Book Review: Summer Blowout by Claire Cook

Summer Blowout by Claire Cook
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this book! I started reading it after finishing The Gates by John Connolly. I didn't want to have nightmares and this looked like a light read. I was right, but I was also surprised at how quickly I read it. Only a few hours. I couldn't put it down! I was reading it in bed while J was sleeping and had to keep myself from laughing too loudyly, quite a few times.



This is my first Claire Cook and I'm glad I wasn't disappointed. I have seen her other novel, Must Love Dogs but have never read it, since I've already seen the movie. I think I will read it now anyway.



I love Bella and her entire family. She reminds me a lot of Janet Evanovich's character, Stephanie Plum. {Crazy, large family} It cracks me up that she's addicted to lipstick and chapstick, but then again, she is a make-up artist. Her dad is a wanna-be-Italian and I just find him adorable. I wish that Claire Cook would write a sequel to this novel. I would love to find out what happens between Bella and Sean Ryan. Also, what other mischief she and her siblings can get into whilst doing make-up. lol.



I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a light, quick-read. It would also make a great beach book.



And who doesn't love the little dog, Cannoli! I love being able to relate to characters who talk to their pets. :P


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Memorable Quotes: {That made me LOL}
"I pulled my suitcase out of the backseat of my bug, along with Cannoli's new travel case, a spiffy animal print pet backpack on wheels. When I first saw it, I thought maybe the dog was supposed to wear the backpack, but it turned out the person wore the backpack with the dog in it. It had a pull-up handle and wheels, just like my suitcase, so you could also roll it along the ground. It had mesh vents in the front and on the sides to let in lots of air. I unzipped the top and popped Cannoli inside, then attached the safety harness to her jeweled collar. She looked up at me in horror. "Don't worry," I said. "I won't zip up the mesh part until we absolutely have to."




   I extended the handles on my rolling suitcase and pet carrier, got them positioned evenly behind me, then hooked my shoulder bag over my head and under one arm, like a beauty pageant sash, so it wouldn't fall off. I reached back with both hands and started pulling. We moved along at a brisk, comfortable pace. The rolling suitcase was one of the best inventions ever, maybe right up there with the ionic hair dryer. I sure would like to have been the entrepreneur who thought up one of those two.
  I heard a choking sound behind me. When I looked back, Cannoli was hanging from the backpack harness with her hind legs circling frantically in the air. She looked like she was riding a bike just above ground level.
  "Cannoli," I yelled. I unhooked her and made sure she was breathing on her own. When I tried to get her back in the backpack, she whimpered. I talked to her soothingly yet firmly, then tried again. This time she started howling like I was hurting her. 
  People turned and stared as they walked by. "What are you looking at?" I said to one couple. I suddenly felt true remorse for every time  I'd stared at a parent with a toddler throwing a tantrum. I made a vow to be a better aunt to Tulia's kids if I ever made it out of this parking garage. I pleaded with Cannoli one more time."

"There also wasn't one single bit of grass or dirt outside the airport. Even the median strip was a concrete sidewalk. Where did Atlanta's pet travelers pee? Maybe city dogs just learned to use the sidewalk. We kept walking. It looked like if we crossed the road that all the cars used to get onto the highway, we might come to a planted-up area, but we also might get killed.

  Finally, I just lifted Cannoli up and plopped her down on a great big ashtray built into the top of the trash barrel. "Good thing you're not a German shepherd," I said.