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Unlikely Companions
If you've ever wondered how to clean a ferrets' GI tract or remove corneal ulcers from a pot-bellied pig, you'll soon learn much more than that. Beyond the clinical side of Dr. Hess's experience as one of only a few exotic animal veterinarians, Unlikely Companions tells the story of what the remarkable pets she treats and their equally eccentric, dedicated, and sometimes demanding owners have taught her about the importance of loving and healing ourselves. Unlikely Companions is part memoir, part pet mystery, and part inspirational self-help, an All Creatures Great and Small with a mysterious twist that includes a special message for women about managing our most important relationships - those with our friends, coworkers, children, spouses, and ourselves.
Unlikely Companions is organized into seven chapters chronicling a week in Dr. Hess's life as an exotic animal veterinarian, as she struggles to solve a veterinary mystery affecting her practice and those of vets around the country. During this week, the listener will join her as she walks into risky surgery, life-altering diagnoses, and as she juggles back-to-back appointments with puzzling patients and demanding owners - and that's just at the office. For every day of her fast-paced week, listeners will tag alongside her and become privy to some of the most interesting, entertaining, and profound pet-owner relationships she's had the privilege to experience and observe. They explore universal themes like companionship and commitment, isolation and grief, self-care and acceptance.
If you've ever owned a pet, then you know - animals have a way of speaking the truth, don't they? Heartwarming, heartbreaking, and uplifting all at once, Unlikely Companions will make you want to snuggle up with your loved ones, both the two- and four-legged.
Unlikely Companions is organized into seven chapters chronicling a week in Dr. Hess's life as an exotic animal veterinarian, as she struggles to solve a veterinary mystery affecting her practice and those of vets around the country. During this week, the listener will join her as she walks into risky surgery, life-altering diagnoses, and as she juggles back-to-back appointments with puzzling patients and demanding owners - and that's just at the office. For every day of her fast-paced week, listeners will tag alongside her and become privy to some of the most interesting, entertaining, and profound pet-owner relationships she's had the privilege to experience and observe. They explore universal themes like companionship and commitment, isolation and grief, self-care and acceptance.
If you've ever owned a pet, then you know - animals have a way of speaking the truth, don't they? Heartwarming, heartbreaking, and uplifting all at once, Unlikely Companions will make you want to snuggle up with your loved ones, both the two- and four-legged.
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First published March 22, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 11, 2016
A very good memoir that delivers exactly as promised. A week in the life of an exotic animal vet.
Books about animals especially ones that are pets are always a minefield. How many tissues will be needed to get through the book?
I thought Dr. Hess and her co-writer did a marvelous job of telling the stories of the animals that passed away with respect yet in an impartial enough context that I was able to read through the sad parts without reeling too much from empathic pain.
A particular week was chosen as the focus of the book as Dr. Hess ends up taking lead on investigating why across the country, newly acquired sugar glider pets were dying in rapid succession.
Not only is the book full of interesting and often funny anecdotes about patients and their humans, there's a full on mystery to be solved.
Do keep in mind, if you're looking for an in depth look at exotic animal medical care and all its nuances, this book isn't trying to do that. It's a look at a week of life for a vet, both professional and personal. Pieces of her personal life backstory, plus bits about the field of exotic animal medical field. Showing how far they've come and how hard it's been every step of the way.
Highly recommended for animal lovers.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.
Books about animals especially ones that are pets are always a minefield. How many tissues will be needed to get through the book?
I thought Dr. Hess and her co-writer did a marvelous job of telling the stories of the animals that passed away with respect yet in an impartial enough context that I was able to read through the sad parts without reeling too much from empathic pain.
A particular week was chosen as the focus of the book as Dr. Hess ends up taking lead on investigating why across the country, newly acquired sugar glider pets were dying in rapid succession.
Not only is the book full of interesting and often funny anecdotes about patients and their humans, there's a full on mystery to be solved.
Do keep in mind, if you're looking for an in depth look at exotic animal medical care and all its nuances, this book isn't trying to do that. It's a look at a week of life for a vet, both professional and personal. Pieces of her personal life backstory, plus bits about the field of exotic animal medical field. Showing how far they've come and how hard it's been every step of the way.
Highly recommended for animal lovers.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.
October 29, 2016
I am always on the lookout for books about animals and this memoir sounded interesting. I was not disappointed.
Dr. Hess writes about one week in the life of her practice and personal life. She is the founder and owner of Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics in Bedford Hills, New York. I have had cats for over 40 years and dogs when I was growing up. I’ve volunteered at shelters and fosters kittens but I had no knowledge of exotic animals and especially not about exotic animal vet practices.
It was amazing that Dr. Hess has to be familiar with so many different animal species to do her job well and appears that she is a stellar vet. Just in this week she treated sugar gliders, birds, lizards, hamsters and a badly injured turtle.
The week that we follow her there is a crises with sugar gliders becoming ill and dying. I didn’t even know what these little animals were until I read this book. There is a real mystery to solve and she does so admirably.
Her voice is honest and real in her telling of the exhausting hours that she keeps and the challenges that she faces as a wife and mother in addition to her vet practice. There are many things that she wishes she could fit in, her kids soccer practices, time alone with her husband, but there are only so many hours in a day. Fortunately she portrays her husband as very supportive and more than capable in handling any family crises.
The reason I think I enjoyed this memoir so much is that she also talked about the pet’s owners and how much she cared about them and felt their pain and anguish when they had an ill or dying pet. She also talked with some humor so I was able to enjoy the funny and sometimes whimsical stories that she told of her personal pets as a child and past patients.
Anyone who loves animals would enjoy this memoir. It is not any kind of an exhaustive study of exotics. It is what the book is advertised to be, a week in the life of an exotic veterinarian one that I’m sure the residents of Bedford Hills are very lucky to have.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
Dr. Hess writes about one week in the life of her practice and personal life. She is the founder and owner of Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics in Bedford Hills, New York. I have had cats for over 40 years and dogs when I was growing up. I’ve volunteered at shelters and fosters kittens but I had no knowledge of exotic animals and especially not about exotic animal vet practices.
It was amazing that Dr. Hess has to be familiar with so many different animal species to do her job well and appears that she is a stellar vet. Just in this week she treated sugar gliders, birds, lizards, hamsters and a badly injured turtle.
The week that we follow her there is a crises with sugar gliders becoming ill and dying. I didn’t even know what these little animals were until I read this book. There is a real mystery to solve and she does so admirably.
Her voice is honest and real in her telling of the exhausting hours that she keeps and the challenges that she faces as a wife and mother in addition to her vet practice. There are many things that she wishes she could fit in, her kids soccer practices, time alone with her husband, but there are only so many hours in a day. Fortunately she portrays her husband as very supportive and more than capable in handling any family crises.
The reason I think I enjoyed this memoir so much is that she also talked about the pet’s owners and how much she cared about them and felt their pain and anguish when they had an ill or dying pet. She also talked with some humor so I was able to enjoy the funny and sometimes whimsical stories that she told of her personal pets as a child and past patients.
Anyone who loves animals would enjoy this memoir. It is not any kind of an exhaustive study of exotics. It is what the book is advertised to be, a week in the life of an exotic veterinarian one that I’m sure the residents of Bedford Hills are very lucky to have.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
December 19, 2016
A vet who treats exotic pets as well as the more usual ones tells about a particularly stressful time. She lives in North America but says little Australian sugar gliders are popular pets, and they keep on turning up in her surgery, very ill.
Amid the usual run of cases, ranging from guinea pigs to snakes to parrots, with a dollop of recalled cases to broaden the spectrum even further, our heroine does dogged detective work to track down not only the origins of the sugar gliders but any possible issues that might be responsible. Along the way we meet stingy, resentful spouses of pet-lovers; apartment owners whose snakes vanish for months; people whose pets are their best friends and those who illegally smuggle in non-native species, meaning no harm.
Our vet Laurie Hess also tells some of her own life story, including study years, her own family and getting ill with adult onset diabetes which slowed down her plans. Fortunately her understanding husband is a great support. By the end of each day she is going home to her normal house and normal kids who want to know if there is ice-cream.
The writing could, to my non-American eyes, do with some editing to make it clearer to read. For instance Laurie says she is constantly on her sons. What does that mean? I interpret it as repeatedly reminding her sons to tidy up their toys. I could be wrong. Similarly we get 'center-hall colonial' which seems to be missing the word 'house' to make sense; where Laurie lives, people probably speak in shorthand, but she can't assume all her readers will understand. The constant packing of the narrative with prior cases can also feel superfluous at times and maybe some of the material could have been better saved for a second book.
The sad part of any vet book is that most of the animals are only encountered when ill, and some won't survive. But this book will help you recognise when your ferret or toad is unwell, and what the problems might be, as well as showing us some happy healthy pets like parrots. I applaud the dedication of the working vet and appreciate her sharing her knowledge and experiences.
I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
Amid the usual run of cases, ranging from guinea pigs to snakes to parrots, with a dollop of recalled cases to broaden the spectrum even further, our heroine does dogged detective work to track down not only the origins of the sugar gliders but any possible issues that might be responsible. Along the way we meet stingy, resentful spouses of pet-lovers; apartment owners whose snakes vanish for months; people whose pets are their best friends and those who illegally smuggle in non-native species, meaning no harm.
Our vet Laurie Hess also tells some of her own life story, including study years, her own family and getting ill with adult onset diabetes which slowed down her plans. Fortunately her understanding husband is a great support. By the end of each day she is going home to her normal house and normal kids who want to know if there is ice-cream.
The writing could, to my non-American eyes, do with some editing to make it clearer to read. For instance Laurie says she is constantly on her sons. What does that mean? I interpret it as repeatedly reminding her sons to tidy up their toys. I could be wrong. Similarly we get 'center-hall colonial' which seems to be missing the word 'house' to make sense; where Laurie lives, people probably speak in shorthand, but she can't assume all her readers will understand. The constant packing of the narrative with prior cases can also feel superfluous at times and maybe some of the material could have been better saved for a second book.
The sad part of any vet book is that most of the animals are only encountered when ill, and some won't survive. But this book will help you recognise when your ferret or toad is unwell, and what the problems might be, as well as showing us some happy healthy pets like parrots. I applaud the dedication of the working vet and appreciate her sharing her knowledge and experiences.
I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
September 23, 2016
I enjoyed reading this book. I'm not a big biography fan but I do pick up books written by veterinarians for some reason. Dr. Hess is an exotic animal doctor specializing in birds although much of this book deals with a crisis in the sugar glider pet area. Easy to read, she blends her family life with her clinic days and gives many personal stories of her clients and their humans. This would be a wonderful gift for readers of all ages from teen to older adults. Her style is very clear and fun as evident by the number of animals who like to nest in her hair.
July 11, 2019
I love books written by veterinarians and this one did not disappoint. Not only the cases were interesting but we also get to learn about the home life of a veterinarian, which I found informative.
The editing could have been improved in some parts -- at times it felt a bit too jumping from the clinic to home life to back to the case to home life again. But otherwise it's a great book for all animal lovers and those interested in medicine. Definitely needs to be heard by more people in my opinion.
The editing could have been improved in some parts -- at times it felt a bit too jumping from the clinic to home life to back to the case to home life again. But otherwise it's a great book for all animal lovers and those interested in medicine. Definitely needs to be heard by more people in my opinion.
December 13, 2016
Why does every veterinarian want to be James Herriot? That is the sense I get from reading this book which is set in Bedford Hills, New York, rather than the hills of Wales, and which as does Dr. Herriot's autobiography contains a mixture of tales about treating animal clients and dealing with their owners while confronting the joys and sorrows and dilemmas of everyday life. While Dr. Herriot's tale was charming, this one is more pedestrian. Dr. Hess frames the book with the saga of solving a mystery illness that is striking sugar gliders in her practice and elsewhere around the country and then discusses one or more cases involving other exotic animal patients and their owners that confront her each day, along with some of the personal issues that arise from her efforts to balance her work life and her family life during the one week period that this autobiography covers. However, the tales are rather sketchy and in many instances appear similar to tales told by others. The book fails to provide much insight into the characters of the owners or the doctor, her family and her employees other than that the owners love their animals and Dr. Hess is a dedicated veterinarian and her family is willing to put up with her quirks including missing family events in order to care for a sick patient.
Perhaps, if veterinarians sought not to initiate Dr. Herriot's books and be themselves, their autobiographies might be far more enjoyable.
Perhaps, if veterinarians sought not to initiate Dr. Herriot's books and be themselves, their autobiographies might be far more enjoyable.
February 11, 2017
A fascinating insight into the everyday life of an exotic animal doctor. Recommend to anyone who loves animals.
November 10, 2017
One of those books you gulp down like a drug. Her adventures occur in a small practice in a small part of New York but her patients come from all over the world. There's a nice mix of pets with problems, people who cause problems, and her own, home-family problems. She's beautifully frank about how her unpredictable work schedule affects home life--and doesn't apologize. It's an issue to be dealt with by effort on all sides.
But the one problem that keeps you reading is this: what is suddenly sickening sugar gliders adopted from malls? Her adventure of unraveling the mystery is what makes the reading shift into higher gears, and that's almost a shame--its over too soon! now that I know the answer, I'm thinking about reading it again to pick up things I missed along the way.
June 4, 2020
I honestly loved this book from start to finish. I currently have aspirations of becoming a veterinarian in the future and also specialize in the exotic field. This book not only unveiled the interesting cases Dr Hess experienced on a day to day basis, but also helped me realize the importance of the human animal bond, no matter the species.
Dr Hess also manages to mix in elements of humor, whilst remaining very honest in her tone and demeanor, making this book very engaging. I would highly highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the life of an exotic specialist or who loves animals!
Thank you very much Dr Hess, and I do hope that one day, I could follow in your footsteps and become an amazing exotic specialist just like you are.
Dr Hess also manages to mix in elements of humor, whilst remaining very honest in her tone and demeanor, making this book very engaging. I would highly highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the life of an exotic specialist or who loves animals!
Thank you very much Dr Hess, and I do hope that one day, I could follow in your footsteps and become an amazing exotic specialist just like you are.
December 23, 2020
This book was great! I came upon it unexpectedly and really enjoyed it. Dr. Hess owns a vet clinic that caters exclusively to exotic animals. Throughout the book, she is working on a mysterious illness that is killing sugar gliders.
The book is filled with stories of treatments of tortoises, birds, snakes, and hedgehogs. I loved it. I have a cat, but it was fun to hear about people who own and truly enjoy their pets. That's what is amazing about this world. We all find different things to love.
I took a star off because a little bit of the book felt disorganized. While I enjoyed hearing all the stories, sometimes they were weird little tangents that would jar you out of the sugar glider mystery or the case at hand. But overall, it was a good and fun read.
The book is filled with stories of treatments of tortoises, birds, snakes, and hedgehogs. I loved it. I have a cat, but it was fun to hear about people who own and truly enjoy their pets. That's what is amazing about this world. We all find different things to love.
I took a star off because a little bit of the book felt disorganized. While I enjoyed hearing all the stories, sometimes they were weird little tangents that would jar you out of the sugar glider mystery or the case at hand. But overall, it was a good and fun read.
February 25, 2018
I need to announce before I share my thoughts, that I had the pleasure to know Dr. Hess and her family when I lived in Westchester County, though I did not use her as a vet as I only had dogs and cats. That said, it was a delight getting to know Dr. Hess in a different way by reading this book.
Dr. Hess' book was a completely enjoyable read. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a mystery, animal books, or books that reflect on being a working mom. While animals certainly star in this book, it is a very human book and an easy read.
Dr. Hess' book was a completely enjoyable read. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a mystery, animal books, or books that reflect on being a working mom. While animals certainly star in this book, it is a very human book and an easy read.
November 12, 2021
I feel like it's been a long time since I've read a book I've enjoyed this much. Props to the author for her knowledge and expertise on caring for exotic animals.
My only gripe was her advice about hamsters, I'm sure they need more care then just keeping relatively cool and a wheel-not wire for feet etc. But other then that I was so pleased to see that they is at least one vet out there that is educating people on how to properly care for their pets. Highly recommend to anyone who loved animals.
My only gripe was her advice about hamsters, I'm sure they need more care then just keeping relatively cool and a wheel-not wire for feet etc. But other then that I was so pleased to see that they is at least one vet out there that is educating people on how to properly care for their pets. Highly recommend to anyone who loved animals.
August 16, 2019
Are sugar gliders still a thing?
This was a pretty light read about a very for exotic animals. The overarching story involves trying to solve the mysterious deaths of several sugar gliders while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Throughout are her missing about past and present patients.
It was okay. She either keeps a very detailed journal of her life or conflated a few things. The tangents sometimes takes away from the main story.
This was a pretty light read about a very for exotic animals. The overarching story involves trying to solve the mysterious deaths of several sugar gliders while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Throughout are her missing about past and present patients.
It was okay. She either keeps a very detailed journal of her life or conflated a few things. The tangents sometimes takes away from the main story.
June 30, 2017
I liked this book a lot. It gives you an idea of what it's like being a veterinarian, and how stressful and fascinating the field must be.
May 14, 2019
This is a wonderful read about being an exotic animal vet! You not only get to know the animals she works with but you also get to know the vet herself.
August 31, 2020
Fascinating read!
March 18, 2017
Good book, not great. The text and wording made me feel like it was written for a teenage audience and not smart, well-read adults. it's almost as much about the human relationships in her life than the ones with animals.
March 1, 2019
Cute and fast read, I liked how the book was structured- fitting in stories about all the different animal patients and her own life based around the mystery of what is causing sugar glider deaths. And it was just a small example of how the media needs answers right away, and is willing to report on inaccuracies just to be the first one to break new stories (something I'm sure we're all familiar with in this day and age).
February 27, 2017
The author uses one veterinary case around which to frame the rest of the book. Much of the book is memories and flashbacks that have limited relationship to the direct plot, but the anecdotes are interesting. I learned a lot about exotic animals and their treatment vs. typical pets. It was also a nice example of a working Mom trying to balance work with family.
February 24, 2017
Very fast read about the life of a suburban exotic animal vet, who obviously goes the extra mile for her patients. I especially enjoyed the epidemiological subplot among her sugar glider patients. This would be an excellent read for young adults, but I found the description of her gay clients a little stereotypical on the part of the author.
August 15, 2019
I loved this book!! You can tell that Dr. Hess is a genuinely good person who really cares about her animal patients, as well as their owners. I enjoyed all the stories in her book. If I owned an exotic companion, I would definitely, without a doubt, take them to Dr. Hess' hospital.
November 2, 2016
Unlikely Companions by Laurie Hess and Samantha Rose is a highly recommended look at the life of an avian/exotic pet vet. Hess owns the Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics in Bedford Hills, NY, where she and her team specialize in avian and exotic animal care. Unlikely Companions follows one week in the life of Hess at work and home.
A perfect choice for animal lovers, this anecdotal work combined with the medical mystery is sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, but thoroughly entertaining. The memoir follows Hess as she treats a wide variety of exotic pets and interacts with their owners. The thread that ties the whole week together is her search for what might be causing the illness and death of young sugar gliders. While she is trying to find the answer to that, we are introduced to many of her exotic patients and their owners.
We also get a glimpse into Hess's personal life as she juggles her dedication to her family with the time and toll her challenging career extracts. She admits that she sometimes has to sacrifice her time with her family in order to do her job, but it is a job she loves.
Unlikely Companions is written in a personable, conversational style that is easy to read and is quite enjoyable. She doesn't get all technical on exact treatment details, but provides enough to tell us the story about the pet and owner. You will learn quickly that she has curly hair, which is mention frequently as animals tend to fly, jump, or land in it, and diabetes, as she sometimes gets so caught up in her work that she neglects her health.
Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher/author.
A perfect choice for animal lovers, this anecdotal work combined with the medical mystery is sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, but thoroughly entertaining. The memoir follows Hess as she treats a wide variety of exotic pets and interacts with their owners. The thread that ties the whole week together is her search for what might be causing the illness and death of young sugar gliders. While she is trying to find the answer to that, we are introduced to many of her exotic patients and their owners.
We also get a glimpse into Hess's personal life as she juggles her dedication to her family with the time and toll her challenging career extracts. She admits that she sometimes has to sacrifice her time with her family in order to do her job, but it is a job she loves.
Unlikely Companions is written in a personable, conversational style that is easy to read and is quite enjoyable. She doesn't get all technical on exact treatment details, but provides enough to tell us the story about the pet and owner. You will learn quickly that she has curly hair, which is mention frequently as animals tend to fly, jump, or land in it, and diabetes, as she sometimes gets so caught up in her work that she neglects her health.
Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher/author.
October 28, 2016
I enjoy reading books about animals and this one caught my eye.
It's written by Dr. Laurie Hess, an internationally recognized expert on bird and exotic pet medical care. She is the owner and founder of the Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics in Bedford Hills, NY. This book chronicles a week in her life, both at the Veterinary Center and also in her personal life.
During this week, she treats sugar gliders, rabbits, ferrets, birds, guinea pigs, lizards, hamsters, turtles and a lot more. Not only does she tell about her patients and the care she provides for them but also the stories of their owners. That week sugar gliders had started getting ill and passing away and she eventually figures out what the cause was. Before reading this book, I didn't know what a sugar glider was ... they are so cute!
She also tells of the toll of her being a vet takes on her family ... late nights staying at the center taking care of sick patients, missing events in her family's lives such as her son's soccer games, date nights with her husband, etc. She's diabetic and she has to remember to take care of herself too. She strives to find balance.
I liked the writing style. It's written in first person in Laurie's voice. She tells stories of her patients today and also reminisces about patients and pets she's had in the past. Her love of pets, regardless of what creature it is, comes through.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all pet lovers.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2016/10...
It's written by Dr. Laurie Hess, an internationally recognized expert on bird and exotic pet medical care. She is the owner and founder of the Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics in Bedford Hills, NY. This book chronicles a week in her life, both at the Veterinary Center and also in her personal life.
During this week, she treats sugar gliders, rabbits, ferrets, birds, guinea pigs, lizards, hamsters, turtles and a lot more. Not only does she tell about her patients and the care she provides for them but also the stories of their owners. That week sugar gliders had started getting ill and passing away and she eventually figures out what the cause was. Before reading this book, I didn't know what a sugar glider was ... they are so cute!
She also tells of the toll of her being a vet takes on her family ... late nights staying at the center taking care of sick patients, missing events in her family's lives such as her son's soccer games, date nights with her husband, etc. She's diabetic and she has to remember to take care of herself too. She strives to find balance.
I liked the writing style. It's written in first person in Laurie's voice. She tells stories of her patients today and also reminisces about patients and pets she's had in the past. Her love of pets, regardless of what creature it is, comes through.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all pet lovers.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2016/10...
February 13, 2017
Good page-turner about a real-life vet who tries to solve the mystery of dying baby Sugar Gliders while attempting to keep her own life in balance.
February 12, 2017
Nicely done, Dr. Hess!
January 19, 2017
My Review:
This was a delightful book that dealt with some tender subjects in a very sensitive way. Nothing was glossed over or skipped over. Animals died. People grieved. But such things were handled so that I could read it all without breaking down crying and not being able to read on. The search for the source of the poison was realistic. The characters were well written and interacted quite well. We didn't get to know any of the characters in great depth, but we knew enough to be engaged in the story, which was well written. The author wrote about the tiny sugar gliders so well, so lovingly, that I was almost tempted to get one for myself. Definitely a book for animal lovers to read!
I was provided a digital copy of this book by DaCapo Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.
~ Judi E. Easley
This was a delightful book that dealt with some tender subjects in a very sensitive way. Nothing was glossed over or skipped over. Animals died. People grieved. But such things were handled so that I could read it all without breaking down crying and not being able to read on. The search for the source of the poison was realistic. The characters were well written and interacted quite well. We didn't get to know any of the characters in great depth, but we knew enough to be engaged in the story, which was well written. The author wrote about the tiny sugar gliders so well, so lovingly, that I was almost tempted to get one for myself. Definitely a book for animal lovers to read!
I was provided a digital copy of this book by DaCapo Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.
~ Judi E. Easley
December 23, 2016
A collection of stories overarching a career-changing mystery! The book was interesting and the tales about the animals were fun, but it felt incomplete overall. For a career of over 30 years, the book was very, very short. That being said, the mystery case, which was the main thread of the book, was fascinating and made me interested in learning more about sugar gliders.
August 11, 2016
Dr. Laurie Hess, an exotic animal veterinarian, tells about some of the unusual clients that have visited her, among them snakes, lizards, sugar gliders, wallabies, tortoises, and ferrets, and about peoples’ devotion to these unique pets.
December 27, 2016
If you're looking for a cute, casual book that shows all areas of veterinary practice, I highly recommend this book. That said, it is often extremely unfocused with sometimes inappropriate segues into a barely (if at all) related story. I enjoyed it, but was confused by it just as often.
September 24, 2016
Recommended to anyone who's ever had a pet.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews