At ten years old, Enzo knows his life is coming to an end.  He doesn't mind.  As a dog whose soul is "very human," he's pretty sure he's going to be reincarnated as a man, a prospect he's very much looking forward to.  After all, Enzo has been studying humans his whole life.  Not only has he watched a considerable amount of educational television, but he's also been observing his owner, Denny Swift, ever since the race car driver brought him home as a puppy.  With all the wisdom he's gathered, Enzo knows he'll make a stellar human.

As Enzo ruminates over what he's learned from a canine life well lived, he tells the story of Denny's life—from his career as a pro race car driver, to his marriage to Eve, to the birth of their daughter, Zoë, to how everything changed when Denny began to lose all of them.  Like all faithful companions, Enzo is there through it all to mourn with his best friend, cheer him on, and lick his wounds (sometimes literally).  Along the way, he learns some great lessons about what it means to be human.  

I'm not a big fan of stories narrated by animals, so I have given The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein a wide berth for a long time, in spite of the many rave reviews it's gotten.  I only decided to take it on because I needed a new audiobook to listen to and my library seemed to have nothing else that was immediately available.  Although it started as a reluctant listen, I ended up finding the novel compelling enough to finish.  Did I love it?  Can't say that I did.  Do I understand why it's so overhyped?  I do not.  The story moves at a glacial pace for much of the book, although it does pick up after the Big Event happens.  Problem is, I hated the direction the tale took at that point.  It wasn't what I expected or wanted.  Thus, the read just felt sad, depressing, and...ugh.  I did finish the book, like I said, but I found The Art of Racing in the Rain to be an average read at best.  Part of the problem, I'm sure, is that I don't love animal books and I have no interest in car racing; a lot of my issues, though, stemmed from a story that just didn't resonate with me.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  You?)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

Some Top Ten Tuesday topics are complete head-scratchers for me.  Others are no-brainers.  This week's is the latter and, honestly, I'm glad for a prompt that doesn't require a lot of thinking on my part.  Coming up with a list of My Ten Most Recent Reads was a cinch.  If you want to jump in on this easiest of TTT topics, use a past one, or even come up with your own, head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get started.  It's tons of fun!

My Ten Most Recent Reads  

1.  The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton—This swashbuckling adventure/mystery story is all kinds of entertaining.  Grade:  B

2.  Until I Find You by Rea Frey—Although the denouement of this one is far-fetched and dissatisfying, I liked the novel otherwise.  It's a mystery/thriller about a grieving widow with a degenerative eye disease that has rendered her nearly blind who is convinced someone has replaced her newborn with someone else's baby.  Grade:  B-

3.  The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein—Narrated by Enzo, a pooch with a soul that is "very human," this book tells the story of a race car driver who must deal with some paralyzing life situations.  His faithful dog witnesses it all and does his best to provide his owner with comfort and joy, in spite of their trials.  I listened to this novel on audio.  While the tale kept my interest, I didn't end up loving it for a variety of reasons.  Grade:  C+

4.  The Boy From the Woods by Harlan Coben—This missing persons mystery stars Wilde, a man with few memories of his life as a feral child living alone in the forest.  Although he still prefers trees to people, he agrees to help search for a teenage girl who has vanished.  There are elements of this novel that I liked, but overall, it was just an average read for me.  Grade:  C  

5.  The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore (available July 27, 2021)—In this historical novel which begins in 1926, a Hollywood socialite receives a shocking diagnosis of leprosy.  Sent to a Louisiana sanitorium for treatment, she must come to terms with a life she never could have imagined living.  I found this one interesting and engrossing, although I didn't end up absolutely loving it.  Grade:  B-

6.  The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman—Lark gave this book, about the astonishing number of people who go missing in America's national parks, a rave review on her blog.  Like her, I found it fascinating.  Grade:  B

7.  All the Children Are Home by Patry Francis—Another historical novel, this one revolves around an agoraphobic woman who retreats to her home after a horrific assault.  Becoming a foster mother, especially to a young Native American girl who has been severely abused, changes everything for her and her family.  Grade:  B-

8.  The Daughters of Foxcote Manor by Eve Chase—I love me an atmospheric family secrets story and this one certainly qualifies.  It's about a nanny who's caring for the young children of a grieving, mentally unstable woman.  When a mysterious newborn arrives on their doorstep, it throws the whole household for an unexpected loop, one that ends in unthinkable tragedy.  Grade:  B

9.  We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin—Odette Tucker's backwater Texas hometown is rife with secrets, number one being what happened to True Branson and her abusive father, both of whom disappeared without a trace ten years ago.  Everyone in town thinks True's younger brother, Wyatt, murdered them both, even though nothing about the case has ever been proven.  Odette refuses to believe her old boyfriend is capable of anything nefarious, but when a young girl is seen with Wyatt, she has to rethink everything she knows about him.  Grade:  B

10.  Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto (available May 6, 2021)—I've been really excited about this much-hyped novel, which looked like a fun rom-com/cozy mystery.  It's about a woman who accidentally kills her blind date and enlists her overbearing Indo-Chinese aunties to help her hide the body.  It's funny, yes, but it also got so over-the-top absurd that it just annoyed me.  Bummer.  Grade:  C

There you go, the last ten books I've read, from the pretty good to the not-so-great.  Have you read any of these?  What did you think?  What are the last ten books you've read?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!