B O O K R E V I E W : Sign Here by Claudia Lux

Sign Here
by Claudia Lux
On sale today!

Working in Hell is, well, hell. The temperature is never quite right, puddles of indeterminate depth randomly appear, coworkers are horrible and bosses worse, Jägermeister is the only drink besides water available, and don’t even ask about the food. Peyton Trip has suffered through these discomforts (and worse) for eons, but he has a plan—he just needs to get one member of the Harrison family to sign away their soul. Cal, a new recruit to the Deals department, has her own secret schemes that could undermine Pey’s carefully laid groundwork.

Unaware that they are marks, the Harrisons—Silas, Lily, Sean, and Mickey, along with Mickey’s new (and first) best friend, Ruth—travel to their summer house in New Hampshire where generations of the family have vacationed. Pey, though, might not be the biggest threat to the family; instead it could be the secrets in their midst.

Sign Here has such an original premise with details that make hell such a vivid setting (though very disturbing when considering Downstairs where the worst punishment is carried out). The comedy is dark Vonnegut-style rather than LOL humor.

At fourteen, Mickey undergoes the ups and downs of adolescence, idolizing the confident and more experienced Ruth who also makes indelible impressions on the rest of the family as cracks in their relationships allow the past to infect the present.

Pey is a fiendish and manipulative narrator, though sympathetic enough I hoped he escaped hell while Cal thinks she is the smartest person in the room and may be right.

I really enjoyed the book and its messages about love, trust, and redemption. It was a very satisfying read though not light-hearted as I expected. Recommended for readers who enjoy family drama, mysteries, and a touch of something new, and different.

Happy V Day!

Holiday Greetings!

Nittak hullo chita na yupka!

Have a Safe and Happy Fourth!

Lily, Norman, and Walter wish you a happy Independence Day and want to remind you to keep your pets safe. More pets go missing on July 4th than any other day of the year, and typical Independence Day celebrations use a number of items that are harmful to cats, dogs, and other critters.

To keep your pets safe, follow these steps:

1. Keep your cats and dogs inside.
2. Make sure your pets are wearing ID collars.
3. Do not take your pets (even dogs) to firework shows and don’t use personal fireworks around your pets. The loud noises can scare pets and make them bolt. If you are using fireworks at home, pets can be exposed to dangerous chemicals.
4. Keep your pets on their normal diet, and don’t feed them lots of food from the BBQ.
5. Even if it seems funny, don’t let your dogs or cats drink alcoholic beverages. They can get alcohol poisoning with small amounts of drink.
6. The material in glow sticks and jewelry is harmful to pets as is citronella. Keep pets away from them.
7. Do not use sunscreen for people on your dogs or cats. They will lick it off their fur and the chemicals can make them sick. If you have a light-colored dog, you can get a sunscreen just for pooches. Since your cat will be inside, she won’t need sunscreen, but if you are interested, you should consult your veterinarian to find an appropriate solution.

The Ellis-Nosis dogs hope you have a very safe and very happy holiday. They would lick your face if they could.

Lazy Pugs

You’d think these pugs had been performing hard labor out in the high noon sun the way they are splayed out on the couch. They rarely cuddle together like this; Walter usually likes to keep his distance from the youngsters. It’s a shame they have such a hard life!