Two Dogs and a Book

Layla  by  Colleen Hoover My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! This will be the last review I will write this year. What better way to end the year than with a fantastic book? LAYLA by Colleen Hoover is everything I love about reading. The writing is superb, the characters well developed, the plot surprising, and the ending magnificent. It is a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Colleen Hoover is working her way up to my top 5 authors. Do not hesitate to get a copy of this book and be thrilled! #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography #layla #colleenhoover #bookreview View all my reviews

Friction  by  Sandra Brown My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished FRICTION by Sandra Brown, and I am not disappointed. This book was published in 2015 and has been sitting on my TBR shelf for a while. I am happy I picked it up. It is entertaining, it is sexy, and it is full of action. The plot is good and well written. I enjoyed it and recommend it to mystery thriller lovers. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography #friction #sandrabrown #bookreview View all my reviews

The Mister  by  E.L. James My rating:  3 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished THE MISTER by E.L. James. I am still scratching my head trying to figure out how to review this book. From the start, I thought the author’s writing had improved from her 50 Shades of Gray Series. But then, I found out that she wrote this book before she wrote the Gray Series. That was weird. Anyway, that is beside the point… let us get back to my review of the book at hand. I love the plot and enjoy how the author builds up the relationships between Alessia and Maxim. This book rating lost some ❤️s because of the unrealistic reaction of Maxim to what was happening to Alessia. He is all gong hoe to rescue her but has time to stop for a drink or two!!! Really?!?! If I were dating a guy who would prioritize his drinks over me… he would be a goner. Besides that, the story was entertaining and sexy. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, but no bad. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagra

Together by Christmas  by  Karen Swan My rating:  2 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! Ok! This is going to be a hard review. I just finished TOGETHER BY CHRISTMAS by Karen Swan, and I am divided. I love the book all the way to page 352 of 439. Something drastic happens on that page that threw me off and the rest of the book was not able to make up for it. I got stuck at that moment and kept thinking “How in the world will the author fix this?”. She put a Band-Aid ending but it was too little to fix my disappointment in this book. ☹ The writing is good and the ❤️s are for the good parts in the story. Don’t be deceived by the cover… this is not a light Christmas love romance book. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, PAN MACMILLAN for sending me a copy for review. TOGETHER BY CHRISTMAS by Karen Swan is available at your favourite bookstore. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklo

The Vile Village  by  Lemony Snicket My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished the seventh book in the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” Series by Lemony Snicket entitled: THE VILE VILLAGE. One thing I enjoy about these books is discovering new vocabulary while I read. For example, I found out that the distortion of light through alternate layers of hot and cool air is called FATA MORGANA. I also found out that DEUX EX MACHINA is a Latin term that means “the god from the machine”. It means the arrival of something helpful when you least expect it. Now that I got the vocabulary lesson out of the way, I can tell you that THE VILE VILLAGE is one of my fav books in this series. I love the Baudelaires’ ingenuity in escaping more dangers. I can wait to read the next book to see what’s next. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bo

The Ersatz Elevator  by  Lemony Snicket My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished the sixth book in the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” Series by Lemony Snicket entitled: THE ERSATZ ELEVATOR. For your information the word Ersatz means "substituting for, and typically inferior in quality to", e.g. "chicory is ersatz coffee". It is a German word literally meaning substitute or replacement. Although it is used as an adjective in English, Ersatz can only function in German as a noun on its own, or as a part in compound nouns such as Ersatzteile or Ersatzspieler. In English, "ersatz" arose as a pejorative during World War II because Ersatzbrot made of potato starch, frequently stretched with extenders such as sawdust, was often given to prisoners of war. Now that I got the meaning of the word ersatz out of the way, I can tell you that THE ERSATZ ELEVATOR was an awesome read and the unfortunate events got even darker than in the previous b

My Name is Anton: A Novel  by  Catherine Ryan Hyde My rating:  4 of 5 stars “He was not accustomed to crying in front of others, and he could not have said more without crying. More accurately, he was not accustomed to crying, period. He had not indulged that release because of a deep fear that, having allowed the tears to start, he would never find the end of them, or would find they had no end at all.” – Catherine Ryan Hyde, My Name is Anton. 📚 Hello Book Friends! MY NAME IS ANTON by Catherine Ryan Hyde was a beautiful and emotional read about Anton and Edith: 1. how they met 2. how they lost each other 3. how they found each other again 4. how they found happiness through unselfishness. The book is separated into time periods starting when Anton was 18 and Edith, 33. The story progresses through the years until their old age. It is such a beautifully written book that will move you. I recommend it. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram

The Art Of Racing In The Rain  by  Garth Stein My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I am a mess!!! Pass me a tissue!! Pass me another one!! THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein was such a magnificent emotional read. I should have known better than to read a book narrated by a dog and think that it would have not left me to pieces by the end of it. Never mind, the end… right from the beginning, this book had me in tears. Yes, it was sad, but it was sooooooo goooood too! The story is beautiful, the characters are believable, and Enzo (the dog) is simply perfect. If you have not read this book yet, I recommend it. Don't say that you have not been warned… you will cry! You will cry some more but, in the end, you will sigh and feel happy that you read such a beautiful story. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #rea

I Was Told It Would Get Easier  by  Abbi Waxman My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I have been wanting to read I WAS TOLD IT WOULD GET EASIER by Abbi Waxman since it was released. Although my TBR shelf is filled with books waiting to be read, I had to give priority to this one. I do not regret it one bit, even if I have a lot of books pouting at me at the moment. Abbi Waxman does it again!! Her books are filled with emotions and are relatable. I recognised my relationship with my daughter when she was a teenager. The ups and downs, the misunderstanding, and the missed opportunity to make-up…. They were all there in plain sight. Funny enough that I read this book on the 30th birthday of my daughter and it brought back so many memories. I do not miss those days and I miss them at the same time. This lovely book reminded me that you must enjoy every life stage and keep an eye on the silver linings. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinst

The Austere Academy  by  Lemony Snicket My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! THE AUSTERE ACADEMY by Lemony Snicket is the fifth book in the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” series. I enjoyed this book more than the last one because the pattern was changed, and new interesting characters were introduced. I hope to see more of them in the series. In this book, the Baudelaire children are sent to the Prufrock Preparatory School where their misfortune continues. They will make new friends who will help them, but they will also meet awful people who only wish to harm them. Count Olaf is always on the prowl and is still up to no good. The series is interesting and engaging. I am looking forward to book six. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbooksta

The Miserable Mill  by  Lemony Snicket My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished the fourth book in the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” series by Lemony Snicket called THE MISERABLE MILL. Mr. Poe is dropping off the Baudelaire children with their uncle Wuz, no… Qui… whose name is too hard to pronounce. Talk about child labour and no workplace safety… this was quite a miserable read. But it is a work of fiction and I have to keep this in mind. The author has not broken off the repetitive pattern of misery. He succeeded to make this book darker than the others. I enjoy it nonetheless #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography #themiserablemill #aseriesofunfortunateevents

The Wide Window  by  Lemony Snicket My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I am making progress with my attempt to read the complete “A Series of Unfortunate Events” series by Lemony Snicket before the end of the year. I finished book three: THE WIDE WINDOW. In the third book, the Baudelaire children go live with Aunt Josephine. Aunt Josephine is afraid of everything, I mean everything, but she loves grammar. I personally did not care much about Aunt Josephine and she did not care much for the Baudelaire children. Combine those two things and you have a not so enjoyable book. I am hoping that the author will get out of that pattern he has used in the first three books. Nonetheless, it is an entertaining read. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianb

Christmas on Peach Tree Lane  by  Jules Bennett My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I am so happy to be part of another HARLEQUIN Bookstagram tour. CHRISTMAS ON PEACH TREE LANE by Jules Bennett was a super uplifting book, a merry and bright Christmas romance novel. It has a fantastic cast of characters that you will fall in love with. Violet and Brady’s relationship starts shaky but builds to a wonderful romance with hot, hot, hot moments. I enjoyed this fantabulous novel and recommend it. #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography #Sponsored #HarlequinPublicityTeam #HarlequinBooks #CarinaPress #ContemporaryRomance #HolidayRomance #ChristmasRomance #HolidayReads View all my reviews

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library  by  Sue Halpern My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! One good thing that came out of 2020 is the opportunity to reduce the TBR list of books. SUMMER HOURS AT THE ROBBERS LIBRARY by Sue Halpern was added to my TBR list this year just because it has the word “Library” in it. Published in 2018, this book was totally unknown to me, and what a shame that it was!! This novel is everything you want: witty, funny, tragic, and moving. I was captured by the beautiful writing style and the sensational cast of characters. This is one purchase I will never regret. It was a true pleasure to read this novel. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography #summerho

The Princess Bride  by  William Goldman My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! We have a Christmas family tradition… well I should say, I have a Christmas tradition since my children have left the nest and are not around to do this with me anymore. From the time they were very small, our Christmas family tradition was to watch The Princess Bride movie. I love this movie, it is my “mostest” favourite movie. It has everything to make is the perfect movie in my opinion. Since 2020 has been the “poopooest” year ever, I thought it would be time to read THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman to cheer me up and see if it holds to the movie. Inconceivable, you say!! Well, surprisingly, it did!!! It is absolutely beautiful and perfect. If you have not read it, I recommend it! Well… just watch the movie, it is more entertaining. To the death! No, to the pain!! As you wish! 🎅🏻📕 CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Are you looking for the perfect gift for a book lover? Look no more and go check out the

The Reptile Room  by  Lemony Snicket My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! THE REPTILE ROOM by Lemony Snicket is the second book in the “A Series of Unfortunate Events”. This series is so fun and witty. I love the narrator's voice in the book and his sarcasm. The second book was as entertaining as the first one. The Baudelaire children move with their uncle Monty (also known as Dr. Montgomery Montgomery… who names their child the same first name as the last one, LOL). Uncle Monty is a herpetologist (A herpetologist is a zoologist who studies reptiles and amphibians such as frogs and salamanders). Everything is going well until Stephano, Dr. Montgomery’s new assistant shows up. Stephano is none other than Count Olaf! Yikes! This can only mean trouble!!! You will have to read the book to find out. I recently lost my father and a quote in the book resonated with me deeply: “It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, a

Fox Crossing  by  Melinda Metz My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! FOX CROSSING by Melinda Metz was a beautiful, heartfelt, and witty book. The characters are true to life with their struggles, challenges, and heartbreaks. There is a legend in Fox Crossing, Maine about a woman who freed a fox who was caught in a snare. To this day, anyone who sees the fox will find luck or love. Annie Hatherley, the great-grant-great-grand-daughter of the woman who saved the fox, does not believe in the fox legend. She owns a store selling gear to hikers heading for the Appalachian Trail. One day, Nick Ferrone walks into her store and there is a spark. Nick heads for the trail and Annie keeps an eye on him through a GPS tracker. The sighting of the fox will change Annie’s life and save Nick’s. Will this be enough to turn the spark into a wildfire? This is a beautiful read that will leave you happy. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, KENSINGTON BOOKS for sending me an advanced copy for review. FOX CROSSING

Pups Paws On Wheels  by  Jessica Heaton My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! PUPS PAWS ON WHEELS by Jessica Heaton is a fantabulous book about a day in the life of the author and the rescued dogs at the SFT-Sanctuary of the Animals of Tangier, Morocco. The day starts at 8 am and ends at 7 pm. These fun and beautiful rescued dogs have their challenges, but this does not stop them from being happy now that they are in good care. The book has fun and beautiful illustrations, created by Mikey Shiraz Baird. This is a perfect gift to a child and will help them understand the care needed by these disabled furbabies. The book is uplifting and instructional. Sundae and Chili recommend it wholeheartedly. 20% of each book sale will be donated to SFT towards the daily care of disabled dogs. Visit @pupspaws_onwheels for more details. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, Jessica, for sending me a copy of your fantastic book for review. PUPS PAWS ON WHEELS by Jessica Heaton at your favourite bookstore. #boo

What Kind of Woman: Poems  by  Kate Baer My rating:  3 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! WHAT KIND OF WOMAN by Kate Baer is the first English poetry book I have the pleasure to read. I read a lot of French poetry in my teens and I am not sure why I stopped. One of my favourite poets is French Canadian, Émile Nelligan who lived in the late 18th hundreds. My favourite poem by him is “Soir d’hiver” (Winter evening). I cried the first time I read it. I would say that he is the first poet to really inspire me to read poetry and even write my own. WHAT KIND OF WOMAN was a different kind of poetry book I am accustomed to. It was even so moving and beautiful. I could relate to some of the poems and saw my mother in others. Beautiful read. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, SIMON & SCHUSTER CANADA for sending me a copy for review. WHAT KIND OF WOMAN by Kate Baer is available at your favourite bookstore. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsan

The Bad Beginning  by  Lemony Snicket My rating:  5 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! THE BAD BEGINNING by Lemony Snicket is the first book in the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” Series. I just bought the entire series at my local used bookstore and I am so happy I got to read it. My, my, my!! This is such an entertaining read. I love the eclectic characters and the witty writing. In this book, we learned that the Baudelaire children lost their parents and must move in with a very distant relative, Count Olaf!! Count Olaf is a mean-hearted, devious person who does not have the children’s interest at heart and is only after their fortune. The ending was fun and left the story open to more adventures. I enjoyed this book so much and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #

A Golden Fury  by  Samantha Cohoe My rating:  3 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! A GOLDEN FURY by Samantha Cohoe is a great YA fantasy. The female protagonist is strong and a good role model. I enjoyed the science aspect of the book too. The book appears to contain a historical facette, but it was well developed if that was the author's intention. I also felt that the story was yoyoing too much and it felt rushed. I think there is enough material to write a trilogy: 1. one happening in France about Thea, her mom, and Will, showing their relationship and the unset of their research; 2. one happening in England about Thea, her dad, and Dominic, showing their relationship and the introduction of the German connection; 3. and one more happening either back in France or somewhere else in Europe, showing the Philosopher’s stone connection to Thea and how she dealt with it. It would also show her decision to choose Will or Dominic. It was a quick and enjoyable read, nonetheless. 🙋🏼‍♀️

Dominion Required  by  H.S. Paisley My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! DOMINION REQUIRED by HS Paisley is the second book in the Lochlan Ellyll Series. If you have not started this series yet… what are you waiting for? It is so good! There is magic, action, looooove, and awesome characters. In this book, Zemila continues to discover what her magic is. She is still reeling from the violent events she survived in the first book but now she knows what Lochlan did to save her and what it cost him. We are introduced to new characters in this second book who add more texture to the story. The book ends in a nail-biting finale and I am looking forward to the next book to find out what happens next. This is an exciting read that can be enjoyed by those who like books such as Ninth House or Serpent & Dove but a little bit more mature. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, HS Paisley, for sending me an audio copy for review. DOMINION REQUIRED by HS Paisley will be available at your favourite book

Muzzled  by  David Rosenfelt My rating:  3 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! MUZZLED is the 21st book in the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. This series is full of action, mysteries, and sarcasm. Andy Carpenter is a lawyer who does not have his tongue in his pocket. He is nonetheless thorough in his investigation and always gets the bad guy in the end. He is a dog lover, so that gets him points in my book. This story is well written and fast flowing. The characters are witty and believable. Although there is a continuation between the books, it won’t stop you from reading any of the books as stand-alone. I recommend this entertaining series. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, MINOTAUR BOOKS for sending me an advanced copy for review. MUZZLED by David Rosenfelt is available at your favourite bookstore. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #

Baking Me Crazy  by  Karla Sorensen My rating:  3 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! This was a fun, charming, and sexy contemporary romance novel. It had all the elements for a fantastic “friends to lovers” book. The tension between Levi and Jocelyn was exciting and made you root for them from start to end. It was a very quick read, and it was an enjoyable one. 🎅🏻📕 CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Are you looking for the perfect gift for a book lover? Look no more and go check out the beautiful book sleeves and bookmarks available at Reading in the country Etsy shop . Their products are rightly priced, and shipping is free in Canada. Don't forget to use my code: TWODOGS25 and save 25% on your order! Shipping is free in Canada! 📕🤶🏻 #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians

Custom Built  by  Chantal Fernando My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! I am participating in an exciting Bookstagram Tour for CUSTOM BUILT by Chantal Fernando, organised by HARLEQUIN BOOKS. This book is sexy, rugged, and dangerous!! I love the strong tension between Bronte and Crow… so sexy! I also enjoyed the soft caring side of Crow. This story has romance, danger, action, and lots of sexiness!!! It is a quick and enjoyable read. Totally recommend! 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, HARLEQUIN BOOKS for sending me a copy for review. CUSTOM BUILT by Chantal Fernando will be available at your favourite bookstore on November 24th. #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography #Sponsored #HarlequinPublicityTeam #HarlequinBooks #CarinaPress #ContemporaryRomance #ChantalFernando #Custom

From These Broken Streets  by  Roland Merullo My rating:  4 of 5 stars 📚 Hello Book Friends! FROM THESE BROKEN STREETS by Roland Merullo was an intense, edge-of-your-seat historical account of the Four Days of Naples which took place in 1943. It is a story of courage, bravery, and victory. It recounts how the people of Naples fought and took their city back from the Nazis. The characters are vivid and extraordinary. The author does not hide the ugliness of the war but also depicts the courage of the Neapolitans in a true and splendid rawness. If you love WWII books based on true events, this one is for you. I recommend it wholeheartedly. 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, AMAZON PUBLISHING for sending me a finished copy for review. FROM THESE BROKEN STREETS by Roland Merullo is available at your favourite bookstore. #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #books #booklover #bookish #bookah