A fun and rollicking read that also tackles more thoughtful topics like anxiety, class and mental health. Highly recommended for a light and reassuring comfort YA romance.

A Massive Thank You to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book prior to its release date.

At Dog Girl we find a series of social problems such as adolescent anxiety, bullying, cyber bullying, animal abuse, among others. But none of the above obscures the fact that we have here a charming story of teenage love and love for animals.
There's a perfect balance between Kendall and Ryan's love story and all the problems facing Kendall's family's dog shelter.
A strong and current story, perfectly written in an agile and attractive style. I hope this story helps raise awareness about the need to stop both bullying and animal abuse, to create a better society.
I wish this book would become a series!
I loved this story and I thank the author Gabi Justice, Swoon Romance and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

Fast paced, heartwarming and uplifting. This book had me in tears and I don’t normally cry when I read. What a brilliant book.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

Feel-good books with heart-warming stories isn’t really my usual type. My usual is anything that makes me cry my eyes out, I don’t do it on purpose but that’s just what happens ALL THE TIME. And yet, this books absolutely pulled me in and I loved every minute of it.. Dog Girl is a fun read. It covers lots of topics, including bullying, grief, social anxiety, the power of social media (both good and bad) and the evils of animal abuse (though this topic is handled with reader sensitivity in mind). There is romance as well as page-turning suspense

DNF at 25%.

I really tried to read this one since it seemed like a book that I could like based on the title and description.
I especially thought I would enjoy it because I really loved dogs and the tv-show Pit Bulls and Parolees.

Perhaps I had high expectations for this one or I DNF it because it wasn't the right time with this kind of book at that moment since so many really enjoyed it. Maybe one day I will try to read it again and I then will like it.

As an anxiety sufferer I really related to this book. This book has everything, action, romance, mystery and dogs what more could you need. Definitely recommend this one!

I loved this book. I thought I might be disappointed but I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. It has the usual teenage angst and relationship sagas but it’s nice that “good” triumphed and that the underdog (pardon the pun) got the guy. A great read and a feel-good book.

Dog Girl is a fantastic YA book about a girl named Kendall who saves a pitbull from a train and gets thrust into the spotlight. She suffers from anxiety so the attention she and her rescue center are getting is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the money is much needed, on the other she is being tormented and trolled online. As Kendall tries to figure out who is attacking the dogs, she also is introduced to a new volunteer Ryan. There is an instant attraction on her part but her inner self is always saying she is a loser and setting her up to fail. As her relationship with Ryan deepens she finds a friend and confidant. The two of them work to figure to save the wolf she wants to rescue and to keep the rescue center safe. The characters are just great, I really rooted for Kendall and Ryan as well as the dogs. The author has a smooth writing style that you fall into and the book flies by. I did not want this one to end. I look forward to reading more by this author.

This was a quick read that highlights the perils, heartbreaks, and triumphs in dog rescue. I've learned so much about the different aspects of it, from housing, rescue, and the difficulty in giving up the dogs that you've fallen in love with, hoping you're making the right choices for them. In addition to that, there are the struggles that Kendall has personally: her anxiety, bullying, and just being a teen. There was just so much packed into this short book that it overwhelmed me at times. Overall a well-told story that's somewhat fast paced and full of teen angst. I enjoyed it but my anxiety was through the roof.

YA lit for girls who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty.... or risk their hearts.

Everyone calls Kendall "Dog Girl" because she works at her mom's animal rescue. Kendall mostly doesn't mind; she prefers dogs to people anyway, and between the dogs and her close-knit rescue family, she doesn't really need anyone or anything else. Which is good, since Kendall's anxiety disorder -- which she dourly named after Peter Parker -- makes interacting with anyone besides her besties a nightmare. But when one of Kendall's rescues goes viral on the internet, she's sucked into a whirlwind of social media attention that takes her life in surprising -- and occasionally dangerous -- new directions.

There's so much to love in this book. Most YA lit -- even the so-called "realistic" stories -- deals with situations only middle-to-upper class teens can relate to. Justice's story puts class consciousness front and center as Kendall navigates interactions with fame, wealth, and power in a down-to-earth way that poor and working-class teens will understand perfectly. It seeps over into every part of the plot, from the mystery of who is torturing the dogs to how Kendall navigates her romantic life. Ryan, Kendall's love interest, has his own crosses to bear, and the slow growth of their relationship, as Kendall struggles to let down her walls and Ryan quietly, persistently tries to get close, is extremely touching.

The impact of social media on today's teens is another important plot point, and cell phones, Twitter, and YouTube play important roles in Kendall's journey. As a Gen-Xer who can't imagine going through high school like that, I was impressed with both Justice's rendering of how hellish cyberbullying can be, even as it made me cringe for both Kendall and teenagers at large. When Kendall finally has the courage to face the media on her own terms, it's a beautiful thing to see.

There's a lot of animal cruelty in these pages, but it's for illustrative, not manipulative purposes or shock value; readers who love dogs will have some harrowing moments but will be relieved to know that all ends well for Kendall, Ryan, and all the puppers. Highly recommended for fans of YA lit looking for something more interesting than the average YA mystery, romance, or thriller.

I really enjoyed this book, it was such a heartwarming and uplifting story that talked about anxiety so well. As an anxiety sufferer I really related to this book. This book has everything, action, romance, mystery and dogs what more could you need.

The only thing better then a story with an important message, is one with strong inclusive characters.
I recommend this book to all animal lovers and those who want to be the change.

This book takes on a lot of YA topics such as anxiety, bullying and social media exposure. It also addresses the terrible things that people can do to an animal. It sheds a lot of light on rescue life and the difference between a rescue that can't scrape together enough funds to do their good work vs a rescue who stumbles on good fortune when a video goes viral and the impact that those in positions of social influence can make if they set out to lend a hand to these organizations. They can do so much more good when that happens.

I applaud the author for succeeding in their mission to show these things to the world. She definitely accomplished that goal and I hope a dog lover who reads this considers making a donation to a worthy rescue after reading this book or lends their time to a rescue in need. It would be great to have the next generation pick up this book and be inspired to make a difference. As a person who as volunteered before, I know how much this book was needed.

It does feel like it was written by a newer author but I think it was a really good effort on her part.

Anxiety is a dark beast that threatens to drag you down. Kendall Shepherd fights her anxiety with the help of the dogs that she helps to rescue.
When the rescue center is in danger Kendall has to overcome her anxiety in order to save it and all the dogs.

Dog girl delves into many heavy topics; loss, mental health, bullying, and social media. Gabi Justice does a great job of showing us just how these things can affect someone in every aspect of life. Both large scary decisions as well as every day actions that we all take for granted.

This book has a lot to recommend it. I recommend it to dog lovers, romance lovers, and those that enjoy young adult fiction.

Reading the book I got the feeling that it was written by quite a new author who is still learning and growing as a writer, I look forward to seeing what else she comes up with and how she continues to improve with each of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Kendall is a high school girl who works at a dog rescue with her mother. She's filmed rescuing a dog and the video goes viral and she is known as 'dog girl' at school. I thought the idea of this book was good but the writing didn't really grip me.

Dogs are my weakness. Justice does a great job of showing the realities of life with anxiety while not alienating readers who may not have personal experience with it. The romance and action was beautifully blended, and so much character development!

This was a beautifully done story about a girl and rescuing dogs, the characters were wonderfully done and I wanted them to succeed. I loved the mystery aspect of this series, it had a great tense atmosphere and I wasn't expecting that. I really enjoyed going through this book. Gabi Justice has a great writing style and I look forward to more from her.

"Rock lifts me up and places his massive arm around my shoulders. I may be tall, but he’s a giant, and there’s no escaping his bearlike grasp. “I guess I’m staying in the house tonight.” “That’s right, Peanut.”