Two Dogs and a Book

Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward My rating: 0 of 5 stars QOTD: Are you ready in the event of a major disaster? AOTD: We would totally suck in the event of a major disaster. I have a flashlight and an RV. I would probably freeze to death on a day like today. My Review: Holy Moly!! This was such an exciting read. I had to know what happens next and next and next. The end had a spectacular “Wow” moment. This is the story of Maddie who has two major life events which alter her in an unexpected way. As a young child she drowns and as an adult, she falls and damage greatly her face and possibly her brain. She is anxious and afraid of all the bad that is happening in the world. Her husband Ian travels a lot in war-stricken countries and suffers from PTSD. He is doing his best to protect his wife and Charlie, their son, but by doing so, he is causing major stress to Maddie. The stress is mounting, and their relationship is strained. To add to the matter, Maddie’s best frie...

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: Do you believe in ghosts? Do you have a good ghost story to share? AOTD: My son told me that he felt a presence in his room when we live in a previous home, but never saw it. I know that the previous owners both died in the house from natural causes. Maybe one of them was just not ready to go to the light. My Review: This book spooked me. Clare Cassidy is an English teacher at a school which used to be the home of author, R.M. Holland who wrote a famous short story named: The Stranger. Clare knows the short story very well since she is currently writing a book about R.M. Holland. There is a ghost in Holland’s home, the ghost of his wife. It is said that she jumped to her death from the second floor and that she sometimes roams the house. Whenever she is seen, someone dies. Clare’s best friend Ella is murdered, and someone left a quote from Holland’s short story on the body. Clare is very upse...

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon My rating: 3 of 5 stars QOTD: Have you ever felt that you live another life before this one? AOTD: The day I stepped in St. Petersburg, Russia, I felt like I had been there before. When I mentioned this to my mom, she told me that I used to pretend that I was a Russian Princess when I was a child. This is enough to make me think that there is a possibility that we live other lives and that some memories remain somewhere deep in our brain. My Review: A friend recommended this book since she knows I am a big fan of the Romanov family. The Romanov family ruled Russia for more than 300 years. In 1917, after 23 years in power, the last Russian czar, Nicholas II, faced a revolutionary coup by The Bolshevik, led by Lenin. The entire royal family, along with their servants, were sent to Siberia, where they were murdered and dumped in a mass grave. However, the grave was not discovered until some 60 years later. Where 11 bodies should have...

The Shadow Glass by Rin Chupeco My rating: 5 of 5 stars QOTD: Do you believe that opposites attract? Are you very different from your spouse (if you have one)? My Review: First of all, I have to say that the cover of this book is spectacular. I can also confirm that the inside contains a beautiful map, nice decorated chapter openings, and a fantastic well-written epic story. The Shadowglass is the last book in the Bone Witch Series by Rin Chupeco. This has been such a ride and I am sorry that it is over. This book brings the story together and reveals deep secrets which will blow your mind. I recommend you read the three books in one setting to help you keeping track of all the characters and locations. Get the first two books to read now so you are ready to enjoy the final one when it comes out on March 1st, 2019. Thank you @raincoastbooks for my advanced reader copy of this extraordinary book! #dogsandbooks #poodles #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofin...

The Winters by Lisa Gabriele My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: Who would play you in a movie of your life? BOOK REVIEW: The Winters by Lisa Gabriele My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 My Review: I thought I had it all figured out and then it was not what I expected. The Winters by Lisa Gabriele is a well-written thriller with many twists and turns and a surprising ending. The narrator remains anonymous throughout the book, but this is her story. While working in the Cayman Islands, she meets US Senator Max Winters. She falls head over heels for him and accepts to be his wife. She comes to live with him and his daughter in the US. Her happiness is threatened by the shadow of Max's first wife and the difficult temper of his daughter. Who is telling the truth? Time is running out, who can she trust? I had the hardest time taking a picture of this book on my tablet. I had to play with so many photo filters, I eventually gave up and removed all colors except for the book. It does...

The Banker’s Wife by Cristina Alger My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: Would you rather have a beach holiday or a mountain holiday? Why? My Review: I can honestly say that rarely a book fools me. The Banker’s Wife fooled me totally. The biggest financial fraud story is about to be printed, but the whistleblowers are dropping like flies. Someone has inside information about a major Swiss Bank involved in illegal activities connected to drug cartels, terrorist organizations, and public figures. A journalist, a banker, a lawyer, a federal agent… No one is safe. Annabel’s husband is dead. He was a banker at Swiss United. The bank accuses him to be the whistleblower but needs his laptop to stop the leak before everything is revealed. Annabel is in danger and must protect herself before it is too late. Matthew has left her clues that she must use to save herself. This nail-biting thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. The end will blow your mind. I hope they will m...

The Birds That Stay by Ann Lambert My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: Would you live alone in a remote area? Tell me why you would or would not. My Review: This complex novel captured me right from the beginning. The author weaves an intelligent plot of several characters and brings them all together to produce an incredible novel. Ann Lambert is a Canadian author who lives and works in Montreal, Québec. The Birds That Stay is her second novel. Anna Newman is an eighty-six-year-old woman who lives on her own in the remote community of Sainte-Lucie in the province of Québec. She has secrets and they will cost her a life, her own. Chief homicide investigator, Roméo Leduc, is three days away from a long-awaited vacation in the Dominican Republic. He knows that this is not going to happen now that he is leading this case. Who killed Anna Newman? Who is Anna Newman? So many questions and so little answers. I highly recommend The Birds That Stay to booklovers of both rea...

QOTD: How do you keep track of all your contacts? Old fashion way in a book or the modern way in your cellphone? HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY to THE RED ADDRESS BOOK BY Sofia Lundberg My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 My Review: I am so happy I got to read this spectacular book in the comfort of my living room and not on the commuter train. This striking story about a 96-year-old woman who decides to write short stories about the people listed in her address book as a memento to her great-niece, made me cry like a baby. On her 10th birthday, Doris receives a red address book from her father. Shortly after, her father dies, and her life is set unto a path which will lead her to new countries, new escapades and many heartaches. She will meet extraordinary people and some not so much. As a young woman in Paris, she meets Allan and it is love at first sight. Allan disappears suddenly, and her heart is broken, but it will not be the last time they will be together. This is a heartening story of love, loss, mak...

The Familiars by Stacey Halls My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: Where are you from? Tell me something you like about your country. AOTD: I am originally from the province of Québec in Canada. I now live in the province of Ontario. What I love about Canada is all the wonderful natural wonders available in each province, as well as the diversity and the friendliness of Canadians. My Review: First of all, the saying “Never judge a book by its cover” does not apply to this novel. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and the story is as fantastic. I could not put this book down. This is a witch hunt in the early 16th hundreds. Fleetwood Shuttleworth is a very young bride who has already lost three babies. She is now pregnant for the fourth time and hires Alice Grey, a young local midwife, to help her bring this baby in the world safely and save her life in the process. Alice is accused of witchcraft (like most midwives and country healers were at the time) and is facing dea...

QOTD: If you do not like a book do you quit reading it or persevere to the end? HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY to LOOKER by Laura Sims My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 My Review: This book has such a pretty cover. The story is written in the voice of an unnamed woman who has experienced major traumatic events in her life. After several failed IVFs, her husband walks out and leaves her with his cat. The story takes you on this woman’s ups and downs as she is facing the loneliness of separation, fighting to keep the cat, and seeing her teaching career coming to an end. While all this is happening, you also discover that she is obsessed with a movie star who is living on her street. She is so taken by this actress that she is willing to do what it takes to get close to her. A lot of the dialogue is in her head and paints a pretty insane picture. The story did not grab me, and I decided to give a generous 3 stars only because it was short, and the writing was good. I want to thank Simon and Schuster for the adva...

QOTD: What is your favorite book genre? HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY to THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM by Marie Benedict My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 My Review: This is another outstanding novel based on a real character by Marie Benedict. The Only Woman in the Room is the story of Hedy Kiesler, an Austrian rising star. After a controversial movie debut, she finds find great success in the role of Empress Elizabeth at the theatre. She is quickly noticed by Austrian weapon dealer, Fritz Mandl who pursues her interminably until she accepts to become his wife. Hedy’s life with Fritz is not all rose and eventually escapes to America where she becomes Hedy Lamarr, Hollywood star. Hedy has a secret which is eating at her. In an effort to atone herself, she recruits the help of music composer George Antheil to develop a radio guidance system which would increase the accuracy of torpedoes. How can a movie star and a music composer develop such an advanced technology? Don’t be surprised and read the book. You wil...

QOTD: Which book are you looking forward to reading in 2019? Happy publication day to AN ANONYMOUS GIRL by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 My Review: Jess is about to take a morality questionnaire. She is participating in this study under false pretense, so how will she do on a test that is asking her to be honest, provide her first and instinctive response, and expand on her response thoroughly? She must have done well since Dr. Shields selects her for further testing which will provide her with some financial relief. Jess is soon discovering that Dr. Lydia Shields is more than what meets the eyes and that this expanded experiment is becoming dangerous. There is much at stake and Jess is feeling trapped. How can she end this experiment without hurting those she loves? I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. This nail-biting thriller is now available at your favourite books...

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: Have you ever been so engrossed in a book that the story infiltrates your dreams at night? Which book was it? AOTD: This is exactly what happened to me last night after finishing The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff. I had vivid dreams about being part of the resistance in France during WWII. My Review: During the WWII, the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) created the F Section networks in France. According to Wikipedia, these networks “were tasked with the assignment of gathering information about the enemy and relaying said information to the SOE headquarters in London.” These networks work deep into enemy-occupied territories and their missions were extremely dangerous. The Lost Girls of Paris is based on true events and tells the story of some fictitious members of the F Section and their fate. Eleanor Trigg has proved herself with the SOE and has earned the confidence of the Director....

Starlight by Richard Wagamese My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: Have you ever read an unfinished book? How did you feel about it? My Review: Richard Wagamese is one of my favourite authors. His books, Indian Horse and Medicine Walk, are poetic, emotional, and moving. This beloved Canadian author passed away in 2017 and left us with his last incomplete novel called Starlight. Starlight is the story of Frank Starlight, a phenomenal nature photographer, and Emmy, a woman who is running away from domestic violence. Emmy and her daughter take refuge with Frank and learned to communion with their natural surroundings through his teachings. Emmy and her daughter have been victims for a long time and are not out of the woods as her violent ex is on the hunt to find them and kill them. Starlight transports its readers on a journey of healing, triumph, and serenity. Although the novel is incomplete, the author’s notes provide a detailed idea on how he planned to end the boo...