Can't Wait Wednesday (185)

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

FROM GOODREADS: S.T., a domesticated crow, is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with his owner Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle's wild crows (those idiots), and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos ®.

Then Big Jim's eyeball falls out of his head, and S.T. starts to feel like something isn't quite right. His most tried-and-true remedies--from beak-delivered beer to the slobbering affection of Big Jim's loyal but dim-witted dog, Dennis--fail to cure Big Jim's debilitating malady. S.T. is left with no choice but to abandon his old life and venture out into a wild and frightening new world with his trusty steed Dennis, where he discovers that the neighbors are devouring each other and the local wildlife is abuzz with rumors of dangerous new predators roaming Seattle. Humanity's extinction has seemingly arrived, and the only one determined to save it is a foul-mouthed crow whose knowledge of the world around him comes from his TV-watching education.

Hollow Kingdom is a humorous, big-hearted, and boundlessly beautiful romp through the apocalypse and the world that comes after, where even a cowardly crow can become a hero.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  First of all, the cover has a dog AND tentacles.  What a combo but I'm so in!  Also, how strange does this sound?  It's just screaming "Barb, read me!"  I need to know what made Jim's eyes fall out and I'm only hoping that S.T. and Dennis can save the world.  Oh, and who can resist Cheetos?

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

TTT - All About Being Thankful

The top 10 weekly meme used to be hosted by The Broke and the Bookish they  handed over the reins to ThatArtsyReaderGirl who can be found HERE.  Each week she will focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading. 

This week is a freebie topic related to Thanksgiving and being thankful.  In the past I've done posts mentioning some of my favorite bloggers.  I have since discovered a few more and will be adding them at the end of this list.  I will also link the previous ones.  However, I also want to make a list of things I'm thankful in general.  So you get extra this week!

THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR

1.  A wonderful husband

2.  The best pets in the world

3. Family - The ones I like...and that I've had the chance to get so close to my Gpa the past few years.

4.  Bloggers - I've met so many wonderful people and I love interacting with you guys through comments, tweets, instagram etc.  You guys are the greatest and I can always count on you to bring a smile to my face.

5. A job where I get to help people

6. An almost done kitchen

7. Blessings in disguise - although I was recently t-boned, through medical appointments I found an issue I was unaware of and can now address.  Silver lining folks!

7. My Book BFF  Stormi - we've spent endless hours messaging and chatting about books and life in general and I can't imagine her not in my life.

BLOGGERS I'M THANKFUL FOR

Past blogger appreciation posts HERE HERE HERE HERE and HERE.

Katie @ Just Another Girl and her Books
Katie has some of the best book hauls ever and usually a lot of them she found on sale.  Plus she host a great Christmas readathon in December.

AJ @ Read All the Things
I love the variety of posts AJ has and the different genres she reads.  She is also a fellow dog-lover.

Lark @ Lark Writes...
Another great blogger who reads a variety of genres.  She and I seem to read quite a few of the same things.

Jan @ Notes From a Readerholic
Jan has great taste in books and reads a lot of the books I'm interested in.  She recently had surgery and I'm really hoping she is feeling better this Thanksgiving.

Mary @ Stacking My Bookshelves
I just discovered Mary earlier this year but she is already one of my faves?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

See those dogs on the cover?????

TITLE: Mutts and Mistletoe
AUTHOR: Natalie Cox
PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam's Sons
PUBLISHING DATE: October 9, 2018

FROM GOODREADS: Her boyfriend has left her for his personal trainer, her mother has absconded with her latest husband for the holidays, and--adding insult to (literal) injury--her London apartment has just been destroyed by a gas leak. Single, mildly concussed and temporarily homeless, Charlie realizes there's only one place to go: Cozy Canine Cottages, where she'll spend the season looking after her cousin Jez's doggy day care center. And if she's not exactly a dog person, well, no one has to know...

But her plans for a quiet Christmas in a quaint country village are quickly dashed. Peggy the pregnant beagle and Malcolm the anxious Great Dane seem determined to keep her up all night. A strange man has been casing her cousin's house. And where is Cal, the unbearably patronizing but disturbingly handsome local vet, when she needs him?

As the days tick down to Christmas, Charlie's life has never felt so out of control--but with some help from her new four-legged friends, she just might learn a thing or two about living in the moment, embracing the unexpected and opening herself up to love...

MY THOUGHTS:  So ever since I saw this cover, I've been dreaming of a nice quiet weekend snuggled in a furry blankets with my pups snuggling by my side.  I was thrilled to get an ARC and have saved it for the Christmas season.  In fact, it was the perfect fit for a recent readathon.  But somehow, this book left me feeling a little flat.  Now I will admit that the last 30% or so saved it for me because in the beginning, I feared it was not going to live up to my anticipation.  

So Charlie lives in London and was recently dumped by her boyfriend.  As Christmas nears, a gas explosion in her apartment building almost impales her she ends up needing a place to stay.  Her mother, who loves to meddle, arranges for Charlie to spend the holiday with her cousin Jez, who lives in the country and runs Cozy Canine Cottages.  However, Charlie is not a dog person.  Needless to say, Charlie eventually goes and stays with Jez, who is actually a much more likable person that Charlie.  While there, she meets the local vet, who she calls Bovine Cal, because he specializes in, yep,  you guessed it, cows.  Cal and Charlie do not hit it off and things become even more complicated when Jez decides to take off for the North Pole to rendezvous with an on-line girlfriend, leaving Charlie in charge of the dogs who are boarding there for Christmas.  Even Cal questions why Jez would do such a thing.

So despite not liking dogs, Charlie ends up taking in even more boarders as the holidays draw closer and before you know it, she has a full house - literally, because the heat in the cottages go out.  Add in a small mystery, a hunk named Hugo who is engaged to the local snob, and alpacas and you have "Mutts and Mistletoe."

Like I said, in my opinion, the last part totally saved the novel.  However, I did have a couple of issues that I just can't get over.  First of all, Charlie isn't a dog person.  Strike one.  Secondly, her cousin leaves her in charge of the dogs and the kennel to traipse to the North Pole - not a smart business decision.  And last but not least, see the adorable dogs on the cover?  The ones who made me fall in love with this book before I even started?  Well, they are even in the book. Don't get me wrong, there are some adorable dogs.  We have a deaf Great Dane named Malcolm, a pregnant beagle (why did you leave Charlie with your personal pregnant beagle Jez?), two Alaskan Malamutes, an elderly dog who they call Slab because he doesn't move much, and an Irish Setter.  See, lots to chose from so why aren't any of THEM on the cover?  I have since discovered several foreign editions and both covers are more indicative of the book.

So overall I did enjoy this book, but not as much as I had hoped.  There are some great characters in the little country town whose oddness only make them that much more endearing.  The dogs are fun and adorable and Charlie does exhibit some character growth which is good, because she needed it.  So even though I could easily give this a 3/5, it's probably more like a 3.5 so for Goodreads sake I'll add up.  After all, it's still an adorable cover.

RATING: 4 PAWS

Weekly Reads/Stacking the Shelves/Sunday Post (11/16/18)

So is everyone ready for Turkey Day next week (those who are celebrating)?  We are slowly getting there but November has turned out to be uncharacteristically hectic.  So the truck is now in the shop and I'm buzzing around in the rental.  It is unlikely it will be done for another week or more.  I'm feeling better but still feel a few aches and pains when I sit in one position too long.  I have a follow up appointment next week.  And the kitchen is nearing completion.  All the work is done from the guys that were doing the floor and the ceiling.  I spent a lot of time last weekend painting trim, cabinets, etc, and now I need to do the walls this week.  It's amazing how much tedious painting there is to do in a fairly small kitchen. I hope to post pictures soon because I am loving it.

The pups are doing good but we had a lot of cold rainy weather this week and they did not get out as much as they should.  Cass has a birthday next week (on Thanksgiving Day) so we'll be celebrating double and then our Anniversary is Black Friday so we'll be eating more good food and watching football.  We managed to watch a few movies this week.  First up was "MEG" which I loved but which was almost nothing like the book. It was still fun though.  And then we watched a Mark Wahlberg movie called "Mile 22."  It was massively confusing and I feel like the movie started in the middle.  A lot of people died though.

I haven't read a whole lot but as you will see, that hasn't stopped me from acquiring books.  I contribute it to the painting and kitchen work.  After work Monday, I'm on vacation for 6 glorious days so hopefully I can get some books knocked out. Here's what I hope to pick up this weekend and into next week.

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 cans you cam 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. And it now has a new co-host where individuals can link up as well - Marlene from Reading Reality.  Clicking on the book (or title) should take you to the Goodreads page.  I'm also now linking up with the Sunday Post which is hosted by Kimberly@Caffeinated Book Reviewer. 

So I had a couple of library holds come in this week - you know the law of they all come in at one.  Several of my favorite bloggers have eluded something drastic happens in "Saga Vol. 9" so I'm a tad worried.  "Portents" is a collection of Cainsville tales and since that it one of my favorite series, I can't wait to read them.  And finally I'm super curious about "And the Ocean Was Our Sky."  It will be my first Patrick Ness book.

And finally I received this wonderful book for review.  I can't wait to visit with Stoker again!  "A Dangerous Collaboration" is the 4th in the Veronica Speedwell series.

So what books did you add to your shelves this week? 

Shore - YA Bound Book Tours

TITLE: Shore
AUTHOR: Enrique Rosado
PUBLISHER: Createspace Independent Publishing
PUBLISHING DATE: November 2017

SYNOPSIS: Lahar's life was regular- college, work, then binge watch whatever was in her queue. That is until she wakes up on a beach, with no idea how she got there. A young wizard named Arena, who has made a home by the mysterious shore, offers to help her home. With his massive dog and mystical creatures called Wisps, she studies under Arena's tutelage and tries to find a way back. Though mysterious forces lurk below the sand, clambering to make themselves whole, no matter the cost. 

MY THOUGHTS: When I first saw the cover of this book, I was immediately intrigued.  And then I sad mention of a massive dog and I knew I wanted to give it a chance.  

"Shore" starts out rather suddenly as the reader is immediately thrown into the action.  Lehar awakens one morning to find herself on a beach and meets a wizard, Arena, who has agreed to help her find her way home.  However, on their journey, they meet a wooden man named Void, who agrees to help her in exchange for Arena's life.  The remainder of the book is Lehar refusing to assist Void while learning magic from Arena, and the two of them growing closer as they try to figure out exactly what has gone on.

Now I will admit that this book is definitely odd, so if that attracts you, I think you might like it.  We meet lots of magical beings including a large dog named Pie who can shoot fire at people.  I actually wish my pups knew that trick.  In addition, "Shore" is a rather short novel which makes it a great quick read and face it, who doesn't love to immerse themselves in a totally fantastical world from time to time.  Rosado definitely has quite an imagination and I would love to see an animated version of "Shore" come to life one day.

RATING: 3 PAWS

The kindle edition is on sale for only $0.99 through November 16^th! If you have Kindle Unlimited you will be able to read the book free anytime you want! Buy on Amazon!

About the Author

Enrique Rosado, is a Puerto Rican who grew up on the island for a bit before landing in Killeen, Texas, a town that cultivated him and made him who is is today.  He currently lived in New York City and writes any chance he gets. 

Social links:
Website: erosado.com
Instagram: @thisonefellow
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Shore-Enrique-Rosado-ebook/dp/B077SXK5C9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534113343&sr=8-1&keywords=shore+enrique

Awwww....Puppy Love!

TITLE: A Midwinter's Tail (Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery #3)
AUTHOR: Bethany Blake
PUBLISHER: Kensington
PUBLISHING DATE: November 27, 2018

FROM GOODREADS: To bark or not to bark . . . 

Professional pet sitter Daphne Templeton loves the holidays in Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania. And nothing gets her into the spirit more than the town's annual Bark the Halls Ball. The whole community will be there to wag their tails, especially this year's special guest--Celeste "CeeCee" French, founder of a national chain of pet care franchises, who's returning home to announce plans for a bright new flagship store.

But not everyone's celebrating CeeCee's homecoming. Daphne's friend Moxie Bloom, owner of Spa and Paw, a unique salon for people and their pets, has plenty to growl about. So when CeeCee is found face down under Sylvan Creek's town Christmas tree, stabbed with a distinctive pair of professional-grade pet shears, suspicion lands squarely on Moxie. Despite Daphne's promises to Detective Jonathan Black, she quickly reprises her role as amateur sleuth. Ably assisted by her basset hound sidekick, Socrates, she must hurry to prove her friend's innocence before a killer barks again . . .

MY THOUGHTS:  There are so many things I love about this series and this installment that I don't know where to start.  Once again readers are quickly immersed into Sylvan Creek, the quaint small town that adores its pets.  This time, the town is in the middle of their Christmas preparations which include a rather unique play and a Bark the Halls Ball.  Unfortunately, once again Daphne has discovered a dead body beneath a park tree and it just happens to be a visitor from the past who was working on opening a famous name retail pet store.  There are plenty of suspects but first on the list just happens to be Daphne's best friend, Moxie.

I love so many of the characters from Sylvan Creek.  Moxie is offbeat and unique, Daphne is a real animal lover who is always taking in dogs and cats, Daphne's high-strung vet sister is even growing on me.  And while there are some hints of romance in this one, I find myself actually wanting some of the couples to move faster because they are just so darn perfect for each other!

And finally there are the pets.  Moxie has a pet rat and although I'd never own one, he sounds so cute and adorable.  Of course Daphne has Socrates, her wise Basset and still pet sits regularly for her favorite Detectives dogs, Axel and Artie.  And this time around we get to meet Snowdrop - the spoiled poodle of the deceased whom Daphne ends up caring for.  And let me tell you, Snowdrop steals Socrates' heart!  We also meet a sneaky little pug named Tiny Tim, who runs around town in a Bah Hum-Pug!  sweater the whole book.

So if you like a good mystery (and one which I didn't figure out), wonderful pets, great characters and a fun cozy town, you can't go wrong with Blake's setting.

I received my copy of "A Midwinter's Tale" from the publishers and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  I also read it as part of th #HoHoHo readathon.

RATING: 5 PAWS

Can't Wait Wednesday (184)

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

FROM GOODREADS: Dr. Harleen Quinzel grew up in an abusive household with a criminal and became a psychologist to deal with her own broken family. At Arkham Asylum, she attempted to treat the Joker and instead fell hopelessly in love with him, helping him escape and becoming a member of his organization. Quinzel became Harley Quinn, a bizarre contradiction of violence and mercy. She blames Batman for her inability to maintain a stable relationship with the arch-villain, and that causes her to have an abiding hatred for the hero, who she seeks to kill. Upon capture she becomes a violent inmate at Belle Reve Penitentiary, and is assigned to the group of government-maintained super villains known as the Suicide Squad. 

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  A book about Harley Quinn - my fave DC character.  I can't believe I have to wait until February for this one!

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???