Larry’s Post-Rapture Pet-Sitting Service, by Ellen King Rice

 

Larry’s Post-Rapture Pet-Sitting Service

By Ellen King Rice

· Publisher: Undergrowth Publishing (August 20, 2020)

· Publication Date: August 20, 2020

 

But First, the Blurb:

One man with highly flexible morals and a dodgy past.

His mother, in dire need of beer and pretzels.

A history-mad teenager in search of a job.

And cats. Lots of cats.

As the alleged man of the house, Larry has to make ends meet, one way or another.

Selling post-Rapture pet care insurance seems simple enough.

Until Larry crosses paths with a left-behind televangelist looking to carve a new domain. Out of his hide, if he lets her.

Review: “A large and colorful cast of characters fills the novel, and their experiences and coping mechanisms in the rapture-altered world give the story a welcome variety of perspectives.” – Kirkus Reviews

 

My Review:

I’m still smiling about this book. Larry is the most perfectly imperfect man ever. Marjorie is a wonderful person, a little rough around the edges, but possessing a heart of gold. Every cloud has a silver lining, but sometimes you have to hustle to get there first. Marjorie excels at keeping her son hustling.

Larry is used to not flying first-class, so to speak, so he’s not surprised that he was left behind. He loves life and all the pickles he’d have missed had he been raptured or sent the other way.

I loved the notion that all the dogs went to Heaven.

Abigail Ross is a credible villain. The many snake-like ways she tries to thwart Larry's success kept me turning the page. I had to find out how everything was resolved.

Larry attracts a good posse. Every character in this group and their circumstances are unique, and yet they fit together, becoming stronger by virtue of their common situation: being left behind.

I laughed out loud, worried for Larry and his crew, and celebrated when certain animals were rescued.

If you like humor, dark or otherwise, and love character-driven books, this is one you should read.

Girls Can't Be Knights by Lee French

It's been a while since I had the time to post a review. Today's review, Girls Can't Be Knights, by Lee French, is a wonderful rainy afternoon read, one I stumbled on while looking for a book for my granddaughters. It is an action adventure, the tale of a girl who is stronger than she thinks. It's also a tale of friendship and courage.

But First, THE BLURB:

Everybody knows girls can't be knights...

…Nobody told Claire.

Can she survive proving them wrong?

After 6 difficult years in Portland's foster care system, sixteen-year-old Claire has given up all her dreams. Hope and trust? What are those?

But she'll need both.

Portland has a ghost problem, and it doesn't care about her issues.

Armed with a magical locket, the only thing she has left of her family, will Claire find the strength to accept the help offered by a would-be mentor?

You'll love this heartwarming young adult urban fantasy because finding family is best done in strange places.

Get it now.

MY REVIEW:

Claire is an immediately relatable character. She is angry, and rightfully so—she is bullied at school and no one takes her side. She warehoused in yet another uncaring foster home. 

Starting over once again in a new school, Claire is afraid, feeling cast adrift. One of her few friends in the system is Drew, a smart boy with whom she has formed a friendship.

Worse than being bullied, she sees things, weird things no one else does. One of those strange things is a knight on a white horse. Justin is dressed exactly like her father often did, in armor, complete with a sword.

The horse, Tariel, looks at Claire, makes a choice, and her life changes forever.

This is the story of a girl discovering her strengths and learning to trust again. In the process she learns that she can make good decisions and be a good friend. Claire’s personal journey and her discoveries about the paranormal side of Portland is epic, filled with fantastic action and adventure.

I highly recommend this novel to adults of all ages.