Cat Book Review/Give-Away:Lola: Diary of a Rescued Cat by Lola and Dawn White

AUTHORS TAKE NOTE: I am a sucker for presentation. When I receive a book for review, I pay attention to details. When someone, (primarily an author, not a publisher), requests a review, I take note of:was it shipped directly from Amazon? Was it signed? ( if I receive a book signed by the author I will ALWAYS keep it, ALWAYS). If the book is not  signed, it will more than likely  be passed on to make room on my jam-packed bookshelves, after I read it, whether I loved the book or not.

When I received a copy of Lola: Diary of a Rescued Cat by Lola and Dawn White, it was one of a mere handful of books that impressed me by the care and thought taken when it was sent to me. It was signed and there were a few "goodies" included.

 Call me crazy, but when asked to review a book, reviewers  are NOT your "average" reader. Authors, take heed. Pay attention to presentation when mailing books to reviewers, it shows us you care about your book. For me, the experience of reading a book begins when I open the package/envelope that it arrives in, followed by cover presentation. More often than not, my impression of a book after I have read it, has matched my initial impression of the book when it arrived. Funny how things work.  Lola: Diary of a Rescued Cat by Lola and Dawn White is one of those books that immediately impressed me upon it's arrival and it did NOT disappoint!

Cover photo Courtesy of Dawn White

From Lola herself: "Hi, I'm Lola! My life definitely took a turn for the worse when I was thrown away in a garbage dumpster and ended up in a shelter where I got very sick. But I was lucky because I found a fairy godmother who saved me and made sure I got a wonderful life. But not all animals in the shelter have a fairy godmother. I'm just lucky." Lola

I am in awe of so many of you who are reading this review who have rescued cats from shelters that might not have been "perfect" cats or kittens. While rescuing all cats is noble, rescuing a cat or a kitten that is ill or has physical challenges is something that I hold in high regard.

Author Dawn White comes from a family of cat lovers. Her "first love" was Marvin, a black and white cat with a "smudge" on his nose who she was forced to give up due to life circumstances. That led her to adopting "Lexy" a Marvin look-alike who had been at the shelter for nearly a year and was passed over because people thought at two years old, "she was too old." Dawn says that adopting Lexy was "the best decision I ever made."

After about 8 months, Dawn decided that Lexy needed a companion. Enter the magic of Facebook. Dawn was looking for someone to help her trap a spay when she came across Lola's photo on  the page of a cat-sitting business. "She looked pathetic, sick, and neglected, but there was something in Lola's eyes that drew me to her immediately." Dawn visited the vet where Lola was being taken care of and "5 minutes later I had adopted this 3.4 pound skinny cat with a face full of mucus who was so sick and weak she couldn't even meow. That was the second best decision I ever made."

Lola: Diary of a Rescued Cat by Lola and Dawn White is a diary primarily pawed by Lola herself.  Each diary entry lists the month, date and year of the entry from Lola's abandonment, to her first year "Adoptiversary."

With each entry, Lola becomes more confident,  secure and much braver! I particularly LOVE that this book was written from the eyes of Lola herself.  Charm and love fill every entry:

August 5, 2011
Mommy's flip-flop makes a nice pillow. I think I may be onto something here. Maybe I can find an agent and sell flip-flop pillows. I'd be famous.

November 3, 2011
Mommy is a little under the weather and is going to bed early, so I've been missing out on computer time. Hey! I have an idea! I can hold her mouth open and pop one of my pills in there to make her feel better. I wonder if I can get some of my friends to help me?"

Lexy on left and Lola on right
Photo courtesy of Dawn White

Those of you who have had the pleasure of bringing a new cat home and introducing it to the resident cat(s) will love and be able to relate to the process as seen from the eyes of the "interloper" herself that are also abundant throughout this marvelous book.

November 12, 2011
This morning Lexy and I were on the bed and Mommy came in and sat down. Of course, I went over and gave her a lick hello. Then she gently brought me over by Lexy, and Lexy started licking my head. "See, you can be great friends," Mommy said. And then something happened...I won't keep you in suspense, I'll just tell you; Lexy bit my ear. Epic fail, Mommy, epic fail.

  As you can see by the excerpts I shared above, the  sweetness of Lola and her loving nature, as well as her impish side,  which is sometimes conveyed by a wicked sense of humor, is incredibly endearing. Each page reinforces the importance of and the unconditional love that is received when one adopts a rescue cat. 

Speaking of rescue cats, in the back of the book are some beautiful stories from friends of Lola and Dawn who share the most beautiful stories of how they adopted their special furbabies. 

Ten Percent of the proceeds from the sales of this book will be donated to animal rescue organizations and shelters.  - See more  here 

Author: Dawn White

Genre: pets/cats

Publisher: The Silloway Press

Publication Year: 2014

ISBN: 9780983155256

Lola: Diary of a Rescued Cat is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository, Books A Million and other online book sellers.

Dawn White
Photo Courtesy of:
Lola The Rescued Cat

Meet The Author:

Growing up in Rockland County, New York, cats were always a part of Dawn’s family, but animal rescue didn't come to her attention until she adopted a cat from a shelter in 2011. Since that time she has been an advocate for animal rights and has utilized social media outlets to network for animals that need saving. She has also participated in animal rescue transports, assisting in bringing rescued, and previously unwanted, pets to their new forever homes. Dawn’s genuine sense of caring has led her to choose her career path to help others. A dedicated Human Services Professional working with individuals with Developmental Disabilities and Autism since 1988, she earned her Master’s Degree in Psychology in 1992, and became a Licensed Massage Therapist in 2014. She lives in New York City with her two cats, Lola and Lexy, who run the house. Dawn says “adopting two shelter cats has truly changed my life.” Lola: Diary of a Rescued Cat is her first book.

GIVE-AWAY!!!

Dawn has allowed us to do a give-away! ONE  LUCKY WINNER who resides in the U.S.A will receive a copy of Lola:Diary of a Rescued Cat, a magnet and this TOTE BAG!!

Entering is super easy! Just enter on the Rafflecopter below. There is only ONE mandatory entry required, once you complete that, more entry options will open up. Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway





In full disclosure: we were not compensated for this review/give-away. We were sent a copy of Lola:The Rescued Cat in exchange for our always honest review.