A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

I LOVED this book!  I cried at least 5 times while reading this book.  This book made it to my "Keep Forever" shelf (which only has about a dozen books on it).

This book is the story of one dog.  But he is re-born as a new dog multiple times.  It is all told from his perspective.

First he is the puppy of a mutt.  Then he is the adopted puppy of a family (in particular a boy who he pretty much grows up with).  Then he is kind of an outlaw looking for his way back to the boy...will he find him?  and his purpose?  and how all his lives are connected and gave him what he needed to fulfill his purpose?

It is hilarious, interesting, heartbreaking, and just generally cute (in an amazingly awesome way!).  I read it while I was on vacation in Vegas and it made me miss Cam so much.

If you love a dog, you will probably love this book and wonder what the dog you love would say if he could.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

A friend had recommended this book to me because her book club had read it and loved it.  It is set in 1968 and one night a black man and white woman show up on Martha's doorstep with a baby.  The woman does not speak and the man is deaf. But she can tell they are in trouble.  Martha helps them.  The authorities come and search Martha's house and find the woman but not the baby and the man escapes.  As the woman is being taken away she whispers "Hide Her" to Martha.  The whole book follows Martha and the baby, the deaf man Homan who is determined to make it back to the woman he loves- beautiful girl, and Lynnie (aka beautiful girl) who has been taken back to the "school" they had escaped from.

It is such an interesting story.  Seeing the adventures Homan takes on his journey back to Lynnie.  Seeing how Martha hides the baby and how things progress over the years as she grows up.  And getting to know Lynnie and the stories at the school. And then how it all comes together at the end.

It's a beautiful story.  Because I am a sucker for love and happy endings.

It was a little slow for me in the beginning, but the ending was worth it.

My favorite quote from the book was in the middle and came from a secondary character:

"You think you know what you want until you realize you can have so much more."

Love that!

I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.