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Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie

Category Archives: Read


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15 High Octane Novels With Superstar Heroines

What’s a Superstar or a “Bad Ass Heroine?”

In our literary context, a “BAH” is a main female character who:

  • Doesn’t quit when the chips are down, but digs deep, discovering and drawing on resources she probably didn’t know she has.
  • Is a dynamic, three-dimensional character.
  • Overcomes adversity with valor, integrity, determination, and grit.
  • Isn’t perfect, but learns from her mistakes.
  • Is clever and courageous.
  • Keeps a clear eye, a keen ear, and a level head.
  • Possesses rapier wit. Bonus points for a decent sense of humor.
  • Turns Mama Grizzly in a nano-second if her loved ones are threatened.

Oh yeah. Having a titanium spine qualifies, too. So does not acting like an idiot. Additionally, …

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ROCK the 4th With These 25+ U.S. Historical Fiction Books

Kimber here. Mom is busy rustling up some Independence Day eats. I’m not too sure about the potato salad and corn on the cob thing. But I’m all over the grilled burgers! Yeah, Lassie!

Well. The subject of “best U.S. historical fiction” came up the other night. We were watching videos of last year’s fireworks or somethin’. You know. The stupid Big Boom things. (Why do humans do this every Independence Day? I don’t get it.)

I was all ears. (For the book list. Not the Big Boom things. Mom got me a Thunder Shirt for that.)

Anyway, just in time for Independence Day, Mom and I put together a list of the best historical fiction reads set in the U.S. Mom says we aren’t even going to try to cover books by decade, social movement, issue, or what not. That’d take us like, till the cat comes home. Gag me with Meow Mix!

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‘Buried Secrets’ Digs Up Treasure!

Buried Secrets

By S.F. Baumgartner

Publisher: FB Publishing (June 27, 2023)

Genre: Fiction – Suspense/Thriller Novella

Pages: 102

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

A shadowy past. A criminal mastermind. Forbidden love. All join forces to create a lightning-quick plot in S.F. Baumgartner’s gripping suspense thriller novella, Buried Secrets.

A Doozy

A recent college graduate, Dylan Roche just lost his mother and is struggling to keep his head above water financially. He soon finds out that his deceased mother, Margaret, had a secret. And it’s a doozy.

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“I Can’t Wait to Love You Forever” Warms Hearts

I Can’t Wait to Love You Forever

By: Patricia Eckerman Ambas

Illustrated by: Amira Daaboul

Publisher:

Publisher: WordLife Press, 2022

Genre: Children’s

Pages: 36

Via: Blog Tour

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

A new baby is exciting. But what if you’re the baby in the family? How will the imminent arrival of a younger brother or sister effect you?

While awaiting the arrival of a new brother or sister, young Benjamin plays a “baby package” game with his mom in this sweet and gentle story by Patricia Eckerman Ambas. Benjamin first pretends he’s a new package that has just arrived for mom. The package arrives in forms shapes and forms – a blanket, a basket, an imaginary box. But each package comes with an unspoken question: What about me when the new baby comes?  

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‘Here in the Not Yet’ Hits a Home Run

Here in the Not Yet by [David Spaugh]Here in the Not Yet

By David Spaugh

Independently Published, 2023

Genre: Fiction – Christian/Suspense

Pages: 213

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

Who am I? Why am I here? What makes a hero? What is bravery all about? What are the two most powerful words in the English language?

All these questions and more are met head-on in David Spaugh’s finely crafted psychological thriller, Here in the Not Yet.

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20 Awesome Outdoor Classics for Kids!

Grays skies are clearing. Temperatures are inching upwards. Summer’s waiting in the wings. Even if you’re stuck inside, you can still roam the outdoors through books! Especially when celebrating Great Outdoors Month!

Today we’re highlighting 20 top outdoor titles for kiddos. These books are geared for children ages third through ninth grade, roughly.

All include strong characters, engaging plots, and superlative story-telling. All have stood the test of time. (You may detect a big canine bias here. Because as Kimber knows, everything is better with dogs. Yes sirree, Lassie! That goes double for the Great Outdoors!)

Besides. If you can’t go to the outside, we’ll bring the outside to you, inside with:

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Big Kitty Litter Box Awards 5.0

One of us used to feel a teensy twinge when an author complained about a negative book review. For a lousy book.

Now she just laughs:

 

Newsflash, Cupcake: We do honest reviews here. We’ve panned Pulitzer Prize winners we thought weren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. We’ve also heaped praise on unknown indie authors who earn it. So don’t whine about a negative review. You sound like the “wah-wah” adult in Peanuts.

Cuz guess what, Toots? We So. Don’t. Care.

Now that we’ve got that outta the way, buckle up. Cuz it’s time for another rip roarin- edition of Big Kitty Litter Box in the Sky Awards. Cuz, holy Meow Mix! You don’t want to waste your valuable time on lousy snoozers that make fish wrap look delish, right? We already did that. So you don’t have to. You’re welcome. (Note: We received complimentary copies of most of these titles in exchange for honest reviews.)

Here’s the short list of qualifications for a Big Kitty Litter Box in the Sky award:

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20+ Mesmerizing Memoirs/Biogs To Read Before You Die!

Kimber: “Memoirs? Biogs? Is that like when that Barbra lady sings about misty water-colored memories? Like in the movie with Robert Corvette?”

Mom: “The movie is The Way We Were, Kimster. And the actor is Robert Redford.”

Kimber: “You drive what you want and I’ll drive what I want… Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah. Memoirs and Biogs.  Guess we better start with some definitions:”

  • A memoir is usually a collection of memories written by the person themselves. It’s the story of a specific time, theme, or experience in a person’s life.
  • A biography presents chronological events from the life of a specific person. It’s the story of someone’s life told by someone else.
  • An autobiography is a person telling their own life story.

Got that? Great. Cuz we’re gonna color outside the lines a bit. Bring you some of All of the Above, under the general-ish category of Memoir/Biogs. (We’re using the terms a bit loosely. So don’t blow a gasket, okay?)

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Recs for Your Summer Reading

What’s on YOUR Summer TBR?

Mom’s at it again. She’s skipping merrily around the house, opening every window in sight.  Humming that Temptations song. You know the one. About sunshine on a cloudy day.

Here in the omni-soggy Pacific Northwest, we take whatever we can get in the “sunshine” department. Maybe that explains Mom lately. Why she keeps crowing, “Summer’s comin’! Woo-hoo!”

Has anyone found my frisbee? Cuz frankly, what’s summer without a nice, chewy, frisbee?

Anyway, with the weather warming up and some blue skies finally putting in an appearance, we whipped up a quick list of books for your summer reading. Categories include:

  • Most Unusual and Imaginative.
  • Most Intriguing.
  • Notable Nonfiction.
  • Just Plain Fun.
  • Favorite Re-reads.
  • Most Poignant.
  • #1 Favorites.

Titles appear in no particular order. So without further ado, here ya are. You’re welcome:

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‘Be Right Back’ Isn’t Your Average Book of Poetry – Here’s Why

Be Right Back – The Travelogues of a Wandering Mind

By Jeffrey Greenmun, 2023

Genre: Non-Fiction, Poetry (Don’t freak out, okay? More on that in a min.)

Pages: 174

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

Okay, okay. Quiet down in the back. Especially those of you who want to jump up and run screaming from the room the minute you hear the word “poetry.”

You know who you are.

So just hang on a min, okay? Cuz if poetry isn’t your cuppa, give Jeffrey Greenmun’s Be Right Back – The Travelogues of a Wandering Mind a chance. Articulate and eloquent, this delicious blend of poetry and biography may change your mind. Here’s the 4-1-1:

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