Journal Entry 1 by collectorkerri from Springfield, Illinois USA on Monday, January 29, 2007

I work for a pet industry trade magazine. Publishers send us advance reader's copies for review, which I sometimes get to take home. This one looks like a good story.  

Journal Entry 2 by collectorkerri from Springfield, Illinois USA on Wednesday, April 08, 2009

I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy this book more than I did. Maybe it's because there was more war stuff than I was expecting. Maybe it's because it was written mostly in the voice of a US Marine, which is quite foreign to me. I don't know. It was a pretty good story, but it didn't quite grab me like I thought it would.

For now, it's going on my available shelf. 

Journal Entry 3 by collectorkerri from Springfield, Illinois USA on Friday, January 08, 2010

The book is on its way to 300dogs in New Jersey as part of PokPok's nonfiction virtual bookbox. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 4 by 300dogs from Jackson, New Jersey USA on Monday, January 25, 2010

Arrived safely today in New Jersey. I am looking forward to reading this. Thanks for sending it my way collectorkerri--it was on my wishlist! 

Journal Entry 5 by 300dogs from Jackson, New Jersey USA on Saturday, April 10, 2010

Oh, I just love happy endings! Thanks again collectorkerri. I am reserving this book for an upcoming bookbox. 

Journal Entry 6 by 300dogs from Jackson, New Jersey USA on Monday, April 26, 2010

Added to booklady331's ABC (Already Been Crossed) bookbox. Happy travels! 

Journal Entry 7 by k00kaburra at San Jose, California USA on Thursday, June 24, 2010

I thought about keeping this for my boyfriend, because his family's a total dog family, but I doubt he'd get around to reading it in a timely manner.

This book enjoyed a brief stay in San Jose, California before continuing its travels in the Already Book Crossed (ABC) bookbox. 

Journal Entry 8 by JennyC1230 at Woodstock, Georgia USA on Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Taking this book out of Booklady331's ABC Bookbox.

This looks like a good one! I saw a bit of this story on the news, so I am happy to read this one and find out the whole story. 

Journal Entry 9 by JennyC1230 at Woodstock, Georgia USA on Thursday, March 31, 2011

Book Description:

A war memoir that will capture the hearts of its readers, just as one scruffy puppy snuck his way into the hearts of hardened Marines when they needed it most.

Love and home often arrive in the strangest places and in the strangest ways. During his tour of duty in Iraq, Lt.Col Jay Kopelman of the U.S. Marines endured the emotional stress common fro those involved in bloody battles for freedom. Skirting the rules forbidding pets, Kopelman and his comrades adopted an abandoned puppy left behind after the battle for Fallujah. The dog (named Lava) befriended the Marines and journalists who helped to care for him.

My Review: I liked this story, there was quite a bit of detail of war, but it didn't take away from the story of trying to work a miracle and get this dog from Iraq to the US. The violence of war kind of helped you understand how hard it would be to get a dog on a plane to the US, since moving around that area was liable to get you killed.

As a pet owner/lover I understand how you can bond with a pet quickly and not want to leave the animal where he would probably be killed, starve to death, or worse. I won't spoil the ending, so if you want to know just read the book!

Favorite quotes:

"Just so you understand how tough Lava really is: MRE's, officially called Meals Ready to Eat, but unofficially called Meals Rejected by Everyone, are tri-laminate retort packages containing exactly 1200 calories of food, a plastic spoon, and a flame-less heater that mixes magnesium and iron dust with salt to provide enough heat to warm the entree." -- I was always curious what is in MRE's!

"Like, the light sticks glow on our faces while everything else around us is dark, so we're on the moon, right? -- a million miles away from our gods, our rules, our lives, and I hear my voice plowing through every roadblock and checkpoint without halting, because there's nothing, no gods, no rules, no lives standing guard to stop it."

"Discipline overrides everything between Heaven and earth here, including hunger, exhaustion, fear, homesickness, empathy, guilt, hangovers, snipers, regret, hatred, intestinal blockage, thoughts of suicide, calls to prayer, and letters from home."

"And I imagine it is almost as if Lava's presence at the compound allows all humans a temporary exit pass from reality and maneuvers them through various checkpoints into the Land of Make Believe where puppies roam on plush, green grass and it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood."

Reserved for a bookbox. 

Journal Entry 10 by JennyC1230 at Woodstock, Georgia USA on Thursday, April 07, 2011

Putting into my bookbox: Virtual Biography/Auto-Biography/Humor Bookbox, for Round #2.
 

Journal Entry 11 by JennyC1230 at Woodstock, Georgia USA on Tuesday, August 30, 2011

This book was not chosen from Round #2 of the Virtual Biography/Auto-Biography/Humor Bookbox, so it's available.
 

Journal Entry 12 by JennyC1230 at Woodstock, Georgia USA on Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Putting this book into princess-peapod's Spring Cleaning Bookbox.
 

Journal Entry 13 by flossie771 at Villa Rica, Georgia USA on Thursday, September 29, 2011

Selected from princess-peapod's spring cleaning bookbox.
Jenny, how did I miss this the first time around in your vbb?? :) I guess I just overlooked it....but I am selecting now. It looks like a great book!! 

Journal Entry 14 by flossie771 at Villa Rica, Georgia USA on Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Just finished reading this book....what an inspiring story.
I will get this one moving again soon. 

Journal Entry 15 by flossie771 at Villa Rica, Georgia USA on Monday, February 13, 2012

Reserved for the tag wishlist game....for glade1. 

Journal Entry 16 by glade1 at McLeansville, North Carolina USA on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Received in the mail yesterday. Thanks, flossie771! Not sure when I'll get this one read, but it's safe on Mt. TBR until that time!