Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Katie Up and Down the Hall by Glenn Plaskin (Book Review and Giveaway!)

Title: Katie Up and Down the Hall
Author: Glenn Plaskin
Publisher: Center Street/Hachette

My synopsis: Glenn had never been a dog owner - he actually was afraid of dogs as a child.  Slowly he overcame that fear, but his parents wouldn't allow them to have a dog.

As an adult, he settles in a high-rise in Battery Park City, a beautiful section of Lower Manhattan.  It appears to be a dog paradise and there are a ton of dogs in his high-rise alone.  On a whim, while shopping with a friend, he ends up with a little pug which they dubbed "Baby."  After buying all the supplies, they head home and he experiences Buyers Regret.  He didn't want a small dog. He didn't want a male.  He didn't want a dog who snored.  Basically, he just wasn't ready for a dog - so back he went to the pet store to return Baby.

He becomes friends with Joe, who has a cocker spaniel named Dinah.  After a few test "naps", Glenn is getting closer to getting a dog.  Joe introduces him to Pearl and her husband Arthur who live just down the hall from Glenn.  They had also had a cocker spaniel that had recently died and they jumped on the band wagon to convince Glenn to get a cocker spaniel.

He ends up with Katie, the last dog from a litter, the runt, the one that nobody wanted.  He fell in love immediately.  Over Katie's life she forms a bond between Glenn and Pearl and Arthur, as well as single dad John and his son Ryan, who moved into an apartment on the same floor. Katie adopted all of them.

My thoughts:  This was a cute story, but stalled out once in awhile in the beginning.  Didn't really come alive for me until the tragedy of 9/11.  You see, Glenn could see the twin towers from his living room window.  All of the tenants were forced to evacuate for months, as Battery Park City was uninhabitable.  It was then that I felt the loss of the friendships that they had all shared, as they were separated by distance as they all went different ways to find places to stay.  I began to see how much they shared, how much they had bonded.  These people, who lived just feet away from each other, might never have met, had it not been for Katie.

This does a much better job of telling the story:


~I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Hachette in exchange for my review.~

Follow Glenn on Twitter and Facebook.



GIVEAWAY!

I have 3 copies of this book to giveaway courtesy of Hachette Books. There are a few ways to enter:
1. Sign up to be a follower of this blog - just let me know how you follow. (1 entry)
2. Follow me on twitter (@kherbrand) and tweet or use tweet button below. (1 entry)
3. Comment on any non-giveaway post and let me know. (1 entry)

All entries can be left in one comment. Giveaway open to US/Canada only - no PO boxes. Giveaway will end on Oct 21. Winners will have 48 hours to respond. Any unclaimed books will be given away on twitter at that time.

Katie Up and Down the Hall
Publisher/Publication Date: Center Street, Sept 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59995-254-3
254 pages

23 comments:

bermudaonion said...

Glenn played the book trailer at SIBA last weekend and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. No need to enter me.

Sandy Jay said...

GFC follower.

Twitter follower. Tweeted http://twitter.com/ForWhlz/status/26026809993

Linda Kish said...

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Qandthebooks said...

Following on GFC (:

blissfulrains(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I'm a GFC follower.
I'm a Networked Blogs Follower.
I have tweeted about this giveaway.
I follow you on Twitter.

I'd love to win this book. I wouldn't mind winning Katie either.

Blessings,
Barb Shelton
barbjan10 at tx dot rr dot com

Sandra K321 said...

I would love to read this. I follow via google friend connect.

seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

Martha Lawson said...

I would love to read this book. It looks so heartwarming!

I follow on gfc

mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Following Books and Needlepoint with NetworkedBlogs on Facebook -- I would love to read Katie Up and Down the Hall :)

Following @kherbrand on Twitter and Tweeted the giveaway

theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

ossmcalc said...

1) I subscribe via Google Reader and email. I follow on Networked Blogs, Twitter, and GFC.

2) I follow you on Twitter and tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/26055828198

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

rubynreba said...

I am a follower. I've heard this is a great book. Please enter me.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Unknown said...

I'm a follower on blogger/and google reader. Thanks for the chance into this giveaway!

unforgetable_dreamer_always (at) hotmail (dot) com

Benita said...

I'm a GFC Follower.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Qandthebooks said...

Following! (:

blissfulrains(at)yahoo(dot)com

Suzanne Yester said...

This book has been on my wish list for a while. Thanks so much for hosting a giveaway!

* I follow you on GFC!
* I Follow you on Twitter! (@chickwithbooks)
* I tweeted your giveaway!
(http://twitter.com/ChickwithBooks/status/26183782223)

Suzanne
quzy AT mac DOT com

Anonymous said...

I'm following on GFC.

headlessfowl at jteers dot net

Laura H. said...

Thanks for the giveaway! I'm a GFC follower.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Carol M said...

I would love to read this.

I follow on GFC

I follow on Twitter-CarolAnnM
tweet
http://twitter.com/CarolAnnM/status/26689012023

mittens0831 at aol dot com

Dawn M. said...

I follow with GFC.
I follow on Twitter.
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/librarygrinch/status/26915899244

Thanks! :0)
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

nfmgirl said...

Sounds like a lovely story. Please count me in. Thank you!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

I follow

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

Tweet:
http://twitter.com/nfmgirl/status/27049839098

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

karenk said...

would love to read katie's story...thanks for the chance :P)

i'm an email subscriber, too


karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Annmarie Weeks said...

1. I subscribe via email at annmarieweeks at verizon dot net.

2. I follow on twitter & tweeted! http://twitter.com/amweeks/status/27372077052

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