Love Unleashed - Rebecca Ascher- Walsh

I read Love Unleashed by Rebecca Ascher-Walsh in one sitting. And right beside me was my fifteen year old dog. She's deaf, terribly arthritic and sleeps most of the day away now. But she still gets up to greet anyone coming in, wags her tail and shares her love every day.

The subtitle of  Love Unleashed is: Tales of Inspiration and the Life-Changing Power of Dogs. And these tales truly are inspiring.

Ascher-Walsh profiles thirty-five remarkable rescue dogs. Dogs who have been given a second chance and a new life. Dogs who have changed the lives of not just their owners, but many, many others. And in a myriad of ways. A nursery companion dog - in a zoo. A dog who doles out hugs to anyone who needs one in NYC. Police dogs, therapy dogs. Even a courthouse dog who helps children during testimony. A retired bomb sniffing dog who now sniffs out the deadly C-difficile bacteria in hospitals. Dogs who raise money for shelters through their on line presence. Storm chasers and so many more. Every profile is accompanied by a colour photo and full write-up.

Each dog has a unique story. And every one of them was a rescue. Yes, the dogs are amazing, but so are the people who work with the dogs, own the dogs and champion rescue dogs. They too are inspiring.

My old girl is a rescue. Full of fleas, ticks, mange, worms, she had been abused. She was also a black dog, who get passed over in many adoptive situations. We met her just as her quarantine ended and took her home that day. She has given us nothing but love and devotion each and every day. I know her time with us is coming to an end, but the time with us and the love she has given will never be forgotten.  I encourage anyone contemplating having a dog in their lives to check out their local shelter.

Love Unleashed was such a wonderful little read. Absolutely recommended. Peek inside Love Unleashed.

Credit: Mark Mann

"Rebecca Ascher-Walsh is a writer who specializes in celebrity and lifestyle coverage, but who also loves dogs and telling stories about amazing animals. She contributes to many newspapers and national magazines including Entertainment Weekly, Adweek, and the Los Angeles Times. She is a volunteer at a high-kill shelter in Manhattan and a founding director of the Deja Foundation, devoted to funding the medical care and training costs of dogs rescued from high-kill shelters." See what others on the TLC book tour thought - full schedule can be found here.

The Art of Calm - Rebecca Ascher-Walsh

Life is busy - sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes its just overwhelming. I've tried many tips, techniques and strategies for stepping back out of the fray to catch my breath, unwind and re-centre.

Rebecca Ascher-Walsh's new book is The Art of Calm - the cover made me want to take a closer look.

From the preface:

"The following passages, tips, and tricks are meant to offer inspiration, provide an outline for 'you' time, and allow time to reflect. The words of wisdom and advice from inspirational figures are aimed to remind you how to be your own best friend, to go ahead and allow space for calm and the possibility of magic that comes with it."

So, what did I find inside? A wonderful wide range of ideas - from recipes for brownies, bath salts, hot cocoa, pasta and more.

To quotes - many from books such as this one from Ann Brashares' Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants: "Maybe happiness didn't have to be about the big, sweeping circumstances, about having everything in your life in place. Maybe it was about stringing together a bunch of small pleasures."

And this one from Michelle Obama: "You may not always have a comfortable life. And you will not always be able to solve all the world's problems all at once. But don't ever underestimate the impact you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own."

To suggestions - Keep a beautiful flower in a bud vase where you can see it - be it your home or work desk. Say something nice to a stranger. And I loved this one - once a week, go to bed early with a book! To activities - try a headstand, volunteer.  To proverbs, advice and so much more. There's lots of food for thought, all accompanied by full colour, peaceful photos.

A ribbon bookmark is bound with the book, perfect to keep your place from day to day if you're a front to back reader. Me - I like to jump around, see what's at the end first and surprise myself. I'm just going to open it to a random page every day. Now, not every idea and suggestion appealed to me, but I can see something for everyone in the pages of The Art of Calm.

The most valuable one? "Start with this thought, every morning, even when your alarm goes off too early: Every day is a gift." This one I'm going to repeat to myself each and every day.......

"Rebecca Ascher-Walsh is a journalist who covers celebrities and lifestyle. She contributes to many newspapers and magazines, including Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal and The L.A. Times." See what others on the TLC book tour thought - full schedule can be found here.