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Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie

Category Archives: Book Reviews – Non-Fiction


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Where Did 20 Hours Go So Fast? Ann Rule’s ‘Everything She Ever Wanted’

Everything She Ever Wanted: A True Story of Obsessive Love, Murder, and Betrayal

By Ann Rule (Simon & Schuster – First Edition 1992)

Genre: Non-Fiction – True Crime

Via: Library

Pages: 528 (print); 16 discs (audio)

It’s all about the moola in this intense and gripping thriller by the Grande Dame of True Crime, Ann Rule.

The Basics

Scarlett O’Hara Wannabe Pat Taylor Allanson is whatcha might call a “Georgia peach.” Strikingly beautiful with enough Southern charm to knock a mint julep off its feet a mile away, Pat dreams of a Tara-like plantation where she and new hubby Tom can raise horses, grow roses, and float around the highest echelons of Atlanta society. Pat even costumes herself and Tom as Scarlett and Rhett Butler for their wedding photos. Less than two months later, their dream explodes in terror and murder: their beautiful home is mysteriously burned to the ground and Tom’s convicted of the brutal slaying of his mother and father.

And that’s not all.

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Delivery or DiGiorno? Are THESE ‘Best Sellers’ All They’re Cracked Up to Be?

In The World According to Her Momness, the Four Basic Food Groups are:

  1. Dark Chocolate
  2. Milk Chocolate
  3. White Chocolate
  4. Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake.

Who’s got a fork?

Remembering Mom’s penchant for all things chocolatey and chuckle-worthy, someone recently suggested we check into author Karen Scalf Linamen. Linamen published several popular faith-flavored books in the 1990s and early 2000s “offering unique insights and humor.”

So we scoured the shelves of our local library. Zip. Zero. Nada. Not to fret. We ordered a coupla Linamen titles via Interlibrary Loan. It took a while. But they finally arrived. Both recommended titles are “best sellers.” They are… drum roll please:

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6 Most Unusual Books We’ve Read This Year

So there I was. Minding my own business. Snoozing away. When Her Royal Momness comes bouncing down the stairs with a Royal Stroke of Genuis:

“Kimmi! I have a great idea! You know those last six books we read? The True Crime thing, the post-apocalyptic thing, the second True Crime thing, the “self-help” motivational thing, and the other two True Crime thingies? All pretty diff, huh? Let’s do a combo post on all six!”

So that’s how I wound up here. With William Oldfield’s Inspector Oldfield and the Black Hand Society,  J. W. Rawles’ Founders, Gregg Olsen’s If You Tell,  John Glatt’sTangled Vines. and Climbing Your Personal Mount Everest: A Journey of Self Discovery and Leadership, by Mitch Lewis.  And that Other Thingy by Ann Rule, Green River Running Red.

The things I do for Mom. Sheesh.

Well. As long as we’re here, let’s dive in to six of the most unusual books we’ve read so far this year. They’re “unusual” cuz they’re genres we don’t typically select.

One other thing. With the exception of the last title, all of the books below are 3.5s. In case you’re wondering. No extra charge:

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Mom Weird-ity & Made to the MAX

Psssst! Kimber here. Letting you in on a secret. Mom is weird. Okay. So that’s not exactly a major newsflash.

Binge Reading

But A Typical Mom Weird-ity? Gobbling up every book in sight by a particular author and devouring them like they’re fresh-off-the-barbie filet mignon. Call it Binge Reading. She’ll do this for a while. Read everything she can get her hands on from a specific multi-published author. Then all of a sudden, Poof! She stops. And moves on to other literary barbecue thingies.

See? Told ya Mom’s weird.

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Fiction & Non Two-Fer!

She Who Must Be Obeyed (sort of) says we’re doin’ a ‘two-fer’ today! I’m thinkin’ bacon and more bacon! Or peanut butter! But nooooo! Her Momness says we’re doin’ two books by two different female authors. One fiction. One non. Both have strong female characters or POVs.

They are She Left Me the Gun: My Mother’s Life Before Me by Emma Brockes (non-fiction). The other is On Mystic Lake. By Kristin Hannah.

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Perspicacity Prevails in ‘The Perilous Voyage’

The Perilous Voyage

A Professor Goodsteam Adventure

By Michael Wegner (Indie author, 2023)

Genre: Fiction – Historical Fiction/Action & Adventure/Steampunk Fiction

Pageg: 331 + Epilogue (Paperback)

Via: Author request

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

“But it’s only a two-day trip. What could possibly happen?”

The answer is plenty in this lithe and lively combination of travel, technology, geography, adventure, romance and levity by Michael Wegner.

Mom: With a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be…

Kimber: Earth to Mom. Come in, Mom. Methinks you’re in the wrong season.

Mom: Well, let’s not get picky here, okay?

Kimber: Speaking of “picky” – sort of – The Perilous Voyage thingy reminded me of that story where Caractacus Potts rebuilds that old race car for his littleuns after buying it for thirty shillings to prevent the car from becoming scrap metal.

Mom: You mean the book by Ian Fleming?

Kimber: Naw. I was thinkin’ more the movie with that Dick van Dyke dude.

Mom: Funny you should mention that. I was thinking Jules Vernes’ Around the World in Eighty Days.

Kimber: With Phileas Fogg and Passepartout?

Mom: Exactamundo!

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The BEST Book We’ve Read All Year?

Help Is Here

Finding Fresh Strength and Purpose in the Power of the Holy Spirit

By Max Lucado

Genre: Christian Non-Fiction

Pages: 216, including Notes

Via: Library

Stressed out? Worn out? Bummed out? Feeling fearful or frustrated? Uncertain or overcome? Helpless?

What if there’s help?

What’s if there’s someone to walk with you? Guide you. Shoulder the load. So you don’t have to go it alone. What if this help was sent from above? Not someone who, like us, is prone to getting worn out, stressed out or bummed out. But a “heavenly helper” who’s ever strong and powerful. Never tires. Is always near. Unhindered by what hinders us.

Interested?

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Tales From a Rogue Ranger Scores ‘Bow-Wow Boogie’

Tales From a Rogue Ranger

Rosanne S. McHenry (Indie author, 2024)

Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir/Outdoors

Via: Blog Tour/Author Request

Pages: 236

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

We didn’t think our favorite ranger, Ranger Rose the PAWsome, could top her last book, Trip Tales: From Family Camping to Life as a Ranger. Which we like, totally love-ified. (See our brilliant review: Outdoor Memoir Delights in Trip Tales.) 

Just shows you what we know.

She’s Baaaack!

Cuz Ranger Rose is back! With as much insight, info. and entertainment as ever! In fact, her latest book, Tales From a Rogue Ranger, Totally Rocks. In fact again, Her Momness almost dropped it in the sink. Reading while teeth-brushing. Cuz Mom couldn’t put it down!

Silly Mom. (Like that’s new. Insert Kimber eye roll here.)

Anyway, here’s the scoop on Ranger Roses’s latest magnum opus:

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‘Who Saved Who’ A Little Too Woo-Woo

Who Saved Who

By Roslyn Cohn

Tampico Press, 2023

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 150

Via: Blog Tour

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

“We save dogs, Roz, that’s what we do.”

This is the story of a woman who loves dogs. So far, so good. Here’s the main book blurb:

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Cycling Adventures The Dog’s Bow-Wow in ‘Five, Ten, or Never’

Five, Ten, or Never

Leaving home and careers for a life of spontaneous and unusual travel

By Judy Kashoff (Indie author, 2023)

Genre: Non-Fiction: Travel/Memoir

Pages; 263

Via: Author request

‘What?’

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

Her Momness: Kimber, what are you doing?

Kimber: Don’t interrupt now, Mom! I’m practicing my pedaling.

Her Momness: You’re what?

Kimber: You know, pedaling. Like that book we just read. About those two hoomans who travel all over creation on their buy-shekels. (No idea what that means. Sounds expensive.) You can fill peeps in while I keep pedalling…

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