"Gizelle's Bucket List" by Lauren Fern Watt

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration. Below is my honest review.

If you know me personally, you probably know New York City was not my favorite place to live while I was in law school. (This probably has something to do with the fact that I spent a lot of time studying and didn't find a ton of time to stray too far from my school.) When I went back for my final semester, I had one buddy who made it remarkably more enjoyable: my scruffy rescue terrier Forrest. Having a dog in the city is a ton more work than having a dog when you have a backyard, but a dog also gets you out into the city in ways and with people you never would have experienced or met otherwise. Forrest and I wandered up and down Morningside Heights, wondering at the incredible variety of food people left lying on the street -- he in awe at his good fortune, myself in disgust. We became regulars at our local dog park & everyone cheered when my timid pup finally made friends with the calmer dogs. Forrest barked with the might of a dog twice his size at the strange delivery guy who showed up (unsolicited) at 11:30pm, and I protected him as best I could from the scary radiator noises that are the bane of many NYC apartments.

Lauren Fern Watt can relate to these types of experiences, and plenty more besides. When she graduated from college, she and her 160-pound mastiff, Gizelle, moved to New York City. It's a city that's not built for much personal space, never mind an extra large pup. They attracted plenty of stares and comments, but found the same sorts of routines and special experiences open only to those who brave the city with a canine companion. Watt tells her story of Gizelle's life in two parts: the first runs from getting to Gizelle as a puppy through settling into NYC. The second half is the inevitability every pet owner knows will come, but never wants to face: finding out your best bud is sick & figuring out how to handle what comes next.

Watt makes the best of Gizelle's remaining time, finding adventures to enjoy together and prioritizing spending time with her. Watt grew up alongside Gizelle, drawing strength from her pet while she learned how to cope with her mother's addictions and to navigate her relationships with friends, boyfriends, and family. I don't know how non-pet-owners will relate to Watt's story, but the many lessons and strengths she learned from Gizelle rang true to my own experience. Watt's prose is light and conversational, and the memoir is an easy, heartfelt read. A warning, though: she does not shy away from the tough ending, and I cried while snuggling Forrest extra close for the last 30 pages.

Verdict: Affirmed. This book may have been an unusually perfect fit for me, but I tore through it in two days. If you're a dog lover and can handle a good cry over a life well lived, you'll appreciate this memoir.

"Gizelle's Bucket List: My Life with a Very Large Dog" by Lauren Fern Watt, published March 7, 2017 by Simon & Schuster.

"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara

It's been a while since I finished this book and I still don't know how to wrap my head around it or put into words my exact feelings about it. Luckily, many many others have tried.

On its face, it's the story of four friends living in New York City. It follows them through life and love as they grow and their relationships change. But centrally, it's the story of Jude St. Francis, a man with a horrific past who has nonetheless grown to find three devoted, loving friends. I will quibble with those, including the author, who describe this as a book of male friendship. That's certainly a theme, but it's a love story at its heart, and an exploration of how to love someone who doesn't know how to accept it. 

Haunting and beautiful and gripping and tragic. There are so many words for this book and they're all still inadequate. Yanagihara has a gift for describing the most traumatic, grotesque, staggeringly painful events in beautiful prose. Even when the events are too much to bear, the beauty of the prose pushes you on to the next page and the next. 

Verdict: Affirmed. I can't recommend this book highly enough, but I also want to warn that the subject matter is heartbreaking and tragic.

"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara, published March 10, 2015 by Doubleday.

"Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Apologies for the break in scheduled programming. Coming off from a month of much-enjoyed, post-bar funemployment & jumping back into working life was quite an adjustment.

Sierra's a pretty normal girl living in Brooklyn, looking forward to summer break with her friends. Sierra can also draw, and then call spirits to embody her drawings and bring them to life. And it turns out this power is pretty important to save her ancestors' life work. Soon she's tracking zombies and other Shadowshapers all over New York City to get to the bottom of her powers, and her family's strong connection to spirits around them.

I don't know why I waited so long to read this book, but at least I have a shorter wait now for the sequel. Sierra is a great heroine, and the magic system built around Caribbean mythology feels fresh and original. The secondary characters are intriguing and believable, and I can't wait to see more of them in the rest of the planned trilogy. Finally, Daniel José Older writes a New York City that feels real, capturing the different neighborhoods well. 

The audiobook is also excellently narrated, and I can't imagine having read the book in another form. Anika Noni Rose embodies Sierra perfectly.  I listened in a single sitting & I can't wait for new installments. 

Verdict: Affirmed. This is a fresh, inspiring new YA trilogy, and anyone who likes the genre should check it out. 

"Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older, published June 30, 2015 by Arthur A. Levine Books. Audio narration by Anika Noni Rose, published November 1, 2015 by Scholastic Audio.