‘Pets and the City’ by Dr. Amy Attas is a wonderful book filled with “True Tales of a Manhattan House Call Veterinarian” that reads like a novel

It’s difficult to write nonfiction that is so engrossing and relatable that it reads like fiction, yet that is just what veterinarian Dr. Amy Attas manages to do in her book “Pets and the City: True Tales of a Manhattan House Call Veterinarian.” This collection of anecdotes and personal history ranges from the why—the reason Attas wanted to become a veterinarian and how she accomplished that—to the many famous people who were/are her clients. From Joan Rivers to Billy Joel, we read about the connections that the uber rich and famous have with their pets. But we also read about those not in that stratosphere of economic wealth, and how money doesn’t dictate how much we love our four-legged (and sometimes three-legged) pets.

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Picture books with dogs, dogs, dogs

Kids love picture books and especially picture books featuring dogs. All of these books have adorable dogs in them, one also has a cat, and one has a host of wild animals! All have wonderful messages about patience, acceptance, and learning from a dog; and one special book is about why a dog is a better pet than a wild animal! Perfect for children like my grandson, who wants to have a home filled with wild animals he will care for.

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‘A Farewell to Arfs’ by Spencer Quinn: Another delightful Chet and Bernie mystery

While Spencer Quinn’s very popular, very enjoyable, Chet and Bernie series is filled with marvelous mysteries, including the newest one, “A Farewell to Arfs,” we read the novels for the pitch perfect narration by perhaps the most lovable of canine characters, Chet. This story begins with Chet and Bernie’s elderly neighbors, the Parsons, losing their life savings.

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‘Finding Mr. Write’ by Kelley Armstrong is a delightful romance by the master of suspense

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong isn’t known for her romcoms. In fact, “Finding Mr. Write” is the first one she’s written, and it’s quite different from her usual genres: fantasy, mystery, and horror. While her other novels feature a soupçon of romance, this one is unabashedly filled with lust, romantic tension, insecurity, crossed signals, stupid moves, and of course, the romcom must, an HEA (happy ever after).

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‘Familiaris’ by David Wroblewski is a weighty prequel to “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle”

The New York Times bestselling author of “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle,” David Wroblewski, just released the prequel to that tome, “Familiaris,” itself a weighty read at just shy of 1000 pages. As was the case with his debut novel, this second book, sixteen years later, is receiving much acclaim. Like its predecessor, this book was chosen for the prestigious Oprah Book Club. Oprah’s tongue-in-cheek comment to the author when she called to let him know his book was her choice for her book club: “I’m gonna choose it for the summer book club because it’s gonna take people all summer to read it.”

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‘On Her Watch’ by Melinda Leigh is the eighth murder mystery in the wonderful Bree Taggert series

Melinda Leigh consistently features fascinating female protagonists in her novels, and Bree Taggert, in the eponymous series, is the perfect example of that. She struggles with work life balance just as some of us do, and she cares deeply about both her job and her family. And for Taggert, the “caring for family” part is an accomplishment because she never thought she’d have a family. In “On Her Watch,” the eighth murder mystery in this series, Taggert continues caring for her niece and nephew after the murder of their mother, Taggert’s sister. She had moved to upstate New York to care for the kids and is now the sheriff, working to be seen, heard, and considered to be the woman in charge.

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‘Walkin’ the Dog’ by Chris Lynch is a touching, dog-filled coming of age story

In “Walkin’ the Dog,” Chris Lynch tells the story of Louis, a boy who loves being home, has no friends, and will be going to the public high school after being home schooled. His father is a retired firefighter who bought a fishing boat and moved them to a seaside town. His mother is an activist whose mental health has been suffering, and she is in a facility working on regaining her equilibrium.

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‘Boy of Chaotic Making’ by Charlie N. Holmberg is the 3rd book in the Whimbrel House fantasy series

The first book in the Whimbrel House series was so wonderful and complete, it might have seemed impossible that author Charlie N. Holmberg could create a sequel as compelling and gripping and touching as that first novel. Well, now we have the third novel in this fantasy series, “Boy of Chaotic Making,” and this story is just as lovely, filled with the same characters we have come to admire for their strengths and their failings, and with a plot that definitely keeps us guessing.

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‘Barking Up the Right Tree’ is the definitive book on dogs and training by expert Dr. Ian Dunbar

Dr. Ian Dunbar, author of “Barking Up the Right Tree,” isn’t just a veterinarian. In addition to his veterinary degree and a PhD in dog behavior, he was the first to create puppy training classes using positive reinforcement. Dunbar’s future as a dog behaviorist seemed ordained since childhood. He has been training animals since he was five years old on the family farm in England. Now, after decades in dog training and studying dog behavior, and a reputation as one of the foremost dog training experts in the world, he is sharing what he has learned and what research shows about training and understanding our dogs.

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‘What Is Mine’ by Lyn Liao Butler is a thriller about what we do for those we love

Motherhood is one of the themes In Lyn Liao Butler’s newest thriller, “What is Mine.” She demonstrates that motherhood, the quality of being a loving and caring mother—or not—does not pass from one generation to the next. Hope Chen and her sister Cassidy had parents who were cold and unfeeling. Yet Cassidy is, to the best of her ability, a caring mother to Luca. When Cassidy dies, Hope and her husband Shaun take Luca into their home and are determined to provide him with all the love and protection they can.

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‘Bonus Time’ by Claire Cook is filled with new characters, life-long friendships, and joyous new adventures

In Claire Cook’s newest novel, “Bonus Time,” three life-long friends head south to the beautiful St. Simon’s Island in Georgia to discover what the rest of their lives might unfold. Like her novel-turned-movie “Must Love Dogs,” this novel includes plenty of humor marching side-by-side with Cook’s perceptive life lessons and a plot that will keep you turning the pages.

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Must-have dog and cat picture books: funny, clever and touching

As I’ve mentioned (repeatedly) in writing about dog and cat picture books—kids love them. Adults love them. Whether they are funny, touching, clever, or as is often the case, a combination of all those qualities, reading books about our favorite companions is almost always extremely rewarding. Here are some wonderful choices to share with your picture book readers.

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