Dog Days
Dog Days
By Ericka Waller
Emotional, sad & full of love & hope.
This book will break your heart & put it back together again.
Publisher: Doubleday 11/03/2021
Book review, no spoilers I swear!
Oh my. This book is just perfection. It's just utterly beautiful and I have so many feelings right now thinking about it. But before I tell you my thoughts, I'd first like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending an arc in exchange for an honest review. Now how about I tell you what this book is about, give you an idea of what it's about.
The Blurb:
George is very angry. His wife has upped and died on him, and all he wants to do is sit in his underpants and shout at the cricket. The last thing he needs is his cake-baking neighbour Betty trying to rescue him. And then there's the dog, a dachshund puppy called Poppy. George doesn't want a dog - he wants a fight.
Dan is a counsellor with OCD who is great at helping other people - if only he were better at helping himself. His most meaningful relationship so far is with his labrador Fitz. But then comes a therapy session that will change 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 everyone around her. But when she is forced to walk the refuge's fat terrier, Maud, a new life beckons - if she can keep her secret just a while longer...
Dog Days is a novel about those small but life-changing moments that only come when we pause to let the light in. It is about three people learning to make connections and find joy in living life off the leash.
Thoughts:
I'll start this review off by telling you that I'm writing this at 12:33am. I'm sat in bed in my top and underpants (embracing my inner George) and I've just finished reading Dog Days and my eyes are red, I've not stopped crying! Damn you Ericka Waller!!!!
This is not to say this book is terrible. No this is to say that I loved this book so so so much. It's a book that is full of love, life, loss and hope. I thought when I started this book I had it all figured out but it was wrong. This book took me like surprise just like a certain dog took a certain grumpy man by surprise.
The characters are written in such a realistic way, George is hard to get along with but also has a tenderness to him and makes his character all so real. Lizzie's secrets run deep and her character is anything but one sided whereas Dan, oh Dan, I just fell in love with Dan. I fell in love with all the characters and I'm sad to see them go. These characters are anything but perfect and full of flaws.
I feel like whatever I say won't do this book justice. Only that this book deals with so many issues in the world. The topic of mental health being a key part of it and a part that hits home with me. This book, although hard at times and all too real, made me feel heard and made me feel. It's sad, it's emotional, but most of all it's beautifully written and if you loved Saving Missy by Beth Morrey, then you will love this book.
Now before I spoil anything for you, I shall say this. Thank you to Ericka Waller for writing such a beautifully emotional book and for making me cry like a baby. I've not cried this much since reading The Songs of Us by Emma Cooper.
Rating: 5* out of 5
After all tomorrow is another day spent reading.
Till next time,
Phoebe x
Dog Days is available to buy now from Amazon but if you are able to, try to support your local bookstore.