Review of House Trained by Jackie Bouchard

Alex Halstad, a childless-by-choice interior designer and dog mom, is a true perfectionist. But her orderly life turns chaotic when the teenage daughter her husband, Barry, never knew he had shows up on their doorstep...with a baby girl of her own in tow. 

While Alex’s dog enthusiastically welcomes the new arrivals, Alex struggles with the loss of her steady routine. She desperately needs peace and quiet to get her business back on track before Barry finds out she’s spent most of their savings. 

Meanwhile, the arrival of the girls stirs up old insecurities, and Alex can’t help but worry that Barry’s ex will make an entrance too. With her tidy life a distant memory, will Alex be able to learn from her dog the true meaning of love and acceptance?

From bestselling author Jackie Bouchard comes a humorous and heartwarming look at how life creates opportunities to love in surprising ways.

Rated by me - 4.5 out of 5 stars

This book engages you and draws you in right from the very first line!  It is laugh out loud funny (definitely that first line and many others!), the characters and the plot are all well thought out and it is a highly enjoyable read. 

It covers subjects like childless-by-choice, blended families, running your own business, financial hard times and personal insecurities with humour and insight, and is very well written.

Those with blended families (and that’s now a very large percentage of the western population) know how there’s no manual to tell you how to adapt.  Jackie covers lots of the small, but not insignificant, challenges faced by step families, keeping the story light but not making light of the issues faced. 

Those who are childless-by-choice also know how that can cause rifts and confusion within families who don’t understand how to deal with what they see as “odd” or “un-natural” behaviour.  Although we as a society are happy to accept lots of things as our freedom of choice, somehow it is still difficult for some people to deal with those who choose not to have kids.

It also deals with running your own business and the challenges presented by that, especially in uncertain and difficult financial times.  I believe it’s written in a fairly realistic way – lots of the time it’s about hard work and perseverance, sometimes it’s just about dumb luck! 

All those with fur babies will appreciate how well Jackie obviously knows dogs and how to behave around them.  The dog in the story is a vital part of it, just as dogs are in most families’ own stories.  We can all learn much from animals, and particularly when it comes to unconditional love.

Many times the reader has to wonder, what would I do if I were in that situation?  Other times they will be glad it’s not them lol.

Have a read of this extremely enjoyable book by Jackie Bouchard.   It is a story about life and love, with the fair sprinkling of everyday chaos thrown in.  It’s fun, very observant and entertaining, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reviewed for MCT

World Pangolin Day

www.facebook.com/EarthTouch

Today is World Pangolin Day.  Have you heard of these amazing creatures before?  If you haven't please read up and learn some more.  They are truly fascinating and unique and really need our help.  So many people have not even heard of them and they could be lost to our world before more people do.

Sadly, like so many other wonderful animals, they are being wiped out for no real purpose unless you consider making clothes from their skins and scales or eating them in soups as a good thing.

Here a few facts about pangolins to whet your appetite - 

Pangolins are the only mammals in the world covered in scales

A pangolin’s tongue can be longer than its body

Even big cats don't know what to do with them 

They emit a noxious acid like skunks 

The name means 'something that rolls up'

Millions have been traded and killed in the last decade

Dating can be difficult

Nobody knows how long they live  

If that gets you interested, and I hope it does, here are some links for more information.

http://www.pangolinsg.org/

Pangolins-13-facts-about-the-worlds-most-hunted-animal 

www.worldwildlife.org/species/pangolin

Let's be part of the solution, not the problem.  Help this little guy by posting links, info, photos etc, and donate to help if you can.  There is no other creature like this that I am aware of, it would be so wrong to have him go extinct simply because not enough people know he exists.

 

Born Free Foundation ‏@BFFoundation

Nobody knows how long they actually live for - with estimates up to 20 years.  

#WorldPangolinDay

 

 

Review of Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Books are meant to be held and read - but you don't just hold this book, it holds you! 

Rating: 5 out of 5*

I loved this book. 

As much as it's always great catching up with "old friends" like Sara Linton and Will Trent when a writer continues an exciting series, it is also very enjoyable discovering new characters and those of Lydia and Claire were very interesting to get to know.

This is superbly written and told from two different perspectives which not only makes for good reading but adds another dimention to the tale. It kept me thinking as much as enthralled throughout the whole book as any well composed psychological thriller should. With each new discovery and each new character introduced I found myself reassessing the information I already had learned, adding and adjusting, and trying to predict where I was being taken. Yet around each turn I found something new and unexpected.

I was very lucky to receive a proof copy of this book, but would have been very happy with my purchase even if I had to wait like most for it to be available to buy.

3 massacres, 2 detectives, 1 writer, 0 answers!

Deadly Messengers by Susan May is described as a “can’t-put-it-down thriller” and most definitely lives up to its reputation. A real page turner which not only captivates and entertains but makes you think too. The book is very well written looking at not only the what and the whom, but also the why. Could this happen? Who is the killer? Could anyone be a killer? Are killers simply evil or do we need to dig deeper to get to the truth?

I can confidently say those choosing to read this book will thoroughly enjoy each page, unwilling to put it down, desperate to find out what happens next.

This is the first book by Susan I have read and I really look forward to reading more.


(This ebook was kindly given to me free for review purposes but I would happily have paid for a book of this calliber.)

This delightful story made me feel like the cat who got the cream!

Oliver the Cat Who Saved Christmas: The Tale of a Little Cat with a Big Heart 

By Sheila Norton

“A friend who brings light at the darkest of times...

Oliver the cat is a timid little thing, and rarely ventures from his home in the Foresters’ Arms.

Then his life changes dramatically when a fire breaks out in the pub kitchen and he is left homeless and afraid. But, with the kindness of the humans around him, he soon learns to trust again. And, in his own special way, he helps to heal those around him.

However, it isn’t until he meets a little girl in desperate need of a friend that he realises this village needs a Christmas miracle...

A warm and uplifting novel, this is the tale of a little cat with a big heart. Perfect for fans of A Streetcat Named Bob and Alfie the Doorstep Cat.”

***

Reviewed for MCT by Jan G and Samantha G.

I normally read from within the Crime/Mystery/Thriller genres, but chose this book as it was one I felt my daughter and I could both read, enjoy and review.  This is our joint review of Oliver, the Cat Who Saved Christmas – from a 46 year old’s point of view and a 12 year old’s.  Jan G.

***

This delightful story made me feel like the cat who got the cream! 

Reviewed by Jan G.

5 out of 5*

When Oliver’s home is taken by fire, his life changes completely.  But he discovers that the fire at the pub has changed life for the whole village, not just him.  He wants to help and sets about doing so in his own special way.  

This heart-warming tale of a little cat made me laugh out loud numerous times and smile frequently.   The story is told by Oliver himself in a manner that felt believable (considering it was a cat telling a story!)  The human characters, as well as the animals, are well crafted and described.  There is a fine attention to detail and nice cat-descriptions (such as children described as human kittens, hands being paws etc.) that anyone who has ever had a cat will enjoy and appreciate.  But it’s not just a book for cat lovers, all who enjoy the company of animals will enjoy Oliver.  The pace of the book is very good, padding along smoothly and evenly, just like a cat, to its ultimate conclusion.  

Will Oliver save Christmas?  Can a cat really do that?  Well, I suggest you read this charming book and find out.  I can honestly say I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

***

Reviewed by Samantha G.

5 of 5*

This is the story of a cat who was introduced to us humans more and more as the book goes on, and although he didn’t really understand half of what was going on, he solved everyone else’s problems. The book is written in the point of view of a cat, adored by the public, telling a story to you. It certainly seems that way until you realise it’s actually a kitten he’s talking to. As the story goes on we learn more about Oliver, the kitten, the other cats, and all the human inhabitants. This book makes you laugh a lot with things like ‘Us cats don’t get the respect we deserve sometimes’, and Oliver adds little comments all over the book that made me smile.

In the end, you’re left with a feeling of satisfaction when everything comes together, and you no longer wonder in every turn of the page… How does the cat save Christmas?!

ARC received from  http://mysteriesandcrimethrillers.blogspot.co.uk/ for review purposes.

A real page turner from Solange Ritchie

The Burning Man by Solange Ritchie

5 out of 5*

 A wonderful book - a real page turner.

Who is The Burning Man?  Why does he do it?  Can he be stopped?  And at what cost? 

Solange Ritchie has written an excellent psychological thriller that will keep you trying to work out the answers to these and many other questions, with twists and turns all the way through this novel.

Cat is the lead character, a wonderful strong female FBI Agent and Forensic Pathologist who struggles like many successful and powerful women to balance her work and home life.  But even with her amazing understanding of the minds of killers and all her FBI training, can she find this man and stop the trail of havoc he leaves in his wake? 

Very much a recommended read.  I thoroughly enjoyed The Burning Man and look forward to seeing what Solange brings out next.