They Call It Puppy Love Challenge

Barb over at Booker T’s Farm is hosting a fun little challenge for the month of February.

It’s the “They Call It Puppy Love” challenge and the rules are as follows:

• Make a sign up post and link it to Barb’s sign-up post.
• Read at least one book which: has a dog (or cat) on the cover or features a dog (or cat) in it.
• Do a wrap up post at the end of February with links to your review(s).
• At the end of the month, she will put all the participants in a bowl and Booker T will pick a lucky winner.  That person will receive a $10.00 gift certificate to Amazon or Book Depository.
• The challenge is open to anyone! So let’s have fun!

 

Here are the two books I am challenging myself to read.

The uplifting and unforgettable true story of a US Marine, the stray dog he met on an Afghan battlefield, and how they saved each other and now travel America together, “spreading the message of stubborn positivity.”

 

In a lyrical love letter to guide dogs everywhere, a blind poet shares his delightful story of how a guide dog changed his life and helped him discover a newfound appreciation for travel and independence.

 

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Tell Me (Top Ten) Tuesday

Tell Me Tuesday is a weekly blog feature put on by La La in the Library.  It is where we discuss what we have been, currently are, and will be reading.  What are you reading? Tell me.

WHAT I READ LAST

CURRENTLY READING

GOODREADS BOOK BLURB

Josie and Alec both live at 444 Sparrow Street. They sleep in the same room, but they’ve never laid eyes on each other. They are twelve years old but a hundred years apart.

The children meet through a handpainted spirit board—Josie in 1915, Alec in 2015—and form a friendship across the century that separates them. But a chain of events leave Josie and her little sister Cass trapped in the house and afraid for their safety, and Alec must find out what’s going to happen to them. Can he help them change their future when it’s already past?

WHAT I AM READING NEXT

Goodreads Book Blurb

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the super rich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New York life within this privileged world.

Before she knows what’s happening, Lou is mixing in New York high society, where she meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. In Still Me, as Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets–not all her own–that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

THIS WEEK’S TOP TEN TUESDAY TOPIC IS…

 Books I Can’t Believe I Read

This book was over 1,400 pages and I read every single one!

This book was very hard to get through.

I don’t usually read books about space but I gave this one a try and absolutely loved it!

Cats are not my thing but this book was all I had to read on a long flight over seas.  It was so inspiring that I even read the sequel.

I hardly ever read fantasy books that aren’t YA but I decided to read this series before I watched the show.

I don’t like romance-y books but I read this before the movie came out because I wanted to see the movie for its actors.  I ended up loving the main character.  She is written so funny and witty that I became hooked.

This was one of my first YA books I ever read.  I decided to read it because I kept seeing students at school with it and I was curious.  I was blown away by this book and I believe is the book that got me back into reading and falling in love with YA books.

I was against reading this book because it was EVERYWHERE!!!! But when my son was 8, he wanted to read it so I decided I should read it first to make sure it was ok.  Well, the rest they say is history!

A book about a time traveling nurse?  Um no thanks! And it is over 700 pages? Nope!  But I caved and read it anyway and 8 books later, I am still reading!

Enough said.

 

 

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? IS A PLACE TO MEET UP AND SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN, ARE, AND ABOUT TO BE READING OVER THE WEEK. IT IS HOSTED BY KATHRYN AT THE BOOK DATE.

WHAT I READ LAST

CURRENTLY READING

GOODREADS BOOK BLURB

Josie and Alec both live at 444 Sparrow Street. They sleep in the same room, but they’ve never laid eyes on each other. They are twelve years old but a hundred years apart.

The children meet through a handpainted spirit board—Josie in 1915, Alec in 2015—and form a friendship across the century that separates them. But a chain of events leave Josie and her little sister Cass trapped in the house and afraid for their safety, and Alec must find out what’s going to happen to them. Can he help them change their future when it’s already past?

WHAT I AM READING NEXT

Goodreads Book Blurb

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the super rich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New York life within this privileged world.

Before she knows what’s happening, Lou is mixing in New York high society, where she meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. In Still Me, as Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets–not all her own–that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?

Weekend Wrap Up #23

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @The Caffeinated Book Reviewer It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. Here is what I have been up to this last week.

I finally carved out some time to get to a movie this week.  My hubby and I went to see Lady Bird.  I enjoyed it very much.  There were some funny scenes and definitely some serious scenes.  I loved the main character, Lady Bird, and her determination to be herself and go to a college away from her hometown.

CURRENTLY READINGGoodreads Book Blurb

Josie and Alec both live at 444 Sparrow Street. They sleep in the same room, but they’ve never laid eyes on each other. They are twelve years old but a hundred years apart.

The children meet through a handpainted spirit board—Josie in 1915, Alec in 2015—and form a friendship across the century that separates them. But a chain of events leave Josie and her little sister Cass trapped in the house and afraid for their safety, and Alec must find out what’s going to happen to them. Can he help them change their future when it’s already past?

Saturday Situation is put on by Pure Imagination. It is were we review our latest reads. Be sure to check out theirs as well.

Book Blurb

Maude lived in an isolated mansion in northern France, where her father made her undergo endless horrifying endurance tests. Maude had to hold an electric fence without flinching. Her parents locked her in a cellar overnight and ordered her to sit still on a stool in the dark, contemplating death, while rats scurried around her feet.

My Thoughts

This book gave me nightmares.  What this poor lady went through as a child is unimaginable.  Unfortunately, this is something that still goes on today and I am shocked by the adults that witness these things and never intervene.  The most amazing part of this story is that Maude still was able to find joy in animals, nature, music, and books.  She read everything she could get her hands on to be able to escape to another world.  “Can an animal teach a person about happiness? In the depth of my despair, I am fortunate to have this incredible source of joy.”  Another surprising aspect of this book is Maude’s mother.  She was sold to Maude’s father as a child. He proceeded to raise and brainwash her until he could marry her and have a child with her.  The result was Maude and his experiments on her.

 

Goodreads Book Blurb

It has been ten years since Ruby left her hometown behind. Since then she’s built a life away from her recovering alcoholic mother and her first love, Murphy. But when Danny, one of her estranged friends from childhood, commits suicide, guilt draws Ruby back into the tumultuous world she escaped all those years ago.

She’s dreading the funeral – and with good reason. Danny has left a series of envelopes addressed to his former friends. Inside each envelope is a secret about every person in the group.

My Thoughts

Told from different perspectives and different time time periods, Friends and Liars, was wonderfully written.  The character development was excellent, and the mystery of what each characters secret was kept me turning the pages.  This was a highly addictive read from this debut author and I look forward to more from her.

Stacking the Shelves is put on by Tynga at Tynga’s Reviews. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves. Here are the books I have added to my TBR list this week.

I grabbed up this first edition book from Half Price books this week.  It is the second book in the Outlander series.  I probably would have found more books to buy but the fire alarm went off and it was so loud in there that I gave up and left. ( And no, they didn’t evacuate us lol)

This was Read Now on NetGalley.

Goodreads Book Blurb

A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit.

In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder in Alabama. Stunned, confused, and only twenty-nine years old, Hinton knew that it was a case of mistaken identity and believed that the truth would prove his innocence and ultimately set him free.

The Book Blogger Hop is put on by The Coffee Addicted Writer . There is a weekly prompt featuring a book related question.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION IS SUBMITTED BY  Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews

This weeks prompt is…

Do you ever go back to older posts and change things?

My answer…

Yes!  I had to go back through ALL of my blog posts last year and add all my photos back because I had accidentally DELETED them off of WordPress.  It took me days and days!

 

Tell Me (Top Ten) Tuesday

 

Tell Me Tuesday is a weekly blog feature put on by La La in the Library.  It is where we discuss what we have been, currently are, and will be reading.  What are you reading? Tell me.

WHAT I READ LAST

CURRENTLY READING

WHAT I AM READING NEXT

Goodreads Book Blurb

Maude Julien’s childhood was defined by the iron grip of her father, who was convinced his daughter was destined for great deeds. His plan began when he adopted Maude’s mother and indoctrinated her with his esoteric ideals. Her mission was to give him a daughter as blonde as she was, and then to take charge of the child’s education. That child was Maude, on whom her father conducted his outrageous experiment—to raise the perfect ‘super-human’ being.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday Topic is…

 10 Books I Really Liked but Can’t Remember Anything/Much About

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? IS A PLACE TO MEET UP AND SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN, ARE, AND ABOUT TO BE READING OVER THE WEEK. IT IS HOSTED BY KATHRYN AT THE BOOK DATE.

WHAT I READ LAST

CURRENTLY READING

WHAT I AM READING NEXT

Goodreads Book Blurb

Maude Julien’s childhood was defined by the iron grip of her father, who was convinced his daughter was destined for great deeds. His plan began when he adopted Maude’s mother and indoctrinated her with his esoteric ideals. Her mission was to give him a daughter as blonde as she was, and then to take charge of the child’s education. That child was Maude, on whom her father conducted his outrageous experiment—to raise the perfect ‘super-human’ being.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekend Wrap Up #22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @The Caffeinated Book Reviewer It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. Here is what I have been up to this last week.

Pupdates

It has been a while since I posted an update on my pups.  Trixie, the senior dog I adopted in December, is doing well.  She is on some medicine for her itching problem.  She has to take it everyday.  I am also switching her to grain free food to see if that help too.

Trixie

We have had several days of subzero temperatures lately.  It is back up in the 30s and 40s so the pups have enjoyed being outside longer.

Zeba and Bella

Bella blends in with the snow!

CURRENTLY READING

Book Blurb

When Ruby St. James returns to her hometown, it is to the grave of her old friend Danny, a member of a group that was, ten years ago, Ruby’s whole world. The crew made a pact back then: stay together, stay loyal, and stay honest. But that was before all of the lies.

Because even friends keep secrets. They just don’t stay secret for long.

Now Danny has left behind a letter for each of them, issuing one final ultimatum: share your darkest betrayal to the group, or risk it coming out in a trap he has created. When past mistakes resurface, the lines of friendship blurb, and four old friends are left trying to understand what it means to lie to the ones you love best.

Saturday Situation is put on by Pure Imagination. It is were we review our latest reads. Be sure to check out theirs as well.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book.  I got over a third of the way through and gave up.  It has really long chapters which I found a bit annoying.  Also, it seems the story is written as one long continuous sentence and it seems to me the author is rambling.  There were some great scenes scattered throughout the story but there were too many other details and fluff to keep me reading.

I enjoyed this book mostly because the premise was unique.  Kitty is a single woman who co-owns a book store with her best friend.  Recently, when Kitty falls asleep, she dreams she has a completely different life.  A life with a husband and kids, a maid, and lots of friends.  The problem is that Kitty doesn’t know if she is really dreaming or if she is experiencing some sort of time warp or alternate dimension.  This concept is what kept me turning pages.  I was worried that the answer was going to be a let down or silly but I feel the author pulled it off brilliantly.  This story also made think about how our choices and decisions in life affect our futures and the futures of those around us.  An excellent debut novel by this author.  I hope to read more by her soon.

Stacking the Shelves is put on by Tynga at Tynga’s Reviews. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves. Here are the books I have added to my TBR list this week.

I received this from NetGalley.  It doesn’t publish until August.

The Book Blogger Hop is put on by The Coffee Addicted Writer . There is a weekly prompt featuring a book related question.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION IS SUBMITTED BY  Maria @ A Night’s Dream of Books

This weeks prompt is…

When reading a mass paperback book, many people fold the cover back, as if they were reading a magazine. Doing this will eventually create creases in the spine. How do you feel about this common bookish habit?

My answer…

Folding the cover back on a paperback doesn’t bother me too much.  I feel like that is what a paperback is for, the ease of reading it and carrying it around.  In fact, I kind of like the look of a well loved paperback.

 

Tell Me Tuesday

Tell Me Tuesday is a weekly blog feature put on by La La in the Library.  It is where we discuss what we have been, currently are, and will be reading.  What are you reading? Tell me.

WHAT I READ LAST

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book.  I got over a third of the way through and gave up.  It has really long chapters which I found a bit annoying.  Also, it seems the story is written as one long continuous sentence and it seems to me the author is rambling.  There were some great scenes scattered throughout the story but there were too many other details and fluff to keep me reading.

CURRENTLY READING

Book Blurb

Convinced that her dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

WHAT I AM READING NEXT

Book Blurb

When Ruby St. James returns to her hometown, it is to the grave of her old friend Danny, a member of a group that was, ten years ago, Ruby’s whole world. The crew made a pact back then: stay together, stay loyal, and stay honest. But that was before all of the lies.

Because even friends keep secrets. They just don’t stay secret for long.

Now Danny has left behind a letter for each of them, issuing one final ultimatum: share your darkest betrayal to the group, or risk it coming out in a trap he has created. When past mistakes resurface, the lines of friendship blurb, and four old friends are left trying to understand what it means to lie to the ones you love best.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? IS A PLACE TO MEET UP AND SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN, ARE, AND ABOUT TO BE READING OVER THE WEEK. IT IS HOSTED BY KATHRYN AT THE BOOK DATE.

WHAT I READ LAST

Unfortunately, I did not finish this book.  I got over a third of the way through and gave up.  It has really long chapters which I found a bit annoying.  Also, it seems the story is written as one long continuous sentence and it seems to me the author is rambling.  There were some great scenes scattered throughout the story but there were too many other details and fluff to keep me reading.

CURRENTLY READING

Book Blurb

Convinced that her dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

WHAT I AM READING NEXT

Book Blurb

When Ruby St. James returns to her hometown, it is to the grave of her old friend Danny, a member of a group that was, ten years ago, Ruby’s whole world. The crew made a pact back then: stay together, stay loyal, and stay honest. But that was before all of the lies.

Because even friends keep secrets. They just don’t stay secret for long.

Now Danny has left behind a letter for each of them, issuing one final ultimatum: share your darkest betrayal to the group, or risk it coming out in a trap he has created. When past mistakes resurface, the lines of friendship blurb, and four old friends are left trying to understand what it means to lie to the ones you love best.

 

 

Weekend Wrap Up #21

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @The Caffeinated Book Reviewer It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. Here is what I have been up to this last week.

Again, I didn’t get to any movies this week but I did have a snow day from work so I binge watched the Harry Potter movies.  I watched movies 5-8.

CURRENTLY READING

Saturday Situation is put on by Pure Imagination. It is were we review our latest reads. Be sure to check out theirs as well.

Tareq is a Syrian teen fleeing his country with his baby sister.  Alexia is an American teen who is volunteering to help refugees that are escaping to Greece.  These two intertwined stories are narrated by Destiny, which I found to be an interesting perspective.  There are many gut wrenching scenes and heart ache throughout the book, but this is such an important read.  This beautifully written story is based on the horrific events that happen every day in the Middle East. I highly recommend this story that focuses on hope, love, and the importance of family.

Stacking the Shelves is put on by Tynga at Tynga’s Reviews. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves. Here are the books I have added to my TBR list this week.

I saw this book on sale on Amazon and decided to check it out from my local library.

Goodreads Book Blurb

Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . .

Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence. She can come and go as she pleases, answering to no one. There was a man once, a doctor named Kevin, but it didn’t quite work out the way Kitty had hoped.  Then the dreams begin.
Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It’s everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.
Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

The Book Blogger Hop is put on by The Coffee Addicted Writer . There is a weekly prompt featuring a book related question.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION IS SUBMITTED BY Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer.

This weeks prompt is…

What upcoming books are you looking forward to reading in 2018?

My answer…

Releases January 31st.

Releases February 20th.

Releases May 1st.

Releases May 8th.