But I DO Have Kids!

 

TITLE: Birdie & Harlow: Life, Loss and Loving My Dog So Much I Didn't Want Kids

AUTHOR: Taylor Wolfe

PUBLISHER: HarperOne

PUBLISHING DATE: September 19, 2023

PAGES: 272   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: The funny and poignant story of one woman’s wonderfully codependent relationship with her dog – and what he taught her about chosen family and the reward of motherhood. 

Birdie & Harlow is the story of a baby and a dog. But motherhood is never quite that simple. In Taylor Wolfe’s case, it’s a long, zigzagging and winding road. Meant to be a last-minute anniversary gift for her then boyfriend (and now husband), the highly-energetic and loud-mouthed Vizla puppy named Harlow turns out to be the best snap decision twenty-year-old Taylor ever makes—and the beginning of the most epic friendship she ever has. 

As Wolfe’s resistance to 9-5’s and traditional adulthood grows, Harlow becomes the perfect companion for her eccentricities in a world that thrives on conformity. Wolfe’s twenties—full of pitfalls and surprises, sad days and silver linings—led her to the realization that life is too short to spend your days in a crate (or a cubicle), that parks are meant to be enjoyed, and most importantly, she wants to be a mom. But really, isn't she one already? 

A charming and touching memoir, Birdie & Harlow is a tribute to the many expressions of modern motherhood, to both human and fur babies alike. Taylor’s story reminds all of us that life will surprise you and that families should come in every shape and size.

MY THOUGHTS: It's really a good thing I didn't look too closely at the cover (or I'd have seen the "until I did" in parenthesis after the title) or read the synopsis too well or the chances are good I'd have missed out on this book which brought me so much joy and so many tears.  I never had the desire to have a kid, and many people believe that to feel that way is abnormal.   Luckily, because of some other issues which are highly personal and that I won't go into, I also felt no pressure from my family to procreate (the issues not so great but the subsequent outcome definitely helpful).  I hate the pressure women feel that to be "normal" they need to have children.  I don't hate children, in fact, I've spent the last 30 years working with and advocating for them.  But my children are my dogs and that is completely by choice and luckily, I met someone who feels the same way.

Given all of that though, I settled down to read a book I thought was about a wonderful relationship with a family pet and for the most part, I still got that, with just a side of baby thrown in.  In this memoir, Wolfe journals her 10 years with her child and best friend, Harlow the Vizla.  She purchased Harlow on a whim never knowing her life would never be the same.  For 10 years, she and her boyfriend, and now husband, navigated life, including job changes, several moves, covid, and eventually a baby with Harlow by their sides.  Wolfe includes conversations with Harlow as she knows in her heart Harlow speaks to her and only she can hear and understand him.  These were some of my favorite parts.

Like all great dog stories, I knew this one had an ending in sight.  And let me tell you I sobbed. I was sitting on the couch hoping my husband didn't see the tears streaming down my face because I knew it would cause me to further break down.  Never had I had someone put into words so exactly my relationship with my darling Cassius.  And while this book hit too close to home at times, I don't regret reading it and overall, reading it was a beautiful experience.  I hope Cassius has run into Harlow since he has passed because I'm sure they would have lots in common and could spend days telling each other about their crazy human soulmates.  If you love dogs (and don't mind kids) read this book!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

2024 Reading Plans/Challenges

 

  

So, I have spent some time thinking about my reading plans/goals for 2024 and although they are ALWAYS subject to change, and in fact, probably will, for now, I think I have a decent grasp of what is going on.

First of all, I will be continuing my buddy reads with Stormi.  I really enjoy our laid-back approach to them, and they are quite the motivator to get books read.  We are either in the middle of or starting some great series so look for some reviews of the Bill Hodges/Holly series by Stephen King, the Jackaby/Rook series by William Ritter, the Harrison Investigations series by Heather Graham (and its numerous spin-offs) and Hope's Crossing/Haven Point series from RaeAnne Thayne to name a few.

Next, I am participating in a 6-month series read of the White Trash Zombie books by Diana Rowland.  I definitely want to get into more urban fantasy this year hosted by Anne @ Books of My Heart and COYER.  You can find the details HERE.  I also participate in a monthly horror book club on the TBR and Beyond Facebook page which is hosted by Mel.  Every month there is a new title and then the discussion is the last Sunday of each month.  In January we are reading The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn.

And finally, my year-long challenges.  I am participating in Library Love, which again is hosted by Anne @ Books of my Heart. You can learn all about it and the awesome prize which is being offered HERE.  I am also doing the What an Animal Challenge after skipping it for the past two years.  It is hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews.  There is a 24 book Horror Challenge being held on one of my Facebook groups which looks fun and pretty informal.  I'll include the prompts below.  And finally, I located a Bands and Book Challenge.  This one contains 140 prompts which are connected to popular bands.  Now I in no way think I will complete this one, but I want to see how I do and since I love music as well, I couldn't resist.  Click on the challenge title for all the details if you are interested because I am not listing 140 prompts! 

So, if you made it this far, those are the plans.  I will DEFINITELY be doubling up on prompts and things and this is all in fun and just to see what I can achieve.  Oh yea, my Goodreads goal is 100 books and I want to do better at tracking on there again, so I guess I am back to being mocked by my good old friend Goodreads once again.  Are you doing anything fun this year with your reading?  I hope to do quarterly updates so keep your eyes open.  Wish me luck!

Feed Your TBR - Immortal Dark

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" 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. 

September 3, 2024

SYNOPSIS: A dark fantasy romance where one girl must join a secret society of vampires in order to find her missing sister.

Hidden in our world, a society of vampires originating in Africa, are bound to twelve human Houses. Each House represents a bloodline more cutthroat than the next. To ensure peace and inherit their House legacy, human children of these elite families must study at an elite secret university.

Lost Heiress, Kidan Adane grew up far from Uxlay University. She is obsessively protective, mildly nihilistic, and willing to do anything to save her loved ones. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—her own House vampire to be exact, the alluring yet dangerous Susenyos Sagad.

To find June, Kidan must study at Uxlay and live with Susenyos. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’ violence speaks to her own and tempts Kidan to surrender to a life of darkness. She will find her sister and kill him at all costs.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: I am finding myself more and more drawn to vampire books again and I am very intrigued by the concept of the vampire originating in Africa.  Plus, that cover!

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

This Is Not a Christmas Book!

 

TITLE: Wreck the Halls

AUTHOR: Tessa Bailey

PUBLISHER: Avon

PUBLISHING DATE: October 3, 2023

PAGES: 352   

SOURCE: Own

FROM GOODREADS: Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas. 

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show. 

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.

MY THOUGHTS: This year Tessa Bailey kind of became my go-to author when I needed a break from the dark horror and thriller novels I usually gravitate toward.  I feel in love with her quirky characters and sometimes often steamy scenes which made me forget serial killers, blood and gore for even a little while.  That's why I was so excited she was coming out with a holiday read just in time for my self-imposed holiday reading frenzy.  But then I saw several reviews mentioning people being disappointed including lamented the fact that this book is NOT a Christmas tale, despite being marketed as one. So I didn't read it - that is until New Year's, when Christmas was long gone and guess what, I found myself enjoying this almost as much as my other reads of her works.  

Melody and Beat are the offspring of the two main individuals in a famous rock and roll band 30 plus years ago.  The band, Steel Birds, were infamous and their infamy was fueled by the fact that suddenly broke up and never spoke to each other again.  Fast forward 31 years ago and the public remains enamored with the band and just like the way of the world, a production company wants to do a reality show around a reunion.  Melody and Beat, who have seen each other in 15 years team up to do the impossible - Beat because he needs the million dollars to pay off a blackmailer or else his parents' world will crumble and Melody, because she is tired of her hit and miss mother who only sees her once a year at February.  Can they do the impossible, and how long before they can't live without each other?  SMALL SPOILER ALERT - not long at all!

I believe knowing what I did about so many people being disappointed that this was a Christmas tale, led to me actually being able to enjoy the book.  I had absolutely no holiday expectations.  Sure, the book is set in December, but by no way does it promise Christmas romance or shenanigans.  However, as much as I enjoyed it, there were a few issues.  For one, Beat has one of the most unique sexual hangups I've ever read about in a book.  And honestly, perhaps it's not that unique but personally, I had no exposure to it previously.  And second, this book takes insta-love to a whole new level.  Melody and Beat meet once for a brief 5-10 minutes when they are 16 and now, 15 years later, they reconnect and immediately feel they have found their other half, and both recall how connected they felty during their one encounter and secretly they both start thinking they are meant to be together.  It was a tad annoying.

All that being said, things happen in the book which go on to either explain things, so I understood where the characters were coming from and why they behaved as they did.  So is Wreck the Halls a perfect book, no, but it also isn't a Christmas book and if you can put that notion aside, you might just enjoy it like I did.

RATING: 4 PAWS

Is a Candy Cane Yard Decoration Really a Good Weapon???

 

TITLE: Wrapped with a Beau

AUTHOR: Lillie Vale

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam's Sons

PUBLISHING DATE: September 26, 2023

PAGES: 368   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: As a successful film liaison, Elisha Rowe has her heart set on one thing and one thing only: putting her hometown back on the map. So, when she gets the chance to secure a sequel to Sleighbells, she's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, that includes claiming to have already secured permission to film at the historic Christmas house—permission she was very much denied by the gorgeous new owner. 

Ves Hollins is only back in Piney Peaks long enough to sell the house he inherited from his great-aunt. The holidays have always been tough for Ves, and it's not any easier when he's distracted by memories of a Christmas long, long ago, and the undeniable charm of neighbor Elisha. Ready to return home to New York as quickly as possible, he has no plans to put down roots or fall in love...even if Elisha unravels his hesitations like a bad Christmas sweater. 

There's no question the two are opposites in every way. Ves is unquestionably frosty. Elisha is brimming with warmth. He doesn't do commitment. She never runs from a challenge. But as the two grow closer, they quickly realize that the growing spark between them may be just what the season calls for.

MY THOUGHTS: I grabbed this strictly for the cover one day at the library when I was looking for holiday reads.  I expected a fun rom-com but ended up with a book with more going on than I originally anticipated.

Ves has come to Piney Peaks to clean out a recently inherited house from his aunt.  He dislikes Christmas and pretty much most people and hasn't been back to the home since he was a young child.  Elisha moved back to Piney Peaks following a bad breakup.  She is in love with the town, which years ago, was featured in a classic Christmas movie.  As a film liaison, Elisha has promised the famous house which was used in the movie can be the main setting for the much-anticipated sequel.  However, there is one problem, that house now belongs to Ves.  Throw in Elisha's jerk of an ex, some friends who love hanging out in the local town bar, and a cute bakery owned and operated by Elisha's parents, and you have a scene straight out of Gilmore Girls.  

I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamics of Elisha and Ves and especially appreciated that the author shared with us what made Ves so standoffish. It was clear the two were attracted to each other right of the bat, but it was nice that the author took time to develop the relationship.  The side characters were adorable, in particular Elisha's grandfather, who helped pull Ves out of his grumpy shell. 

If you are looking for a fun Christmas read with some great characters, then this might be the book for you.  The only complaint I have is that is did drag a bit about 2/3 through and I feel like it could have been about 50 pages shorter.  Overall, though, a solid read which definitely helped me get into the Christmas spirit.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - The Parliament

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" 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. 

January 16, 2024

FROM GOODREADS: The Birds meets The Princess Bride in this tale of friendship, responsibility, and the primal force of nature.

“Murder owls are extreme,” Jude said. “What’s more extreme than murder owls?”

Madeleine Purdy is stuck in her hometown library.

When tens of thousands of owls descend on the building, rending and tearing at anyone foolish enough to step outside, Mad is tasked with keeping her students safe, and distracted, while they seek a solution to their dilemma.

Perhaps they’ll find the inspiration they seek in her favorite childhood book, The Silent Queen….

With food and fresh water in low supply, the denizens of the library will have to find a way out, and soon, but the owls don’t seem to be in a hurry to leave…

The Parliament is a story of grief and missed opportunities, but also of courage and hope.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  This author is from WV which initially is what caught my attention.  However, once I read the synopsis, it sounds just quirky enough for me and I love the idea of killer owls. 

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

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Snow Angel Cove (Haven Point #1)

 

So, after finishing the Virgin River series, Stormi and I wanted something with the same small-town vibe.  She recommended this month's read, especially since it centered around the Christmas holidays.  There is a prequel series which leads up to Haven Point and we both agree that we need to go back and start with that series first though. However, that didn't mean we didn't enjoy this book.  Read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Stormi's @Storm Reads to see hers.  

TITLE: Snow Angel Cove (Haven Point #1)

AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne

PUBLISHER: HQN

PUBLISHING DATE: October 28, 2014

PAGES: 378   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Nothing short of a miracle can restore Eliza Hayward's Christmas cheer. The job she pinned her dreams on has gone up in smoke—literally—and now she's stuck in an unfamiliar, if breathtaking, small town. Precariously close to being destitute, Eliza needs a helping hand…for her sick young daughter's sake as well as her own. But she's not expecting her holiday hero to almost run her down with his car! 

Rescuing Eliza is pure instinct for tech genius Aidan Caine. At first, putting the renovation of his lakeside guest lodge in Eliza's hands assuages his guilt—until he sees how quickly he could fall for her. Having focused solely on his business for years, he never knew that what his life was missing was Eliza and her little girl. But is he willing to risk hoping for a yuletide romance that could lead to forever?

MY THOUGHTS: This book started out with one catastrophe after another and I was secretly thinking to myself, "What a depressing Christmas book."  However, my thoughts quickly shifted, and I found myself sucked into the cozy little lakeside town of Haven Point getting to know all the unique characters.

Eliza lost her husband years ago and has been a single parent struggling with her daughter's serious heart problems.  She finally lands a job in her field just to move to Haven Point and discover the hotel she has signed on to manage has burned to the ground.  Distraught and trying to figure out her next steps, she goes to get a bite to eat for her daughter and is hit by a car and lands in the hospital.  That's how Eliza meets Aidan Caine and despite having her own personal reasons for disliking the man, she immediately finds herself attracted to him.  He feels responsible for Eliza and gives her a temporary job which will also enable him to learn more about what caught his attention.  But are both of them prepared for what happens next?

I immediately fell in love with Eliza's small daughter which is saying a lot as I am definitely not a kid person.  She was so adorable, and innocent and despite being dealt a bad hand health-wise, she embodies curiosity and the true meaning of Christmas.  I also really enjoyed getting to know some of the town residents, who are too excited Aidan has moved to Haven Point and now owns half the town.  The reader gets to see a glimpse of Aidan's family, as they all gather at his home for the holidays, and I think there is where I realized I needed to go back and read the original series first.  

Overall, I loved so many things about this book and although it will be hard for something to touch me the same way the Virgin River series did, this author might do a decent job at filling the void.  Definitely look for more reviews of this series in 2024!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS