Tag: growing up

5*, blog tours, book review

#BlogTour #BookReview A Dog’s Hope by Casey Wilson. @CaseyWilsonAuth @bookouture #ADogsHope #DogsLove #BooksOnTour

if only I could read faster

Ok, so things have been far quieter than usual here on If only I could read faster and I’m sad about that. I have totally lost my reading mojo, it has never happened to me before and I am not impressed that it has happened now but A Dog’s Hope by Casey Wilson is the first book that I have actually finished in 2020. And it is March! I’ve tried and put down more than a few books in that time but this is a book that I finished. It’s strange because it is a genre that I don’t normally read and perhaps that is a sign that maybe I need to change my reading habits a bit. Who knows but I am delighted to be part of the blog tour for this lovely book, thank you to Bookouture for having me on the tour. I received a copy of A Dog’s Hope from the publisher but I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.

My Review:

I’m not really sure where to start with this review. I normally read thrillers which are full of twists and generally shows the bad side of people. This book is not like that.

Toby is a resentful teenager who is not happy that his mother is moving him from a big city to a small town after separating from his bully of a father. Toby is convinced that life in such a small place can only be boring but he is quickly proved wrong when he is asked to try out for the school baseball team and a golden retriever, who he names Buddy, appears matted and dirty when Toby is walking home from school .

Unusually, the book is written from the point of view of Toby and Buddy, and in the present and the past with different chapters featuring on pov. I don’t think that I have read another book that has chapters with an animals thoughts and feelings, it was a bit strange but also rather lovely, although I am sure that dogs don’t really think like Buddy. Sure, they are perceptive but can they really get a feeling of what is about to happen, or that something is happening to their owner when they are apart?

I don’t know, I’d love to know what my dogs think of me and I’d love to think that they love me in the same way that Buddy loved Toby. If you don’t like dogs or understand the connection that a person can have with their dog then perhaps this book isn’t for you, although maybe it will help you to understand. If you love dogs then you will probably love this book, although you may want tissues handy.

The story is beautifully told, the author has done a great job of putting into words how a dog can help a human. I have had dogs for most of my adult life and without them I am not sure where I would be now, their love and loyalty has carried me through many difficult times. I’m sure that this helped me to connect with the relationship between Toby and Buddy and it has really made me think about my dogs over the years and the relationships that we had.

A beautiful book that is easy to read, makes you think and fills your heart with love. I’m now off to go and give my dog a cuddle.

Blurb:

There are some things in life that only a dog can teach you.

A poignant, heart-wrenching, but ultimately uplifting novel about the unbreakable bond between a boy and his dog. Perfect for fans of A Dog’s Purpose, The Art of Racing in the Rain and Marley and Me.

In the farming town of Riverside in Washington, Toby Fuller is feeling more alone than ever. Nothing Toby did was ever good enough for his father, but he never expected his father to leave, to abandon him and his mother forever. He loses hope, until a scruffy golden retriever called Buddy follows him home from school.

Though he’s struggling to walk, Buddy matches Toby step for step, never taking his eyes off him, as if Toby is all he needs in the world. And from that day on Buddy never leaves Toby’s side.

Buddy shows Toby a loyalty that he has never known. But then disaster strikes and Toby’s life is changed forever. Will Buddy be able to give Toby the strength he needs to carry on?

A tale of how unconditional love can bound into your life when you least expect it, giving you hope in the darkest of times.

About the Author:

Casey Wilson is the author of A Dog’s Hope, published with Bookouture.

Born and raised in the United States in Nevada, she is the owner of a gorgeous golden retriever, who may or may not have inspired the dogs in her novels.

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaseyWilsonAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseyWilsonAuth

A Dog’s Hope by Casey Wilson is out now and is available from:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B083XYXMLKSocial

Apple: https://apple.co/2u41lyH

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2FYLp3f 

Google: http://bit.ly/2RweWa6

3*, book review, young adult

Review: The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

if only I could read faster

smell of other peoples houses
The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Blurb:

Alaska, 1970: growing up here is like nowhere else.

Ruth wants to be remembered by her grieving mother.
Dora wishes she was invisible to her abusive father.
Alyce is staying at home to please her parents.
Hank is running away for the sake of his brothers.

Four very different lives are about to become entangled. Because if we don’t save each other, how can we begin to save ourselves?

Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock’s extraordinary debut is both moving, and deeply authentic. These intertwining stories of love, tragedy, wild luck, and salvation on the edge of America’s Last Frontier introduce a writer of rare talent.

My Review:

The Smell of Other People’s Houses is lovely young adult book about life in the 70s in Alaska. I’ve always been interested in Alaska and I was intrigued by the title of this book.

This book is very different to what I normally read, but it was nice to have a change. Although it felt slow to start and I had to remind myself that thrillers start with a bang, but other genre’s are slower to get going. The Smell of Other People’s Houses turned out to be a lovely book, I loved how the story of the teenagers evolved and how they were all connected in unexpected ways.

An easy read, The Smell of Other People’s Houses is a charming book and gets a solid 3*s from me.

I was given a copy of The Smell of Other People’s Houses by the publishers via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

The Smell of Other People’s Houses is available now from Amazon UK and Amazon US

book review

What Milo Saw by Virginia Macgregor

if only I could read faster

whatmilosaw
What Milo Saw by Virginia Macgregor

Technically this should be my first post as it was the first book that I read in 2016.

“What Milo Saw provided me with a welcome break to my usual crime and thriller reading, I often don’t realise that I need a change of pace until I get it and that is what happened here. At first I was waiting for something to happen, as thrillers tend to start with a bang, but in the end I realised it was about the story and just enjoyed the journey.

What Milo Saw turned out to be a wonderful story about a little boy who according to the world couldn’t see very well, however the truth was that Milo saw far more than anyone gave him credit for. And of course young Milo has a lot to teach the adults in his life.

I really enjoyed this book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to people who enjoy a book that takes you on a journey, and changes a part of you that will never quite be the same again.

I was given a copy of What Milo Saw by the publishers via Netgalley in return for an honest review.”

This book was similar to My Name is Leon in that both books are about a young boy. It is kind of strange that I happened to read these books one after the other, and was certainly not planned. Both are also a break from my usual genre of crime books. But it was an enjoyable break, although neither book could be considered light reading!
What Milo Saw is available now.
book review

My Name is Leon by Kit De Waal

if only I could read faster

mynameisleon
My Name is Leon by Kit De Waal

So my first review on my blog will be for a lovely book called My Name is Leon. I think what I’ll try and do is post a copy of the book review that I’ve written for goodreads and amazon and then expand on it.

“My name is Leon is the heartbreaking tale of a little boy who doesn’t understand the world around him. Set in the 80s this book bought back memories for me of growing up in the time, of riots and royal weddings and the freedom to play outside.

Little Leon has a tough life, he’s been forced to grow up way too fast and to take on too much responsibility. He loves his baby brother Jake more than anything, but when their mum is unable to care for them social services make the decision to separate the brothers, ensuring that baby Jake is adopted but leaving the older, mixed race Leon to live a life in care.

There are some wonderful characters in My Name is Leon, Maureen I think is the stand out for me, a wonderful woman that every child would love to be their mum/grandmother. This book shows a diverse range of characters that build the story and bring it to life. I’d really recommend My Name is Leon, but you might need some tissues!

I was given an ARC of My Name is Leon by the publishers via Netgalley in return for an honest review.”

At first I found this book quite hard to read, it was heartbreaking to read about Leon and the difficulties that life was throwing at him. Thankfully it does get easier to read but it certainly isn’t a happy, light read. It was structured really well and as I said in the review there were many wonderful characters in the book that really brought it to life.

My Name is Leon isn’t published until June 2nd 2016 so if you’re reading this as I post you’ve got a while to wait, but it’s certainly worth remembering!