Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie


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FRIDAY 56: ‘The Joy Luck Club’

Kimber: I hate to admit it. But it’s true. One of us just got around to reading Amy Tan’s beloved best-seller, The Joy Luck Club. One of us kept passing it up in the library, aiming to get to it “later.” Never mind that it was published back when dinosaurs roamed the earth (in 1989). One of us is a little slow. (Hi, Mom.)

So now that Her Royal Momness finally got around to reading this classic, we thought we’d feature it in today’s edition of Book Beginnings and Friday 56. Besides. We loved this book!

And Mom’s nothing if not quick. (Insert face palm here.)

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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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Mrs. M & Tales of a 4th Grade EVERYTHING

Her name was Mrs. Manderson. Tall, slim, and brunette, Mrs. Manderson was an elementary school teacher. But not just any elementary school teacher. Nope. Mrs. Manderson had a rare knack for opening windows into worlds unknown via books.

She was probably the best teacher I ever had. She was certainly the most memorable. Especially when I was in “Mrs. M.’s” fourth grade class.

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Friday 56: Dive into ‘Home Waters’

TGIF! Time for a Two-fer!

On this last day of June, which also happens to be a Friday, we’re hosting both a Friday 56 and a Book Beginnings as well as highlighting a great outdoors-ish read as we close out our celebration of Great Outdoors Mont!.

Wait. That may have been a three-fer. But who’s counting? Anyway, let’s go!

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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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The Kimber Awards 3.0

You know we’re pretty picky when it comes to books, right? Like, we have Standards. Submission Guidelines. And we chuck out tons of bookish junk all the time, like the neighbor’s cat hawks up hairballs. 

But we also have favorites. And not just books or genres. In fact, we have some fave authors we want to tell you about. Cuz today we’re awarding The Biggest Bow Wow of them all:

The Kimber Awards.

What? You haven’t heard of this prestigious honor? Maybe that’s cuz I, Kimber, just made it up. 

Well, okay. Mom helped. A little. She lobbied for “World’s Most Super Duper, Seriously Splendid, Extra Excellent, Terrifically Talented, Genuine Genius-y, and All-Around Awesome Author Awards.”

I nixed that. After all. Someone has to be the adult in the room. 

Where was I? Oh yeah. The Kimber Awards. … Continue reading →


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10 Books That Shoulda Won Pulitzers

Hang around Booklandia for any length of time – say, 20 minutes or so – and you know that authors whose books have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize pretty much have their tickets punched for the rest of their authorly lives. Cuz the Pulitzer Prize is a Big Deal. (Not as big as our PAWsome Book Awards, of course. Nobody can top that.)

But wait a minute. What about worthy books that shoulda won a Pulitzer but didn’t? 

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Which Reader Are You?

Kimber: I’m gonna be seven years this month! I’m telling you this now to give you last-minute gift-getters a heads up.

Anyway, Her Momness insists I’m still a “puppy.” So embarrassing. I keep telling her I’m a lap dog. I mean, really. What’s a measly 55 pounds?

So. I may not be seven yet. But I’ve been around long enough to make some observations. Like: Postal carriers aren’t always friendly. Neither are fences. There’s no such thing as a “ten second rule” when Yours Truly is on kitchen patrol.

Squirrel!

Wait. Where was I?

Oh yeah. I’ve made some observations in seven years-ish. One of them is there are lots of different kinds of readers. You may not think us canines notice stuff like this. But we do. Here are a few of the readers I’ve seen. Any of these sound familiar?

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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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