Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie

Monthly Archives: March 2024


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New Book Looks at Evidence for Easter, Much More

How Did Christianity Begin?

Hallucinations? Fabrications? Myths? Resurrection?

A look at the evidence

By Christopher Hearn (Indie author, 2023)

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 120, incl. Appendix and Notes

Via: Author Request

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

In your discussions with those who don’t believe in God, have you heard one of the following?

  • We don’t really know how Christianity started
  • Christianity is a made up religion just like all of the others
  • Christianity has too many legends and myths mixed in with the truth to know what is real and what isn’t
  • The New Testament is written too late after the events to be a reliable source for knowing the truth about Jesus
  • There is no evidence for Christianity

Written in plain, easy to understand language, author Christopher Hearn’s “evangelistic tool” shows you how to start the conversation as it guides you in answering these questions and more, with one of the goals being that you will be better equipped and more confident to share your faith with others. 

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6 Literary Scene Stealers & Kimber’s New Best Bud

Dontcha just love scene stealers? That person or critter that outshines the rest of the cast, especially unexpectedly? You know. Like me?

 

All modesty aside, Mom and I have been keeping a running tally of literary scene stealers in recently read books.

Some of the books they appear in are great. Some are awful. Not a main character, a scene stealer outshines everyone else, including a bad script.

Here’s a brief list of our top 6 scene stealers from recently read historical non-fiction and fiction fiction (that’s not a typo). A brief synopsis of each book is included:

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ATTN AUTHORS! Review Queue Temporarily Closed

Good Monday morning friends, Romans, readers, authors, and fellow countrypeeps!

Lend us your ears! Cuz we have an important announcement:

Due to a humungous backlog of review requests, we are closing the review queue until further notice.

We’ll re-open the queue as soon as we get caught up and catch our breath. Depends on how fast we can dig our way out from under the Mount Everest of pending reviews that are still awaiting our attention.

So kindly note that we aren’t accepting any new book review requests until we get a handle on this shovel thing. Like maybe August-ish.

We’ll still be publishing reviews and other strokes of genius on a regular basis. We’re just not accepting any new book review requests until further notice.

Thanks and see ya soon!

XXOO

Mom and Kimber the Magnificent

 


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How Spinach Can Make You A Better Blogger

 

Turning a corner today for a min. Doin’ somethin’ a li’l diff. Like, ever come back from lunch with a piece of spinach stuck between your teeth? You didn’t know anything about it. For hours. Just greeted everyone with your dental greenery. Because : 1) You didn’t check, or 2) No one said anything.

That can happen in the blogging world, too. Example? This recent conversation between Her Royal Momness and Sheer Genius on Four Legs (ahem!):

Kimber: Mom! Mom! You gotta optimize us!

Mom: Don’t bother me now, Kimmi. I’m writing.

Kimber: Mom! Mom! You gottta find a responsive theme and layout for our blog so we’re mobile friendly!

Mom: Kimmi. Can you give it a rest already?

Kimber: Mom! Mom…!

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Why ‘Shadow’ is Like a Warm Breath of Spring

Shadow

By Michael Morpurgo

U.S.: Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan

Great Britain: HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2010

Genre: Historical Fiction

Via: Library

A silver star badge. A little red train.  A cave in Afghanistan. A “sniffer dog” named Shadow. An incredible story of escape, adversity, courage, and love. The kind that never gives in and never gives up.

“We want you back.”

Kimber here, saying “Happy Spring” – finally! I’m also ready to introduce you to my new BFF: Shadow the springer spaniel. Aka: “Polly.” She’s a special bomb-sniffing dog. (Okay, she’s not quite as special as I am. But let’s not get picky here, okay?)

Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah. Shadow. She gets lost in Afghanistan during the war and is finally reunited with her old unit from the U.K. But not before finding her way into the heart of young Aman.

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10 Good Reads With “Green” in the Title

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Why Saint Patrick’s Day and why green? Well, many believe that Saint Patrick, foremost patron saint of Ireland, died on March 17. According to legend, Saint Patrick used the green shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. Others say wearing green makes you invisible to impish leprechauns so you don’t get pinched!

Well, again. Dyed-in-the-shamrock bibliophiles can join the holiday fun with a good book! Especially if it has green in the title.

Here are 10 “green” titled books to spruce up your Saint Patrick’s Day! And that’s no blarney! How many of these have you read?

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7 Books to Read If You Loved ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’

Want to read more? Find more books like your favorites?

Well woof and double woof! Cuz you’ve come to the right place!

Fine Wine Fridays

Kimber here. Being all brilliant and beautiful. Yep. Being a genius is hard work. But I’m up for the challenge! Especially on a Fine Wine Friday. Where we only recommend/feature books we’ve actually read.

I know. It’s a bark-worthy stroke of genius. And to be honest, it was my idea. Well, okay. Mom helped. A little. You know how Mom is, right?

Squirrel!

Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah. Fine Wine Fridays. Well, time’s a-wastin. So…

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5 Reasons Why “The Edge of Nowhere” Will Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat

The Edge of Nowhere, 2nd edition

By C.H. Armstrong

Penner Publishing, 2015 (1st edition)

Via: Library

C.H. Armstrong’s The Edge of Nowhere is set in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl days of the “Dirty Thirties.” The protagonist is a no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners spitfire named Victoria Hastings Harrison Greene.

Victoria is a graduate of the School of Hard Knocks. Now elderly, she has a tumor on her pancreas. So the novel opens with a letter. It’s penned by Victoria and addressed to her grandchildren. Dated November 12, 1992, the epistle begins:

“I know you refer to me as ‘the meanest woman you’ve ever known.’”

The rest of the book – 261 pages – fills in the blanks. What emerges is the fictionalized story of a woman who refused to be a victim.

Here are 5 Reasons Why The Edge of Nowhere Will Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat:

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A Sweet One for the Little-uns

Ailie’s Island

By Antal Khripko

(Indie author, 2023)

Genre: Children’s/Fiction

Pages (Kindle): 56

Via: Author Request

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

Well Yabba-dabba-doo and Glory Hallelujah! spake I, Kimber the Magnificent. That’s what I said when the author contacted us for a review request for his book about a little girl who lives on a remote island off the coast of Scotland. Little’uns and a remote island off the coast of Scotland?! Does it get any better than that?! As in, these are a few of my favorite things..

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‘Vasilisa’ Mesmerizing, Melodic

Vasilisa

By M.L Farb

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy; YA Historical Romance; Clean Romance

Pages: 252 + Food For Thought and End Notes

Via: Author Request

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

Mom: Kimmi, what are you doing?!

Kimber: No interruptions, Mom! I’m practicing the Ruskan hopak and scouting up my balalaika.

Mom (eyes rolling): Hate to break it to you, Kimster. But you’re a dog. Dogs don’t dance the hopak. Or play the balalaika.

Kimber: Wanna bet?

And that’s where we were after turning the final page of M.L. Farb’s mesmerizingly masterful fairy tale/fantasy novel, Vasilisa. One of the main themes that shimmers throughout this witty and uber engaging story is a question: Is the heroine Vasilisa the strong or Vasilisa the good? Can she be both? How?

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