Happy Caturday! Four Paws Up for Nala’s World

On March 28, 2021March 28, 2021 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Animals, MemoirsLeave a comment

I’m sure most of you fellow animal lovers have seen the Dodo video of Nala and Dean’s moment of insta-love when he found her lost, desperate and abandoned on some rocks somewhere in the Bosnia wastelands. If not, you must drop everything (unless if you’re holding a cat) and watch it right now!

As with most attention-challenged social media viewers, I watched the short video, swooned and then moved on to the next new sparkly thing in never-ending feed of Tick Tock video nothingness…talk about wastelands. Social media, man. It’s a blessing and a curse, isn’t it? Without it, Dean’s story wouldn’t have gone viral, and the world wouldn’t know his story—and the story of so many other hurt and abandoned animals he helped along the way with some crowd-funding assistance from his massive online fan club! Yet, it’s rather disturbing that my mind instantly flitted off to the next Dodo video, and I forgot about this epic rescue story in a nanosecond. All I can say is THANK GOD FOR BOOKS!

When I discovered this memoir existed, I immediately downloaded the audiobook so I could listen to it on my long MS150 training rides. This was a good call because the book is narrated by a Scottish voice artist with a fantastic brogue! Oh how I love the Scotts! It was such a pleasure taking this journey alongside Dean and his newfound kitty soul mate Nala as he pursued his “One Bike, One World” expedition that unexpectedly turned into an animal rescue mission. Not only did he save little Nala, he also rescued some stray pups and used his massive social media following to help out fledgling rescues and sanctuaries. Needless to say, this is a man after my own heart! Also, he’s a globe-traversing cyclist, which in and of itself is fascinating!

As for Nala, oh my goodness—I’m in love! This little girl knew she found her person the instant she meowed at him. She refused to let him pedal away and used all of her cute powers to land herself right into his little handlebar bag—where she happily stayed throughout his quest. It’s amazing to me how animals magically know they found their person—and refuse to let them go. This happened in another book I read called “Finding Gobi,” in which a fiercely determined tiny dog (also a Dodo video star) ran alongside an ultra-marathon runner in the blistering heat of the Gobi desert. That story—and Nala’s story—will always have a place in my heart. I’m just so glad both of these big-hearted animal rescuers wrote books so the world can connect with these stories in a way that just can’t be done in a 30-second flash-in-the-pan video.

SPOILER ALERT! The cat lives in the end. So don’t let that completely understandable fear stand in your way. In fact, I’m hoping there will be a Part II installment because Dean’s worldly biking adventure was cut short by this blasted pandemic! He and Nala have many, many more miles to go, which makes me and my Lil Bootz purr with delight! Oh and you can watch their adventures unfold in real time (#OneBikeOneWorld) on all the social media channels!

Furbidden Fatality by Deborah Blake

On December 22, 2020December 22, 2020 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Animals, CoziesLeave a comment

In true cozy mystery fashion, this story follows a single, unlucky-in-love gal who is at a crossroads in her young, 30-something life. Now for the twist! She just won the lotto and has millions of dolla dolla bills to spare! When an adorable homeless kitten crosses her path, she discovers a rundown animal rescue in the midst of closing down furever—oh no! So of course she has to buy it and save all the homeless doggies and kitties that have nowhere else to go—not even the city pound, which is underfunded and over capacity. This is sadly the case in the real world, and I speak from 12 years of experience as a seasoned dog rescue volunteer who got chewed up and spit out by the F****D-up system. I’ll stop right here before I get up on my soapbox. Trust me, you don’t want that!

The mystery: This is a fun little whodunnit involving nefarious vandals, shady townsfolk and one sadistic animal control officer who seems to have it in for one particular dog (a pit bull, of course). Kari’s efforts to spruce up the rescue gets thwarted when she stumbles across his dead body on her property—making her suspect No. 1! Why was he shoveling a hole in her dog yard? Who’s smashing her windows and leaving misspelled threats on her doorstep? Why is the police department so pitifully useless? Well you’ll have to read the book to find out!

What I liked: The protagonist Kari Stuart is living my dream of running my very own animal rescue/sanctuary, providing a safe place for all the sweet doggies that get turned away from the so-called “No Kill” (aka Slow Kill) rescues. Might I just add that the term “No Kill” is a misnomer because these shelters are indeed killing dogs. It’s a numbers game and no dog is safe—especially at the most beloved shelters (*cough* Austin Pets Alive *cough*) where dirty, dirty politics are at work. A dog’s chances hinge upon their level of popularity with politically-savvy volunteers and the “dog behaviorists,” whom by the way have zero dog-training certification credentials and just use a one-size-fits-all method of punishment-based methods—including shock collars that they like to call “remote collars.”

Oops…did I just get on my soapbox a bit? Sorry y’all! Ok, back to the book. So Kari is a girl after my own heart, and I appreciate her willingness to eschew a luxurious life in Tuscany with her riches to answer the call of duty—hoorah! I especially love her cute little black kitty sidekick who magically knows how to warn her when danger is near.

What didn’t work: Kari is clearly a passionate cat lover, but I didn’t really sense much of a connection with dogs. I’m not sure how much research was put into the making of this book, but I think it would have behooved the author to watch an entire season of Pit Bulls and Parolees. If anyone can embody the passion—the spirituality even—that goes into a dog rescue operation, it’s Tia Torres and her two daughters. I think this may have been more believable if Kari was running a cat rescue, but dogs…not so much. I really hope this develops further in the next book, and I have faith that it will because I’m rooting for Kari!

This review is in honor of Brindle, Goldman and Dennis (aka Denny Bear). All three died at the shelter this year.

Overall: This is a fun little mystery that is sure to please animal lovers—especially us crazy cat ladies! I applaud the author for bringing more attention to our nation’s overburdened and underfunded animal centers. It seems like you’d have to be a lotto winner in order to start a new rescue facility in a society that places very little priority on animal welfare. Sorry—had to throw in one last soapbox zinger.

Shoutout to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

CeeCee & Lil Bootz’s Roundup Of Hits and Misses

On June 7, 2020June 7, 2020 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Animals, Cozies, Romance, thrillersLeave a comment

Hello and happy Sunday! I don’t know about y’all, but summer in Texas is getting real! Time to take full advantage of the A/C (man’s greatest invention) and get my book blogging on. Here are a few hits and misses from my latest literary escapades.

READ THIS!

Murder at the Palace by Margaret Dumas

OMG YES! This book series is exactly what I need right now! What I miss more than anything during this God awful pandemic is going to the Alamo Drafthouse every weekend with my husband. It’s our Sunday thing, and now we have to make do with Netflix. I know, I know, first-world problems….but still!

So I just want to thank this talented mystery author for giving me this literary escape to the movies. I just loved the grand old movie theater setting with it’s sparkling chandeliers, red velvet auditorium seating and things that go bump in the night! It starts out like any other cozy mystery with a 30-something woman fleeing from a cheating partner and big city life. She starts life anew as a manager of The Palace, a historic San Francisco movie house, where she meets a quirky crew of staffers including the ghost of a very perky blonde usher. I really enjoyed all of Nora’s interactions with her eclectic employees. In some ways their dynamics reminded me of the motley crew of characters in that old 90s movie “Empire Records”–talk about a mixed bag of nuts! I also really enjoyed the many classic movie references, making me yearn for a monster movie marathon at the Paramount! I should note this is a vary tightly-plotted game of whodunit, complete with treasure hunts and red herrings. Please keep ’em coming, Ms. Dumas!

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

I’m going to agree with R.L. Stine and say that this is my favorite thriller of the year! Riley Sager really set the bar with Final Girls, but this might just as good if not better! Typically I enjoy reading books set in sleepy little rural hamlets to get a break from busy city life, but the Manhattan setting really added to the mystique of The Bartholomew. Home to the city’s most elite residents, the towering high-rise building with its leering gargoyles is a character in its own rite. Similar to the luxury yacht in Ruth Ware’s Woman in Cabin 10, the glittery surroundings give off a dizzying funhouse effect, making the reader question whether the narrator is lost in a lucid dream. The wallpapers seems to be swirling with tortured faces, and the opulent furnishings emit a sense of foreboding. Everything–including the filthy rich residents–seem just a bit off. It’s very clear right from the get-go that our hapless main character Jules is walking right into a trap when she’s offered a high-paying apartment-sitting job that’s too good to be true. Admittedly, I had no idea what the heck was going on, despite the clues the author so generously dropped along the way! If you’re looking for a good page-turning suspense story, this is it! Do yourself a favor and spend an evening curled up with this book…and be sure to lock every door! Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Unconditional Hearts by Roxanne Hensley

I don’t know about y’all, but lately I’ve been steering away from anything too dark and heavy these days, so bring on the beach reads! I so enjoyed escaping to Mystic Beach, a lovely village on the California coast with sprawling vineyards, quaint touristy storefronts and tranquil views of the sparkling Pacific ocean….ahhhhh! Since it’ll be a while before jumping a plane to San Diego, this is the closest I’ll get to a seaside vacation–and you can’t beat the price for this travel package! If you’re in the mood for a sweet romance by the sea, this is the book for you. There’s something otherworldly about this Mystic Beach, and it’s very clear that unseen forces are bringing Nathan and Erin together–with some help from her baker friend Brooke, who conjures up some very special cookies. There’s magic, there’s heartbreak, there’s scenic drives through the California wine country–what more could you ask for? I would give this five stars, but there are some areas that need work. As much as I love Nathan and Erin’s love story, I would’ve liked a break from it. A subplot would’ve really stepped up the pacing, and I could’ve learned more about some of the other supporting characters. Another problem area is Nathan’s health issue. I won’t reveal what it is, but I will say that it seems unrealistic that there weren’t any post-op complications of note. A friend of mine went through the same ordeal and he has a LOT of lifestyle restrictions. Either way, these are just minor gripes. I’m impressed with this new author’s work and I can’t wait to see what shakes out in Book Two! Note: I received a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Not That!

In the Blink of an Eye by Wendy Corsi Staub

This is one of those rare books that I had to chuck in the DNF pile. Usually I soldier through these things, but just couldn’t find it deep within myself to finish off the last third of this thing. You see, there’s kind of a major issue that I can’t overlook: THERE’S NO PLOT! I’m sure others can argue there is indeed a plot buried somewhere within the long, meandering story following a multitude of psychics, charlatans and skeptics, but I couldn’t find it. The discombobulating chapters jump from one group of characters to the next. I’m sure at some point their lives all converge, but I just wasn’t patient enough to wait for everything to start gelling. And to be honest, I just couldn’t care about any of them. They all have dull, humorless personalities and OH MY GOD that little blind girl just needed to stop with the knock-knock jokes! I just can’t, y’all. Judging by the many rave reviews, this book is oddly a big hit with many, many people. It’s just a no for me, dog.

Wish Me Home by Kay Bratt

I’ve read some really great dog-themed journeys of self-discovery. This is not one of them. I was really hoping for a sweet love story between a downtrodden character and her dog, a story that emphasizes the power of unconditional love that only a dog can provide. This, however, was more about a homeless girl or woman (her age is kind of mystery) who is traversing her way to Key West. Why? Because she thinks Hemingway is cool. The dog, who she named Hemmy (sigh), is just a peripheral sidekick without much of a role other than running along by her side on their long, arduous journey. This has all the makings of a very moving story about a wayward girl and her dog, but sadly it really missed the mark. Hemmy really needed a better role and Cara needed to lighten up a bit. It’s kind of a drag being inside the head of a sullen, downtrodden woman with trust issues. From now on, I’ll just stick to my favorite dog-themed fiction writers Spencer Quinn and Susan Wilson from now on.