More Disney than drama.
In Cameron’s (Puppy Tales: A Dog’s Purpose Collection, 2016, etc.) sentimental tale, a stray puppy finds a loving home, loses it after running afoul of anti–pit-bull regulations, and then, after being sent into exile, makes a wilderness trek through the Rocky Mountains home to Denver.
Consider this a reimagining of the hit film Homeward Bound minus one dog, one cat, and one human narrator. Perhaps a mix of a shepherd, mastiff, and Staffordshire but with the appearance of a pit bull, Bella narrates her tale of living under a condemned house, moving into Lucas’ loving home, and then escaping from a temporary shelter into Colorado’s wilderness. Having postponed medical school, Lucas works at a Veterans Administration facility. That gives him time to care for his military veteran mother who's suffering from PTSD. Bella brings love to the pair, but a malevolent animal control officer classifies her as a pit bull and becomes intent on euthanizing her. Reluctantly, Lucas places Bella in a foster home in Durango. Bella escapes and heads for home, sometimes traveling with Big Kitten, an orphaned cougar cub. Then Bella is picked up by a married couple. Another escape, only to be taken in by a street-dwelling, war-traumatized veteran. Then Bella’s on the road again. The narrative makes allusions to VA failures, decries poaching of endangered species, recognizes the tragedy of homelessness, and casts an empathetic eye on gay marriage, all at a brisk pace and while maintaining G-rated blood-and-guts hunting scenes. The settings are mostly defined by weather, especially vivid as the homeless man and Bella shiver through a Gunnison, Colorado, winter. The anthropomorphization of Bella may please some readers; others not so much.
More Disney than drama.Pub Date: May 9, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7653-7465-3
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Forge
Review Posted Online: March 20, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
A fun, snappy read about the over-the-top world of private school admissions and the unbreakable bonds of family.
The director of admissions at a prestigious private school attempts to balance her job, her family, and her love life in Frank and Youmans’ debut.
Once upon a time, Josie Bordelon was walking the catwalk as a sought-after fashion model. Now that she’s almost 40, she’s the director of admissions at Fairchild Country Day School, an ultraprestigious private school in San Francisco. Josie’s used to being the only black woman in a largely white male–dominated field, and after all these years, she knows what to expect from her job—overscheduled children, pushy parents, and a boss who wants to undermine her. While she may be killing it at work, her personal life is another story. She hasn’t had a serious boyfriend in years, much to the chagrin of her Aunt Viv and her best friend, Lola. It’s too bad that the only man who’s caught Josie’s eye lately is a married and gay dad of a prospective student. And even though Josie just wants her daughter, Etta, to attend an Ivy League college and major in something practical, Etta insists she wants to follow her ballet dreams and study dance at Julliard. But it turns out that Etta’s career goals aren’t the only shock Josie’s about to face—her job, her romantic life, and her own Aunt Viv have plenty of surprises up their sleeves. While Josie’s budding relationship is certainly interesting, it takes a back seat to the rest of the plot, and it never quite gets the chance to blossom. The book shines, however, when it comes to the Bordelon women, especially Josie’s hardworking and hilariously meddling Aunt Viv, who clearly loves Josie and Etta more than anything. The family’s bond comes across vividly on the page, manifesting in sometimes-gentle and occasionally not-so-gentle banter among the three women. Frank and Youmans create strong voices even for the side characters, like Josie’s no-nonsense teacher BFF, her quick-witted assistant, her clueless boss, and Etta’s snooty ballet teacher.
A fun, snappy read about the over-the-top world of private school admissions and the unbreakable bonds of family.Pub Date: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-08502-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
A fast-paced, twisty-turny mystery perfect for a cozy weekend read.
When a mysterious hacker exposes sensitive emails at Aldrich University, everyone’s secrets are laid bare to public scrutiny. But no one saw surgeon Greg Strasser’s murder coming.
The data breach reveals Blue Hill, Pennsylvania, to be a veritable Peyton Place of disgrace, including extramarital affairs, testing scandals, and fraternity rape accusations. Hidden in Greg’s trash folder are emails to a “Lolita Bovary” that cast him as certainly a philanderer and quite possibly a pedophile. After the Aldrich Giving Gala, Greg’s wife, Kit, awakens from a drunken stupor to discover him stabbed in the kitchen. Could she have killed him out of rage? Or perhaps it was Kit’s ambitious co-worker Lynn, eager to push Kit off the corporate ladder by framing her for murder? Then again, where was Lynn’s husband that night? And who is Lolita? Kit’s daughter, Sienna, is certainly sad about her stepfather’s death, but her friend Raina’s grief seems suspiciously excessive. Meanwhile, Kit’s sister, Willa, is back in town. An investigative reporter with secrets in her own past, Willa is loath to stay a minute past the funeral reception, but how can she refuse to help Kit stay out of jail? With nods to Big Little Lies as well as her own Pretty Little Liars series, Shepard (The Elizas, 2018, etc.) brilliantly hides the identity of the true villain in the gaps between characters. An Agatha Christie for the 21st century, Shepard masterfully crafts a prestigious town rife with hidden temptation and sin. So Willa gets her chance to play Miss Marple, albeit a much younger, hipper version, and her sleuthing deftly exposes unexpected links between characters. From chapter to chapter, Shepard’s plotting breathlessly careens between characters, with each cliffhanger swiftly answered by another, ratcheting up the stakes until the killer is finally unmasked.
A fast-paced, twisty-turny mystery perfect for a cozy weekend read.Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5247-4290-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
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