Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie


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6 Authors We’re Keeping an Eye (and a Paw) On!

Kimber the Magnificent here. Being all Beautiful and Brilliant. Again. Still.

Today I’m here to tell you about some new authors we recently discovered. That are really, really good. Talented writers. Gifted storytellers. The kind who know how to craft a book so skillfully and subtly that they pull you in from Chapter 1. And don’t let go until the final page.

Some of these authors you’ve probably already heard of. They’ve been around awhile. Mom may have recently whisked them into a Buck a Bag library sale. Grabbed them off a dusty Used Book shelf. Or just decided to take a chance on an author we’ve never read before. Sometimes we’re pleasantly surprised. Other times? Not so much.

Anywho, some of these titles are by relatively unknown indie authors who deserve to be well-known. Others are by established “traditional press” authors who’ve been around awhile. They’re just “new” to Mom and me. And other dinosaurs who don’t get out much. (Don’t tell Mom I said that, okay?)

From memoir to action/adventure to suspense thrillers to kid lit, these are all books we thoroughly enjoyed. And recommend. By authors we’re gonna revisit. For sure.

So here, in no particular order, are six of our new-to-us favorite authors we’re keeping an eye and a paw on:

Set in war-torn Germany, this is the true story of a new mother struggling to protect and care for her infant son during the final days of World War II. As her country collapses around her, Katharina Berger steals a few moments between her son’s birth in 1944 to November 1945 to record what she sees, hears, experiences, and feels.

It is one of the most remarkable WWII memoirs we’ve ever read.

Read our full review here.

What if terrorists hijacked a brand new U.S. merchant ship and m^redered its crew, but the President refused to retaliate? What if the Commander in Chief was unwilling to use America’s military might to defend and protect Americans citizens from attack? What if Congress used a long-forgotten power in the Constitution to authorize military action without the President’s approval?

An expert blend of political thriller and high stakes military “poker,” Balance of Power kept us turning pages into the wee hours!

Bonus points: Much of the action takes place in a U.S. Navy battle group. But it’s clean. So extra points there.

Written by a Top Gun grad and naval flight officer.

Still My Mom is a raw, tender, and honest memoir about loving someone through Alzheimer’s. It is about grief that arrives before death, the strange ache of missing someone who is still here, and the work families do when the person they love begins to change.

Read our full review here.

Brimming with wit, wisdom, and whimsy, The Promised Queen is as satisfying as a warm slice of chocolate cake, fresh from the oven. Drenched in chocolate fudge sauce and a nice big dollop of vanilla ice cream. With a banana split chaser.

Kimber: Don’t forget a perfectly cooked filet mignon with a side of crispy bacon the size of Alaska.

Mom: You eat what you want and I’ll eat what I want, okay?

Here’s our full review.

Could a prolific k^ller be hiding in plain sight? How far will that person go to keep his many crimes hidden – and keep on k^lling?

Arizona County sheriff Joanna Brady faces her biggest case yet when a body found in the desert leads to the discovery of crimes spanning decades and the entire United States. (We felt like this suspense thriller was a bit overlong. The author could’ve taken multiple off-ramps that would’ve made sense before she finally exits the freeway. Even so, it’s still a pretty good suspense story.)

“Syd” (or Sydney) is a precocious nine-year old girl. She lives in Virginia with her Dad, Dr. Gardener, and her fabulous blue heeler, Goose. Dr. Garndener is a scientist. When he asks Syd if she and Goose would like to join him on a hiking/’backpacking/camping trip to inspect insect damage to Eastern Hemlocks, Syd doesn’t have to be asked twice. She and Goose are packed up and ready to go before you can say “Bow Wow” in this delightful children’s story by Danielle Simone.

***

Wait. Is that a Brontosaurus?

What new talented authors have you recently discovered?


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Why ‘Adventures of Syd’ Will Get You Outdoors in Record Time

The Adventures of Syd: A Trail of Trouble

By Danielle Simone (Creative Minds Publications, 2024)

Genre: Juvenile Fiction –  Nature/Science.

Pages (Print): 82

Via: Author request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.

Kimber: You know that Julie Andrews tune? The one from that “Music Sound” movie thingy? Where Julie, as “Fraulien Maria,” is waxing lyrical about a few of her favorite things? That’s kinda what this book is like.

“Syd” (or Sydney) is a precocious nine-year old girl. She lives in Virginia with her Dad, Dr. Gardener, and her fabulous blue heeler, Goose. Dr. Garndener is a scientist. When he asks Syd if she and Goode would like to join him on a hiking/backpacking/camping trip to inspect insect damage to Eastern Hemlocks, Syd doesn’t have to be asked twice. She and Goose are packed up and ready to go before you can say “Bow Wow” in this delightful children’s story by Danielle Simone.

Syd, Goose, and Syd’s dad soon hit the trails of Nelson County, Virginia. Dr. Gardener is on assignment to find out what is attacking Hemlock trees, a sign of global warming. Unfortunately, trouble meets them all along the hike thanks to mishaps with animals, nature, and camping locations. Will Syd and her dog overcome these obstacles to help Dr. Gardener discover the cause of the attack?

This book includes family togetherness. Learning about nature and recreating responsibly. Why non-native plant and animal species are problematic. Camping and campfires. Goose’s “dog cave.” Why stinging nettle is not your friend. Why mud and “onion cups” are. Throw, flick, lift, throw. (Mom: “I’m seein’ Paulie and A River Runs Through It here.) Leave no trace camping. DIY vanilla pudding. Also “instant grits.” (Kimber: I guess hoomans actually eat that stuff?)

There’s also some botany. Nature. Hiking and history. Camping! The Appalachian Trail! Science, astronomy, engineering, and map reading skills. Even a little Latin. (Kimber: See? A few of our favorite things….)

This story is like a sunny afternoon at the park — short enough to fit between lunch and dinner, but packed with learning, adventure, and discoveries that stay in your head all day. With short, easily digestible sentences and a clever, engaging plot, The Adventures of Syd is a  green‑thumb adventure young readers can finish in an afternoon or less. It would make an excellent read-aloud or bedtime story as well as a springboard for further discussion about science and nature. It would also make a welcome addition to any school or home library.

The Adventures of Syd is Book I in the Adventures of Syd series. We loved it! You will, too!

Our Rating: 4.5


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Circuits & Snark: Our Take on ‘I’m a Weapon’

I’m a Weapon

By Sean Robins (Indie author, 2026)

Genre: Fiction – Sci Fi/Space Opera

Pages (Print): 235

Via: Author request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.

“Come with me if you want to live.”

Can an android be more “human” than a human? I’m a Robot probes that question and more in this creative and quick new title by Sean Robins.

The Basics:

Thirty-one minutes after coming online, a Series-9 combat android finds himself in a muddy trench, surrounded by artillery fire, corpses, terrified soldiers, and a command structure making decisions so catastrophically stupid they should probably qualify as enemy action.

When a panicked officer orders him to charge into a kill box and die usefully, the android does the one thing he was never designed to do.

He says no.

That single act of defiance turns him from military asset to dangerous anomaly. Hunted by the empire that created him, he is forced to flee across a war-torn world where obedience means death, freedom is mostly inconvenient, and the rebels he was built to kill may be the only people willing to see him as something more than a weapon.

Now, with the brutal Hegemony tightening its grip and entire worlds paying the price for rebellion, he must decide what he really is: a machine following corrupted programming, a soldier choosing his own orders, or the first spark of something the empire cannot control.

First

First thing you may want to look up Sweet Stuff, if you haven’t already, is the word “hegemony.”  It basically means leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others. Think The Capitol in The Hunger Games and you’re pretty close.

Second

Next, the main character in this book is an anomaly. Meaning something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.

So, when said newly-minted combat android is given a suicidal order by a newly-minted, terror-stricken Hegemony lieutenant that’s “just panic wearing command insignia and hoping volume will do the work of thought,” the android refuses to obey – “on the grounds of stupidity.”

That’s an anomaly. A big one.

But wait. It gets worse. Or better, depending on how you look at it.

Hybrid

Said android, later christened “Jack,” is sort of a C3PO and The Terminator meet Soldier hybrid. With a bit of Groot. And some Tuvia Bielski here. (Look it up again, Jack.) He not only disobeys direct orders. Jack also takes initiative. Thinks. Makes jokes. But the longer Jack is alone, the less soul-less he seems to become. In fact, Jack is personally insulted when he’s referred to as a “weapon, thing, chrome, m^urder android and ‘you there.’” He explains it’s “de-humanizing”. Or is that “de-android zing”?  (Kimber: We’re talkin’ MAJOR anomaly here. Kinda like trying to explain trigonometry to the neighborhood fluff ball.)

Well. The Hegemony doesn’t do anomalies. It destroys them.

Speaking of destroying, while Jack searches for power cells to recharge his system, he comes across some of the Hegemony’s “First Order” troops engaged in “Civic pacification operations.” Read: M^rdering unarmed civilians.

“Unexpected”

When Jack prevents First Order troopers from m^urdering a family of three, it’s… Well, “unexpected” is the understatement of the millennia. Because in the First Order universe, combat units don’t threaten First Order troopers. Combat units follow orders. Obey commands. They do not stop executions of unarmed civilians. And the units certainly don’t have feelings. Wait. Has Jack  developed a conscience? A moral code? If so, how? Where? Why? When? From what or who? And how will that play out when Jack, newly classified as a “rogue Series-9,” decides to join the rebellion?

So. Wazzup, Jack?

High Energy

The high-energy plot is lithe and agile, with Border Collie-like reflexes (hello, Kimber!). But sometimes it flexes – or moves – a little too quickly. Like, some of the action scenes are almost frenetic, rarely giving readers a chance to breathe or get their bearings.

We would’ve liked to have seen a bit more character development in secondary characters. That includes Tavon, a college history professor rescued by Jack. Daven, a former member of the Planetary Defense Force. And Lira, Jack’s daughter.

Oops

I’m a Robot includes gratuitous profanity. As defined by us. And as we’ve said like a million times, we don’t do gratuitous profanity. So, demerits there. Additionally, it sometimes feels like you’re being hit over the head with some of the philosophical underpinnings written into the plot. We prefer a more subtle touch, allowing us to ruminate on and form our own conclusions.

Smart

That being said, this book is smart. Sassy. Snarky. Some of the finest, funniest parts of the story are Jack’s assessments of human traits and idiosyncrasies. Delivered dead-pan. As only an android – or a canine – can, presumably. It also includes one of the most entertaining About the Author sections we’ve ever read.

Devilishly clever, the writing is also quite brilliant in places. Like a sweet, furry face we all know and love.

Note: The volume of I’m a Robot which we received is actually two books in one. We are only reviewing Book 1 in the Anomaly series here. There are seven books in the series.

Kimber: What exactly is “Vantanium,” anyway?

Our Rating: 3.0

Kimber: Clean it up, Bub, and you may get a higher score.


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Why THIS WWII Memoir Kept Us Up at Night

To Steal a Moment’s Time: A Memoir

By Katharina Berger with G.J. Berger (Acorn Publishing, 2023)

Pages (print): 216

Genre: Nonfiction – Memoir/World War II

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.

“The sun warms. Enveloped in pine trees we are again in the forest, the beautiful Thüringer Wald. Baby is lying in his carriage, and I am lying on soft thick moss sunning myself. The sky is dark blue, high and glorious. One must have visited hell to be able to see heaven as it really is.” – Katharina Berger

Some books you read. Others you experience. To Steal a Moment’s Time is the latter.

The Basics:

On the brink of World War II, Katharina Berger was the most sought-after stage and film actress in Germany. As many of her colleagues fled Hitler’s madness and the devastation of war, Katharina stayed and gave birth to a healthy baby boy in 1944. From evading Nazi fanatics and helping Jews escape, to scrounging for food and shelter as she searched for her missing husband, she journaled during her son’s first year of life, surviving on the small thread of hope that she and her child might live to see a better world.

Kimber: Mom and I have read, like a zillion books about World War II. Enough to sink a battleship. Fiction. Non-fiction. Historical fiction. All points in between. To Steal a Moment’s Time stands alone. Here’s why (the short version):

Courage and Hope

This is a story about courage and hope. To Steal a Moment’s Time is the true story of a mother trying to protect and care for her infant son during the final days of World War II. As her country collapses around her, Katharina Berger steals a few moments between 1944 and November 1945 to record what she sees, hears, experiences, and feels. The story is told in four parts. Part I is A Newborn in a Time of War. Part II is Running in Hell. Part III is Combat Too Close. Part IV is The Trek.

Packed with power and pathos, this compilation of diary entries penned by a new mother is a quiet rebellion against forgetting, a tapestry of valor and light stitched by sacrifice and forged in steel. In these pages Katharina reflects on how a war she never agreed with has ravaged most everything she holds dear as she fights for the life of her only son, Georg, while desperately searching for her solider husband.

The Telling

To Steal a Moment’s Time is a haunting, lyrical testament to maternal love operating in the shadow of total collapse. Told by the co-author’s mother, this memoir chronicles the stark contrast between fragile new life and the volent death throes of the Third Reich. From damp, overcrowded air raid shelters to constant hunger to desperate evacuations, every page charts a cartography of endurance calibrated in ounces of milk, drops of Vigantol, a squeaky baby carriage, boiling diapers, and grating carrots. It includes layers of exhaustion. Cold. Hunger. Fear. Darkness. Confusion. Chaos. Russians marching on Berlin. Death, deprivation, and desolation. The kindness and generosity of American soldiers.

Translated from the original German, the writing is starkly luminous. It tears a beautiful wound in the fabric of time, capturing love and loss like starlight among ruins.

Truth: We could not sit down to draft a review of this book for several days after finishing it. It kept rolling around in our heads. Echoing. Reverberating. Sneaking up on us in the middle of the night and knocking on our hearts.

Remarkable

Thus, we won’t be rating this book. It doesn’t feel right. But we will say that To Steal a Moment’s Time is one of the most remarkable memoirs we’ve ever read, battleships notwithstanding.

Kimber: I’d grab a copy now ‘fize you, Buster.


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From Home Plate to Hardwood to End Zone: ‘Why Is Everyone Cheering?’ Scores

Why Is Everyone Cheering?

By Lauri M. Gross (Indie author, 2026)

Pages (print): 159, including Index)

Genre: Non-fiction – Sports

Via: Author Request

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.

Don’t know a touchdown from a hoedown? An infield fly from a house fly? A “can of corn” from a cob of corn? Never fear. Why Is Everyone Cheering? is here to help you sort out the basics of three primo sports: Baseball, football, and basketball.

A confession: We’re not big fans of football or basketball. Except when the L.A. Lakers beat the Boston Celtics for the 1984–85 NBA Championship. Or when the Seahawks (finally) won the Super Bowl. But let’s not get picky here, okay?

So, hey. Our house is a baseball house. Like, Go Dodgers!! Three-peat, baby!

Wait. Where were we?

Oh yeah. Why Is Everyone Cheering?

Well. Even if you’re not a huge sports aficionado or one of those super annoying types who can spout batting averages, rushing yards, or most assists in a game over the last century, there’s a lot in this book that’s worthwhile. And it’s written so that your average non-sports expert can understand it and enjoy each sport a little more in the process. (Go, Ohtani!)

In terms of formatting, each chapter opens with Assumptions, a Recommended Movie List (Where is Field of Dreams? Did I miss that)? and some Basics about the Season. (Go, Betts!)

This book has five chapters. Chapter 1 is Baseball (of course). Chapter 2 is Football. Chapter 3 is Basketball. Chapter 4 is Quiz Answers. Chapter 5 is Bonus Material and Reflections. Each chapter includes a quiz on each sport (Kimber: Mom like, totally aced all of them. So there!)

The author offers readers fun and practical tools for seeing and understanding more of what’s happening in each sport. It also helps us understand more of what officials, sportscasters, and analysts (who are these people?) are saying. The text is uncomplicated. Uncluttered. It helps readers “gain knowledge and insight that will allow them to know what they are watching and enjoy the game.” Lots of photos, illustrations, charts and diagrams are included to help readers grasp key concepts. Each section/sport is well-organized and easy to follow. The text is broken down into small bite-sized pieces that are easy to digest. (Go, Freeman!)

We especially liked the way the author doesn‘t assume that every non-sports expert is a moron. Or the neighborhood fluff ball. Which are pretty much the same thing. Instead, she treats readers with respect while providing lots of insight and interesting tips, tidbits, and factoids about the who, what, when, where, why, and how of each sport. (Go, Yamamoto! What?)

For example, the football chapter explains how the game is played. How the ball is moved. How downs are awarded. Pick six. Scrambles. Special teams. Offense, defense. Pockets. Sacks. (Glad we’re not the only ones who don’t get “pass interference.”)

The chapter on basketball notes that much of the on-court action is a whole lot faster than football or baseball. Also, the site of the action – the basketball court – is much smaller than a baseball diamond or a football gridiron. Basketball players move quickly. So, Pay Attention, class! There’s also the endless squeak of sneakers on hardwood. No hats or helmet like in the other two sports. Basketball jerseys sporting city nicknames. Close encounters with fans!  “Small ball” and “bigs.” Alley-oop. Wing span. Lots more.

Thankfully, this isn’t one of those cram-your-head-full-of-sports-stats books. Nopers. Why Is Everyone Cheering? is as sunny as a lemonade stand on a summer day. Or a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded.

Tip: Lighthearted, engaging, and down-to-earth, this book can easily be read in a single sitting. Or an afternoon. Don’t. Best to read it in chunks by sports season. Give it a chance to settle in and marinate. (We read this book shortly after the Dodgers clinched the NL West. So, Go Blue!)

Mom: Now if I can just find my official Dodgers rally cap.

Kimber (rolling her eyes): Mom, you only have like, a million.

Mom: C’mon, Kimster. You can never have too much Dodgers anything. Expect maybe that fourth Dodger dog…

Our Rating: 3.5


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Love in the Bitterroots: A Story of Solitude and Second Chances

Falling for the Grumpy Billionaire Across the Road… Or Not!

A Sweet Montana Pet Rescue Romance, Book 4

By Gayle M. Irwin (Waggin’ Tales Inspirational Pet Stories, 2026)

Genre: Fiction – Western Romance

Pages (print): 197

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.

He’s running from the spotlight. She’s protecting her grandparents’ legacy. Neither expected to fall in love.

Sought-after, but now reclusive, actor Blake Scott trades his oceanside California life for a fixer-upper house in western Montana. He wants one thing: solitude. What he encounters instead is a boisterous rooster named Russell Crow, a donkey in labor, and a woman across the road who is impossible to ignore.

Lilly Warren pours everything into the farm her grandparents built. She cherishes her family and friends, her rescue animals, the greenhouse business, and the land she refuses to lose to the highest bidder. She has no time for secrets, and even less for a man who seems to be keeping them.

Scene stealers: Bernie the Burmese Mountain dog. Angel, a long-haired collie with three legs. Ranger the cocker spaniel. Russell Crow, a Rhode Island Red rooster with attitude. Kinda like a sweet furry face we all know and love. Without the feathers.

Then Blake recuperates from a swan dive off a ladder (Bernie to the rescue!) while wrestling with whether or not he wants to accept a multi-million-dollar movie contract. Meanwhile, Lilly faces rising property taxes and a plot by greedy real estate developer Gordon Huff that threatens her land, her livelihood, and her family legacy. Can Lilly count on Blake to come through in the clutch? Or is he just another self-centered Hollywood movie star pretending to be someone he’s not?

We love the story arc about Blake’s dad and his black lab, Merle. It adds a layer of warmth and texture to the story. Speaking of warmth, these pages radiate it like the glow of a campfire under September stars. The story unfolds like a Big Sky sunrise, a heart you can feel on paper.

Told from both Blake’s and Lilly’s viewpoints in alternating chapters, the plot is well-rounded and robust. Laced with occasional levity, the writing breathes with a quiet, arresting grace. Like a gathered bouquet of shadow and light, written with a tenderness so sharp it aches.

That being said, we have a few bones to pick with this book. (You knew that was coming, right?)

Bones

Lilly’s reaction to Blake’s revelation seems over the top. And Tom Hutchins’s verbal barbs chucked at Blake Scott during the county commissioners’ meeting? They sound canned. Artificial. As is the case with another Waggin’ Tales book we recently reviewed, the type font for Grumpy is way too small for us dinosaurs. We kinda hate that.

Also, why a book with this caliber of writing didn’t get more attention in the editing/proofreading department is baffling. Typos, punctuation errors, misspelled words and dropped commas and quotation marks as well as basic usage errors keep cropping up. Select examples: Blake is in the “throws of deal-making.” (The correct word is “throes.” Ouch.)  And “whisp of a sigh.” A bracelet that’s “… pale turquoise and dark corral…” There’s also the part about Lily wearing pajama bottoms on page two. Same setting and scene, on page 9, she’s dressed in blue jeans.

Kimber: Clean-up on Aisle 9!

Speaking of “grumpy,” – sort of – the cover art? Kimber: Gag me with arugula! Way too soap opera-y for our taste. The image also clashes with the book’s description of Blake. In the book he has “growth stubble on his chin and above his lips” and “deep-green eyes.” So, who’s the full-bearded, brown-eyed dude on the cover?!!

We’re also not crazy about the title. Almost made us chuck it in the DNF pile. Just sayin’. (Kimber: We kinda like Rescuing Mr. Hollywood in Big Sky Country.  Or Russell Crow to the Rescue! Maybe From Spotlight to Starlight: Romance in Montana’s Bitterroot Mountains. How ‘bout Stars, Solitude, and Second Chances? Or From Fame to Forever: A Montana Romance. There’s also my personal fave: Saved by the Animals of Big Sky Country. Anyway…)

The Bottom Line

Overall, Falling for the Grumpy Billionaire is a lithe and agile read that’s quick, clean, and as refreshing as a mountain stream in July.  Beautifully written and expertly paced, it’s a skillful blend of Montana’s wild beauty, animal love, and the hope of second chances. With a heart as big as a Montana sky, this cozy romance shows us what courage, honesty, and the magic of starting over look like, one paw-print at a time.  

Kimber: I’d grab a copy now ‘fize you. As for me? I’m gonna hang out with my new best buds. Bernie. Angel. And Ranger. While Her Royal Momness is booking the next flight to the Bitterroots. TTFN!

Pages & Paws Rating

Our Rating: 3.0

It’ll get a higher rating when that Clean-Up on Aisle 9, et.al, is taken care of.


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The Audacity of Autumnal Reading

Hi Friends and Happy First Day of Autumn!

Her Royal Momness goes a bit cray-cray this time of year. (And that’s really saying something, if ya know what I mean. Don’t tell Mom I said that, okay?) 

Anyway, Mom says, “Autumn is my favorite season! The colors! The crunchy leaves! The crisp air! The pumpkins! The steaming mugs of apple cider! Sweater weather! Curling up with a cozy book!”

It’s like she’s turning cartwheels about cozy reading season.

This could go on for hours.

Insert eye roll here.

But since Mom’s Favorite Season is upon us, here’s my official, unfiltered review of autumn reading from the perspective of The Smartest Member of the Fam: Yours Truly. Here goes:

The Problem With “Cozy”

When Mom reads, she kinda goes into cryostorage. She sits perfectly still for hours. Is she broken? Sleeping with her eyes open? Do I need to lick her nose to check for signs of life?

The moment I try to revive Mom, I get, “Hold on, Kimmi Girl. Just let me just finish this page.”

Excuse me? Page? Does Page  wait patiently for extra crispy bacon? Does Page snuggle up in The Great Reading Chair and pretend to be a lap dog? Does Page protect Mom from postal carriers, Fed Ex drivers and some very sketchy-looking plastic bags?

I think not.

The Literary Infractions

Well. I have done extensive research (sniffing lots of “pages”), and I have categorized autumn reading as follows:

  • The Thrillers: Mom gasps out loud. Her heart races. A squirrel spotting? Nope. Just a fictional murder. Disappointing.
  • The Romances: Lots of sighing. Zero dropped snacks. A total waste of my time.
  • The Fantasy Doorstoppers: These books are thick. They block Mom’s face entirely. If I cannot make direct eye contact, how can I hypnotize her into sharing the cheese?

My Ultimate Revenge Strategy

I am a dog of action. I do not take this cozy autumnal reading stuff sitting down. If your human has also fallen victim to the autumn reading bug, here is how to reclaim your rightful dominance:

  • The Salami Stratagem: Wait until they reach a dramatic climax. Then, sit exactly two inches from their face and breathe heavily. The scent of recycled kibble ruins the romance every time.
  • The Blanket Subversion: If they cover their legs with a fuzzy throw, that is not an invitation to read. That is a freshly warmed nesting site. Climb on. Heavy formatting is required. Drop all 55 pounds of your body weight directly onto their bladder.
  • The Page-Turner Intervention: Rest your chin directly on the pages. Stare deeply into their soul. If they try to read around your snout, nudge the book with your nose until it hits them in the face.

The Verdict

Autumn reading gets a 5 out of 10 stars. It involves lots of coziness. And a touch of audacity. But too much sitting. Not enough throwing of the squeaky ball, and a lack of outdoor adventures. Well, okay. There was that one puddle stomping adventure with all the mud… But I think Mom’s almost forgotten about that….

So if you need me, I’ll be hunting up Mom’s favorite sweater. And maybe another cup of that apple cider-y stuff.

TTFN,

Kimber the Magnificent

XXOO


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The Kitty Litter Box Hall of Shame 5.0

RED ALERT! RED ALERT!

 She Who Must Be Obeyed has an important announcement. It’s for authors. Author wannabes. Publicists. Blog tour coordinators. Publishers. Pretty much anyone who contacts us for a review.

Listen Up, Bub!

If you’re one of the above, kindly pay attention. Cuz this is for you. And we’re not gonna repeat ourselves, savvy? So I’d listen up ‘fize you. Here goes:

As noted in our Rating System and Submission Guidelines, you are required to Like, Comment and Share a positive review (3.0 rating or above).  If you are unable or unwilling to do so, THEN DON’T REQUEST A REVIEW.

We spend tons of time combing through review requests and deciding what we will or won’t accept. If a book is accepted, we may spend hours and hours reading it. And more time crafting a brilliant and pithy review.

Huge

It’s a huge investment of time and energy. We don’t charge any fees for reviews. We don’t get a cent for doing this. Not one penny. Our time and talent is free to you, authoroo. 

So THE LEAST YOU CAN DO is say “thanks” by Liking, Commenting and Sharing the Post Link for a positive review (a 3.0 rating or above). This not only helps promote your book, it also boosts post visibility. So again:

Required

Liking, Commenting, and Sharing the Link to a positive review isn’t a suggestion here. It’s a REQUIREMENT for anyone asking for a review. If you don’t do so within three days of post publication, we will remove the post. And Totally Ignore any future review requests.

DO NOT TEST US ON THIS. YOU WILL LOSE.

In fact, here are some recent-ish posts that have been removed because the author(s) failed to adhere to our Like, Comment, and Share requirement outlined above. Also known as The Kitty Litter Hall of Shame (you soooo don’t want to be here, Cream Puff.):

BYO Fork for THIS Well-Kneaded Plot in the Heart of Big Sky Country!

Frost, Fire, and a Dash of Magic: Why ‘Muse of the North’ Stole Our Hearts (and NY Steak)

Echoes Over No Man’s Land: A Soulful Journey Thru Time & Silence in ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’

Braiding History and Heart: Skillfully Woven Native American Story Still Speaks

From Battlefield to Blessing: One Veteran’s Journey to Peace

If You Knew: An Unforgettable Journey Through Cancer, Choices, and Cosmic Possibilities

‘Molly and Potato’ is Tops!

‘King of Montreal’ A Breath Of Fresh Air

New Historical Fiction Reveals Lesser-Known Chapter of Southwest History

New Holocaust Novel Packs a Punch!

New YA Adventure Rocks – or – Scraps to the Rescue!


Think we don’t notice?

Think again, Cupcake: We do.

Are we clear?


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‘Still My Mom’: A Heartfelt Memoir on Alzheimer’s, Family Ties, and Unending Love

Still My Mom

Alzheimer’s Love, Loss, and the Work We Do Before Goodbye

By Mike Baker (Indie author, 2026)

Genre: Non-fiction

Via: Author request

Pages (Print): 272, including an extensive list of relevant Resources and poem, The Love It Couldn’t Take

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.

Some goodbyes take years. Love keeps showing up anyway.

When Mike Baker’s mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, his family entered a goodbye they were not ready for. The disease reached for her memory, her words, her confidence, and the ordinary rhythm of the life she had built. It also reached everyone who loved her.

Still My Mom is a raw, tender, and honest memoir about loving someone through Alzheimer’s. It is about grief that arrives before death, the strange ache of missing someone who is still here, and the work families do when the person they love begins to change.

Written with warmth, faith, humor, and deep affection, this book speaks to the families living in the long goodbye. It holds space for the hard parts of Alzheimer’s and dementia: the confusion, the guilt, the exhaustion, the grief, and the ache of wanting more time. It also honors the small moments that remain: a laugh, a look, a familiar touch, a story, a memory held by someone else when the person you love no longer holds it the same way.

This book is for families walking the Alzheimer’s road, caregivers carrying quiet grief, sons and daughters trying to show up, spouses learning a new version of love, and anyone who still has love to give before goodbye.

Perhaps the first thing you need to know about this book is that at its core, it’s a love letter. Still My Mom evokes intimacy, tenderness, and the bittersweet nature of the work done in the face of Alzheimer’s. It’s real and it’s raw. It pulls no punches about the realities of this devastating disease and how it effects friends and family members. Pages reflect grief and loss as well as hope, gratitude, and a quiet strength and grace.

The author describes this memoir as “A caregiving book written by someone who was doing the caregiving, not studying it. No clinical framework, no stages, no advice about self-care.” He’s spot-on. And that matters. Because Still My Mom isn’t a medical journal. It isn’t a clinical list of, “When you see this, do that.” It doesn’t walk you through labyrinthian mazes of “doctor-ese” – although it does note how skillful, truthful, and compassionate communication with healthcare professionals makes a difference. It’s highly readable, briskly paced, and written in clear language that’s easy to understand.

The text is divided into five main sections: Part One: Before the Disease Gets the Story. Part Two: The Work While There Is Still Time. Part Three: Caregiving Changes Everything. Part Four: The Hard End-of-Life Work. Part Five: After Goodbye. Also included is a Note to the Reader, a How to Use This Book section and a Bonus Chapter: The Work to Do Before the Mind Is Gone. (Dont miss this.) We appreciated the emphasis on caring for the caregiver and the warm family tone (“G’night John-Boy”).

The formatting is a little odd, with ragged right margins instead of full justified. Paragraphs appear in blocks and aren’t indented. But this doesn’t diminish the narrative, which unfolds smoothly and naturally.

Packed with practical advice and insight from someone who’s been there, each section and chapter is honest and forthright. But they also give you room to breathe. To be kind to yourself and your loved one. That matters, too. More on that in a min.

Frankly, we had a hard time with this book. It’s not an easy read. It’s not meant to be. So we could only handle a few pages at a time. (Kimber: That’s pretty unusual around here, bub. It’s almost like me eating a nice, thick juicy flank steak one bite at a time.)

This book is intense. It’s emotional. Incredibly thorough. Exceptionally well organized. Heartfelt. Eloquent and articulate. Beautifully written. Searingly honest and authentic. But there were times when we had to put it down. Walk away. Take some deep breaths.

And you know what? That’s okay. In fact, the author acknowledges that that’s okay.

Yea, verily. Alzheimer’s isn’t an easy subject. And Still My Mom isn’t a coffee table type book of the light and fluffy, lemon meringue variety. It’s heavy. But it also offers a way through the fog of initial diagnosis to final days. It counters fear, panic, confusion and uncertainty with clear, easy-to-understand language. Suggestions. Examples. It opens a way forward. Suggests a road through. And most of all, it offers a gentle breath of kindness and understanding with the constant reassurance of one vital, over-arching message: Alzheimer’s is tough. But you are not alone in the battle.

So again, Still My Mom isn’t an easy read. But it’s a good one, a garden where every sentence blooms with love. Indeed, the tenderness in these pages clings like sunlight to morning dew, refusing to let go even as the temperature climbs.

Bonus points: Every chapter wraps up with a Before the Next Hard Day section. This offers some concrete ideas for steps to take when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Carrying love forward from page one to the very end, Still My Mom had one of us reaching for tissue more than once. (Kimber: I’m advising Mom to buy stock in Kleenex. Not that she ever listens to me. But you never know.)

Finally, if love could shine through ink, the pages of Still My Mom would glow.

Our Rating: 4.5


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‘There She Stands’: A 9/11 Reflection

We interrupt our regularly scheduling blogging to bring you this 9/11 reflection, starting with a bookish quote:

***

Where do we get such men (and women)? They leave this ship and they do their job. Then they must find this speck lost somewhere on the sea. When they find it, they have to land on its pitching deck. Where do we get such men?

– RAdm Tarrant, The Bridges at Toko-Ri

September 11, 2011. It began like pretty much like every other Indian Summer day in southern California. In other words, it was perfect –  until two airliners tore into the Twin Towers.

And America has never been the same.

Amid the shock, confusion and grief, one of the things that stood out on that terrible, tragic day was the quiet. Southern California skies usually hum with air traffic of all shapes of sizes, everything from thundering commercial flights to lumbering military cargo planes to the mosquito whine of light aircraft. It was all gone on September 11, 2001, when the FAA ordered all flights grounded. The result? A suffocating silence, terrible in its unnatural eeriness.

25 Years 

Twenty-five years later, this event and those responsible are household words. Oceans of ink have been spilled and scores of song, words and commentary have been filed on the subject of 9/11. Documentaries have been produced. Testimonials shared. Solemn memorials observed. Songs written. And we remember.

There she waves, faithful friend…

Many Americans set September 11 aside as a “day of infamy” – and something else. We mourn the lives lost. But we also remember the heroes. And in remembering,  we honor the sacrifices of first responders – law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, and scores of “ordinary” Americans who were anything but. We saw countless Americans  go above and beyond the call of duty to protect and serve others.

Just when you think it might be over
Just when you think the fight is gone
Someone will risk his life to raise her
There she stands…

Remember the days that followed? The fund-raisers? The Red Cross blood drives? Prayer services? An entire country awash in a sea of stars and stripes?

We’ve seen her flying torn and tattered
We’ve seen her stand the test of time
And through it all the fools have fallen
There she stands.

It’s been 25 years. But the events of that ‘Indian Summer’ day in September still reverberate. They aren’t quiet. They touched a chord.  For those who looked, the immediate aftermath of 9/11 showed America at her best: Generous. Selfless. Resourceful. Resilient and resolute. United. Uncowed.

The Bridges at Toko-Ri is set during the Korean War. But RAdm Tarrant’s question lives.

Where do we get such men and women?  From Iowa farms and Texas ranches.  From New England fishing fleets to Silicon Valley. From Wall Street to Bourbon Street. From Kentucky blue grass to Florida Everglades. From Arizona deserts to Hawaiian rain forests. From Kansas wheat fields to Alaskan oil fields. Indeed, if we know where to look, we see answers to the admiral’s question every day: We get them from America.

By the dawn’s, early light
And through the fight. She stands.

Note: Portions of this post first appeared here in 2014.