November Cloak &Dagger Link-Up

I can't believe the year is almost over.  Stormi and I have already decided to host this challenge again next your but we are looking for input from you to make it eve better. We have thought about perhaps doing a year-long "read a series" within the challenge challenge if that makes any sense.  We are also planning on starting a Face book page if anyone is interested in something like that.  Does anyone have any additional ideas?  Please let me know and Stormi and I will consider any suggestions.  In the meantime, this year isn't over yet so please link up November's reviews so we can all find some more great books to add to our TBRs.

November Link Up

Have a great month everyone!

Stacking the Shelves (88)

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves or TBR piles, may it be physical or virtual.  This means you can include books you buy in a physical store, online, books you borrow from the library or friends, review books, gifts and of course, ebooks! The original meme was started over at Tynga's Reviews.  Clicking on the book (or title) should take you to the Goodreads page. 

I have several books to show you this week.  I bought some, picked up some for free and of course, there are the galleys.  So let's jump right into it.  

Tammy from Books Bones & Buffy recommended The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and since I noticed I had added it to my Goodreads wishlist a few years ago, I went straight to Amazon and grabbed a copy.  I also managed to grab Wax and Ghost Road Blues, both books I've wanted to read for some time, for $1.99 each.

I grabbed Crow Creek and it's sequel, Queensboro for free on Halloween.  Also, I've been wanting to buy Rescuing Finley for months but never did so when I saw it come up for free one day, I grabbed it.

Several of the ARCs don't come out until next year so I'm sticking to that excuse.  Anyway, of course I had to get Man & Beast and Secret Services Dogs.  Also, there was no way I could resist Boomer's Bucket List. I'm waiting to see if I inspire Stormi to grab Custom Baked Murder, Bell, Book & Candlemas or The Case of the Green-Dressed Ghost - or maybe she already has :)

So overall, a great collection of books.  However, it seems I went from a horror-filled October to a them of "Thankful for Dogs" November without even trying.  Hey, I may be on to something here.  

So what did you pick up this week???

Weekly Reads (11/14/16)

I can't believe it's November already.  I am a firm believer that once Halloween hits, the rest of the year just flies.  Before we know it, Christmas will be here.  It was pretty much another crazy week and I had some work obligations on Wednesday that tied me up most of the day and then left me drained the following two.  However, now the weekend is here and I'm hoping to read, rest and get some things done around the house.

We handed out candy to trick-or-treaters this week and both boys helped so it was a lot of fun.  My favorite football team is having a rough season, so the games haven't been as much fun to watch.  I am a loyal fan though and know they are rebuilding and will do better next year.  Booker T had to go the ER vet on Sunday.  He's been fighting allergies and ear problems for a few weeks and I think the warmer weather made it worse.  We probably could have waited and tried to get into his regular vet the following week but with out work schedules, plus the fact that I hate seeing him miserable, led us to the decision to just go Sunday evening and get it done.  He ended up having a yeast infection inside both ears and is already on the mend and was feeling better the next day.

I read two good books over last weekend and am in the middle of my first November read.  It's taking a tad longer than planned, but it is a really good book and I'm enjoying it.  So here's what up next on the reading pile.

I can honestly say there wasn't an intentional dog theme going on this week, but I don't mind that it happened.  I am reading Moon Chosen with Stormi and I've been craving some cozy mysteries so it basically just happened.

Hope everyone has a great week this week and what's up next on your pile???

November TBR(P) - I Promise, I Didn't Do the Dog Thing Intentionally!

Well, once again it's time to plan some new reads.  I did OK last month, but some of what I read really wasn't on the TBR.  That's OK though because I make these more as a guideline and a reminder of what ARCs I want to read, and not as something I always want to strictly follow.  I have picked 12 books and since I have vacation the week of Thanksgiving, maybe I will get to more than usual (keeping my fingers crossed).

I really didn't intentionally plan so many covers with dogs on them, that's just how it worked out. What are your plans for November???

One "Hand"y Dog - The Dog with the Opposable Thumb (review)

TITLE: The Dog with the Opposable Thumb
AUTHOR: Mark Barkawitz
PUBLISHER: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
PUBLISHING DATE: June 19, 2016

FROM GOODREADS:  When an accidentally DNA-altered puppy is born with a thumb, his lovelorn, grad-student caretaker devises a strategy to achieve their Kardashian-like fame and fortune. But what goes up . . . must inevitably fall back down in this tale of unrequited love and 21st century celebrity. Howlingly good fun! 20% of proceeds from book sales will be donated to the Pasadena Humane Society & the SPCA.

MY THOUGHTS: 
So I really have to start out by saying that my rating is probably pretty biased, and if I didn't love dogs so much, I might be tempted to give it a 3/5. However, when I picked this book up late one night for a quick read, I was so quickly intrigued by Solo and Marty's story that I couldn't help but love the crazy and zany story I ended up reading.

Marty is a struggling grad student trying to make ends meet. When his Golden, Joy Baby, ends up accidentally pregnant while Marty is trying to leave the boarding kennel, he tries to prepare himself for taking care of a new liter of pups. However, much to Marty's relief, Joy Baby only has one pup and what a very unique pup he is. Instead of just a dew claw, Solo's right paw has a jointed dew claw much like an opposable thumb. Marty quickly teaches Solo some tricks and becomes a Youtube sensation, which leads to numerous media deals. Marty and Solo suddenly get swept up in all the luxuries of fame..and all the downfalls too.

I really enjoyed reading about Marty and Solo. Marty is a somewhat flawed individual, but his flaws make him more relatable. It was fun to see how Marty gets caught up in fame and fortune. He dearly loves his pups, but at times, I did feel sorry for Solo. I mean, what dog wants to have to "earn" a living? Unfortunately, I feel that during his claim to fame, Solo looses some of his puppyhood. However, Solo was always treated well and Marty does his best to make sure the needs of both of his dogs are met. This book is touted as "An Accidental Love Story" and while it is, the love story is so minor it almost doesn't exist. In fact, I think the love story is more likely the love between Marty and his mutant pooch. My only real issue with "The Dog with the Opposable Thumb" is the writing style, to which I quickly adjusted. Basically I found it to not be so much a novel, as Marty's spoken tale. So quite often it's told in a very informal manner- which actually works pretty good after the first 30 or so pages. The author does have an affinity for parentheses and uses them a lot (and I mean a lot :) It was bothersome at first, but once I became involved in the story, I didn't really care.

Overall, if you love dogs and really quirky tales, you really have to pick up this book. I was contacted by the author and provided a copy for review in exchange for an honest opinion and I'm really glad about it or else I might not have this little hidden "pup gem" sitting on my shelf. It's a wonderful lighthearted read and a great look at what dogs can add to a person's life.

RATING: 4 PAWS

BOOKER T's THOUGHTS:  I really liked Solo and Cass and I really need him around so he can open the fridge for us while Mom and Dad are at work.  However, since he crashed his dad's Porsche, I think I'll stick to driving us around.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mark Barkawitz has earned local and national awards for his fiction, poetry, essay, and screenwriting. His work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, literary journals and anthologies, ‘zines, and on dozens of websites. He has IMDb feature film credits as screenwriter, actor, & associate producer (Mark Bark) for “Turn of the Blade” (NorthStar Ent.) and supporting actor in “The Killing Time” (New World Pictures). He’s taught creative writing classes, coached a championship track team of student/athletes, and ran the 2001 L.A. Marathon in 3:44:42. He lives with his wife and has two kids in Pasadena, CA.

Waiting on Wednesday (80) - Booker T Signing On!!!

"Waiting on" Wednesday" is weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming anticipated releases.  

Mom's out of town today so you know what that means, I am assuming my duty as co-blogger and taking over! I have chosen a book to share today which I know my Mom will love and which I think other dog lovers might as well.

March 7, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: The playful, epic adventure of a 160-pound English Mastiff and the twentysomething girl who grew up alongside her—Marley & Me for a whole new generation.

Lauren Watt took her 160-pound English Mastiff to college—so of course after graduation, Gizelle followed Lauren to her first, tiny apartment in New York. Because Gizelle wasn’t just a dog; she was a roommate, sister, confidante, dining companion, and everything in between.

Together, Gizelle and Lauren went through boyfriends, first jobs, a mother’s struggle with addiction, and the ups and downs of becoming an adult in the big city. But when Gizelle got sick and Lauren realized her best friend might not be such a constant after all, she designed an epic bucket list to make the absolute most of the time they had left.

Bursting with charm, this unique, coming-of-age story of a girl making her way through life is a testament to the special way pets inspire us to live better, love better, and appreciate the simple pleasures. Gizelle’s Bucket List is the humorous, poignant lesson our pets teach us: to embrace adventure, love unconditionally, and grow into the people we want to be.

WHY I'M WAITING:  Since Cassius weighs 106 pound and I weigh 108, I think we qualify as big dogs!  I can't wait to see what we have in common with Gizelle.

So what are you waiting for this week? 

 

TTT - 10 Books To Read If Your Book Club Likes Historical Mysteries

This top 10 weekly meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and can be found HERE.  Each week they focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading. This week we are looking at book club recommendations so here's some things to consider if you like historical mysteries. Some of these may have a slight paranormal twist to them as well. 

I really never read a lot of historical fiction until the past 2 years but I have found that when it involves mysteries or paranormal elements, I really enjoy it. In fact, I have quite a few more on my TBR!

So what books should my book club read?