Two Dogs and a Book

📚 Hello Book Friends! THE SECOND MOTHER by Jenny Milchman is a must-read. This is about a young woman who lost her baby. After months of mourning her child and drowning her pain in alcohol, her husband wants to separate and go their own ways. She decides to start anew and takes a teaching position in a small school on a remote island in Maine. As soon as she moves on Mercy Island, strange stuff starts to happen. Someone has been in her house. Someone has put her dog’s life in danger. Someone is trying to scare her. But who is that someone? Is she safe? Will she be able to unveil Mercy Island family secret? . This is a page-turner, filled with suspense. It is well written and captivating from the beginning to the end. . 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 . 🕵🏼‍♀️ About the author: Jenny Milchman is the USA Today bestselling author of three novels, as well as the forthcoming Wicked River. Her books have won the Mary Higgins Clark and Silver Falchion awards, been praised by the New York Times, San Francisco Review of Books, the AP, and many other publications. . Jenny has given over five hundred workshops and talks on the writing and publishing process. She sits on the board of directors of International Thriller Writers, is a member of the Sisters in Crime speakers bureau, and founded Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day, which is celebrated annually in all fifty states and on five continents. . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, Books Forward for sending me an ARC of this awesome suspense thriller. THE SECOND MOTHER by Jenny Milchman is now available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you were stranded on a desert island and could have with you only one object you currently own, what would you take? . @booksforwardpr @jennymilchman #booksforwardfriends https://www.instagram.com/p/CE9EaL9A8Fo/?igshid=1ptq3zalizrt6

📚 Hello book friends! ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware is coming to your favourite bookstore today. I am starting this book next. Keep an eye for my review coming soon. . ✏️ Synopsys: Getting snowed in at a beautiful, rustic mountain chalet doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world, especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a cozy fire, and company to keep you warm. But what happens when that company is eight of your coworkers…and you can’t trust any of them? . When an off-site company retreat meant to promote mindfulness and collaboration goes utterly wrong when an avalanche hits, the corporate food chain becomes irrelevant and survival trumps togetherness. Come Monday morning, how many members short will the team be? . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an e-copy of this exciting book. ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware is now available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If time stopped and froze everyone except you for an hour every day, what would you do with your hour? . @simonschusterca @ruthwarewriter https://www.instagram.com/p/CE4yhnlAxNI/?igshid=11uwzmcsz3vhn

📚 Hello book friends! ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman is coming to your favourite bookstore today. Keep an eye for my review coming soon. . 📣 Praises for ANXIOUS PEOPLE: 🔸 "A deeply funny and warm examination of how individual experiences can bring a random group of people together. Backman reveals each character's many imperfections with tremendous empathy, reminding us that people are always more than the sum of their flaws." --BookPage . 🔸 "Funny, compassionate and wise...an absolute joy." --AJ Pearce, author of Dear Mrs. Bird . 🔸 "[A] tight-knit, surprise-filled narrative... the brisk, absorbing action prompts meditation on marriage, parenting, responsibility, and global economic pressures. Comedy, drama, mystery, and social study, this novel is undefinable except for the sheer reading pleasure it delivers. Highly recommended."--Library Journal (starred review) . 🔸 "Backman's latest novel focuses on how a shared event can change the course of multiple people's lives even in times of deep and ongoing anxiousness. A story with both comedy and heartbreak sure to please Backman fans." --Kirkus Review . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, SIMON & SCHUSTER CANADA for sending me an ARC of this exciting book. ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman is now available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you could be guaranteed one thing in life besides money, what would you ask for? . . @BackmanSK | @atriabooks | @simonschusterca https://www.instagram.com/p/CE4HwgaAGUu/?igshid=stkkjmvwlf9l

📚 Hello Book Friends! I am currently reading THE SECOND MOTHER by Jenny Milchman. Keep an eye for my review coming soon. . ✏️ Synopsys: Opportunity: Teacher needed in one-room schoolhouse on remote island in Maine. Certification in grades K-8 a must. . Julie Weathers isn't sure if she's running away or starting over, but moving to a remote island off the coast of Maine feels right for someone with reasons to flee her old life. The sun-washed, sea-stormed speck of land seems welcoming, the lobster plentiful, and the community close and tightly knit. She finds friends in her nearest neighbor and Callum, a man who appears to be using the island for the same thing as she: escape. . But as Julie takes on the challenge of teaching the island's children, she comes to suspect that she may have traded one place shrouded in trouble for another, and she begins to wonder if the greatest danger on Mercy Island is its lost location far out to sea, or the people who live there. . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, BooksForward for sending me an ARC of this thrilling book. THE SECOND MOTHER by Jenny Milchman is available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you could have any room in the world become your bedroom from now on, which room would you choose? . @booksforwardpr @jennymilchman https://www.instagram.com/p/CE1bRfHgyPX/?igshid=1awpfyw9g1fg8

📚 Hello Book Friends! It is time for another word for the #wordsarefunstack challenge. If you want to join in this challenge, just create a stack of books that spells a word that is either new to you or has an interesting fact about it. It will be fun to discover new words or find out some interesting facts about them. . 🔤 This week my word is CALLIPYGIAN. . 🕵🏼‍♀️ DID YOU KNOW... this word is something the likes of J-Lo and Beyoncé own. While it was used in the 1640s, it means to have beautifully shaped buttocks. . This word has its origin in 1640–50 from the Greek kallipýg(os) meaning with beautiful buttocks and referring to a statue of Aphrodite. . . . #bookstadog #repostrover #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #book #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/CE0TAT-gXAp/?igshid=1lxrl2oq1i3sl

📚 Hello Book Friends! FABLE by Adrienne Young was everything I was hoping for and more. This exciting new duology has it all: a strong female protagonist, action, villains, and love. Fable was abandoned by her father right after her mother died in the sinking of the Lark. Left to fend for herself, she survives many dangers and take on the trade of dredging for pyre in the ocean. Every two weeks, West, the Marigold helmsman, comes to Jeval and purchases Fable’s pyre at a fair price.   Fable only wants to raise enough copper coins to pay for her passage on a boat and find her father in Ceros. But there are many who would like to put their hands on her coins and are willing to do anything to get it. Fable nearly escapes one of these thugs and finds refuge on the Marigold. She bargains her passage on West’s boat, but this will cost him more than he bargained for. Will Fable be able to face her father and take her place by his side? Will she finally find the family she has been looking for? . This is a non-stop action and exciting read. Get your copy now. . 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 . 🕵🏼‍♀️ About the author: Adrienne Young is a born and bred Texan turned California girl. She is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, scouring antique fairs for old books, sipping wine over long dinners, or disappearing into her favorite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings beneath the West Coast sun. . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, RAINCOAST BOOKS for sending me an ARC of this sensational YA fantasy book. FABLE by Adrienne Young is now available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you could have permanent possession of any single object in the world, what would you want it to be? . @raincoastbooks @wednesdaybooks @adrienneyoungbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CEy5xFoAXDG/?igshid=av7cdisuag6m

📚 Hello Book Friends! I am currently reading ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman. Keep an eye for my review coming soon. . ✏️ Synopsys: This is a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined. . Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers slowly begin opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths. . As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people. . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, SIMON & SCHUSTER CANADA for sending me an ARC of this exciting book. ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman will be available at your favourite bookstore on September 8th. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you had to choose the colour that describes you most accurately, which colour would it be? . @BackmanSK | @atriabooks | @simonschusterca https://www.instagram.com/p/CEwTIk2gsd-/?igshid=1k7j86al7hwsv

📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished reading THE FALCON ALWAYS WINGS TWICE by Donna Andrews. This is the twenty-seven book in the Meg Langslow series. I am new to this series and was hoping that it would be a stand-alone story and that I would not have to read the other twenty-six other books to enjoy it! LOL! Well, I can confirm that I was able to enjoy this cozy mystery without reading all the other books. This is an entertaining story with many fun moments. I did not guess who the murderer was until that person was revealed. I love the middle-age play settings and the characters are all so fascinating. I really enjoyed it! . 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️️/5 . ✏️ Synopsys: When Meg's grandmother Cordelia hosts a Renaissance Faire at her craft center, the whole family is put to work: Meg handles the blacksmithing, Michael and the boys will be performing, and no one misses the opportunity to dress up in full regalia. . More exciting to Grandfather is the pair of rare falcons he discovers breeding at the fairgrounds. Concerned for their well-being amid all the activity, he appoints himself their protector. . When one of the actors performing at the fair is found dead--an actor suspected of mistreating one of the falcons, among other sins--Grandfather is a prime suspect. . Donna Andrews's long-running Meg Langslow series continues to be beloved by its fans, who loyally read every new installment. The Falcon Always Wings Twice is a perfect new addition, full of laughter, adventure, and Andrews's wonderful cast of wacky characters. . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, Minotaur Books for sending me an ARC of this intriguing book. THE FALCON ALWAYS WINGS TWICE by Donna Andrews is available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: Do you read cozy mysteries? Do you have a favourite? . @minotaur_books   https://www.instagram.com/p/CErC5xUgClA/?igshid=1ga54zlqf2l8i

📚 SEPTEMBER TBR LIST 📚 . 📚 Hello Book Friends! Where did August go? It is already September! I have a lot of great books lined up for this month. Keep an eye for my reviews. . NO ORDINARY LIZ by Elizabeth Sutherland 🔹 @noordinaryliz THE SHADOWS by Alex North 🔹 @macmillan.audio | @netgalley . HERE TO STAY by Adriana Herrera 🔹 @ladriana_herrera | @harlequinbooks | @harlerquinpublicityteam . THE FALCON ALWAYS WINGS TWICE by Donna Andrews 🔹 @minotaur_books . ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman 🔹 @BackmanSK | @atriabooks | @simonschusterca . OF SALT AND SHORE by Annet Schaap 🔹 @annetschaap | @charlesbridgepublishing . FABLE by Adrienne Young 🔹 @adrienneyoungbooks | @wednesdaybooks | @raincoastbooks . ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware 🔹 @ruthwarewriter | @simonschusterca . THE THREE MRS. WRIGHTS by Linda Keir 🔹 @keirgraff | @lakeunionauthors | @amazonpublishing . 🙋🏼‍♀️ I want to thank all the book publishers and distributors who graciously sent me these wonderful ARCs. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️ . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗:  What are you most excited to be reading this month? . #readwithrovergroup #bookstadog #poodles #poodlestagram #poodlesofinstagram #furbabies #dogsofinstagram #bookstagram #dogsandbooks #bookishlife #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #book #books #booklover #bookish #bookaholic #reading #readersofinstagram #instaread #ilovebooks #bookishcanadians #canadianbookstagram #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #bibliophile #bookphotography #tbrlist #booksconnectus https://www.instagram.com/p/CEpSi5tA7xK/?igshid=rs5yepuf3oyc

📚 Hello Book Friends! NO ORDINARY LIZ by Elizabeth Sutherland is a thought-provoking book about a true-to-life young girl’s experience in the foster child system and her resilience to find happiness. Liz, her younger sister, and brother were in an abusing situation at an early age. When she feared the worst, she found the courage to call social services to get help. Although it was the right decision to free them from the abuse, little did Liz know that this would change her world. Liz wrote this wonderful book in a positive voice even when describing some of the toughest moments of her life. It shows her beautiful attitude and character. It also demonstrates how her resilience has kept her whole. You will cry sometimes and cheer for her at other times. . This book would be a fantastic gift to any child entering the foster child system, to people considering becoming foster parents, and to people who are looking for ways to help foster children. The list of resources and suggestions are extensive. I love how Liz included a letter to a foster child at the beginning of the book and a letter to foster parents near the end. This was a touching book that has shed light on how I can help make the life a foster child better. Look for NO ORDINARY LIZ by Elizabeth Sutherland at your favourite bookstore. . 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 . 🙋🏼‍♀ Thank you, Liz for sending me a copy of your extraordinary book. It has opened my eyes and educated me. . 🕵🏼‍♀️ About the author: Liz Sutherland graduated from Western Carolina University with degrees in Computer Information Systems & Criminal Justice. She now works in Tampa and has her own blog, talking about her search for her family. She was featured in the book Growing Up In The Care of Strangers and is the author of No Ordinary Liz, a book chronicling her incredible life story. She is a frequent speaker for organizations such as the Women of Compassion Forum, 4Kids, and the Junior League of Tampa Bay. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you were to be recognized by posterity for one thing, what would you like to be known for? . @noordinaryliz https://www.instagram.com/p/CEoiocXAv66/?igshid=1g1lciskcm0og

📚 Hello Book Friends! I just finished listening to THE SHADOWS by Alex North. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to a book. This was an incredibly positive experience. The narrators were well articulated and were able to showcase the emotions of the characters accurately. This book was as dark as I expected. Mr. North has the talent to write dark stories that you cannot put down. Right to the end, I was trying to figure out who was behind the murders and what really happened. This is not for the faint of hearts, but it is definitely an awesome read that will leave you jumpy and wonder what is in the deep woods at night. Will you have the courage to pick up this book and read it? I surely hope so. . 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 . 🕵🏼‍♀️ About the author: Alex North is the internationally bestselling author of The Whisper Man. He lives in Leeds, England, with his wife and son, and is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you could receive one small package this very moment, who would it be from and what would be in it? . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for granting me an audio copy of this incredible novel. THE SHADOWS by Alex North is available at your favourite bookstore. . @macmillan.audio @netgalley https://www.instagram.com/p/CEmq4tYga_B/?igshid=1e76738whl0n8

📚 Hello book friends! FABLE by Adrienne Young is coming to your favourite bookstore today. This is the first book in Ms. Young's new YA fantasy series by the same name. I am starting this book next. Keep an eye for my review coming soon. . ✏️ Synopsys: As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father. . But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive. . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, RainCoast Books for sending me a copy of this exciting book. FABLE by Adrienne Young is now available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you could have stopped aging at any point in your life up to the present, how old would you want to remain? . @raincoastbooks @wednesdaybooks @adrienneyoungbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CEl6M1UAgi3/?igshid=1cr5cldoh7ign

📚 AUGUST WRAP UP 📚 . 📚 Hello Book Friends! I want to thank again all the publishers, book distributors, and authors for sending me marvelous books to read and review. I am honoured by your trust. Here are the books I had the pleasure of reading this month and their ratings: . 1. HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRET by J.K. Rowling - 💙💙💙💙 . 2. HER LAST FLIGHT by Beatriz Williams - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ . 3. TRUEL1F3 by Jay Kristoff - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ . 4. THE NIGHT SWIM by Megan Goldin - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ . 5. THE END OF HER by Shari Lapena - 💛💛 . 6. FIRELINE by Anthony Decapite - 💙💙💙💙 . 7. THE FRIENDSHIP LIST by Susan Mallery - 💙💙💙💙 . 8. TAILSPIN by Sandra Brown - 💚💚💚 . 9. DRAGON TEETH by Michael Crichton - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ . 10. YOU HAD ME AT HOLA by Alexis Daria - 💙💙💙💙 . 11. MR. NOBODY by Catherine Steadman - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ . 12. THE TEARS OF MONTERINI by Amanda Weinberg - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ . 13. THE GUARDIAN OF LIES by Kate Furnivall - 💙💙💙💙 . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗:  What was your favorite book in August? If you could describe it using one word, what would it be? https://www.instagram.com/p/CEkScv8giXA/?igshid=m30yg2i08hwa

📚 Hello Book Friends! It is time for another word for the #wordsarefunstack challenge. If you want to join in this challenge, just create a stack of books that spells a word that is either new to you or has an interesting fact about it. It will be fun to discover new words or find out some interesting facts about them. . 🔤 This week my word is CRAPULOUS. . 🕵🏼‍♀️ DID YOU KNOW... I know what you are thinking; you are thinking this has something to do with feeling crappy, right? Well, you are not entirely wrong. It means to feel ill from excessive eating or drinking, like feeling crapulous the morning after your cake-binge-worthy birthday celebration. It was first recorded in 1530–40; from Late Latin crāpulōsus, “inclined to drunkenness”. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEhthCSgx2X/?igshid=1hjawaa54ybk4

📚 Hello Book Friends! I am buddy reading YOU HAD ME AT HOLA by Alexis Daria with my furmaman friends. I had a feeling that this book was going to be filled with heated moments and tension and I was not wrong. After a messy and very public breakup, actress Jasmine Lin Rodriguez developed a plan to become a famous leading lady which involves the following: . 1.  Leading Ladies only end up on magazine covers with good reason. 2.  Leading Ladies are whole and happy on their own. 3.  Leading Ladies are badass queens making jefa moves. . Her intentions are noble until she meets her new co-star Ashton Suarez. Ashton is gorgeous, sexy, and has an air of mystery around him. Desperate for attention and love, Jasmine falls head over heels for Ashton and he is guilty of the same. Their relationship is hot and full of tension. But a secret kept by Ashton is looming between them and causes them to reconsider where to take their relationship once it is revealed. Will they be able to surmount this revelation or is their relationship doomed? . I love the character of Jasmine. She is strong and vulnerable at the same time. I also love the chemistry Jasmine and Ashton have. This book is a sexy read with a beautiful love story. . 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: When you're having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better? https://www.instagram.com/p/CEgxTXQATSw/?igshid=4d8vvrv0o7z8

📚 Hello Book Friends! I am currently reading NO ORDINARY LIZ: AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF LIFE AND FAMILY by Elizabeth Sutherland. Keep an eye for my review coming soon. . ✏️ Synopsys: One woman's incredible journey to survive foster care and discover her true identity. This is a complex, intriguing story filled with twists and turns as Liz unravels her complicated past. Part memoir, part guidebook, this book offers support and resources for agencies, foster youth, and foster parents. . 🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, Elizabeth for giving me a copy of your heartfelt novel. NO ORDINARY LIZ: AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF LIFE AND FAMILY by Elizabeth Sutherland is available at your favourite bookstore. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: If you were to be granted one wish, what would it be? . @noordinaryliz https://www.instagram.com/p/CEbmekEgxSL/?igshid=12dl0qy5hxr30

📚 Hello Book Friends! @unconventionallynormal recently gifted me a copy of MR. NOBODY by Catherine Steadman in a Secret Book Swap. I love this author’s book entitled Something in the Water and I had great expectations for this one. I can confirm that MR. NOBODY surpassed my expectations. Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. When Dr. Emma Lewis is offered the case of a lifetime to prove her theory of the treatment of a rare memory disorder, she does not hesitate to go back to her hometown although she knows of the dangers she may face. Will she be able to help her patient or will her past catch up to her because she can cure him? From beginning to end, the book keeps you guessing and guessing. Not until the end, the truth is revealed. This is a must-read! . 💌 My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️/5 . 🕵🏼‍♀️ About the author: Catherine Steadman is an actress and writer based in North London, UK. She is best known for her role as Mabel Lane Fox in Downton Abbey and is currently filming on the new Starz television series 'The Rook'. She grew up in the New Forest, UK, and lives with a small dog and an average sized man. Something in the Water is her first novel. . 👩🏼‍🏫 𝗤𝗢𝗧𝗗: Would you ever be interested in observing a surgery or do you turn away when the nurse brings out the needle? Why? . . @catsteadman @catsteadman @simonschusteruk https://www.instagram.com/p/CEWiPH_Ahwq/?igshid=1jmnqfhr9glmz