The Sunday Salon and The Dog Days of Summer... or 3 Great Books featuring Dogs!

Welcome to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post! It's that day of the week bloggers from all over the internet get together virtually in a large gathering place called The Sunday Salon and talk books!  And at The Sunday Post, which is a weekly meme hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, in which more bloggers share their bookish news! And it is officially the end of The Dog Days of Summer... or is it?!

 THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER.......

Summer is typically referred to as The “Dog Days” of Summer because it’s so hot that it’s not fit for a dog. But where did the phrase really comes from? Well, the Dog Days refers to the period of July 3 through Aug. 11 when the Dog Star, Sirius, rises with the Sun. As a result, the ancients felt that the combination of the brightest luminary of the day (the Sun) and the brightest star of night (Sirius) was responsible for the extreme heat that is experienced during the middle of summer.... So technically it is the end of "The Dog Days of Summer", but is sure is still HOT and Dogs are on my mind. (And that cute guy reading the eBook in the photo is my one and only, BJ, who loved to read with me). For "The Dog Days" and everyone who enjoys great reading with a dog... or about a dog, I'm taking this Sunday to share some great new books that revolve around dogs...

Lily and The Octopus by Steve Rowley... From Kirkus Reviews: A lonely writer and his aging dachshund confront a mythic enemy. If it wasn’t for one thing, Rowley’s debut novel might be viewed as a lightly fictionalized, heart-wrenching account of the author’s last six months with his adored 12-year-old dog, Lily, who succumbed to a brain tumor. That one thing, however, is pretty big. It’s the “octopus” of the title. “It’s Thursday the first time I see it. I know that it’s Thursday because Thursday nights are the nights my dog, Lily, and I set aside to talk about boys we think are cute.…We get into long debates over the Ryans. I’m a Gosling man, whereas she’s a Reynolds gal.” The thing Ted notices that fateful Thursday is an octopus. It “has a good grip and clings tightly over her eye.” For almost all of this novel that thing over Lily’s eye remains an “octopus,” an evil eight-legged sea creature that snarks and schemes and wages battle. Even Ted’s best friend and therapist give in and call it an octopus, and a good deal of plot is built around pretending that it is, in an elaborately developed, magical realist way. This is not the best thing about the book. In fact, it becomes a little much. But more than balancing it are the portrait of Lily in all her bedclothes-burrowing, ice cream–eating, stubborn dachshund glory and the intensity of this particular interspecies bond. The octopus talks to Ted, but Lily does too, for example when she’s licking tears off his face: “THIS! EYE! RAIN! YOU! MAKE! IS! FANTASTIC! I! LOVE! THE! SALTY! TASTE! YOU! SHOULD! MAKE! THIS! EVERY! DAY!” As anyone who has a dachshund knows, this is exactly how they talk. If you have an older dog, or any dog, he or she is going to be licking plenty of eye rain off your face through the final chapters of this book. In his funny, ardent, and staunchly kooky way, Rowley expresses exactly what it’s like to love a dog.

This gem of a book received many accolades prior to publication, and it has since had many rave reviews. It is now on my nightstand waiting for the right moment. And if you like dog stories it should probably be on your TBR list. It was released by Simon & Schuster the beginning of June.

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Jonathan Unleashed by Meg Rosoff... Jonathan Trefoil’s boss is unhinged, his relationship baffling, and his apartment just the wrong side of legal. His girlfriend wants to marry someone just like him—only richer and with a different sense of humor. He doesn’t remember life being this confusing, back before everyone expected him to act like a grown-up.

When his brother asks him to look after his dogs, Jonathan's world view begins to shift. Could a border collie and a cocker spaniel hold the key to life, the universe, and everything? Their sly maneuvering on daily walks and visits to the alluring vet suggest that human emotional intelligence may not be top dog after all. A funny, wise romantic comedy set in Manhattan, Jonathan Unleashed is a story of tangled relationships, friendships, and dogs. Rosoff’s novel is for anyone wondering what to be when they grow up, and how on earth to get there.

This looks like a fun romantic romp. I love the cover, but of course we are not suppose to judge a book by its' cover are we?! (Who made that rule anyway?!?) It loosely reminded me of a kind of Must Love Dogs story, but won't be sure until I've read it, and it's on my wishlist. Published by Viking, it was released at the beginning of July.

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Free Days With George by Colin Campbell... After Colin Campbell went on a short business trip abroad, he returned home to discover his wife of many years had moved out. No explanations. No second chances. She was gone and wasn’t coming back. Shocked and heartbroken, Colin fell into a spiral of depression and loneliness. Soon after, a friend told Colin about a dog in need of rescue—a neglected 140-pound Newfoundland Landseer, a breed renowned for its friendly nature and remarkable swimming abilities. Colin adopted the traumatized dog, brought him home and named him George. 

Both man and dog were heartbroken and lacking trust, but together, they learned how to share a space, how to socialize, and most of all, how to overcome their bad experiences. At the same time, Colin relived childhood memories of his beloved grandfather, a decorated war hero and a man who gave him hope when he needed it most. Then everything changed. Colin was offered a great new job in Los Angeles, California. He took George with him and the pair began a new life together on the sunny beaches around L.A. George became a fixture in his Hermosa Beach neighborhood, attracting attention and giving affection to everyone he met, warming hearts both young and old. Meanwhile, Colin headed to the beach to rekindle his love for surfing, but when George encountered the ocean and a surfboard for the first time, he did a surprising thing—he jumped right on the board. Through surfing, George and Colin began a life-altering adventure and a deep healing process that brought them back to life. As their story took them to exciting new heights, Colin learned how to follow George’s lead, discovering that he may have rescued George but that in the end, it was George who rescued him. 
Free Days with George is an uplifting, inspirational story about the healing power of animals, and about leaving the past behind to embrace love, hope and happiness.

For the people who have read this book, it's a big hit, but I just kind of ran across it one day while I was online. But what rave reviews! Almost all 5 star reviews! And there are a lot of reviews! Of course, who wouldn't melt about a boy and his dog, but this book seems to be special. Two lost souls finding a life filled with love after finding eachother. Published by Anchor Canada at beginning of May. Colin tweeted tuesday that Free Days With George was on sale half price at Amazon and I went for it ($7.37). Amazon changes their prices frequently, but you can check to see if Free Days With George is still on sale and want ot read it too.

Other great oldies but goodies...

* The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein
* A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
* Marley & Me by John Grogan
* Finding Mr. Right by Emily Carmichael (I LOVED this! It's a romance with an interesting dog twist!)

Do You Like Books with Dogs in the Story or Telling the Story?

Weekly Wrap Up...

   * Memoir Monday ... was a review for Rosalie Lightning, a graphic novel

   * Monday ... also shared what came In My Mailbox. Some GREAT books coming out soon!

   * Friday... First Line Friday highlighted a book I hope EVERYONE gets a chance to read!

I hope your Dog Days of Summer are filled with great weather, great books and a great dog or two (either a real one or one from a book!) Let me know if you have any great "dog" books to share! You can leave them in the comments below!

Happy reading... Suzanne