Kat The Dog by Jo Allen

Jun5

An Entertaining Tale

Kat The Dog by Jo Allen is an entertaining YA novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the first book in The Seventh Pup series which promises to be fabulous.

The story is seen through the eyes of Kat the dog. We hear about her relationship with other dogs and with her two favourite humans who run the rescue centre.

All the dogs have differing personalities which complement each other. The dialogue is light-hearted and fun as the verbal volleys fly between the characters.

The leading humans are a grandfather and his granddaughter. She lives with him after her parents were killed (before the book opened.) A necklace belonging to her mother has been passed down. This has magic powers, enabling her to see what others cannot.

Unscrupulous relatives try to cheat the grandfather out of his property. The dogs spring to the rescue.

This was an enjoyable read that grabs the reader’s attention from the start. All the characters were well drawn.

We see that life is a battle between good and evil. We recognise the goodness of those who want to do no harm.

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You Are Here by David Nicholls

Jun2

Atmospheric

You Are Here by David Nicholls is an entertaining contemporary novel that I read in just two sittings.

The novel traces Alfred Wainwright’s coast to coast walk, from Cumbria to the Yorkshire coast. Comprehensive descriptions of the landscape bring the area to life. The English weather, in all its’ glory, is captured too.

Two characters are walking to escape their lives. Along the way, they share life, love and personal experiences with each other. The reader can ‘feel’ the attraction building before the characters spot it.

Along the way they meet others doing the walk too, as lives intersect for a little while. We realise just how fragile life is.

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Meet Me At The Seaside Cottages by Jenny Colgan

Jun2

Truth & Happiness

Meet Me At The Seaside Cottages by Jenny Colgan is a very charming contemporary novel that I adored.

It is a novel about parents and daughters; friendships and relationships; and the healing power of puppies! Puppies can make people smile when all around them is crumbling.

We meet two daughters who have troubled relationships with the parent whom they believe (wrongly) is responsible for the ending of marriages. The daughters are both hurting and both lash out. One is aged ten, and the other in her twenties but both need to reconciled with their parents.

One of the characters is deaf, and another fits hearing aids to the deaf and the hard of hearing. We see the importance of sign language to give people a voice.

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To Find My Mother by Mary Wood

Jun1

Don’t Let Them Win

To Find My Mother by Mary Wood is a powerful historical novel that consumed me from the start.

The novel follows a Czech Jewish girl through World War II and beyond. It is a heartbreaking and horrifying read as Mary Wood captures the atmosphere of terror with her words.

Two young girls are separated from their mothers who are thrown into the ghetto. Both girls are rescued by a stranger who places them on a farm for safety. However, both girls are determined to seek out their mothers, whatever the consequences. And what happens next is truly awful. The Nazis had black hearts as they carried out despicable acts.

It was understandable to wonder “why Elohim had abandoned them.” In the darkest times, it is all to easy to think we have been abandoned.

We see that bravery is not necessarily about feeling brave. “I don’t feel brave. I just feel compelled to do something about the injustice of it all.” Some could not stand idly by. They could not do nothing.

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