January is Walk Your Dog Month!

January is Walk Your Dog Month and what better way to kick start your New Years Resolutions by reading some great YA books that feature dogs?  If you are like me, you love dogs and want to spend more time with them because they just get you.  This awareness month is a great way to help dust off the January blues, read a few good books, maybe go out and adopt a new dog, or if you already have one start taking him/her out for more walks.  It's a fun way to get out of the house and your dog will love you for it!

Here is a list of YA books that will have you begging for more!

Last Chance by Norah McClintock

In this charming YA novel by Norah McClintock, the main character Robyn is scared of dogs—like, really scared. But she agrees to spend her summer working at an animal shelter anyway. (It's a long story.) Robyn soon discovers that many juvenile offenders also volunteer at the shelter—including Nick D'Angelo, a boy from Robyn's past. A boy she hoped to never see again. Nick has a talent for getting into trouble, but after his latest arrest, Robyn suspects that he just might be innocent. And she sets out to prove it...

The Way to Game the Walk of Shame by Jenn P. Nguyen

A 2017 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, this witty and entertaining contemporary debut deftly combines high school drama with pitch-perfect flirty banter.

Taylor Simmons is not in a good place. Everyone called her the Ice Queen because she always put her studies first. After she got drunk at a party and woke up next to bad boy surfer Evan McKinley, the entire school seemed intent on tearing Taylor down with mockery and gossip. Taylor's faithful sidekick and loyal pup Oreo is there to help her decide if Evan is a good guy or not.  

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Sweet with fur flying fun!  Andie must learn to embrace the beauty in chaos in this New York Times bestselling novel about friendship, finding yourself, and all the joys in life that happen while you’re busy making other plans.

Andie has a plan. And she always sticks to her plan. The only thing is that she never planned to become a dog walker.  In this adorable coming of age story, you'll see how Andie changes her points of view and how a half a dozen or so doggos can make a world of difference in the direction you are going in life.  

Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

Two young people must hide their true feelings for each other while figuring out who means them harm in this cheeky Regency romance from the author of Love, Lies and Spies and Duels & Deception.

Shy aspiring artist Imogene Chively has just had a successful Season in London, complete with a suitor of her father's approval. Imogene is ambivalent about the young gentleman until he comes to visit her at the Chively estate with his younger brother in tow. This is where things get interesting.  Here we meet Jasper, Imogene's water dog and he may hold the secret to love, well you'll just have to read to find out what happens to this daring young couple.

Marley & Me by John Grogan

Of course, we can't forget Marley, he is one of the most loveable and sweet puppers out there and this book is based on the true story of his life.  Through the telling of this story, we get to see how it is possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, trouble-making, silly but sweet!

John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. And from that moment on, seriously, life would never be the same.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Let's face it, Lara Jean's little sister's dog Jamie Fox-Pickle has one of the best fictional pet names ever! He's a Wheaton Terrier and his name fits him perfectly, he's sassy but also very sweet.  This book is great because it has love, romance, mystery, and playfulness that will pull on your heartstrings. 

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life. Until the day her sister mails her secret letters, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes out of control.

Rotten by Michael Northrup

A troubled teen. A rescued Rottweiler. An unlikely friendship. Jimmer "JD" Dobbs is back in town after spending the summer "upstate." No one believes his story about visiting his aunt, and it's pretty clear that he has something to hide. It's also pretty clear that his mom made a new friend while he was away---a rescued Rottweiler that JD immediately renames Johnny Rotten (yes, after that guy in the Sex Pistols). Both tough but damaged, JD and Johnny slowly learn to trust each other, but their newfound bond is threatened and JD must come to terms with his secrets and face the truth, which is the very thing that he is scared of. This book is a must-read!

Whipoorwill by Joseph Monninger

Sixteen-year-old Clair Taylor has neighbors who are what locals call whippoorwills, the kind of people who fill their yards with rusty junk. Clair tries to ignore her surroundings, choosing instead to dream of a future beyond her rural New Hampshire town. But, when a black dog named Wally is chained up to a pole next door, Clair can’t look the other way. Clair decides to save Wally, and the immediate connection she has with the lovable dog catches her off-guard, but even more surprising is her bond with eighteen-year-old Danny Stewart, the boy next door.