This a very emotionally connected book, connected to the healing powers you can find when a dog adopts you as their friend. No judgement, no critisisms, just trust and love.

This is an awesome story that is guaranteed to make you shed a few tears.

I am not usually drawn to books about dogs--I find them too sentimental. But this was a really nice story. Sometimes it is nice to just enjoy a nice story.

Once again this instantly caught my eye because it had something to do with dogs so of course I’m in.
Premise
George is a grumpy, belligerent old man who has just lost his wife. She has left him notes around the home and a miniature dachshund puppy called Poppy. But George doesn’t want a dog, he wants to fight everyone who is trying to help him.

Dan has OCD but has channeled his energy into his career as a therapist. Afraid to acknowledge his true feelings, his most meaningful relationship so far is with his dog Fitz. That is, until Atticus walks into his life.

Lizzie is living in a women’s refuge with her son Lenny. Her body is covered in scars and she has shut herself off from the world. She distrusts dogs, but when she starts having to walk the refuge’s dog, Maud, things begin to change.

As three strangers' lives unravel and intersect, they ultimately must accept what fate has in store for them with their dogs by their sides. Set against the backdrop of Brighton, Dog Days is an inspiring, unflinching, and deeply moving novel about life, and the way dogs can help us understand it, and each other, a little better.
I loved reading about each of the three individual stories and how the dogs help them get through the trials and tribulations in their lives. It was very neat to see how they interconnect in the novel and this one definitely has me feeling uplifted and appreciative of what I have.

I thought the OCD representation was authentic and very well done. I also thought the characters were very loveable, and the tone felt like a Fredrik Backman book—a perfect balance of funny and sad.

Hey folks, daddy Steve here with some doggiebook talk. This time I’ll talk to you about Dog Days by Ericka Waller.

I found that book very touching. We’re talking three persons who have troubled lives, at least more troubled than I think mine is, yet they all have doggos around them that make them feel better.

The presence of the dogs is kinda subtle too, but you feel them, you know they are there and they bring postive vibes. Just the way I think all doggos do.

Huge thanks to NetGalley who provided a free eBook advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This is as honest as it gets... The book is currently available to purchase.

#Malcolmstories #doggiebooks
#DogDays #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book. I must warn any readers that it isn't a happy-go-lucky story - there are some painful topics broached and very sad moments. However t is overall well-written and there is some great character development.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

I love dogs, so Dog Days was a logical choice for me to review. I expected a fun, easy read; however Dog Days is very, very dark.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Self-harm, domestic violence, suicide.

Dog Days follows three characters, each at a different, difficult point in life. Each character also has a dog.

George is an irascible curmudgeon, whose wife is recently deceased. Before her death, Ellen bought Poppy, an adorable Daschund puppy. Now George has lost Ellen, and is stuck with a puppy he never wanted.

Dan is a therapist with a lovable, outgoing retriever named Fitz. Dan is so far in the closet that he may never break free. He also has a totally inappropriate crush on one of his patients. Fitz gives Dan unconditional love and comfort.

Lizzie, along with her young son, Lenny, is living at a battered womens' shelter. There's a story there, but Lizzie is reluctant to share. She's assigned to walk the shelters dog, Maud, but she would rather have a root canal.

If you're looking for a fun, easy read, this is not the book for you. However, if you're looking for a beautifully written book to make you think, this just might be your cup of tea.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this book to review from Net Galley.

#DogDays#NetGalley

This book was just OK for me. I didn’t relate to the characters, and even though there were dogs in the story they were a minor part. 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC. I’m happy to provide my honest review.
#NetGalley #GalleryBooks #StephenGrahamJones
“My Heart is a Chainsaw” is a delightful homage to the delicious horror/slasher genre. This novel tells the story of Jade Daniels, who is understandably angry after an abusive childhood and takes solace in horror movies, particularly slasher movies.
This book was delicious!!! Jade’s extensive knowledge of horror movies reminds me of me in the best way. I loved all the horror information. It’s strangely comforting. Thankfully, not for the same reasons as Jade. This first part of this book is a slow burn. Because Stephen Graham Jones has such a distinctive style of writing, he makes you work for the payoff. The payoff does come, however, and it is glorious!! This is the type of gore that I love!! This author never disappoints me.
This book, like all of his others, is not an easy read in any sense of the word. His writing style forces you to pay attention and take your time. He is the master of the truly slow burn. This book can, occasionally, be a bit too slow. Believe me when I say that it’s worth it.
Please read this, preferably around Halloween.

I loved this story so much. It was full of lessons and wonderfully written. I highly recommend this for fiction fans.

Ericka Waller's Dog Days is a character-driven novel that follows the lives of three dysfunctional individuals and the dogs that love them, just the same. George is a cantankerous elderly man, whose wife passed unexpectedly, but not without first gifting him a puppy that he doesn't know what to do with. Lizzie, and her son, are navigating their new life in a shelter for battered women. Lizzie is haunted by her memories of the past, and the scars covering her body, and is reluctant to let anyone in, including Maud, the dog at the shelter. Dan, is a therapist, whose dog Fitz, helps him cope with his OCD. Dan also grapples with his repressed feelings and sexuality, when he feels an undeniable attraction to his patient, Atticus.

The characters are riddled with flaws and might be considered "unlikeable" by most. However, I found that it made the characters seem more relatable, authentic and "real". The characters were both complex and vibrant. The book navigated some extremely difficult topics with grace and insight. I found the book to be both heart-warming and heart-wrenching at times. It felt like a reflection of how real life is; things don't always turn out the way you hope.

The book was very well-written and there were some lines that I had to re-read because they were so meaningful, including:

"It's the things you can't prepare for that are hard, he realizes. They are the true test of character."
"Dogs love unconditionally, not because they don't understand life, but because they understand it best."

I would caution readers for mention of grief, homophobia, mental health disorders, domestic abuse, self-injury, and suicide.

Overall, it is an excellent debut novel that felt very real. For that reason, I would not recommend it to a reader who uses reading as an escape from "real life", but rather to someone who wants to explore life and its many aspects in more depth. The book serves as a reminder of our own humanity and personal struggles.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of this book.

**I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.**
I got to about 35% with this one before I jumped ship and decided not to finish. The storyline was difficult to follow. And the language was very vulgar, even for an adult audience.

This intriguing book is the story of 3 strangers whose lives unravel and sometimes intertwine.
The characters at times are not that likable but the excellent writing brings forth great observations of relationships with others including the nuances of family , friends and professional interactions.
This made the book quite interesting and I felt I really got to know this characters and grew to like them as time went on.

George is a grouchy old man whose wife died but she left him notes that he would find around the house and left him a puppy called Poppy. But George doesn’t want a dog, he’s miserable, he loved his wife dearly , misses her and wants help from absolutely no one.

Dan has OCD but has made a career of being a therapist. He has a wonderful relationship with his dog Fitz.
Then Atticus walks into Dan’s life as a patient and things start to evolve for Dan.

Lizzie is living in a women’s refuge with her son Lenny and she does not like dogs but one of her chores is to walk one of her refuge’s dog, Maud, and things begin to change.

Eventually the three will accept what fate has brought them with their dogs at their side.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy.

***Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review***

While I enjoyed this book, it felt as if the characters weren't fully developed and the dogs, promised as one of the main points of the story, become side characters and more props than anything else.

I really enjoyed Waller's exploration of grief and the use of three different experiences to define and explain it. The experiences of grief of someone and the grief of your own experiences becomes very telling and a very interesting manner of expression. However, each character's storyline turned out to be very unique, making the whole storyline seem choppy and thrown together, although the cameos within each story helped bring them together. Each dog also felt thrown into the story at one point or another instead of being uplifting or motivating the owner's actions.

This was a heartwarming story of how dogs can bring people together. It was a superb example of a masterful storytellers prowess.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Any book involving dogs grabs my attention and this one sounded fun. The novel revolves around three main characters in Brighton - and their dogs. Cantankerous George grieves the loss of his wife - through anger and annoyance more than anything else. And while he may be off-putting initially, he can be surprisingly funny in his sections. Twenty-five year old Dan is a counselor who has some of his own growing up to do as he learns more about himself through the steady counsel of his faithful dog. Meanwhile, Lizzie faces her own challenging family situation. Their lives barely intersect, but the dogs are a constant throughout each section.

The novel moves surprisingly quickly considering it is most certainly not plot-driven. Waller made me laugh and cry here. The characters - and their relationships - all comets life. There aren't really surprises plot-wise as this really is a character-centric novel, but I didn't want it to end - always a good sign. I grew to like all of the characters and just didn't want to say goodbye to them.

While the dogs' presence provides a nice link between the characters, they really aren't quite the focus that I expected them to be. But they do provide a sort of backbone to the book and unites them all a bit more. The ending is satisfying, though I wanted it to keep going. I imagine that the audio version would be great, too! I am definitely curious to see what Waller will write next!

Ericka Waller has written a book full of heart, feeling, and grit. Do not let the cover fool you that this is a fluffy, light-hearted book. I think the best way to describe this book is that it is about the messiness of life. Life can be hard and ugly. But life can also be beautiful especially when we are with others and with dogs. Dogs add to our lives in a way that we often don't realize that we need. Don't let the possible trigger warnings sway you from delving in to this book. My only regret is that the messiness in my own left resulted in it taking me so long to get through this book.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I will be anxiously awaiting future releases from Waller.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Possible triggers: Spousal abuse, spousal death, cancer, late-term miscarriage, suicide, and sexual orientation.

This book started out really well at the beginning. George the grumpy widow who lost his wife provided some comic relief. Though he was sharp with his tongue he had a reason to be, his wife died and didn't tell him she was sick. she also got him a dachshund dog before she left. Her letters she left him to find were sweet and understanding of how hard it would be for him. She took care of everything for him, so he was rudderless.

Dan has OCD and as a therapist he knew how to help others if not himself. He struggled on how to care for his new patient Atticus as he really won't tell him why he decided to get help. However Dan is struggling with his feelings towards Atticus. He hasn't really explored his sexuality but is starting to realize his attraction for Atticus is not going away.

Lizzie is staying at a women's shelter for domestic violence, covered in scars. Her son Lenny is loving his new teacher but Lizzie is staying away.

The lives of these three intersect in different ways, and the thing they have in common is the dogs they own or care for but that is about it.

Where this book took a turn for the worse is the meeting of George, Dan and Atticus. While George was upset his wife's clothes were given away without his knowledge, the use of hate speech and homophobic slurs was reprehensible, and his very little care even in the future was insensitive and hateful to the community.

Also the ending with Lizzie while it provided a shock value was again insensitive to the community who suffer/survive domestic violence. There was no real happy ending for anyone and won't consider this a romance.

Three Hurting People and Their Dogs

George has lost his wife. He’s the epitome of a grumpy old man. He doesn’t want the puppy his wife brought home before she died and he doesn’t want the visits from Betty next door. He knows his wife is behind these visits not wanting him to sit home all day in his underwear.

Dan is a mental health counselor who has his own issues. He has OCD. It keeps him from interacting with people, but his dog, Fritz, understands him. He’s also coming to terms with his sexuality.

Lizzie is a former teacher. She escaped her abusive husband with her son, Lenny. Lizzie has bruises outside and inside. Maude, the terrier who lives in the shelter where Lizzie is staying seems to understand she provides emotional support.

If you love dogs, this is a good book. It showcases the supportive links between people in crisis and their dogs. The book is very emotional. You can’t help hoping the three characters whose lives become entwined will be able to overcome their problems and live happier lives. Perhaps most important, the book is about the support and loyalty dogs give their people.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

This is not a book about dogs. It is about life, people problems, and the one thing every character has in common is they each have a dog that acts as a companion. Their dogs in many ways understand and accept them more than anyone else. I love books that focus on characters with flaws. Because let’s be real, people are by no means perfect. It really is a book about what it means to be human. This book addresses mental illness, abuse, death, and suicide.

It is a story centered around a very disgruntled and belligerent old man that recently lost his wife, a woman with a son living in a home for battered women, and a therapist with OCD struggling to come out of his shell.

This is not a light read but Waller handles darker topics brilliantly. Her writing is full of wit, smart humor, and charm. She is able to add a lightness to her content without compromising the significance of her story. I think my favorite parts were Betty’s verbal jabs at George and the insults they used felt so reminiscent of their old age— “thickwit”

Overall, a fabulous book!