Audiobook Review: The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Author: Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel (Translator)

Narrator: George Blagden

Title: The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Animal

Format: Audiobook

Published:  November 2012

Where I got It: Borrowed from Library

Summary: 

Sometimes you have to leave behind everything you know to find the place you truly belong...

Nana the cat is on a road trip. He is not sure where he's going or why, but it means that he gets to sit in the front seat of a silver van with his beloved owner, Satoru. Side by side, they cruise around Japan through the changing seasons, visiting Satoru's old friends. He meets Yoshimine, the brusque and unsentimental farmer for whom cats are just ratters; Sugi and Chikako, the warm-hearted couple who run a pet-friendly B&B; and Kosuke, the mournful husband whose cat-loving wife has just left him. There's even a very special dog who forces Nana to reassess his disdain for the canine species.

But what is the purpose of this road trip? And why is everyone so interested in Nana? Nana does not know and Satoru won't say. But when Nana finally works it out, his small heart will break...

Review:

I had to pick this for book club. I read this a while back and I loved it. I decided to shake it up and listen to the audio. 

We follow Nana the cat and his owner Satoru. The two pack up and head out on an adventure. Nana really doesn't know why, but he doesn't car. He gets to see Japan and meet a lot of different people and animals along the way. Satoru won't say, but there is something up and it sounds like life is going to change. 

Ohhh my heart. 

I didn't sob like I did last time. I had a couple of tears still, but since I know the ending I was ready for it. Still broke my little heart. Oooooo Nana and Satoru. I love them. I would love a prequel one day. That would be fun. See them become best friends. 

This will make you laugh. This will make you cry. Def a great book for animal lovers. 

This time I did the audio and I enjoyed it still. The narrator did a good job. The girl voices were...okay....it did the job.

All-in-all, I enjoyed this. I think I like paper version a hair more, but this was still a great read. I highly recommend it. You will feel all the feels by the end. 5 stars. 

Challenge(s):
- #76 for Audiobook challenge

Book Review: When The Skies Cry by Steve N Lee

Author: Steve N. Lee 

Title: When The Skies Cry

(Books for Dog Lovers)

Genre: Fiction, Animals

Format: ebook

Published: October 22nd 2021

Where I Got It: My shelf (given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

Summary: 

Harley loses everything when his master dies — his home, his best friend, his reason for living. Day after day, he trudges the streets, trembling from the biting cold, whimpering from the gnawing hunger.

Across town, Rachel has an alimony hearing looming and a make-or-break deadline hurtling toward her, yet they aren’t her biggest worries — her autistic son has withdrawn so far into his own private world, he barely acknowledges she even exists.

Luckily, the magic of life is in the surprises no one ever sees coming…

Review:

This is my second book by this author. I absolutely loved the other one so I was excited to read this one next!

We follow Harley who loses everything when his beloved owner dies. He finds himself on the streets and alone with an empty tummy. Across town, we also follow Rachel who has an alimony hearing looming and a make-or-break deadline for work heading her way. On top of that, she is trying to take care of her autistic son who has severely withdrawn since his father left. Luckily, life is full of surprises that no one ever sees coming. 

Oh man. The author has done it again.

All the feels are here friends. Joy, happiness, sadness, glee, tears.....all of them. It was a roller coaster of emotion. It was so heart-warming and you won't put it down. I finished it within a day (dang work slowing me down). I just HAD to know what was going to happen especially after a couple of events. Can't say. No spoilers here!!! It would ruin the tale for sure. 

The author really knows how to bring all characters to life. Not just the people, but our fuzzy characters as well. Fabulous. Fantastic. 

This is for sure a big contender for book of the year (I've gotten a couple already there - so there will be some stiff competition in December when I have to pick!). This had everything and you can't help but root for this little family. 

That ending.....oh that ending. If you feel nothing at the end....you are heartless. It was so good. Did NOT see any of that happening. 

Overall, fantastic read. I highly recommend this. It's technically book 2, but there is no order, but you should read both this and the first one. I see a 3rd book is coming out....can't wait!! Read it. It'll give you all the feels. 5 stars of course. 

Book Review: As The Stars Fall by Steve N. Lee

Author: Steve N. Lee 
Title: As The Stars Fall
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Coming-of-age
Format: ebook

Pages: 300
Published: August 25th 2020 
Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

Where to get this: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0868X2L3P

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/as-the-stars-fall-steve-n-lee/1136738212

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/as-the-stars-fall

https://books.apple.com/us/book/as-the-stars-fall/id1504483395

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Steve_N_Lee_As_The_Stars_Fall?id=08vYDwAAQBAJ

***

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0868X2L3P

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0868X2L3P

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0868X2L3P

Summary: A desperate dog. A scarred girl. A bond nothing can break.

When a young girl suffering with her own tragedy comes across an injured young dog, she can’t resist helping him. Both having braved the worst the world had to throw at them, the pair quickly form an unbreakable bond. They picture their future as an endless stream of adventures filled with love, laughter, and good times.

But life has one last cruel trick to play…

At one moment heart-warming, the next heart-breaking, this is the story of a desperate dog’s roller coaster journey to be the one thing every good dog dreams of being – a best friend. Through a touching tale, As The Stars Fall explores how compassion can make us whole again and friendship can heal even the most broken of hearts.

Review: I am in love with stories like this. It always hits me right in the feels! 

The story follows a young, desperate dog who has not had a lot of luck. A young girl finds him suffering in a moldy old box and takes him home. Little do they realize that they need each other. They quickly form an unbreakable bond that will last forever. 

Where is my box of tissue?? This had me feeling all the feels. I had tears of joy and tears of sorrow. This author certainly played with my emotions with this one. I felt so bad for that dog and that girl. They really needed each other! It really struck a chord and made me have a lot of self-reflection and take a second look and remember all the animals and all the people that have come and gone in my life. It was a beautiful story for sure. 

I simply love stories set in the animal point of view. It's tough (trust me, I had to do a short story for my creative writing class and it was tough) to really get it right and not be cliche or awkward. The author did an awesome and it felt natural and right and it fit the story that was being told. 

OOOoooOOOoooooOOO that ending had me a blubbering mess. It was so good! But oooooooo the feels!

Honestly...I want to re-read this. It was quick but it certainly was awesome. I finished this in just a couple of sittings. This could've been 500 pages and I would have read every single page. 

No issues at all for me. I was hooked from page 1 until the end. I do wish we had more of a conclusion with Dad though. Maybe he'll get a book someday. ;) I think he really needs something/someone. 

Overall, I highly recommend this. Just be prepared to feel ALL the emotions and all the feels. It was such a good story. Amazing characters and a great story. This is for sure a strong contender for the best book of the year. ;) I'll give this 5 stars of course. 

Time for TV Tuesday: Tiger King (2020)

Recently Finished:

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness

Through: Netflix

"A rivalry between big cat eccentrics takes a dark turn when Joe Exotic, a controversial animal park boss, is caught in a murder-for-hire plot." - IMDb

Okayyyyy I gave in. I finally decided to watch this since my FB is nonstop about this show. 

AND I am glad I watched it. This is a hot mess of people and I was hooked from episode one. I had to know how everything went to Hell in a hand-basket. Like all things...it started with good intentions, but ends with power struggles, money, betrayals, murder, revenge, and forgetting about what truly mattered. THE ANIMALS. 

Those poor tigers and bears and etc. They are the true victims. These "zoos" need to be closed down. Let the animals go to real zoos and sanctuaries. Maybe some can go to the wild if they are wild enough. 

These people are insane. Carole is a hubbie-murdering monster. Joe is crazy and an idiot. Doc is a sex cult leader. Jeff is a con man. The crews are insane to want to work with these people. 

What more to say? 

You just have to watch it. It's a hot mess of people and a situation that spiraled out of control. This show really does show that humans suck. I will note - the first couple of episodes are slooooowwww. It takes a min for things to heat up. 

I'll give this......mmmmmmmmmm.......ummmmmm.....*does math* 4 stars. Mainly because the ending of the last episode does refocus us to the true victims of this whole situation....the animals. Send ALL those people to jail. 

Wordless Wednesday

Movie Review: The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

Length: 97 Mins
Released: May 20, 2016
Genre:   Animation, Action, Comedy
Rating: PG
Where I Got It: Seen at the theaters

SUMMARY:
Find out why the birds are so angry. When an island populated by happy, flightless birds is visited by mysterious green piggies, it's up to three unlikely outcasts - Red, Chuck and Bomb - to figure out what the pigs are up to.

TRAILER:

REVIEW:
My guilty, but not so guilty pleasure….Angry Birds. I have loved Angry Birds since the moment the first game out. I have played the vast majority of the Angry Bird games. They are so fun! I still will go back and play some when I am super bored. I own some of the stuffies and my car’s floor mats are the black bird. And yes…I have even watched the kiddie show since it is on Netflix *sticks nose up at those judging me* LOL. So this….this movie has been what I have been waiting for.

I was weird and didn’t want to watch it opening night like I originally planned because I didn’t want BF and me to be the only weird adults with no kids watching the film. Parents scare me 0_0. But when we went and seen it, we were the only ones in the theater. YAAASSSSSSS. SO much fun being the only one there watching.

This was utterly cute. I really enjoyed it. It had that Disney charm, but it’s not a Disney film sadly. It appeals to children, but has a lot of adult humor mixed in as well. I certainly loved the scene were the white bird is reviewing the file on the Big Red Bird to see what he had done to get into anger management classes. The mix of her wide-eyes, his smirking, and the scary music playing was PRICELESS. I couldn’t stop laughing….I’m even chuckling to myself as I type this and remember the scene. Favorite scene for sure.

Ooooh those baby birdies were SOOOOOO cute. I can't get over it. Cutiesssss!

Super funny, cheesy, but funny still. The characters certainly matched the little birds from the games. I do approve. My only bummer is that the blue birds had such a small role in the film. They do hint at another movie, so maybe they’ll have a bigger role? I may be biased, because they are my favorite out of all the birds, but I feel they deserved a bigger role.
I have mixed feelings about the end. I liked it, but I didn’t. Maybe, because it felt like a cliff-hanger, but it really wasn’t? It was weird and it felt rushed like they were not sure what to really do. Yes, it was sweet and cute, but it felt like it was missing something. Hard to explain.

Overall, I approve of this film. They did the games and characters justice. My only issue was the ending and the small role the blue birds played. I do want another movie! I would for sure go see it. I do recommend this movie if you are looking for a funny and different animation. It certainly was refreshing and a good tribute to the popular Angry Birds. I shall stamp this with…..4.

Re-watch: Yesssss!

FitReaders Week #18

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This challenge is organized by Geeky Blogger's Book Blog & That’s What I’m Talking About
Saturday: .5 mile walk  Sunday: Nada, BUT we did go to Pet Supplies Plus (and a quick run to Gamestop, so Boyfriend could get a game that he wanted) and we got a new fish!!!! :3  Monday:  15 mins yoga, 1.5 mile bike, .5 mile run/jog, & 5 mins weights Tuesday: Nada Wednesday:  1 mile walk & 50 crunches Thursday:  30 min walk (did not have my tracker on) Friday:  7 mile walk (my poor feet! haha) Conclusion: Not a bad week. I did have a couple lazy days. I think I made up for it on Friday, though, because I did a 7 mile walk around my city. My poor feet, but I felt really good. 

Meet Mercury 

haha the squirrel is eating an apple. 

WHY? WHY?!

My reward for my 7 mile walk...soaking in the cool lake water

Wordless Wednesday

Book Review: I Stand Corrected by Patricia Asedegbega

Author: Patricia Asedegbega
Title: I Stand Corrected (Rosario & Balou)
Genre: Contemporary, Drama, and fiction
Pages: ebook
First Published: August 2014
Where I Got It: My shelf (given to me for an honest and unbiased opinion by the publisher/author)

"Balou is taken away from his mother at a very tender age and sold to a pet shop where he waits impatiently for someone to pay for his freedom and take him home, just when he is about to give up all hope of it ever happening, he meets young and troubled Rosario who is really not looking for a pet. A strange and endearing alliance is forged between them but he soon discovers that something is horribly wrong in her household. Will he be able to save her?"


There is so much more to the story then the summary gives credit for. There is some funny bits, but the story centers around abuse. However, the story is told in two different POVs: Balou the cat and Rosario the rich heiress. I am honestly glad that they made the main character a rich heiress, because it shows that abuse happens to not only the poor, but the rich as well. Yes, the rich have more options getting out, but it still is hard.

I will admit...I did grow frustrated with Rosario, because she would not leave him, even when the secret of the abuse was out and the whole staff found out. I wanted to shake her and then save her from Javier. Goodness, I loathed him. >_____> I wish that Balou did more damage then he did. No...I will not say more. That scene was an amazing scene. Yes, it was bad and a tough scene, but Balou is amazing and I want a cat like him.

Honestly, I loved the fact that Balou got to have his say and his opinions/views were expressed through his side of the story. When I told a friend about this book and how the cat gets his own POV, she laughed and thought it was silly. No. It really worked and I liked it; it added a new view on situations like these. 

There were a couple spots where it was hard to get through, because it is a tough issue, but it is worth the read. The ending is totally worth it! It was a long road, but I finally got what I wanted to happen to happen. I shall say no more...


My only other complaint is that is was a wee bit choppy in some spots. I hated the random time jumps between paragraphs; there was a lack of transitions mainly in Rosario's POV. Other then that, I did like this book a lot. There characters were great, the two POVs were great, and even though the issue the story revolves around is tough, it was a different and good way to talk about the issue. I recommend this to those that need a change up in their readings and/or who want a serious book with a little comic relief (aka the cat who is adorable). I shall stamp this with 4 stars; more like 3.5, but I don't give decimals. 

Favorite Character(s): Balou, Rosario (even though she frustrated me a few times), the staff, and Javier (I hated him, but he was a good baddie).
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Javier (he deserved to be pushed off the cliff) and Javier's mother (that lady....grrrr)

PS - Random last thought that I had as I returned to this review later - I don't quite understand the title. Does it have to do with Rosario's final thoughts at the end? IDK. Any ideas, thoughts? 

Book Review: The Autobiography of Foudini M. Cat

Author: Susan Fromberg Schaffer
Title: The Autobiography of Foudini M. Cat
Genre: Fiction, Animal story
Pages: 176
First Published: September 1997
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"As the irrepressible Foudini M. Cat regales us with his adventures, an exciting story unfolds. After his valiant but frail mother leaves him in search for food and never returns, the starving kitten is taken, hissing and spitting, to a frightening room with cages and men in white coats. Facing the specter of eternal sleep, the homeless cat is adopted by a woman he later calls "Warm." ("All cats like to make up strange names for things.")

From here Foudini enchants us with splendid tales of his unlikely but ultimately poignant friendship with Sam the Dog; their trips between Cold House in the city and Mouse House in the country; his mystical experiences with famous felines of the past; his near-death in a raging river that leads to a profound act of sacrifice; and his introduction to a silly young thing named Grace, which evolves into something completely unexpected."

Stumbled upon this randomly at the library and I seen that Susan Fromberg Schaeffer (author of one of my favorites 'Snow Fox') was the author! ANNNNNNNNNNND it's in the POV of a cat. C'mon? Did you really think I could resist this? haha

Oooooh this was such a great read. It is short and simple and sweet, but there are so much you get out of this. So many life lessons and so much cuteness. I simply love Mr. Foudini! It really made me miss having a cat (since mine passed a year ago) and really made me rethink all that I know about cats. Its a new perspective and made me appreciate the cat breed (and dog breed) even more. 

I also loved Sam the Dog; he was such a loyal dog to not only the owners but to Foudini even though at the beginning the cat wanted nothing to do with him. It's sad what happened to him, but the author added a little something that made me smile up a storm and made me hopefully for my late dog. I shall not say for it would be giving away a lot of spoilers. Just trust me....it was fantastically done. 

This really made me fall in love with Ms Schaeffer's writing all over again. It's been SUCH a long time since I read 'Snow Fox', I really should re-read it. Maybe when it's my turn for the book club again to pick a book, I may make them read this one. ^.^ It's kind of a hard one to find, so I'm not quite sure. :/ But yes, I really want to re-read it and read more of her books. 

In the end, I adored this book. It was so cute, small, and simple, BUT it was written wonderfully. Foudini will make you re-think all you know about cats. I would recommend this book for someone who likes fiction novels and for those looking for something a little different in their to-read shelf. I shall stamp this book with 5 stars. ^.^

Favorite Character(s): Foudini, Warm, Sam the Dog, and Freud's Cat

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Grace (>_> she was annoying)