I know. I’m adorable.
If Mom said it once, she’s said it a thousand times:
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
True that. But when it comes to books, we all do it, huh? (C’mon now. ‘Fess up. It’s just between us, okay?)
Well. Have you ever finished reading a book and wondered how in the heck did that cover wind up on that book?
I have. So I’m gonna save you a lot of time. After reading these three novels based on their covers, I’m letting you know which books deliver and which don’t.
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Does beauty require freedom?”
Tucked into the chapters of this epic historical fiction, this question is one upon which the entire book hinges.
For more, click here.
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a book about recovery and self-discovery. It’s a first-hand account of how the author recovers from a stroke suffered in September 2022, smack dab in the middle of the Abu Dahbi desert. At age 46. While training for the Budapest Marathon. Giovannoli explains that he writes to share his story and offer hope for recovery after a stroke.
For more, click here.
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What?
‘Tis the season, friends! Christmas is just around the corner! Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh Boy! You know that one of us is like a Major Sucker for good Christmas yarns. Here a yarn, there a yarn. Everywhere a yarn, yarn.
Wait. Where was I?
Oh yeah. Christmas yarns. Well. Her Momness and I have come across some pretty good ones recently. We’ll be sharing select titles here during December. We’re calling it our “Christmas Book Bash.” Throwin’ this in at no extra charge. Although a little extra crispy bacon never hurts. Just sayin.
So. Our first selection for our December Christmas Book Bash is a Christmas memoir thingy. No idea what that means. But Mom liked it. Mostly. So let’s go:
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So Mom and I, we’re cruising along the other day minding our own biz. Tip-toeing thru the tulips. Zippity do-dah-zippity-aying. My, oh my what a wonderful day-ing.
Well, okay. It was actually pouring rain. Think Noah. It was also cold. Think “Abdominal” Snowman. Cuz one of us had a growly tummy. What?
What?
Anywho, we found this “inspirational true story” thingy waiting for us at the post office. It’s a self-portrait of a young man battling cancer. Hodgkin’s Disease, to be exact.
Well, smack-o-rama and Jolt-a-Bolt! Felt like Déjà vu all over again. Cuz Mom’s kid bro battled Hodgkin’s Disease awhile back. So Mom got all googly-eyed for a min. You know how Mom is. ‘Sides. This bro thing was when Her Royal Momness was a youngin’. You know. Shortly before the earth’s crust cooled. It was also before Ms. Brilliant and Beautiful – Yours Truly – arrived on the scene. Smack-o-rama, Jolt-a-Bolt again!
So you might understand how this book impacted us. It’s emotional. Unfiltered and raw. There’s no pie-in-the-sky bye and bye, Pollyana stuff here. Nopers! It’s real and it’s genuine. Heartfelt. Searing. It took Her Momness back to the days of… Wait. Let’s get to the book, shall we? I’ll let Mom fill ya in. Soon as I scout her up some more tissue. (That googly-eye thing again. Cuz. Well. Mom.)
Back when her Momness was a young whipper-snapper – shortly after the discovery of fire – one of her fave authors was Dr. Lewis Smedes. He was a professor of theology and ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
Smedes wrote 15 books. But Mom’s fave is Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve. Now deceased, Smedes was one of few authors who takes the time and effort to think and dig deeply into the topic of forgiveness.
So this book reminded us of good ‘ole Doc Smedes. The author has actually done the hard legwork of thinking, sifting, researching, reflecting, and ruminating on the topic of forgiveness. There’s none of that knee-jerk fluff stuff here. How refreshing.
Force of NatureNote: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So Her Momness and I came back from chugging all over hill and dale the other day and checked the mail. We found Joan Griffin’s hiking memoir, Force of Nature, waiting for us. Cool, we thought. Besides. Who can resist that luscious cover?
Well. Mom and I agreed to join a blog tour for this book for three main reasons: 1) One of us has been hiking since she was knee-high to a bean-sprout (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth); 2) One of us is a native Californian and knows the John Muir Trail (JMT); 3) Mom’s private chocolate stash was running low and I, Kimber, promised her a refill if she finished this book lickety-split-ish. (Yea, verily. It’s amazing what some peeps will do for free chocolate. Selah.)
Okay. Where was I. Oh yeah. Force of Nature. I’ll let Mom give ya some deets:
One of the most inspirational “travel” books I’ve ever read is Peter Jenkins’ A Walk Across America (Harper Collins, 1979).
Do you remember?
Disillusioned and cynical about society, newly minted college graduate Jenkins decides to hit the road with his faithful half Alaskan Malamute and “fur-ever friend,” Cooper. (The book is even dedicated to Peter’s “forever friends”: Cooper the Half Malamute and Barbara Jo.”)
Together, Peter and Coop discover America. The resulting tome, A Walk Across America, is the compelling, uplifting account of the reawakening of Jenkins’ faith in himself and his country. It topped the New York Times Bestseller list for months and remains a beloved classic.
Weary of plowing through a mountain of mawkish drivel posing as “hiking memoir,” I recently decided to return to the Real Deal. The “Grand Daddy” of the genre and its trail-blazing author: Peter Jenkins.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Loose on the Landscape: An Ecologist Looks for Meaning in the Wildest PlacesNote: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Pssst! Buddy, can you keep a secret? Good. Cuz I’m about to let you in on one. Sort of. Here it is:
One of Mom’s favorite movies is A River Runs Through It. Not necessarily because of the story, although the movie parallels Norman Maclean’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated novella pretty close. But the movie is a Mom fave for two other reasons: 1) Mark Isham’s masterfully moving musical score, and 2) The spectacular landscape and scenery of Montana.
Maybe that’s why Mom had the movie’s musical score in her head on auto-play when she opened this book. I’ll let Mom fill you in:
Pages & Paws 