Fun Fall Reading: Dog Crazy by Meg Donahue

Every spring, as soon as daffodils appear and the snow melts, lists of "Beach Reads" bloom online, in magazines and newspapers, and even on NPR. 

So now the days are getting short and we're under the first frost advisory of the season. Where are the   "Sitting-In-Front-Of-The-Fire-Under-A-Blanket Reads" lists? (For those in CA who are still enjoying the beach reads…put this on that list.)

"Hurry up - I want to get back to my book!"

So here's a suggestion to start your own personal winter reading list. Dog Crazy by Meg Donahue is perfect for staying in with a cup of tea or cocoa and losing yourself in the adventures of Maggie Brennan, pet bereavement counselor, and her new quasi-client Anya Ravenhurst. Anya is one messed up girl - so strange, so fanatical, that she keeps insisting her dog is still alive and was dognapped although there's absolutely zero reason for hope. And Maggie has issues of her own. She's a kind, caring woman with the training to diagnose herself but not a clue how to get well. 

I was the lucky winner of a giveaway of Dog Crazy over at Pooch Smooches. Thank you Jackie Bouchard! When my copy arrived, I opened it just to glance at the first few pages and get an idea what it was like. I was already reading another book and intended to finish it first. Ha! That didn't happen - I spent the rest of the afternoon devouring Dog Crazy and loved it. The characters are likable and vivid, the story keeps the pages turning, and there's a surprising ending where - spoiler alert! - the dog doesn't die. 

Animal lovers will identify with lots of plot elements, including Maggie's work with a dog rescue. But one of the things I liked about Dog Crazy was that the human interactions are center stage. You don't have to actually be dog crazy to love this book. 

Dog Crazy belongs on your list of reading for the crisp fall afternoons and evenings ahead!