Two Dogs and a Book

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: If you opened a store, what would you sell? I laughed so hard while reading this book. I kept reading parts of it to my hubby because some parts were so funny. Don't be foil though, this is not a comedy. This is the story of Cassie, a star firefighter, who is about to receive one of the most prestigious awards a firefighter can receive for an act of bravery. The Maire has scheduled to hand her the award but was called to a more pressing matter and went one of his counselors to do the honour. Cassie has a history with this counselor and when he discreetly grabs her butt during the award ceremony, she cracks the award plaque on his head and gives him a good beating. Cassie is told to apologize to the counselor or lose her job. She compromises by being transferred to another station near her estranged mother who has just resurfaced and is asking for her help. This is a new start but it wil...

The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson My rating: 5 of 5 stars QOTD: What’s on your bucket list? My Review: The Gown by Jennifer Robson was a fantastic read which felt like it could have gone on longer. It is hard to describe how I feel about this book because I am afraid my words will not do it justice. It is a story of courage, friendship, and self-discovery. London 1947, two young women become friends while working as embroiderers for Mayfair House which caters to high society; even royalty. It is no surprise that when Princess Elizabeth announces her engagement to Prince Phillip, this famous fashion house is retained to create her wedding gown. Miriam and Anna are selected to embryoid the bride’s gown. While all the seamstresses and embroiderers are busy creating beautiful gowns for the royal women, newspapers are willing to pay whoever can provide details on the gown. Some people will do all they can to get a glimpse of the gown and Anna ...

Because I Was Lonely by Hayley Mitchell My rating: 2 of 5 stars QOTD: What did your last relationship teach you? My Review: I want to thank RedDoor Books for sending me a copy of Because I was Lonely by Hayley Mitchell in exchange for an honest review. When you receive books from a publisher, you always hope that you will love it so you can give it a great rating. Sometimes, the book is not an easy read and you can only be honest about it. This is a story of two people who reconnect through Facebook. Rachel and Adam were close once but went their separate ways, married and started their own families. Fast forward many years and they are both suffering from depression and are experiencing difficulties with their spouses. They turn to Facebook to reach out to other people, hoping to feel less lonely. They find each other and start sexting using Messenger. Imagine two lonely people trying to find companionship through virtual sex. This can only lead to disaster. I...

Today I am happy to be part of a blog tour for In Another Life by C.C. Hunter. Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sending me an advanced copy of In Another Life by C.C. Hunter and for including me in the blog tour. In Another Life by C.C. Hunter is the story of teenager Chloe. Chloe knows that she was adopted and always wondered why her birth parents gave her for adoption when she was three years old. She has horrifying flashbacks of a time when she was a child, and someone is telling her that her parents no longer love her. After her parents' divorce and she moves with her mom in her late grandparents’ home where she meets Cash. Cash is convinced that Chloe is the long-lost daughter of his foster parents and is determined to prove it. Little do they know that looking into the past can be a dangerous business. This book is entertaining and full of emotions. I would not recommend it to young teens as it has a sexual component. It is an easy read with all the ups and do...

The Empress of Idaho by Todd Babiak My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: What are the qualities you’re looking for in someone you want to grow old with? My Review: This book is not at all what I expected, it was better. I thought it was going to be a light read and I was totally wrong. This book deals with difficult subjects such as sexual abuse of a teenager by an adult, hustling, and deception. It is the Summer of 1989 and in the span of a few months, everything will change in Adam Lisinki’s life. Trouble has a name, it is Beatrice Cyr, a 37 years old woman who just moved to Monument, Colorado. Things will never be the same for this town where nothing ever happens. Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and Goodreads for my advanced copy of this fascinating book. The Empress of Idaho by Todd Babiak will be available at your favourite bookstore on April 30, 2019. #dogsandbooks #poodles #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #poodletoday #poodlesandbooks #boo...

It’s time for my stop for MY SISTER IS MISSING blog tour! My Sister Is Missing by Julia Barrett is a nail-biting, mind-boggling, and thrilling novel. Ms. Barrett takes her readers on an emotional roller-coaster from page one to the end of the book. This is the story of two sisters, Jess and Steph. Steph has gone missing with her three weeks old baby girl. Steph had a traumatic event in her youth which plummeted her into a deep depression and almost cost her life. In the past few weeks, she has been very emotional and demonstrated signs of post-natal depression. Finding her is a top priority. Jess and Steph’s husband Adam are trying to figure out what might have happened and where Steph has gone. Everyone has secrets, some bigger than others. Secrets eat at you slowly until there is nothing left to keep them hidden anymore. Once they are out, they can be dangerous. They can even make you do things you never thought you were capable to do. This debut novel is a mind-boggling read. ...

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard My rating: 3 of 5 stars QOTD: What is the longest book you have ever read and how many pages was it? My Review: This is the last book in the Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard. The Kindle version of this book is 672 pages. I would have given the book 4 ❤ but because it was so long and could have been written in about 400 pages in my opinion, I will give it 3 ❤. I borrowed the series from the library and because the last book was on the lengthy side, I had to return it before I was able to finish it and then had to go on a waiting list for about 4 months before I could borrow it again. The series is a very complex sequence of stories with numerous characters. It was none-the-less a great series and I am glad I had the opportunity to reading it. Lastly, if you take a look at Chili's face on this picture, it is a mirror image on mine when I finished this book. 🤣 #dogsandbooks #poodles #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofin...

The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: What are you currently reading My Review: I received this book in my Once Upon a Book Club Box. It was a great and intelligent read. I love the plot and the all the leads available to solve the murder. I also enjoyed opening my Once Upon a Book Club gifts while reading the book. This month, the gifts were well chosen for the this book and made my reading experience such a treat. If you are looking for a solid mystery/thriller, The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald is your book. #dogsandbooks #poodles #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #poodletoday #poodlesandbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #book #books #booklover #bookish #bookdragon #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookaddicted #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #thenightoliviafell #christinamcdonald #fiction #thriller #booksharks View all my reviews

A Good Enough Mother by Bev Thomas My rating: 4 of 5 stars QOTD: What’s one movie you watched over 20 times? My Review: Seventeen-year-old Tom has disappeared without a trace over a year ago and Ruth has been lost ever since. She misses her son so much and constantly think she sees him sitting at a café or standing on a train platform or walking on the opposite sidewalk. It is never him. Movie obsessed Dan is her new patient and he resembles a lot Tom. As a therapist, Ruth knows that she should pass on Dan’s case to another therapist but she can’t let go. Dan is a very disturbed young man who has just been traumatized. Ruth sees the signs of danger but is blinded by her desire to redeem herself. She is hoping to rescue him and erase the guilt of her failure with her own son. Dan in getting too close and Ruth has trapped herself in too many lies. When Dan discovers the truth, he unleashes his anger. Who will get hurt? Who will suffer? This is such a great psychological thrille...

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa My rating: 0 of 5 stars QOTD: Are you a cat or dog person? What do you like about that type of furbaby? My Review: I am a ball of emotions after reading this beautiful novel. Although I knew that I would be a mess by the end, I was surprised to find so many nuggets of cat humour throughout the book. This is the story of a young man who takes home a tabby cat after he was hit by a car. Five years later, Satoru finds out that he does not have long to live and he embarks on a journey with Nana across Japan to move with his aunt. Along the way, Satoru tried to find someone to take his cat but Nana does everything in his power to dissuade any adoptive potentials. Eventually, Satoru and Nana move with his aunt but the sickness is winning and they are soon separated. Nana will do all he can to be with Satoru. The book is written in the voices of Satoru and Nana. It is a beautiful story of love and loss. The writing is full of beautiful im...

When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton My rating: 5 of 5 stars QOTD: Have you ever visited Cuba? If yes, which area did you visit? If no, would you like to go one day? My Review: Some books capture your heart and transport you to the core of the story. When We Left Cuba is one of these books. It is 1960, Fidel Castro has taken power in Cuba and many Cubans escape to the United States of America to save their lives. They have left everything behind and are trying to integrate in the American culture and hope to return soon to their beloved Cuba. But what they thought would take only a few months is now dragging over many years. January 20, 1961 - John F. Kennedy is elected as the new US President. The exiled Cubans have hope that this new President will help them take back Cuba. Negotiations are not easy. The Missile Crisis starts and ends, Fidel is still in power. Beatriz Perez is ready to do anything to avenge her brother’s death. She is convinced that Castro is personally respo...