There is no doubt that a wonderful dog named Tara made a huge impression on author David Rosenfelt. He and his wife even run a dog rescue foundation in her name, so I was not surprised to find a book called Lessons from Tara: Life Advice from the World's Most Brilliant Dog. These are things learned from Tara, and the other dogs in the Rosenfelt life (and there are dozens). Fun and insightful you'll find chapters on everything from public speaking, to acceptance, to respect for others, coping with the ups and downs of life .... all coming from experiences with dogs.

It was nice going from this to the next Andy Carpenter Mystery, Collared, by David Rosenfelt. This time it's a dog tied to the door of a shelter that starts the investigation into a kidnapping from a few years back. There are some interesting twists this time, and folks are not always what they appear to be. More courtroom than CSI than other mysteries I read, it makes for a nice change. Author has a sarcastic style that I enjoy.

I'll admit I was a bit reluctant to read Saving Sadie: How a Dog That No One Wanted Inspired the World, by Joal Dere Dauer with Elizabeth Ridley, as these books can be so very sad ... and (fair warning here) parts are ... but ... mostly this is a story of survival and recovery of an amazing dog and the human who saw something special in a dirty, badly injured dog. Sadie and Joal will go on to offer support to kids suffering from bullying, soldiers recovering from brain injuries, and so much more. Thanks go to Riding Reader for this one!

Reading Hermit With Dog