story and how they are part of my upbringing. The story takes place near Georgian Bay and Lake Huron which is only a few hours away from where I live now. But growing up in the province of Québec, I heard the same legends and that was so surprising. I guess the Rogarou can be found a bit everywhere in Canada. This is a fantastic story of courage, determination, and love. If you like stories where legends become true, this one is for you. And if you don’t, this one is still for you because it is a really good book!!! #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #book #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibl

You Are The Everything by Karen Rivers My rating: 5 of 5 stars Elyse Schmidt has had a crush on Josh Harris since the 4th grade. On their way back from Paris after a high school band competition, she has the luck to be sitting beside him on the last row on the plane. Elyse and her friend Kath had a fight and Kath gave her seat to Josh Harris so she would not sit with Elyse on the plane. Josh is fast asleep, but it does not stop Elyse to fantasize about how it would be if they were dating. She is drawing all kinds of life events where she and Josh are a couple. Suddenly, turbulence starts, the plane tilts, and soon everything is chaos and panic. Elyse realises that they are about to crash. Soon after impact, she is hurt, and she knows that she must escape if she wants to survive. She escapes the plane and rolls down a hill hurting all over. She eventually stops against someone and she knows that it is Josh Harris. He is breathing. The plane explodes and Elyse realises that they are

The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland My rating: 5 of 5 stars Ailsa was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. At age 28, her heart is failing, and she now lives full-time in a hospital Palliative Care Zone. The book starts with the news of a compatible heart and the medical staff rushing Ailsa to the operation room to receive it. The transplant is successful, and the story follows Ailsa as she copes with her new heart and lease on life. This is a beautifully written story. The life of Ailsa is not unique as so many people wait every day for an opportunity to receive a most needed organ transplant. My cousin and best-friend, Benoît, was born with Cystic Fibrosis. When he was an infant, his parents were told that he would not live past 14 years old. He celebrated his 14th birthday with gusto. Then his parents were told that he would not see age 21, yet he did. As the years went by, more and more treatment options became available, giving Benoît more years to live.

About the Book: Title: GLOW GIRL Author: M. Weidenbenner Pub. Date: October 31, 2019 Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Amara) Formats: Paperback, eBook Pages: 266 Find it: Goodreads , Amazon , Kindle , B&N , iBooks , Kobo Multi-Award-Winning and Best-Selling Author, Speaker and Writing Coach. Willow is just your average sixteen-year-old girl. Okay, maybe not so average. She can heal animals. For her own safety, her veterinarian parents have made her promise not to use her powers. But sometimes her compassion just takes over, and she can't help ... well ... helping. Willow is a Droit, but hides her Droitism because people like her are feared and hated by those without special abilities. Two of Willow's schoolmates, rumored to be Droits, have simultaneously disappeared. When Willow's non-Droit friend, Rain, is targeted, Willow wonders whether she should get involved--even if that means putting herself in the line of fire. A mysterious new fri

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren My rating: 3 of 5 stars I discovered the Christina Lauren duo recently and have been enjoying their books a lot. Although this book is meant to be light, it deals with difficult subjects such as parental abandonment, over sheltering, insecurities, and betrayal. Without giving out the plot, I must admit that some parts of the books caused a few rolls of the eyes. I had a hard time relating to this book and its characters. Some situations were just too unrealistic for my taste. There were lots of great moments too which made up for the ones I did not enjoy so much. 🙋🏼‍♀️ A big thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this sexy novel. Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren is now available at your favourite bookstore. #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #book #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instare

About the Book: Title: GRACE GOES TO WASHINGTON Author: Kelly DiPucchio, LeUyen Pham (Illustrations) Pub. Date: September 3, 2019 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Formats: Hardcover, eBook Pages: 40 Find it: Goodreads , Amazon , Kindle , B&N , iBooks , Kobo , TBD Synopsis: “Who’s in charge here?” When Grace learns about the three branches of the United States government, she and the rest of the student council put the lesson into practice as they debate how to spend the money from a school fund-raiser. Should they buy new sports equipment? Books for the library? Instruments for the music room? The arguments continue as they travel to Washington, DC, for a field trip. Exploring government buildings and national monuments, Grace feels closer than ever to her dream of becoming president someday. But she and her classmates have a lot to learn about what it means to serve the needs of the people, especially when the people want such different things! In this