Two Dogs and a Book

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney My rating: 4 of 5 stars Once in a while, I come across a book which changes my perspective and triggers soul-searching thoughts about my life or future. Lillian Boxfish takes a walk is one of these books. The story is about Lillian, a witty octogenarian, on the eve of the 1985 new year. Lillian's new year plans are derailed by a box of Oreo cookies and she finds herself walking all over New York City, her favorite town, and reminisces about her grand life. She will make unscheduled visits to places, she will meet interesting people and will encounter thrilling surprises. All in all, I just love how Lillian handles all situations. I hope I will be as witty as her in my 80's. This is a great read. The book is well written and the characters are fantastic. If you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, this book is for you. View all my reviews

Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks My rating: 4 of 5 stars I listen to this book because it is narrated by the author. Who would not love to have a book read by Tom Hanks?!?! Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks is a collection of short stories which have a common element: the typewriter. The writing is clever and intelligent. I had a few laughs and not a boring moment. This is a fast and fun book. Get the audio version and let Tom tell you his stories. Looking forward to more stories in the future. View all my reviews

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is by far one of the best books I read this year. The story, the characters and the location could have not been better suited. I am in awe of Amory Towles' fantastic writing talent and how he has delivered, in my opinion, a book which will be read for generations. I am sad that I am done reading this marvelous story, but the impression it made on my soul will last a life time. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. View all my reviews

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman My rating: 4 of 5 stars I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The Rules of Magic is the story of three siblings whose family has been cursed by an ancestor. The Owens are witches and warlocks and they have been forbidden to fall in love. If they do, the person they love will die. The story follows the three siblings from their early teens to their adulthood. They will all fall in love. One will see the curse first hand. One will die to trick the curse. One will live to trick the curse. At first, I thought this book was written for young adults, but as I progressed in the story, I realized adults would enjoy it too. Alice Hoffman addresses many 60's taboos in this book and injects historical factoids here and there to keep the story grounded. This is the prequel to Practical Magic published in 1995. I am off to read this book next to know ...

Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker by Gregory Maguire My rating: 3 of 5 stars Are you a fan of Brothers Grimm and E. T. A. Hoffmann stories? If you are, you will like this book. Hiddensee: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker is a beautiful and often sad story of Dirk Drosselmeier's life. As a child, Dirk dies and visits an enchanted forest. The great god Pan gives him a second chance and returns Dirk to life with the mission to find a home for the enchanted forest. This purpose is quickly put far aside as Dirk grows up and learns to navigate the world in all his naivety. Eventually, he becomes the godfather of Klara, the grand-daughter of his best friend Felix. On a Christmas Eve, Dirk gives a Nutcracker to Klara to protect her from the seven-head king mouse. If you know the Nutcracker story, you know what happened. This book explains the origin of the Nutcracker, but, in my opinion, the true story is about Dirk fulfilling h...

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty My rating: 4 of 5 stars "Truly Madly Guilty" was a rollercoaster from start to end. This is the story of how a tragic event can have stressful repercussions on the lives of friends, family, and neighbours. Liane Moriarty spins a complex story into a beautiful tapestry of anger, jealousy, denial, accusations, and, eventually, forgiveness. The story moves back and forth in time and depicts the way everyone who attended a BBQ is dealing with the conflicting emotions that follow a shocking event. Relationships will be tested and everyone will try to find redemption for their involvement in this incident. Great read! View all my reviews

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick My rating: 2 of 5 stars I started this series years and years ago. I had only one book left to read and I finally decided to suck it up and read it. I have a rule to read all the books in a series no matter what. This series was a bori... challenging read. This is the story of Nora, a Nephilim, and Patch, a Fallen Angel. Nora is now the leader of the Nephilim race and is faced with many challenges. There is a war brewing between the Nephilim and the Fallen Angels. Nora swore an oath to her father to lead the Nephilim to victory and she also swore an oath to the Archangels to stop the war. This is definitely a conundrum. This series was too young for my taste and I am sure that a teenager would enjoy it more than me. Well... I am done with it and I can now move on. I am not recommending this series if you are younger than 14 years old. View all my reviews