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Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship
Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship
Tom Ryan | 2011 | History & Politics, Mind, Body & Spiritual, Natural World
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am still relatively "newb"-ish to GoodReads, meaning I *really* need to write reviews for many, er, most of the books I have on my "Read" shelf. Ah well, with the likely possibility of my wife and I relocating to NC (goodbye, antisocial, overtaxed NJ!) by summer's end, I will have more time to update the other reviews in the coming years. Yay! Okay, onto my review..

I feel I should preface my review, letting all know I am slightly biased in my overall loving of the book, as Atticus, the star of the book, is a mini schnauzer, one of my favorite dog breeds, as well as my wife's.

The book succeeds on several levels. One way, it was a moving tale of one man's bonding with a dog that he really was not ever looking to bring into his life. The relationship that develops between the author, Tom Ryan, and Atticus was interesting to witness, as it appears almost as if Atticus and Tom were destined to be together. The two seem to be good for each other, allowing each of them to grow in ways, both emotionally and spiritually, that neither may have grown without having me the the other.

Another way it succeeded was in that there was good advice for the soul and the spirit. It was almost like a roadmap of what your life could be like without clutter of internet drama, iPhones, etc. It truly showed what absolute bliss it is to have a dog in one's life and all that comes out of the relationship that develops between man and dog.

If you love dogs and have not read this book, you are doing yourself a great disservice. If you don't love dogs, you could still read this and walk a totally different person! Either way, you need to read this book - your life will be so much better for it!

In closing, I just want to thank Tom Ryan, and Atticus, for an amazing story, and that I can not wait for the follow-up, which deals with the life of Will, the other mini schnauzer that found his way into both Tom's and Atticus' lives!
  
Forever Mine
Forever Mine
Elizabeth Reyes | 2010 | Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
3
3.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Never have I been more pissed at so many characters in my life. They're either unrealistically sexist or so fucking weak that they can't even stand up for themselves until something really bad happens. Also, I felt it should've ended at a certain point because after Angel found out the truth about Sydney, the whole ending with Sarah seemed out of nowhere. I have to read this book as research for one of my creative writing classes, and I really wanted to stab myself in the eyes because I hated this book so much. Like good God! Who thinks that making a guy so old-fashioned as "girls and guys can't be friends" is a good idea? Welcome to 2018, moron!
  
The Chalk Man
The Chalk Man
C.J. Tudor | 2018 | Thriller
7
7.7 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
Unnerving thriller with lots of different threads
While elements of this psychological thriller seem far-fetched, there's something ghoulish and almost Stephen King-like in its approach.

Following the narrative of Ed, the teacher recounts his childhood with his friends and the time they found the dismembered body of a young woman. In the meantime, chalk drawings keep appearing, and take a life of their own.

While the ending is startling and worth listening to the finish, at times the back and forth narrative from past to future becomes convoluted and can be hard to keep track, let alone concentrate. A good thriller, but with a lot of loose ends.