Book Review: Kawaii Doggies by Olive Yong

Title: Kawaii Doggies

Author: Olive Yong
Genre: Art - Drawing - Kawaii - Animals
Publisher: Rock Point - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9780760379851
Read: March 20, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Learn to draw all kinds of cute dogs doing all sorts of silly things through 75 step-by-step tutorials. 

Whether you are “team dog” or “team cat,” dogs have idiosyncrasies that we all find entertaining! In Kawaii Doggies, the follow-up and perfect companion to Kawaii Kitties, popular Instagram artist Olive Yong (@bichimao) perfectly captures these moments, including playing, sleeping, eating, digging, chasing their tails, being good buddies, wearing cute costumes, and more, along with how to draw your favorite breeds and puppies. 

In addition to the easy-to-follow tutorials, Olive shares: 

• An introduction to the kawaii art aesthetic 
• Suggestions for drawing tools 
• Tips and tricks for drawing and coloring your dogs 
• A facial expression directory 
• Coloring pages swarming with pups for you to decorate 

So, get ready to perfect your drawing skills, as well as be inspired to create your own dog characters or illustrate the daily activities of your favorite pet.

Review: Dogs are full of personality, goofy, lovable, and Olive Yong has made them even more adorable in Kawaii Doggies. But this book is far more than a how-to manual for drawing your favorite drool-machine.

In addition to step-by-step instructions for drawing your own cute doggies, Yong takes the reader on a basic tutorial of kawaii-style drawing: what is it, tools of the trade, and how to get the most out of the book's tips and tricks. After mastering the basics, Yong teaches facial expressions, poses and moods, capturing daily activities and dress-up, favorite breeds and puppies, and so much more. 

Overall, Kawaii Doggies is a great addition to the Kawaii Doodles book series and perfect for anyone interested in the art of kawaii or someone looking to try something a little different with their art.

Book Review: The Nine Lives of Summer by Jem Vanston

Title: The Nine Lives of Summer

Author: Jem Vanston
Genre: Fiction - Animals - Cats
Publisher: Two Fat Cats Publishing - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: March 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781399944238
Read: March 19, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings: This book contains references to war, death, suffering, and animal abuse.

Synopsis from Publisher: One cat, nine lives and a quest to find a way home 

Summer is a cat living happily with ten-year-old girl Sami and her family in Syria. Then the war comes. Sami and her parents are forced to make the heart-wrenching decision to flee as refugees, leaving Summer behind. On her journey through nine lives in a dozen countries, Summer discovers her purpose – to find Sami again. The quest leads Summer all over the world, meeting diverse people from a vast array of cultures and backgrounds, through exciting adventures and heart-break, desperate struggle and survival. But she never ever gives up hoping and searching. 

Will Summer ever find Sami, and be reunited with her family in her furever home once again?

Review: If you're a regular reader of Memento Nerdy Reviews, you know I love animals, especially cats. I've been fortunate to share much of my life with these furry, funny, fabulous creatures so I was excited to read The Nine Lives of Summer by Jem Vanston, but my heart was not ready to face the heartache contained within these pages, and yet I'm happy I read the book for it's wondrous tale of a love that transcends lifetimes.

Vanston's depictions of war-torn Syria are gut-wrenching, as are the trials faced by Summer (the cat) and her family. The emotional parting between Summer and her beloved Sami struck a deep chord within me because I've had to make the hard decision to leave a beloved furbaby behind in order to move to a new place. (Granted, I wasn't in a war-torn area and was eventually reunited with my furry companion because I was able to leave him with family, but it still dredged up some painful memories.) However, Sami leaving Summer behind is only the beginning of the emotional rollercoaster ride Vanston has created.

Through years and multiple lives, Summer is always looking to be reunited with Sami. Some of the lives are long and comfortable. Some are short and filled with struggle. All of these combine to create an incredible journey that is both life-affirming and guaranteed to hit you right in the feels...hard. At times poignant, humorous, sad, and harrowing, the end result is a tale that makes me hug my own kitties a little tighter in appreciation for their companionship and endless love. 

Overall, The Nine Lives of Summer is perfect for anyone who likes animal stories, but be warned--this book will make you ugly-cry. Also, it may not be suitable for young kids as it does contain a couple of graphic scenes as told from a cat's point of view.

Book Review: Freddy's Magic Garden by Angelina Dayan

Title: Freddy's Magic Garden

Author: Angelina Dayan
Genre: Cats - Memoir - Slice of Life
Publisher: Angelina Dayan Publishing - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: September 8, 2022
Read: November 29 - December 3, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: If you like cats, you will enjoy this delightful book filled with wonderful stories told by cutie Freddy cat & his mum, based on real-life adventures. Perfect for animal lovers, these heartwarming tales can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. You will whizz through the pages as the end of each chapter brings a longing to find out what happens next. These uplifting stories will make you smile and laugh and maybe even bring a tear or two to your eyes from time to time.

Review: Told in a first person point of view by Freddy (a stray kitten turned contented house cat), his human Mum, and other felines, this is a sweet book filled with wonderful stories of how Freddy and his sister were saved from a hard life in a vacant lot, learned to live with their adopted Maine Coon siblings, and saw their feline family and friendships grow over the years. 

Anyone who knows me in real life knows I'm a sucker for animals, especially cats. (I have two rescue kitties of my own, but they are only the latest in a long line of rescues stretching back to childhood.) I loved reading the stories told from the cats' POVs. So charming and alternating between funny, heartwarming, and heart-wrenching. The photos of Freddy and his feline buddies are adorable! 

Overall, it's a cute book and a fairly quick read. If you love watching cat videos on Instagram or TikTok, you'll love reading Freddy's Magic Garden by Angelina Dayan.