House Trained by Jackie Bouchard - Fido Friendly Fiction | Book Review

I'd been looking forward to reading Jackie Bouchard's third novel House Trained for quite awhile.  In fact, I pre-ordered it on Amazon as soon as I could.  So when Jackie offered me an advanced reader's copy, I quickly said yes!  I thoroughly enjoyed her first two books, What the Dog Ate and Rescue Me, Maybe.  I was pretty sure I would enjoy this one, too.  And I did!

House Trained is a story about trust, love and being judgemental - with a labradoodle dog named Marie playing an essential role:  

"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?"

House Trained is not a light, fluffy chick-lit read.  It's what I call women's fiction with complex characters and an unpredictable plot.  

When I first began reading I was wearing my judgey pants.  Without talking to her husband, Alex has spent most of their life savings?! In spite of that influx of cash, Alex's business is failing, yet she isn't honest with her friend who works for her?! Um, I was not particularly sympathetic to our heroine.

However, as she is confronted by life's complications I realized she is a good example of "the mirror rule":  life acts a a mirror to what is going on inside you. If you're feeling loved and valued, that's what you project to the world and other people.   In the case of Alex, she's felt undervalued and judged for most of her life.

Alex is childless by choice, yet feels judged as lacking for that life decision. She then spends a lot of head time justifying herself and judging those women who do have children.  She also feels like a runner-up and second best with her husband whose first serious relationship produced a love child (and grandbaby.)  Alex feels judged as lacking with her mother and sister, too, and her judgey pants were pretty tight when she relates to her sister in the book.

Honestly, I can't tell you more because I'll give away the plot twists and turns. Suffice to say, about 30% in, I took off my own judgey pants and really began to appreciate our heroine.   

Throughout the book, Alex thoughtfully wishes she could be more like her dog, Marie.  More accepting and more loving.  Actually, I think Alex had already learned those lessons pretty well, however, she really needed to love and accept herself.

I highly recommend House Trained. The characters were well drawn, worth rooting for and engaged me emotionally. When I wasn't reading I found myself thinking about the book and eager to return to it.  There's a believable happy ending with no cliffhanger. I enjoyed it enough that I'm sure I'll re-read it.  Last, but far from least, the writing was lovely.

As author Bouchard says:  "If you love books and dogs and laughter, you'll love my Fido-friendly fiction novels."   That's definitely true of House Trained.

Expected publication date for House Trained is October 20th 2015 by Lake Union Publishing.  ISBN 1503947122 (ISBN13: 9781503947122)   304 pages. 
Pre-order your copy of House Trained at Amazon. 
 

Rita and Jackie Bouchard

Jackie Bouchard (jackiebouchard.com), a USA Today bestselling author, writes what she calls Fido-friendly fiction - humorous and heart-warming stories about women and the dogs that profoundly impact their lives. 

She spent a long time as a creative soul trapped in the body of a practical person. When she was bitten by the writing bug, she managed to leap free of the hamster wheel of corporate America, and now spends her days walking her dog, talking to her dog, and listening for the voices in her head that want their stories told. When the voices don't talk to her, she can often be found staring into the refrigerator. 

After growing up in Southern California, Jackie moved to Bermuda, where she met her husband. Now back in San Diego, American Jackie, her Canadian hubby, and her Mexican rescue mutt form their own happy little United Nations. 

Jackie's novels include HOUSE TRAINED (Lake Union, Oct. 2015), RESCUE ME, MAYBE, and WHAT THE DOG ATE. Connect with her on Facebook (facebook.com/JackieBouchardWriter) and Twitter (@JackieBouchard). Jackie blogs at poochsmooches.com/  

* As noted above, I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.  I was not influenced by my dog, Jeffie, who is besotted with Jackie's dog, Rita.

We're participating in the Thursday’s Barks and Bytes Blog hop hosted by 2 Brown Dogs and Heart Like a Dog.  The Barks and Bytes hop is for anything at all and all bloggers are welcome. You don’t have to be a dog blog to join.

New Dog Lover Book Recovered by Amber Polo | Book Review

Recovered (Book #3 in The Shapeshifters' Library) by Amber Polo.  

Do you love the Harry Potter series?  

Enjoy a bit of fantasy?  Love dogs?  

Then fetch a Recovered by Amber Polo.  

You're in for a real treat!

Recovered is the third book in Polo's Shapeshifters' Library, a delightful new dog adventure series.  Bibliophiles will be charmed by the "Dewey-speak."  Dog lovers will find new beloved canine characters.

Here's the official book description:

Recovered" is a cross country canine cozy adventure from Ohio to New Mexico, filled with ancient mounds, dog-catchers, rescue groups, and wolfdog issues. Come along with Bliss, children’s librarian and white greyhound shifter, and reformed werewolf Harry as they search for the most valuable library on the planet, chased by Sybilla and Blaze,
werewolves crazed to stop them.

Dog-shifting librarians vs book-burning werewolves!
Bliss D. Light was just an ordinary children’s librarian until one day she discovered she could grow a tail. Now her life is filled with more magic than any of the fairy tales she tells the children who gather at her feet at the Shipsfeather library. Like many of the other residents of Shipsfeather, Ohio, Bliss is a dog-shifter, and her newly discovered ability to change from human form into that of a sleek white greyhound has left her yearning to know more about her true heritage. The answer to all her questions, she is certain, lies with the dog-shifters’ long lost Library of the Ancients and, undeterred by the fact that thousands before her have searched, she sets out to find it.

Accompanied by her best friend Harry, a disgraced werewolf/dog-shifter mix, and hotly pursued by the evil werewolf team of Sybilla and Blaze, Bliss’s quest takes her across the sacred sites and ancient mounds of the American Southwest. Though kidnapped by dogcatchers, sold into racetrack slavery and forced to fight wolf dogs to survive, Harry and Bliss never lose sight of their goal—or each other. Because the only thing more important than finding the ancient lost treasure might just be preserving what they already have found: an unlikely love that could be the first step toward bringing two ancient enemy races together.

I laughed, as well as trembled with fear for Bliss and Harry.  I also marveled at the imagination of Polo.  It didn't take me long to be fully immersed in her world.  

Shapeshifting  was new to me and, I confess, I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic romp.  My curiosity led me to Polo's quiz:  How to Tell if Your Dog is a Shapeshifter.   Oh, oh.  Dogs who are unusually smart or good looking may be dog-shifters.  Definitely need to keep an eye on Jeffie and give him some high quality reading material.  Hmmm...  like Polo's Recovered!

Truly, I can't say much more without giving away the plot and I know you don't want me to do that.  Don't delay.  Begin this magical quest now!

Recovered by Amber Polo is available on Amazon via Kindle $3.86, Paperback $15.26,  Barnes and Noble  ISBN/EAN13:0985774827 / 9780985774820

A love of books drew Amber Polo into a career as a librarian. A greater love turned her into a writer. The Shapeshifters’ Library series is an urban fantasy filled with books, librarians and dogs and a library everyone will love.

The mystical side of Sedona, AZ became the paranormal setting for her first novel Romancing Rebecca. One day a plane flew past her office window and she turned her pen to her own airpark backyard and Flying Free was the result.

In addition to her two award-winning romance novels, she self-published Relaxing the Writer: Guidebook to the Writer’s High which offers hundreds of tips to help writers and readers relax and is proud of her self-produced , Relaxation One Breath at a Time a CD that uses her voice to teach relaxation to calm your body and mind and/or help you fall asleep.

After living in seven states, she happily calls a small town in Arizona home.  You can follow her on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter , Pinterest and Google+..

* I received one paperback copy of Recovered from the author, Amber Polo, in exchange for my honest review.  My opinion was not affected by the sweet little package of dog treats Polo sent along for Jeffie, Rudy and Rosie.  However, they confess they do like bribes!

Talking Dogs is the official blog of For Love of a Dog Jewelry.

I'm joining the Barks and Bytes blog hop today hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like a Dog  Grab the badge and join in the fun!

 

Gracie, An English Bull Terrier by Christy Oslund | Book Review

Gracie, An English Bull Terrier: A Handbook for Being Dog's Best Friend by Chris Oslund

I fell in love with an English Bull Terrier when I was a little girl.  Heloise was an essential character in one of of my favorite books, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.  So I was definitely looking forward to Chris Olund's new book.  

Chris did not disappoint me.  As she notes in the preface, every story has a dog.  Her story has many.

Gracie, An English Bull Terrier, is part memoir, part a guide to choosing and living with dogs.   

Billed as a handbook for being dog's best friend, the author not only talks the talk, but as she illustrates with personal stories, she walks the walk.  Along the way Chris has the enviable ability to laugh at herself while generously allowing us to laugh along with her.

A prime example is how Gracie came into her life.  Following up on a newspaper advertisement, Chris finds herself in the home of a "backyard breeder" interested in making money from their purebred dogs.  While inside her head a voice is telling her to run (for many reasons), Chris not only leaves with Gracie, later in time she's able to foster, train, and re-home one of Gracie's sisters.

When contemplating adding a puppy to her pack Chris notes:

"I did not want a winter pup as housetraining a pup in the Keweenaw during the winter is a fool's game entailing standing in snow drifts while 40 mile per hour winds whip through you and you're trying to encourage a wee animal to 'go potty' even as they are in danger of having what they eliminate become an icicle in the process."

Stories are told so intimately that I felt I was present in the moment.  Advice, tips and suggestions are made with a gentle touch and wry humor, yet with 30 years of dog training and rehabilitation under her belt, also with great expertise.

From the chapter To Thine Own Self Be True:

   "My dad likes to say, in reference to me and my dogs, 'How much of a glutton for punishment can one person be.'  The rhetorical response in my case appears to be, 'Nearly endless.'
   In Dad's opinion, my willingness to take on high energy and/or problem dogs is a form of gluttony for punishment.  In my opinion, I'm having a really lovely time."

And I had a really lovely time reading this book.  Gracie, An English Bull Terrier is a thoughtful read from a woman is an authentic dog lover for whom "every story has a dog."

Official book description:

30 years of living with, training, and rehabilitating dogs has brought Chris into contact with a range of dog personalities. She’s helped both dogs who cowered in fear and those who were ready to bite first learn that some people could still be trusted. No dog in her experience, however, was quite like Gracie, the little English Bull Terrier she pulled from the fate of being a backyard breeder.

Alternating stories of what life is like with dogs when one of them is an EBT, this handbook also offers recommendations for choosing a breed suitable to the reader’s lifestyle and temperament; tips for sale traveling, kenneling, and feeding; and planning for a dog’s future in case a person should ever experience unexpected life circumstances. It’s also a testament to the special bond that people and dogs develop and reaffirms that our lives are often richest when shared with a canine companion.

Living with an English Bull Terrier can be entertaining, a little chaotic - and it actually isn't for everyone. Gracie's story not only shares the ins and outs of the breed, it also offers tips so that readers can find the breed of dog that will be just-right for their situation.

Gracie, An English Bull Terrier is available on Amazon: Kindle (710 KB) $2.99 and Paperback (188 pages) $8.95. ISBN-10: 149532219X  ISBN-13: 978-1495322198

All of the very best books have trailer videos these days and Gracie, An English Bull Terrier is no exception.

Chris Oslund has lived in the US and Canada, always surrounded by animals.  Her parents rehabilitated injured wild animals and  Chris began rescuing and rehabilitating horses and dogs while in her teens.

As a mature student Chris returned to university, discovered she lived with disabilities including dyslexia, and completed several post-graduate degrees - all while continuing to rehabilitate and train dogs.  Her relationship with Gracie, the Bull Terrier, began while she was working on her doctorate and just before she discovered she had developed new life altering medical conditions.

Chris has been assisting people in connecting with the "right" canine companion for over 30 years. In that time she's also rescued, rehabilitated, and placed formerly unadoptable dogs.

Of course, a few of the more challenging dogs found that their forever home was with Chris. Gracie was one of those dogs who wouldn't fit in just anywhere; fortunately, it turned out she and Chris could work and live together just fine.

Chris's pack is rounded out by a Rough Collie and a Labrador. This book also discusses the dynamics of living with multiple dogs, with differing personalities and unique needs.

Gracie, An English Bull Terrier is Chris's third book. Her previous work includes: Supporting College and University Students with Invisible Disabilities and Succeeding as a Student in the STEM Fields with an Invisible Disability.  Keep up with Christy and her dogs at her blog Saved By Dogs.




*I received one paperback copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.  I received no other compensation.

I'm joining the Barks and Bytes blog hop today hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like a Dog

Tennessee Tails by Kathryn Primm DVM | Book Review

Over the holidays, I had a chance to read a few good books.  One of them was Tennessee Tails:  Pets and Their People by Kathryn Primm DVM.

If you're reading this blog, then you love pets.  So, I suspect you'll enjoy this book.

Tennessee Tails is a series of short stories about events that really happened in the author's veterinary practice.   

How many times have you wondered about the stories your vet could tell about his pet patients and their people?  Well, here is a behind the scenes peek.

As the author says:

"Walk with me and be a fly on the wall for these funny and moving stories from my life as a veterinarian."

Obviously told from the heart, Tennessee Tails is charming and often humorous.  Primm writes in a chatty, personal style.  Almost immediately, you'll feel you're having a conversation with a friend.

The stories are fairly evenly divided between cats and dogs, so devotees of either should be pleased.  Though ailments and diseases are involved, Primm does an excellent job of making sure we understand the situation without unnecessary, detailed medical lingo.

Some stories will make you cry; some will make you laugh.  You may come away from this book wishing you lived near Chattanooga and could avail yourself of Dr. Primm's services.  I say that because throughout the book, her concern for her patients and respect for their human caretakers, shines through.

I highly recommend Tennessee Tails: Pets and Their People by Kathryn Primm DVM and look forward to more of her tales from the heart in the future.

If you need another good reason to grab a copy of this book, here you go:

100% of net proceeds for the first year will benefit The Pet Placement Center in Red Bank, TN and Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga.

Tennessee Tails was awarded Runner Up in Memoirs for the 2013 Animals, Animals,Animals Book Festival in Chicago.  It also received an Honorable Mention in the competitive General Nonfiction category in the 2013 London Book Festival.

Available in paperback and kindle on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble
150 pages; ISBN-13: 9781484906149

Dr. Kathryn Primm owns Applebrook Animal Hospital in Ooltewah, TN. 

She is a practicing small animal veterinarian and veteran blogger. She has consulted on articles for national magazines and has done numerous radio interviews.  Dr. Primm will be featured in the February issue of Woman's Day magazine for their Ask a Veterinarian column.

Dr. Primm is a veteran blogger and has spoken with students and other veterinarians about effective communication.  She maintains a social media presence on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ and enjoys interaction with others about her passions, animals and communication.  Tennessee Tails is her first book.   . 


* I received a Kindle edition of Tennessee Tails from the author in exchange for my honest review.  I received no other compensation.

Talking Dogs is the official blog of For Love of a Dog Jewelry.

Rescue Me Maybe by Jackie Bouchard | Book Review

Book Cover ©Jackie Bouchard   

 When I purchased Rescue Me, Maybe by Jackie Bouchard, I had no clue the book would provide such a sucker punch to me personally.  I thought I was in for a sweet, humorous read.  I got that - plus much more.

In the past 18 months, I've lost 3 dogs.  I've provided care for my mother and lost her, as well.  My husband is now coping with serious illness that impacts every piece of our lives, except, perhaps, the love of our dogs.  

Rescue Me, Maybe by Jackie Bouchard, is a story about loss and new beginnings. In a strange way, it was as though Bouchard took my own recent life events, gently stirred once and told the story. 

Reading Jane's encounter with her in-laws over her husband's ashes felt surreal.  I had an encounter with my mother's brother that was so similar, it felt eeirie.

Rescue Me, Maybe made me laugh.  It made me cry.  And it left me feeling well satisfied, hopeful, and trying to live life more like my own dogs.

All the best book authors are doing book trailers these days!



"Rescue Me Maybe" Book Trailer from Jackie Bouchard on Vimeo.

Here's a little more about the plot straight from the author:

If you lost both your spouse and your dog to cancer within weeks of each other, but you were sadder about the dog, would you tell anyone?

Maybe your closest friends. Unfortunately, Jane Bailey's closest friends are on the other side of the country. That's where Jane plans to go now that she's free to leave Philadelphia, the too cold, beachless, street taco-deficient city her husband dragged her to six years ago. But with no job prospects in her hometown of San Diego, Jane is roped into helping out temporarily at her uncle's southwestern small-town B and B. En route to her new role as innkeeper and breakfast chef, she finds a stray at a rest stop.

With her heart in pieces from the loss of her dog, she's determined not to let this mutt worm its way into her affections. She's also determined to have next-to-no interaction with the B and B's irritating guests, and the even more annoying handyman who lives next door. Can Jane keep her sanity--and her secret that she's not really a grieving widow--while trying to achieve her dream of getting back to the place she thinks is home?

I love the protagonist, Jane.  She's what I like to call an honorable person.  When the husband she was planning on divorcing falls ill with cancer, Jane keeps her mouth shut, sticks it out until the end and even puts up with a very pushy mother-in-law.  

Jane is a loner. Though good at taking care of others, she is loathe to speak up for herself.   

Jane has a kind heart.  No matter that her agenda is to get back home to San Diego as soon as possible, she's easily roped into helping out her aunt and uncle at their Arizona B & B because they really need her.

Jane is a dog lover.  I keenly felt her loss of her boon companion.  I was with her all the way as she figures out her relationship with the dog she rescues at a rest stop.  Having had a tripawd dog, I anguished along with her as she makes health care decisions for Maybe.

Jane thought she was rescuing a dog.  Ha!  As happens more times than we humans like to admit, it was the dog doing the real rescuing.  With rescue dog, Maybe, as her teacher, Jane learns to open herself to new possibilities and create a nurturing life for herself.

What a wonderful read!  Bouchard writes with great compassion combined with humor.  She deals with issues like death and loss with an attention for the ironic details that made me sigh and, yes, laugh out loud.  Along the way, we meet a cast of characters that remain with me even though I long ago finished reading the book.

Rescue Me, Maybe is a warm dog friendly tale that makes real that saying:
Life is what happens while you're busing making plans.

Do yourself a favor and snap up a copy of Rescue Me, Maybe.  It's a great read from a woman who is an authentic dog lover and is available in print or Kindle format from Amazon and for Nook from B&N.   As an added bonus, Bouchard has pledged 10% of 2013 profits to the Morris Animal Foundation.

Photo©Jackie Bouchard

Jackie used to be trapped in the hamster wheel of corporate America, but she was lucky enough to escape and now fully understands the term "struggling writer." Jackie loves: reading, writing, and, yes, even 'rithmetic (seriously, algebra rocks); professional cycling; margaritas; blogging (she never thought she'd say that, but she does); dogs in general, and her crazy rescue pup specifically; and her hubby. (Not in that order.) Jackie dislikes: rude people and writing about herself in the third person. After living in Southern California, then Bermuda, then Canada, then the East coast, Jackie and her husband settled in San Diego. American Jackie, her Canadian hubby, and her Mexican rescue mutt form their own happy little United Nations.  Jackie's debut novel, What The Dog Ate, was followed by Rescue Me, Maybe.

Talking Dogs is the official blog of For Love of a Dog Jewelry.  I purchased Rescue Me, Maybe for myself and received no compensation for this review other than the personal satisfaction of sharing a very good book with my readers. 

Crazy Bitch: Living with canine compulsive disorder: Book Review

I suppose you could say I'm indulging in some mischief by posting a book review with a giveaway today.  

However, if you read  Crazy Bitch - Living with canine compulsive disorder by Peggy Tibbetts, you'll see that it is a book filled with mischief:  genetic mischief and human mischief. 


A dog with mental illness and bullying neighbors create a perfect storm in this compelling non-fiction dog tale.

Yes, you read that correctly:  mental illness, not behavior problems.  I want to be very clear about that.

This book is about a dog with mental illness.  It is also about a dog lover who adopted that dog when she was still a pup, did everything she possibly could to make sure that dog had a good life, yet faced bullying by neighbors who made that dog's life a living hell.

Venus ©Peggy Tibbetts

From the book jacket:

"Mental illness is still a taboo subject in our society.  No one likes to admit someone in their family is "crazy."  What does one say when the crazy one is a dog?

"Meet Venus, a beautiful white mixed breed.  Part Akbash, part Lab, part clown, part escape artist, part guard dog, part wild dog... she had more personalities than Sybil, the most famous psychiatric patient in the world.  Meet Zeus, the kind and gentle Alaskan Malamute who was the love of her life.  Venus and Zeus loved hiking and skijoring in the mountains.  They enjoyed swimming and boating together.  They shared a life most dogs dream of - until everything changed.

"With a diagnosis of canine compulsive disorder as her singular clue, Peggy Tibbetts embarked on an investigation into every detail of Venus's life as it unraveled.  What began as a case study of her dog's mental disease led to a hard lesson in the golden rule of dog behaviorists.  There are no bad dogs, only bad people.  Crazy Bitch is a complex love story between two big dogs.  Venus and Zeus will make you laugh while they break your heart."

Zeus and Venus  ©Peggy Tibbetts

I almost did not read this book. It sounded heartbreaking and, truth be told, I'm not good with animal stories.

Actually, this is a heartbreaking story.  Once I began reading, I couldn't put it down.  

Crazy Bitch is not just another warm fuzzy tribute to a dog memoir.  Tibbetts takes us on a journey of love and beyond-the-norm commitment to a dog. She looks for solutions until they simply run out.  Along the way, she consults veterinarians, dog trainers, dog friends and does exhaustive research to rehabilitate her dog, Venus.

Going the extra mile turns into miles and miles, especially when neighbors - involved with the Tibbetts in town politics conflict - decide to take out their frustrations on the dog.  

You see, Tibbetts blogged about her experiences with Venus.  The neighbors, reading the blog, knew just how to target Venus in their efforts to bully the Tibbetts family.

Like OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) in humans, Canine Compulsive Disorder (CCD) is a medical condition.  A dog with CCD does normal canine things in an abnormally repetitive, frenzied destructive way, sometimes to the point of self mutilation.  Think barking, tail chasing, spinning, digging, scratching, licking, pacing, fence running.

In January 2010, the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts Medical school and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, identified the canine gene 'chromosome 7 locus' as an indicator of susceptibility to compulsive disorder, in breeds carrying that gene.  Breeds at risk for CCD include German Shepherds, Dobermans, Border collies, Jack Russell Terriers, Great Danes, Retrievers and English Bull Terriers.

As author, Tibbetts, points out: minus any complications such as physical illness or aggression, CCD is treatable with prescription drugs and behavior modification.  CCD does not have to be a death sentence.

Crazy Bitch is a great read.  Not only is it an excellent look into the world of canine mental illness, but also in coping with bully behavior. Tibbetts writes in a style that draws you in, as if you're a friend.  Within a few pages, you'll find yourself caring more than perhaps you'd like to about Venus and cheering on the author in her quest to provide her dog with the best life possible.

Peggy Tibbetts has graciously offered to give away a copy of Crazy Bitch to one very lucky Talking Dogs reader. Use the rafflecopter below to enter now! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Peggy Tibbetts is the author of five other books: Carly's Ghost, The Road to Wierd, Rumors of War, PFC Liberty Stryker and Letters to Juniper, a 2012 Colorado Book Award Finalist.  She was managing editor and columnist at Writing-World.com.  She has also worked as an associate producer of educational videos for Upper Midwest Films, contributing editor for Children's Magic Window magazine, and Children's Writing Resource Editor at Inkspot.com.  She lives with her family in silt, Colorado, where she enjoys hiking and skiing with her dogs in the Rocky Mountains.  Peggy blogs at Advice from a Caterpillar, From the Styx, and YA Authors You've Never Heard of.

Crazy Bitch: Living with Canine Compulsive Disorder is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and wherever ebooks are sold.

* I received one copy of Crazy Bitch: Living with Canine Compulsive Disorder from the author, Peggy Tibbetts, in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Snoopy’s Dog Blog, Alfie’s Blog, and My Brown Newfies for hosting Monday Mischief!   

We've also linked up with the weekly Fido’s Freebie Friday bloghop. Thanks to  Dog Tipper,  Doggies and Stuff and All Things Dog Blog you’ll find lots of pet-related giveaways below (and, if you have a blog, be sure to link up your giveaways, too!)  

Book Review: It's Just A Dog by Russ Ryan

Take a deep breath.  Relax.  You read that title and began to clench your teeth, right?  Well, this book isn't at all what you think.

When my beloved Lucy passed away last year, I felt as though my heart had been ripped out.  I was sure that my life would never be the same.  After all, not only was Lucy my heart dog and constant companion,  she inspired my business, For Love of a Dog.  

Lucy is the dog in my business logo.  Without Lucy, I may never have created any dog jewelry.  When Lucy died, a bit of the fire that fanned my jewelry muses died, as well.  Life really was not the same in any way.

Some people just didn't get it.  "It's just a dog," they said (or thought to themselves - though it showed on their faces.)

Russ Ryan gets it.  Oh, dog!  He really gets it.

It's Just a Dog is dedicated to Petey Ryan and Charlie Dickens.  You guessed it: dogs.  Petey, a Jack Russell terrier, was over 14 years old when he passed away in 2010.  Charlie, a Terrier / Retriever mix and "rebound dog," died suddenly after eating a poisonous mushroom right before publication of this book.

Russ notes:

"Being a dog widower has taught me that it doesn't matter if you have a dog ten years or ten months - the pain and hurt is still the same. Fortunately, the good part is that the love never dies!"

Russ Ryan and Charlie Dickens

Your teeth just unclenched, didn't they?  And now you're reaching for a tissue or two, right?

Now you're ready to read about a great new dog lover book:  It's Just A Dog.  It's a hilarious tale with lots of heart and I thoroughly enjoyed it.   

Note: one very lucky reader will receive a free paperback copy of this book!  [See the Rafflecopter below.]

Here's a summary from the publisher:

What if your dog died and then came back as a ghost... that could talk?  Would you welcome him back with open arms or run away scared to death?

This is the premise of It's Just A Dog, a new novel about love, loss, and one man's dog who rises up yapping from the grave.

Charlie Keefe is not just your typical dog lover - he's a world famous dog painter, a.k.a. "The Picasso of Pooch Portraits".  Unfortunately, Charlies' beloved muse, Pete, his lovable Jack Russell terrier, has just died.  And he's totally devastated by the loss of his furry best friend.

So, after months of grieving over his dearly departed soulmate, Charlie reluctantly agrees to foster a new puppy - a cute Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Brownie from the local animal shelter.  Soon after, Charlie is surprised to find himself falling head over heels with this new puppy girl, his "Rebound Dog' as he calls her - as well as being romantically attracted to Janelle Jordan, the head hound at the dog rescue.

But then complications arise when the ghost of his old dog, Pete, mysteriously reappears one night and comes back to haunt him and the new puppy - setting off a bizarre chain of events that throw Charlie's life, career, and entire belief system into chaos!

It's Just A Dog is a story about loss, love and new beginnings, told in a humorous, informal style.  I immediately felt as though I was reading about a friend.  I'm very cautious about dog books.  I'm always afraid something terrible will happen to the dog.  Indeed, this story really begins with the death of Charlies' beloved dog, Pete.  However, I was hooked when Charlie explained:

Losing Pete felt like losing a child - although that's not really fair since I've never even had a kid, let alone lost one.  In any event, all I can do is share with you the depth of my own personal painful experience, so please bear with me.  Besides, loss is a contest that nobody wants to win.

However, lest you think this book is a serious downer, hilarity does ensue!  As Charlie deals - or rather doesn't deal well - with his grief, he travels the bittersweet road of loving another dog, has numerous encounters with the ghost of his dead dog, and becomes (more than just friends) with one of the local crazy dog ladies.  All along the way, the author skillfully harmonizes humor with pathos.

Check out the It's Just A Dog book trailer:


The day this book arrived, I began reading and simply devoured it.  If you're looking for a great dog story is full of fun doggie hijinks and written by an authentic dog lover, then pick up a copy of It's Just A Dog by Russ Ryan.  You'll be glad you did!

Plus, here's another barking good reason to buy this book:  50% of the sales of It's Just A Dog during the 3-month summer launch (through September 2, 2013) will be donated to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue.

It's Just a Dog is available for purchase on Amazon $2.99 Kindle, $9.99 paperback and on Amazon UK.

Russ Ryan, in addition to being a dog lover and self-described dog widower, has written and developed screenplays with Hollywood producers of American Pie, Final Destination, and Fireflies in the Garden.  He was also a writer on National Lampoon's Repli-kate.  He is also the creator of Meansheets, a vintage movie poster blog that focuses on the greatest artists and illustrators from the 1940's to the 1980's.   It's Just A Dog is his first novel. 

Enter to win your very own paperback copy of It's Just A Dog!  

Several options are available in the giveaway Rafflecopter below.  

One (1) lucky winner! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* I received a proof copy of It's Just A Dog from the author in exchange for my honest review and no other compensation.

We're participating in the Monday Mischief Pet Blog Hop today because with a title like this book has, there's bound to be some mischief.  Thank you to Monday Mischief Pet Blog Hop sponsors: Snoopys DogBlog, My Brown Newfies, and Alfies Blog.  We're also participating in the Freebie Friday hop, sponsored by The Dog Tipper, All Things Dog Blog, and Doggies and Stuff.