“Tarte has an ordinary-Joe voice that makes each chapter a true pleasure, while revealing a sophisticated vision of animals and their relationship to humans.” —Publisher’s Weekly

Packed with laughs and heartwarming quirks, this month’s batch of Lucky 7 e-books are only $1.99 through the end of August. Today we have Bob Tarte’s Enslaved by Ducks. Bob and Linda acquire an innocuous little rabbit. Just one bunny. No big deal. One bunny leads to two. And three. And ducks. And soon the pets are running the place.

Buy Enslaved by Ducks e-books at AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, INDIEBOUND, KOBO and POWELL’S

When Bob Tarte buys a house in rural Massachusetts, he’s hoping for some zen alone time. Now, however, his wife Linda wants a rabbit. He thought, “How much trouble could that be?” That’s the question you should never ask, not even to yourself.

The seemingly harmless bunny soon chews a hole through some electrical wire, but that’s nowhere near the end. Somehow the rabbit acts as a catalyst for a pet-ownership spree, and Bob and Linda find themselves the caretakers of an eclectic cast of furred and feathered beasts. So much for tranquility.

When all the cacophonous squawks and screeches quiet down, you’ll find Bob’s easy-to-follow story-telling and trying situation irresistible and hilarious.

And you might even find the book at Khumbu Lodge in Namche Bazaar in Nepal at an elevation of 12,000 feet, as backpacker Rebecca Zerial did. She didn’t have a book to trade, so she left the copy behind for the next traveler (photo below). Now that’s a universal story!