Anywho, whether you love stories with a strong pack mentality, thrilling chases, exotic settings or intriguing historical fiction, you can count on me, Kimber the Magnificent, for some barkworthy recs. Some of these titles are kind of obscure. Some we liked more than others. A couple surprised us. But all are memorable in their own write, right? By “memorable” we mean they linger after the final page. Roam around in your head for awhile. Kind of like extra crispy bacon…. What?

Anywho, we read close to 100 books this summer. I’ve dug up some of the most barkworthy. Let’s dig in!

Here, in no particular order, are some of our favorite/most memorable reads from “summer”:

1. The Hidden Life of Otto Frank – Carol Ann Lee. Non-fiction.

2. Beyond the High White Wall – Nancy Pitt. Historical Fiction.

3. Saved By Her Enemy: An Iraqi Woman’s Journey From the Heart of War to the Heartland of America – Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak. Non-fiction.

4. So You Want To Be a Veterinarian – Linda Soules. Children’s Non-fiction.

5. Simple Genius – David Baldacci. Thriller/Suspense.

6. Between Sisters – Kristin Hannah. Fiction.

7. 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi – Mitchell Zuckoff. Non-fiction.

8. The Rum Runner: The Legend of Captain John Stewart – Doralynn Kennedy. Gothic mystery.

9. Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly faith – The Voice of the Martyrs. Non-fiction.

10. Corvus – Shallen Ann Chitwood. Middle grade fantasy.

11. Redeeming Rhubarb – Bob Richley. YA/Fiction.

12. The Help – Kathryn Stockett. – Historical Fiction.

Can’t wait to see what book awesomeness The Ole Curmudgeon will dig up this fall! You never know. Stay tuned!

Here’s the issue with a lot of biographies/memoirs we get for review: They’re like a slow drip from a leaky faucet — predictable, repetitive, and utterly uneventful. As captivating as a plate of overcooked rutabagas.

Yes, we know again. You find your relatives fascinating. Are convinced their life story is going to burst onto the literary scene faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. But here’s the catch: If you’re writing for a general audience – someone other than family or close friends – that compelling life story you’re dying to tell the world? The world may just shrug its shoulders and go back to mindless scrolling. Or watching the next presidential debate. Which is pretty much the same thing.

If you want to craft a compelling biography that connects with someone besides your Aunt Mabel, it means thorough research, a clear narrative, and a story that resonates with a broader audience. Yeah, we know your Mum was a saint. But what’s the take-away for me? This is the question your average reader will ask. It’s pretty much the bottom line for an engaging biog. Connecting with the reader gives them a reason to keep turning pages. A recitation of life events that reads like Encyclopedia Britannica or a life chronology that’s as dry as a Kansas cornfield in August doesn’t cut it.

You wouldn’t believe how many biogs we get for review that don’t get this. They usually come from starry-eyed first-time authors who are so excited to get their magnum opus in print and Tell The World about their wonderful relative or friend, they forget to tell a story that someone who’s not a relative or friend will want to read. That kinda matters. Falling short of same, they seem genuinely surprised when we’re not turning cartwheels over a memoir or biog that’s as dull as a blunt spoon.

We’re just funny that way.

So here, at no extra charge, are some tips for writing a biography that someone besides your Aunt Mabel and Uncle Elmer will want to read:

Determine Your Purpose

First, ask yourself: Why am I writing this biography? How do I want readers to respond to this story? What’s their take-away?

Then choose a central theme to guide your narrative and keep it focused so it doesn’t wind up hopping down endless bunny trails or circling the irrelevancy drain. Do you want this story to convey leadership principles? Strength and courage in the midst of adversity? Keep it tight and keep it focused.

Research

This is probably the most crucial but non-glamorous part of the biog writing process. It could take months or years. But you need to get your facts together and get your facts straight. This is the backbone of your biography. A weak backbone makes for a weak story. The converse is also true.

So, martial your research skills and prepare to sally forth. Check out primary and secondary sources. This may include books, letters, journals, newspaper stories, and personal interviews. Fact check to ensure accuracy.

Organize

We get a lot of biographies that have solid stories but are hampered by structural deficiencies. That breathless first-time author thing. Avoid this common pitfall by selecting an appropriate structure for your story. Biographies are often told in chronological order. But thematic or event-driven structures may also be effective, depending on what key elements or takeaways you want to convey (see above).

A thoughtfully organized story will keep your readers engaged and the story will flow naturally. A throw-it-against-the-wall and see-if-it-sticks approach will have the opposite effect. (Trust me on this one. We’ve seen it way too many times.)

Start With a Hook

Note: “Sarah Smith was born in 1902” isn’t a hook. It’s a yawner. A couple more sentences like that and you’ve likely lost the reader for good. Lead with a powerful anecdote, quote, or dramatic moment that sets the tone for the remainder of the story.

Example 1: “They met in Tulsa. Dad was a ploughboy from western Oklahoma; Mom was a hometown girl. He was in the Army Air Corps, … and she had been first-prize winner in a jitterbug contest the year before. It was 1942: She was just turning eighteen, a high-school senior; and he was twenty-one. “- John Denver, Take Me Home.

Denver opens with a warm and concise portrait of his parents, evoking time, place, and personality. This sets the emotional tone for the balance of the book. Remember, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Make it memorable. Make it inviting. Make readers want to know more.

Example 2: I was born into a year of famine. It was 1947, and Austria was occupied by the Allied armies that had defeated Hitler’s Third Reich. In May, two months before I was born, there were hunger riots in Vienna, and in Styria, the southeastern province where we lived, the food shortages were just as bad.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story

Schwarzenegger immediately places the reader in the moment of his birth, against the backdrop of a nation rebuilding from war. It’s a powerful, dramatic opening for an autobiography about resilience, ambition, and transformation.

Pro tip: Test your opening line or paragraph by reading it out loud. How does it sound? Is the tone conversational or academic? Does it convey your theme right out of the gate? Does it captivate, or does it elicit snores?

Show, Don’t Tell

You want your subject to come across as a real life, three-dimensional person, not a cardboard cutout. You also want readers to be able to relate to your subject. So, include quotes, descriptions, dialogue, quirks, and any other personality traits that help readers connect. Show readers your subject rather than just telling them about same.

Use Storytelling

You’re writing a story, not a Wikipedia entry. Nobody wants to read a list-like account of someone’s life that’s as inspiring as stale kale. To create a compelling narrative, deploy storytelling elements like scene-setting, conflict, and resolution. Use lively prose. Keep the pacing brisk.

Revise and Edit

Don’t forget this step. It’s hard work. It doesn’t exactly qualify as a four-alarm barn burner. But polishing your draft is vital. Engage beta readers to check for clarity and coherence. Hire or find a professional editor if at all possible. They’ll check for readability. Pacing. Redundancies. And a professional and engaging tone.

Publishing

Unless your intended audience is limited to Aunt Mabel & Co., consider professional printing and formatting. Nothing will leave a sour taste in a reviewer’s mouth faster than a sloppy, haphazard manuscript that presents like a troop of drunk monkeys rolled the presses after a banana bonanza.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Info-dumping: Don’t overload readers with dry facts.

• Hero-worshiping: Excessive praise makes relating to the subject difficult, if not impossible.

• Skipping the hard stuff: Tension and conflict make for a compelling story.

• Genealogical data-dumping. Resist the urge to trace the family history back to Noah. Newsflash: Nobody cares and it slows the narrative like molasses in winter. Stick with the basics. Hit some highlights. Then move on, bub.

• Lack of theme: Your biography should have an over-arching theme that unifies and focuses the story—ambition, redemption, legacy, etc.

One Last Thing

If you are too close to the subject – say they’re a close relative or friend – consider engaging a ghost writer or a professional editor to assist with your book. Maybe both. Authors who write about a family member mean well. But they’re sometimes too emotionally invested in the subject to be able to write in a manner that will resonate with other readers and keep them turning pages. A professional editor or a professional biography writer can remain objective without compromising the emotional impact of the story.

Finally, writing a biography for someone besides your Aunt Mabel isn’t easy. But with time, attention, and focus per the above, the end result can be a compelling life story that not only informs but also captivates and leaves a lasting impression. And isn’t that the whole point?

Examples of Compelling Biographies:

42 Is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson – by Doreen Rappaport.

Leonardo Da Vinci – by Walter Isaacson

The Hidden Life of Otto Frank – by Carol Ann Lee

Into the Wild – by Jon Krakauer

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption – by Laura Hillenbrand

Redeeming Rhubarb

By Bob Richley

Genre: Fiction/Young Adult

Pages (print): 233

Via: Author Request

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

Kimber: Mom! Mom! Are we gonna start that food book thingy today?

Mom: What “food book thingy”?

Kimber (insert eye roll here): You know. The one about dessert! Pie, to be exact!

Mom: You know you’re not allowed to eat dessert. Especially pie.

Kimber: Not even Strawberry Rhubarb?

Mom: This I gotta see… or taste, as the case may be.

So here we go:

Read more: Why You’ll Need An Extra Fork for ‘Redeeming Rhubarb’

“Enemies can become friends, but it takes a long time to trust.”

This delightful fiction story gently shows readers young and old how to do just that.

The 4-1-1

Rhubarb the mouse lives with his family in a decrepit factory in Colorado. He harbors deep resentment towards rats after his brother was killed by one. When Barnabas the poetry-writing rat and his family move in, Rhubarb isn’t exactly turning cartwheels. But his wife Sherry, a formidable mouse in her own right, welcomes the new neighbors along with their mice children and a particularly precocious daughter named Strawberry (Hello, Reepicheep!). Strawberry also has big dreams. Hello, Mars. But that’s all we’re gonna say about that, capiche?

Meanwhile, Miley the cat is hungry. So are her kittens. While searching for her son Milo, mama cat winds up in a scrape with a pack of street dogs. The pack leader is Bailey, a Rottweiler. How this unlikely menagerie establishes common ground with each other and a kindly veterinarian named Bart will wring tears from a turnip in this unforgettable story of adventure, courage, faith, kindness, and grace. Oh, and “the letter”? Mom cried.

Warm and winsome, the writing style is reminiscent of beloved children’s authors like Beatrix Potter and E.B. White. Although the story deals with some weighty themes, it avoids coming across as preachy or pedantic. The plot is packed with adventures both human and animal. Briskly paced, the story will keep readers turning pages until the very end.

Sparkling with wit and whimsy, Redeeming Rhubarb strikes just the right balance between action/adventure fantasy and heartwarming parable. Think Aesop’s Fables meets Stuart Little. From mice and rats to cats and dogs and a dedicated veterinarian with a heart of gold, the characters leap off the page and into your heart.

Tip: Alert readers will note the deliberate pairing of two classic flavors in this novel, Strawberry and Rhubarb. Two very different flavors that work together to form one surprisingly delicious treat! Preferably with a light, flakey crust. (Kimber: Is it dinnertime yet? What?) That is no accident. It’s also quite clever. And the cover art? Well. Who can resist that?

Inspired by the devastating floods that swept through Boulder, Colorado in 2013, Redeeming Rhubarb is a winsome mix of adventure, peril, and second chances. It includes themes of prejudice, courage, kindness, and forgiveness. It’s structurally sound and gently faith-flavored and imparts valuable life lessons without sermonizing. Indeed, Redeeming Rhubarb is sure to be a hit with its target audience of children ages thirteen to eighteen. Note: Though written for young adults, the story and its Christian themes will have broad appeal to older audiences as well.

Redeeming Rhubarb is one of the finest young adult stories we’ve read in recent memory. You’ll love it! And that’s no “pie crust promise”!

Kimber: You gonna eat that?

Our Rating: 5.0

BYO fork!

– We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to bring you this important news bulletin –

Her Crankiness is at again. Being all cranky. Refusing to share her chocolate. Again. (That’s actually a good thing if you’re a dog like me. We don’t do chocolate. It’s toxic for us dogs.)

RED ALERT!

Anyway, She Who Must Be Obeyed has an important announcement. It’s for authors. Author wannabes. Publicists. Blog tour coordinators. Publishers. Pretty much anyone who contacts us for a review.

Listen Up!

If you’re one of the above, kindly pay attention. Cuz this is for you. And we’re not gonna repeat ourselves, savvy? So I’d listen up ‘fize you. Here goes:

ATTENTION AUTHORS & REVIEW REQUESTORS!

As noted in our Rating System and Submission Guidelines, you are required to Like, Comment and Share a positive review. If you are unable or unwilling to do so, THEN DON’T REQUEST A REVIEW.

Mom and I? We spend tons of time combing through review requests and deciding what we will or won’t accept. If a book is accepted, we may spend hours and hours reading it. And more time crafting a brilliant and pithy review.

Huge

It’s a huge investment of time and energy. We don’t charge any fees for reviews. We don’t get a cent for doing this. Not one penny. Our time and talent is free to you, authoroo.

At Least

So THE LEAST YOU CAN DO is say “thanks” by Liking, Commenting and Sharing the Post Link for a positive review. This not only helps promote your book, it also boosts post visibility. So again:

Required

Liking, Commenting, and Sharing the Link to a positive review is a REQUIREMENT for anyone asking for a review. If you don’t do so within three days of post publication, we will remove the post.

DO NOT TEST US ON THIS. YOU WILL LOSE.

In fact, here are some recent-ish posts that have been removed because the author(s) failed to adhere to our Like, Comment, and Share requirement outlined above. Also known as The Kitty Litter Hall of Shame (you soooo don’t want to be here, savvy?):

• If You Knew: An Unforgettable Journey Through Cancer, Choices, and Cosmic Possibilities

• Beowoof: Fantasy With Fur Charms in ‘Farm Pond’ (Upate July 2026: This review has been restored because the author anteed up and engaged. Applause! Whistles! Cheers!)

• ‘Molly and Potato’ is Tops!

• ‘King of Montreal’ A Breath Of Fresh Air

• New Historical Fiction Reveals Lesser-Known Chapter of Southwest History

• New Holocaust Novel Packs a Punch!

• New YA Adventure Rocks – or – Scraps to the Rescue!

• Reimagine Learning With ‘Open Education’

• Children’s Science Series Sparks Curiosity

• ‘Twilight of Evil’: WWII Historical Fiction With a Twist

• Downeyoshun: Coming of Age Tale a Mixed Bag?

• And ‘The River’ El Rio Runs Through It…

• ‘Searching for Lucky’ Heartwarming and Hilarious

• Wolf Meets Whups in ‘Greed Beneath the Empire’

• Psychological Thriller Has Potential

Don’t think we don’t notice. We do. Are we clear?

– We will now return you to our regularly scheduled blogging –

You’re welcome.

Summer vacay is winding down. So let’s make the most of it, eh? Pack your bags and set sail on the U.S.S. Mom and Kimster for some favorite fictional summer vacay locations. We’re talkin good food, good scenery, and good times. Based on books. (Accessories not included. Batteries sold separately.)

ALL ABOARD!

• Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl). What could be more fun than all the free chocolate Mom could possibly chow down? ‘Sides. It’ll be a brand new year by the time she comes down from that sugar high.

• The Emerald City (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum). The sentries! The horse-drawn carriages! The green glasses! A yellow-brick road and a hot air balloon! Oh yeah!

• Cair Paravel (The Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis). Seeking magical, scenic, and epic adventure with talking animals and a Really Big Lion? All you have to do is walk through a wardrobe.

• Neverland (Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie). Mom: Okay, Kimmi. Where’d ya stash my pixie dust?

• Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane (Mary Poppins – P.L. Travers). What IS inside that carpet bag, anyway?

• Rivendell (Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien): The ultimate “Calgon, take me away” retreat. Plush accommodations. Breathtaking natural beauty. Excellent elven wine and endless plates of food. Miles of hiking with a sweet furry face we all know and love. And no one will ask to see Mom’s passport.

• The Shire (The Lord of the Rings again- J.R.R. Tolkien): If we’re not busy rescuing hunanity and saving the world, we’ll park here for a while. Chow down on six meals a day (but who’s counting?). Snooze and cruise while waiting for Gandalf to show up with the latest fireworks extravaganza.

• Camelot (The Once and Future King – T.H. White). A king. A queen. A knight. A round table. And Morgan le Fey. What could possibly go wrong?

• The Hundred Acre Wood (Winnie-the-Pooh – A A. Milne). Terminal cuteness with the world’s most loveable bear ‘of very little brain’ and his sweet forest friends. Who wouldn’t want to join Pooh for a friendly pot of honey?

• Chew and Swallow (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs – Judi Barrett). A town where food falls out of the sky. All day. Every day. Kimber: Sign me up!

Where are you heading this summer? Let us know which fictional paradise you’re hoping to wake up in!

Shhh! Mom’s snoozing. So it’s just us, okay?

Can we talk? Like, about book reviews? Cuz Mom and I are getting flooded with requests for book reviews. We love it! But we also want to be efficient. So we decided to revisit some basic ground rules. As in, what to avoid. Or Don’t Be This Author. With this kind of book.

So, here’s how to get a negative review in three easy steps (Examples taken from actual events. Names and places sort of changed to protect the not-so-innocent.):

1) Use gratuitous profanity and offensive language.

One author complained about his profanity-laced collection of “poetry” that netted him a 3.0 score on Reedsy/Discovery. What he didn’t know is that a 3.0 on R/D was a gift. If his book was reviewed here, it’d get a 1.0. On a good day.

This same author also complained about other less-than-stellar reviews. His objection? Basically, he out a lot of time and hard work into his book. So he thought it deserved a higher rating.

When a dull-as-a-blunt-spoon biog about a relative earned a rating that was about what you’d expect for a dull-as-a-blunt-spoon biog, another author opined that they were writing as a family member, not as a professional author. Newsflash: We do honest reviews here, bub. So, sorry. Not sorry.

Newsflash again, Cupcake: Time, hard work, and devotion do not necessarily a good book make. If they did, your Maytag would be on the NYT Bestseller List. And if you’re fishing for four or five star ratings, bub, you’re using the wrong pole. In the wrong pond. So here’s an idea (thrown’ this in for free): Instead of whining about low scores, how ‘bout cleaning it up and writing a better book? Duh.

2) Argue with the reviewer about your book’s rating.

Don’t make me explain this. See #1, above.

3) Submit a book that’s so sloppy it’ll make your mama’s hair ache.

One author actually submitted a “short story” for review that was not only not short, it wasn’t even a “story.” As in, no real beginning. No middle. No end. And no point. Hello? He also didn’t seem to know the difference between “memoir” and “fiction. That aching hair thing again.

You’ve heard of “drunk tweeting”? That was how this guy’s “short story” read. Only longer. And why anyone would submit their book for review with “partially edited” In. The. Title boggles the mind. So don’t be that author. You’re better off drunk tweeting.

If you’ve read this far, you’re smarter than all of the above. You also renew our faith in a merciful God.

Also note that while we welcome authentic, faith-filled stories from a biblical worldview, we’re not fond of cudgels. Or being beaten over the head with Bible verses. Subtlety is an art, Buttercup. Learn it.

Yea, verily. It takes a lot of time and effort to read and review books. For free. We don’t have time for junk. As defined by us.

To reiterate: We do honest reviews here. If we hate your book, we say so. If we love your book, we say so. You just never know. As defined by us again. We make no guarantees and no promises.

But if you’re feeling brave and have actual, real talent and a professionally edited book – instead of drunk tweeting 2.0 – check out what we are and are not looking for regarding book submissions. You can find that in our Rating System and Submission Guidelines. If you’re an author looking for a review and haven’t yet read them, now would be good. Cuz you so don’t want to be That Author. Trust me on this one, Toots.

TTFN,

Kimber the Magnificent

XXOO

Let’s get one thing straight, okay? I, Kimber the Magnificent, am the true brains behind this entire book blogging operation. Sure, Her Royal Momness does all that “typing” and “reading” stuff requiring opposable thumbs. But without my strategic tail-wags, adorable puppy eyes, and sheer genius, her reviews would be nothing but plain text!

Not to worry. Mom and I are on track  for World Book Blogging Domination with my master plan. In fact, Mom and I are on track to completely take over the internet’s literary corner at any moment (Well, it’s mostly me. Mom helps. A little). Here’s why:

1. My Expert Editorial Eye

Mom’s book pile is ridiculous. But I know exactly which page she’s on, and I make sure she notices the most thrilling sentence(s). It’s dramatic. It’s interactive. And it keeps our readers on their paws.

2. The Power of the “Bark-eting” Team

Mom handles the SEO and hashtags (whatever that means). But I handle the 6:00 a.m. wake-up reminders about Is It Breakfast Yet? and Hurry Up and Finish That Book Already, Sweet Stuff! It’s called aggressive motivation. Plus, I help soothe her nerves after a particularly tragic plot twist with my world-class cuddles.

3. Content Strategy (AKA The Adorable Aesthetic)

Let’s be real. Nobody is coming to the blog just for the reviews. Even tho said reviews are incredibly witty, insightful, and Totally Pawsome. We all know you’re really here to see my sweet, furry face and witness my latest stroke of brilliance. Once I let Mom take a picture of me sleeping on her gorgeous hardcover stack or just being my brilliant, beautiful self, our subscriber count is going to skyrocket!

So listen up, Cookie. The hoomans think they run the literary world. Just shows ya what they know  – and that they aren’t quite ready for a four-legged takeover. But stay tuned. Because at any moment, this book blog is going viral.

And if you think a sweet furry face we all know and love is making that World Book Blogging Domination stuff up, think again. Cuz we just got this from WordPress:

So there!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta round up some smelling salts for Mom. And maybe a snack or two while I’m at it. Or three or four or…

TTFN,

Kimber the Bookish Dog 🐾

So there I was. Minding my own beeswax. Snoozing in the sun. With visions of Porterhouse steaks dancing in my head… What?

Well. Then She Who Must Be Obeyed asks me about summer reading plans. What do I look like, an oracle?

“C’mon, Kimmi. Time’s a-wastin’. We gotta get goin’ on our plan to conquer our summer reading list.”

Wait. We have a plan? Really?

Cuz, hey. Mom and I? We’re pros at summer reading. Cramming our book bag with enough library books to choke a camel. Adding to our TBR pile till it resembles the leaning Tower of Pizza. (Mom: “That’s Pisa, Kimmi.” Kimber: “You eat what you want and I’ll eat what I want, okay?”

Anywho, we like to be helpful. So here, at no extra charge, is our Kimber-Tested, Mom-Approved Guide to Conquering Your Summer Reading List.

1. Get more books than you can possibly read. It’s called being prepared. What if you finish that rom-com in two hours? What if you need a heavy, 700-page thriller to block the sun? To make sure you’re prepared, pack a giant tote bag with books. If lifting said tote bag doesn’t require muscles like an Olympic weightlifter, grab some more Proust and Tolstoy.

2. Deploy the “Guilt-Free” Zone. Summer is not the time for books that require a PhD to understand. Forget the classics you were supposed to read in high school. Summer is the season for fluffy novels, breezy thrillers, and books where the main character solves their life problems by moving to a small town and opening a bakery. Or a five-star resort spa. Preferably with a dog.

3. Cultivate the “Library Love” Method. We love library summer reading programs for adults. Why? Because of the prizes! I mean, let’s be honest, Cookie. We all need a little extra motivation to put down the phone and pick up a book. So we’re all in free tote bags, discount tickets to the county fair, and a free ice cream at Baskin-Robbins. Kimber: Purple tote bags on Aisle 9!

4. Dive Into the”Poolside Plot.” Reading at the pool is an art form. The goal is to look engaged but not too engaged, or else people will interrupt you with, “Is that a good book?”

Mom really hates that. It falls under the heading of “Reading in Progress. Interrupt at Your Own Peril; I wouldn’t risk it, ‘fize you.”

5. Skip Into the Switcheroo Approach. If you find yourself in a reading slump or your current read has you considering buying stock in No-Doze, switch to a different book. Summer is too short to read a book you’re not enjoying.

6. Move It With The Motivation Method. If you need extra incentive to get going on your summer reading list, reward yourself. For every three books you finish, treat yourself to a treat. Mom recommends an Alaska-sized bowl of Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream. With double hot fudge. But, hey. You do you.

Our Summer Reading Goal for 2026?
To actually finish one book without falling asleep and dropping it into the pool. Or losing it at the beach. Again. (Hi, Mom.)

What’s on your summer reading list? Let us know and tell us if you’ve actually read it yet!

Unbreakable: A Woman’s Guide to Aging With Power

By Vonda Wright, MD

Genre: Nonfiction/Health

Pages (print): 231. Plus Three Appendices – Exercise Protocols, Dr. Vonda’s Dinner System and Favorite Unbreakable Recipes, Unbreakable Strategies for Managing Pain and Injury/. And References + and Index

Via: Library

This is one of those woo-hoo! books that everybody and their neighbor’s fluff ball are raving about. Like we care. In fact, we almost bought stock in No Doze to keep us awake plowing through this clunker. It’s one of the most over-hyped thing-a-mah-jigs we’ve ever read. Here’s why:

Written by an orthopedic surgeon and “longevity specialist” – whatever that means – this book claims it’s for all women wanting to live their best life long into their senior years. It’s especially helpful for postmenopausal women and offers “A 6-week program for lifelong strength and vitality.” It’s presented in three sections: 1) Preparing for Your Unbreakable Future; 2) Building Your Unbreakable Future; 3) Beyond Unbreakable. (Assessing Mitrochrondial Health. Kloto Levels. Exosomes and Placental Material. Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Plasamapheresis. About nine million different types of “therapies.” Zzzzzzzz.)

It’s dull as dirt.

It includes tons of medical and physiological info that gets pretty technical pretty fast. It offers 20 pages of healthy, nutritious recipes. Samples: Tuna and Zucchini Burgers. Balsamic Veggie and Beet Hummus Sandwich. Air Fryer Honey Mustard Salmon.

A big issue we had with this book is in Part Two: Building Your Unbreakable Future. The author uses an exercise acronym FACE. Flexibility/Mobility, Aerobic Activity, Carrying a Load and Equilibrium and Footspeed. Several of the exercises described are difficult to visualize and execute properly without illustrations. This section has none. Also, the author seems to assume that everyone has access to a gym, personal trainer, or physical therapist. Not.

The quantity, intensity and sheer volume of exercise sessions – sometimes 30 to 45 minutes with “10 minutes of light jogging or cycling” with “static stretching afterwards” – may be daunting to the point of overwhelming. Especially for beginners. For example, the “dynamic warm-up” is “ten simple movements” with multiple reps. These “should take you about 15 minutes.” That’s BEFORE and in addition to the session itself. The Day 1 Lower Body Workouts include 19 separate exercises, with about 10 reps and 4 sets of each. Kimber: Gag me with arugula!

Additionally, the author is big on jumping. As in, BIG jumps. As in, risk breaking your face or something else kinda jumps.

This book was a big disappointment. Our biggest beef? Unless you have an orthopedist or personal trainer in your hip pocket, Unbreakable isn’t particularly user-friendly. It feels clunky. With a boatload of technical mumbo-jumbo and doctor-ese that’s gonna make some readers run for the hills. Readability is also an issue.

Yea, verily. Nothing says ‘aging with power” like a book that cures insomnia by Chapter 2. Mom likes to think of it as the ultimate guide to napping with authority. So there!

Recommended instead: Dr. Lisa Moore, DPT, and Brick House Bones. Check out her 90-minute online workshop: Journey to Fracture-Proof. And her You Tube channel. Less fear. More Strength.

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!

Kimber here. Bein’ all magnificent and everything.

Well, the subject of “best U.S. historical fiction” came up the other night. We were watching 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. Not P.C. 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!

This is our not-PC, totally unscientific, 100 % subjective list of great historic-ish reads for a great American holiday! To make the cut, titles have to be good stories. Well-written. Based on or interweaving actual events, people, or epochs from U.S. history. (Not sure what that means. But it sounds delish!)

Ready? Set? Let’s Go!

Best historical fiction novels set in the United States from pre-colonial times to recent times. And yep. We’ve actually read all of these. So. In no particular order:

1.Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes

A riveting novel about the defining events leading up to the American Revolutionary War.

Fourteen-year-old Johnny Tremain, an apprentice silversmith with a bright future ahead of him, injures his hand in a tragic accident, forcing him to look for other work. Johnny is soon involved in the pivotal events shaping the American Revolution from the Boston Tea Party to the first shots fired at Lexington. Powerful illustrations by American artist Michael McCurdy bring to life Esther Forbes’s quintessential novel of the American Revolution. A Newbery Award winner.

2. Woods Runner, by Gary Paulsen

Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston.

But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away, prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City.

3. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic tale examines the concepts of sin, guilt, and pride.

4. To Try Men’s Souls, by Newt Gingrich

This story follows three men with three very different roles to play in history: General George Washington, Thomas Paine, and Jonathan Van Dorn, a private in Washington’s army.

The action focuses on one of the most iconic events in American history: Washington crossing the Delaware. Unlike the bold, courageous General in Emanuel Leutze’s painting, Washington is full of doubt on the night of December 25, 1776. After five months of defeat, morale is dangerously low. And then…

5. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth Speare George

It’s 1687. Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut. Alone and desperate, she’s been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. But Kit’s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined. It ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty.

6. The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara

In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fought for two dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way of life. The Killer Angels is unique, sweeping, unforgettable—a dramatic re-creation of the battleground for America’s destiny.

7. The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane

Set during the Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Overcome with shame, he longs for a wound, a “red badge of courage,” to counteract his cowardice. When his regiment once again faces the enemy, Henry acts as standard-bearer.

8. Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

A superb piece of storytelling, GWTW explores the depths of human passions with an intensity as bold as its setting in the bluff red hills of Georgia, from the Civil War through Reconstruction.

9. The Long Black Schooner: The Voyage of the Amistad, by Emma Gelders Stern

A fictional account of the 1839 revolt of Africans, led by Cinque, against their Spanish captors aboard the slave ship Amistad, and their subsequent arrival in the United States, where they were tried for piracy.

10-13. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Streams to the River, River to the Sea, Sarah Bishop, and Thunder Rolling in the Mountains, by Scott O’Dell

Sarah Bishop: Left alone after the deaths of her father and brother, who take opposite sides in the War of Independence, Sarah Bishop flees from the British who seek to arrest her and struggles to shape a new life for herself in the wilderness.

The Island of the Blue Dolphins: Newbery Medal winner Island of the Blue Dolphins is considered one of the greatest children’s books ever written. This story of survival is as haunting and beautiful today as it was when it first appeared in print.

Streams to the River, River to the Sea: A young Native American woman, accompanied by her infant and her cruel husband, experiences joy and heartbreak when she joins the Lewis and Clark expedition seeking a way to the Pacific.

Thunder Rolling in the Mountains: A powerful account of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce Indians in 1877 by the United States Army is narrated by Chief Joseph’s strong and brave daughter.

14. My Antonia, by Willa Cather

Published in 1918, My Antonia is the story of Ántonia Shimerda, who arrives on the Nebraska frontier as part of a family of Bohemian emigrants. Her story is told through the eyes of Jim Burden, a neighbor who will befriend Ántonia, teach her English, and follow the remarkable story of her life.

15. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith

This book was first published in 1943. Seventy years later, readers are still fascinated by Betty Smith’s moving portrayal of the Nolans, a poor family living in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn.

A poignant tale of childhood and the ties of family, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn will transport the reader to the early 1900s where a little girl named Francie dreamily looks out her window at a tree struggling to reach the sky.

16. This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger

1932, Minnesota—the Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O’Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.

17. Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson

For most of her life, sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks has been shuttled from one distant relative to another. Tired of being Hattie Here-and-There, she summons the courage to leave Iowa and move all by herself to Vida, Montana, to prove up on her late uncle’s homestead claim.

Under the big sky, Hattie braves hard weather, hard times, a cantankerous cow, and her own hopeless hand at the cookstove. Her quest to make a home is championed by new neighbors Perilee Mueller, her German husband, and their children. Despite daily trials, Hattie continues to work her uncle’s claim until an unforeseen tragedy causes her to search her soul for the real meaning of home.

A Newbery Honor book.

18. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Set in a sleep southern town, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961.

19. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

Published in 1939, The Grapes of Wrath is an American realist novel. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962.

Set during the Great Depression, the novel focuses on the Joads. They’re a poor family of tenant farmers driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, economic hardship, agricultural industry changes, and bank foreclosures. Looking for work, they wind up in California where they quickly discover that “all that glitters is not gold.”

20. Out of the Dust –by Karen Hesse

Powerful and poignant, this award-winning story is set in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl of the Great Depression. The author’s masterful use of spare free verse propels this story right off the pages. You can almost taste the dust and hear Billie Jo’s piano.

21. The Wartime Sisters, by Lynda Cohen Loigman

The U.S. is deep into WWII. But The Wartime Sisters isn’t really about a global conflict. It’s about a quiet war between two siblings whose dual secrets and rivalries last for years. And how they eventually close ranks and link arms to protect each other when threatened. Along the way we find out not only what makes each sister tick, but what “sisterhood” really means and why.

This is a thoughtful read that’s briskly paced. Two thumbs up!

Click here for my full review.

22. Call of the Wild, by Jack London

Often considered an “adventure” story, Call of the Wild may also qualify as “historical fiction,” as the action takes place in the midst of the Klondike gold rush of the 1890s.

The protagonist is a dog, Buck. He’s stolen, taken to Alaska, and sold to a pair of Canadians named Francois and Perrault. They train him as a sled dog, and he quickly learns how to survive the cold winter nights and the pack society by observing his teammates. I’d bring a blanket ‘fize you.

23. Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens

Set in rural North Carolina over a span of about 20 years, Where the Crawdads Sing is a wistful, bittersweet story about Catherine Danielle Clark, aka “Kya.” Also known as the Marsh Girl. The story centers on Kya’s young life as she navigates the wilds of North Carolina alone.

Owens’s story glides between the 1950s and seventies as naturally and seamlessly as the channels and lagoons of Kya’s marsh and the wild lands that bookend her life. It’s a masterful tale of love and loss. Abandonment and rejection. Loneliness. Hope and longing. 5 stars! (Included here because it’s included on the Historical Novel Society’s site.)

Read my full review here.

24. Sounder,by William H. Armstrong

The Newbery Medal–winning classic novel about the courage and faith—and the love of a dog—that give a family strength in the face of inhumanity.

The boy knows that times are tough for his family. Every night, his father goes out hunting with their great coon dog, Sounder, to try to put food on the table. But even with the little they bring back, there is still never enough for the family to eat.

When the boy awakens one morning to a sweet-smelling ham on the table, it seems like a blessing. But soon, the sheriff and his deputies come to the house and take the boy’s father away in handcuffs. Suddenly the boy must grow up fast in a world that isn’t fair, keeping hope alive through the love he has for his father’s faithful dog, Sounder.

Readers who enjoy timeless dog stories such as Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows will find much to love in Sounder, even as they read through tears at times.

25. Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George

To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness.

Miyax tries to survive by copying the ways of a pack of wolves and soon grows to love her new wolf family. Life in the wilderness is a struggle, but when she finds her way back to civilization, Miyax is torn between her old and new lives. Is she Miyax of the Eskimos—or Julie of the wolves?

A Newbery Medal-winning classic.

Did your favorite make the list?

What would you add?

Kimber the Magnificent here. Being all brilliant and beautiful. (It’s a tough job. But someone’s gotta do it.)

While Mom is grilling outside tomorrow, I’ll be inside chillin’ on my new dog cooling mat. It’s this cool blue thingy. It’s magic. I lay down on it and stop panting. It keeps me cool and comfy all day. Even in July.

Mom also closes the windows on the 4th. Leaves the fan on. Music, too. It helps mask the big booms outside. I don’t freak out over the big booms. But let’s just say they’re not my favorite. Waiting for Mom to drop something from the grill is!

Anyway, if you misplaced your cooling mat or want to celebrate this Pawesome America 250 thing with some Kimber-approved books, I gotcha covered.

Just grab your favorite chew toy and check out this cozy Independence Day reading list. Perfectly curated from Yours Truly ♥️.

Kimber’s Ultimate Pup-riotic Book List

1. My Fourth of July

The Vibe: Wholesome, nostalgic, and totally chew-free!

Why I picked it: Written by Jerry Spinelli, this book follows a little human getting ready for the ultimate picnic, listening to bands, and enjoying the day. It’s exactly how I like my holidays—lots of deviled eggs and zero loud bangs.

2. I Am Sammy, Trusted Guide

The Vibe: An inspiring hero’s journey (starring a Golden Retriever, obviously).

Why I picked it: See the world directly through the eyes of Sammy, a very good boy with a very important city job. It reminds everyone what loyal, hard-working heroes dogs are, which is a great reason to give me an extra treat.

3. Liberty (The Puppy Place #32)

The Vibe: Action, adventure, and a happy ending.

Why I picked it: In this one, Liberty gets spooked by fireworks on the beach and goes on a grand adventure before finding her family. It’s a great reminder to double-check your tags and microchip before the festivities begin!

4. Newfie to the Rescue! A Lifeguard Dog Story

The Vibe: Bravery and water-front heroism.

Why I picked it: While other humans are completely distracted by the bright sky, a big brave Newfoundland dog saves the day at the beach. We dogs are always looking out for the pack!

5. Your Dog’s Guide to a Safe and Happy Fourth of July

The Vibe: Relatable, snarky, and very demanding.

Why I picked it: For a laugh, give this one a read! It’s our official manifesto on why hot dogs belong on the patio and how a good belly rub is basically the real meaning of Independence Day.

You gonna eat that?

Happy Independence Day, friends!

And Happy Birthday America!

Ah, summer! Sun. Sand. The beach! Mom’s fave iced tea. Big ‘ole fluffy towel. Dark glasses. Floppy hat. That Russian novel she’s been threatening to finish since shortly after the discovery of fire. And snacks. Don’t forget snacks! And, really. How was I supposed to know a mini cooler is for cooling, not burying in the sand after running it all over the beach at Mach 4?

Well. That was yesterday’s beach adventure. Live and learn, eh? There was also:

The Tail of the Towel. Aka: a giant, plush bullseye perfectly calibrated to absorb water right before I launch a full-body shake and douse Mom with enough salt water to sink the Bismarck. Oh, and that soggy, salty belly-flop onto chapter 3? It was an accident. Promise.

The “Quicksand” Illusion. How come the beach doesn’t come with more grass? Why am I always sinking? And what’s up with all this sand?

The Great Chapter Bury. Okay, okay. So maybe I did get a little carried away with that beach excavation thing. Like, digging half-way to China. And chucking sand all over Tolstoy. But, hey. The guy needed a face lift anyway. Think of all the money I saved him!

The Bait and Switch. Mom said, “Wanna play fetch?” Well. What kinda question is that?! Soon as she tossed the stick, I was all in! Sprinting full-speed down the coastline to:

• Outrun every shorebird in sight.

• Roll in every piece of seaweed I could find.

• Say “hello” to everyone in the same zip code.

• Protect Mom from one very sketchy-looking plastic bag.

The Salty Sea Gulp. Kids, don’t try this at home! Yeech!

Well. We had fun. Mostly. One of us even learned a few things. So here, at no extra charge, are some tips for surviving a “beach read” with your canine. (Accessories not included. Batteries sold separately.)

• Pack a Canine Command Center: Bring an Explorer Dog Travel Bag to organize all the toys, fresh water, and portable bowls to keep them distracted from your book.

• Bring Shade: A pop-up sun shelter makes a good chill zone where your pup can stay cool, keeping the sand-kicking radius at a safe distance. Add a cooling mat.

• Accept Defeat: Honestly, the best way to handle reading at the beach with Fido is to just accept that your book will end up as a glorified chew toy. Bring a waterproof e-reader, or just give up and enjoy watching your furry bestie live their absolute best life in the surf. And leave that Russian novel at home. Kimber: Works for me! Can we go again tomorrow? Can we? Can we? Huh? Huh?

Kimber the Magnificent here. Jumping into summer and summer reading. Cuz summer is the lazy, daisy season. (Kimber: Not sure what that means. Methinks Mom just made that up. I prefer to think of summer as The Season of Endless Barbecues...)

Wait. Where were we?

Oh yeah. Summer and summer reading. We talked about conquering your summer reading list the other day. One of us thought we oughtta clarify that the last thing Mom and I want on our summer plate is a reading list that feels like homework. So if your “summer reading” includes Russian literature that’s as dense as a pea soup fog or has books with plots so thick you could pave roads with ’em, you’re doing it wrong.

Not to fret, Cookie. We’re here to help.

When Mom and I think of “summer reading,” we think hammocks. Iced tea. Fun. Light. Like Jan Karon’s Mitford series. Karen Kingbury’s Baxter family saga. Heidi Ennis’s The Columbia River Saga.

So, Toots. You ready for some Totally Pawsome Tips for No-Guilt Summer Reading? Good. Cuz here ya go:

1. If It’s Too Heavy, Drop It. Life is short, Darlin’. So is summer. So let’s not spend it plowing through books that taste like stale kale. Like, if we’re not hooked by chapter three or four? We chuck it. That book is now a coaster for our iced tea.

So lose the could-double-as-a-door-stop, straight-outta-snoozeville books. Just read books that holler adventure, insight, or Just. Plain. Fun. (With a side of bacon. What?)

Check out: The King’s Shadow by M.L. Farb. These Strange Ashes by Elisabeth Elliot. Among the Innocent by Mary Alford. A Father’s Dream by Heidi Ennis.

2. Embrace the Pile of Possibilities. Don’t just pick one book. Stack them up. Create a tower of novels as tall as your favorite beach chair. We’re talking about thrillers with more twists than Lombard Street. Clean romance novels where the main character falls for the moody bookstore owner (Like, hello, cliché, we love you). Fantasy books that make you forget you have a day job. Or any job. Travel tales of self-discovery that have you grabbing your passport.

Examples: Farm Pond by Gordon Frisbie. Wish You Well by David Baldacci. Beyond the Stars by Doreen Berger. Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes.

3. Local Legends: Read a book set in a city you’ve never been to, or a gripping thriller that makes you gasp in the middle of a crowded beach.

Try: Half Notes from Berlin by B.V. Glants. Hunt for a Hometown Killer by Mary Dodge Allen. Bag of Lies by R.D. Wyrick.

4. The “Sassy Reader” Challenge. Read an entire book while pretending to be a spy at a crowded pool. They’ll never know…

5. Swap books with your friends immediately after finishing, just to argue about the ending.

6. Keep it Light: Opt for books that don’t require 100% concentration, ensuring your brain gets a vacation too. (This should be pretty easy for one of us since her brain is on vacation most of the time anyway.)

7. Kick “Shoulds” to the Curb. Reading is supposed to be enjoyable, not a chore. (See #1, above.) We’re not trying to impresss anyone. So if someone asks what you’re reading, say you’re “engaging in leisure-based literary immersion,” which translates into reading whatever you want.

8. Got 10 Minutes? Great. Now pick up a book instead of your phone. You’ll be much happier and lots smarter. Trust me on this one, Buttercup.

Options: The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley. Kindness Heroes by Jackie Kurtz. The Forbidden River by Lili Cyr-Robillard.

9. Turn off the TV. Read instead. Don’t make me explain this.

10. Listen to an audiobook while walking your incredibly brilliant and beautiful dog. Laugh out loud at the funny parts while your dog looks far more intelligent than you. As usual (Hi. Mom).

Final Thoughts: If you read one book or a gazillion this summer, you win. Cuz summer reading isn’t about lofty goals or numbers. It’s about enjoying those lazy, daisy days with a good book. And a good dog. “Just don’t ask for mine,” spake Mom. “Cuz this sweet girl is already taken.” Just like summer. Kimber: And barbecues. Don’t forget barbecues!

Happy reading, you lovely bookworms!

Oday the Healer

By E.B. Roshan

Genre: Christian Fiction

Pages (Kindle): 259

Via: Author Request

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

Southeast Europe, circa 900 A.D.

Kurosh is in desperate circumstances: a single mistake could cost him and his family their lives. His father, Rayis Sikandar, is among the most respected of the nomadic warlords, but he is very ill. If the Rayis dies, Kurosh must lead the clan in his stead-assuming he can prove his strength and escape his rival’s schemes.

Oday, the privileged heir of nobility and only Christian in his clan, joins his servants for the annual cattle drive. However, when he wakes one morning, his mind is full of a strange and vivid dream, a dream that convinces him God has given him power to be a Healer.

When the two boys meet unexpectedly, underlying tensions within their clans rise to the surface, and both must decide what is worth sacrificing for.

Indeed, both Oday and Kurosh are outcasts of sorts – Kurosh due to his “fits” and Oday due to his faith. But the two boys more have more in common than meets the eye…

“The firm ground of all he had believed for years about himself and the Almighty God seemed to be sliding away beneath him, like a river bank during a spring flood.”

There’s also betrayal. Failure. Rejection. Ransom. Redemption. Family. Friendship. Forgiveness. Bondage. Freedom. And hope. Much more! In fact, just about the time you think you know where the plot’s heading. Well, whoa! Hold on there, pardner!

“Why do you persist in devotion to a god who has forgotten you?”

Soaked in sagacity and marinated in mercy, Oday the Healer is clever and as fresh as a new dawn. It’s gently faith-flavored without being preachy. Think Dances With Wolves meets End of the Spear. With a side of Braveheart. It also tackles some tough questions while neatly side-stepping canned cliches or cellophane-wrapped responses.

“Oday’s God is not like other gods…”

Beautifully written and masterfully told, the story features impressive world-building skills as well as rich settings and descriptions. Like: “That evening, when the earth had swallowed the sun leaving a yellow sky clotted with dark clouds, the smell of roasting grain and beef broth from dozens of cooking fires hung rich and warm in the air…”

Kimber: When’s dinner? What?

Scene stealers: Diti, Oday’s twelve-year-old half-sister; Niko, Oday’s bond servant with a secret; Otish, Kurosh’s faithful steed.

First-rate story-telling propels a nimble narrative, keeping readers engaged and turning pages. The number of characters is limited so the plot is uncluttered, allowing the story to focus on the conflict and tension between the two principals, Oday and Kurosh. Moving briskly, the reader is soon immersed in a fascinating tale of intrigue, insight, and more plot twists than the tilt-a-whirl at the county fair. (We’re not crazy about the cover art. Just sayin’.)

Finally, reading Oday the Healer is like standing under a hot shower after a bone-weary, frostbitten day on the frozen tundra. Seeing a firefly light up an ink-black sky. Watching a rainbow spill through the clouds. Or waking up on the first day of summer vacation. Arf! Arf!

Our Rating: 4.0

The Colonel’s Revenge

A Mateus de Silva Adventure (Koehlerbooks, 2026)

By Jeffrey K. Schmoll

Genre: Fiction – Action/Adventure

Pages (Print): 252

Via: Author’s request

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

“Revenge is a dish best served cold” – Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

So. You may want to break out your winter gear and an extra blankie for the newest action/adventure book by Jeffrey Schmoll. Cuz we’re talkin’ Edmond Dantes-esque revenge here as expert writing, pitch-perfect pacing and a lightning-fast plot race across pages and places like a runaway freight train in The Colonel’s Revenge.

Yeppers, this story has it all. Unusual settings: Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Friends lost on the battlefield. Diamonds, gems, treasure. A desperate fight for survival in a brutal, illegal gold mine. Losing a family. Finding a grandson. Love. Loyalty. Betrayal. Second chances. And enough high-octane adventure to send you into orbit. I’ll let Mom tell ya more. (Cuz, ya know. Mom. Insert eye roll here.)

Set in Angola, 1984, the first chapter starts off with a bang. Literally. When Cuban Col. Juan Mateus de Silva is fighting for the Soviet-backed People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola. A brutal civil war is raging. And UNITA is raining down howitzer fire on his position.

Unjustly accused of cowardice by his arrogant, inept superior after his force is wiped out, de Silva forms a plan. A plan for revenge. Once in motion, it will move him from decorated officer to traitor.

Then all of a sudden, faster than you can say “Fidel Castro,” the action shifts to Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California. It’s 2011. And we follow dueling timelines for a while. More on that in a min. So, keep your hair on, Cookie.

Anyway, de Silva escapes the general’s clutches and is rescued by Johann van Jaarsveld. Sort of. De Silva is later betrayed by this guy. The colonel winds up as slave labor in a pretty nasty illegal gold mine in South Africa, the Bekebeke. He’s trapped there for decades. (Kimber: For the record, “Harry” is an idiot, old sod. Wot?)

We then find out that the colonel’s grandson, also named Mateus, is a college prof at Harvey Mudd. He and some Caltech friends have formed a non-profit focused on providing clean drinking water and other necessities to poverty-stricken Angolans.

When young Mateus receives an old letter from the colonel hidden in the de Silva family Bible, the “four from California” launch a daring, desperate rescue plan…

The colonel was out there. His only family. Whatever it took, he was going to bring him home.

Note that there’s some profanity in this book. Which we never like. But it’s not pervasive or gratuitous. So, we’re letting it slide. Just this once, Sweetkins. Also, we got a little lost in the whole casino stuff in Part 3, The Reckoning. Not our thing. We were also scratching our heads as to how the “four from California” – Caltech grads and a college prof – manage so much expertise with high-end and highly complex military grade weaponry. Note also that you have to keep two sets of characters, two-time frames (1980s and 2011-ish), and two sets of action in two different continents (North America and Africa) straight in your head early on. So, you may want to bring some bread crumbs. And a map.

Indeed, it took one of us a little while to get into the Angola – Namibia – Cuba – South Africa – California – Texas – South Africa again thing. (Hi, Mom.) But let’s not get picky here, okay?

Flip side: Action/adventure fans will enjoy The Colonel’s Revenge. Think Indiana Jones meets Ethan Hunt meets Rambo meets Edmond Dantes. The action skims along briskly as the story hurtles down the track to a nail-biting crescendo. (Kimber: You might want to buckle up, Buttercup.) The plot is quick and clever. Intense, absorbing and engaging, Revenge is as sharp as well-aged cheddar. (Kimber: Cheese? What? Mom: You eat what you want and I’ll eat what I want, okay?)

The front-page headline, printed in four-inch block letters usually reserved for moon landings or presidential assassinations, shouted…. (to find that out, you’ll have to read the book. Heh heh heh.)

Finally, masterful writing, strong story-telling skills and a high-energy narrative will keep you turning pages till the very end. (Who needs to chug Red Bull when you can have Revenge instead?)

Bonus points: We Totally Love-ified the Lord of the Rings references. We also love Alexandre Dumas and Edmond D. Revenge reminded us of both.

Kimber: Speaking of reminder-ing, I had to keep reminding Mom about The Most Important Time of the Day while she was reading this book. That would be dinnertime, of course. Cuz Mom claims she got so absorbed in the book once it got rolling, she “lost track of time.” So annoying. While we’re on the subject of annoying – sort of – that Khan dude? Never fear, friends. I’ve got him out-classed and out-thunk sixteen ways from Sunday. Every day of the week. Especially at dinnertime! So there!

Meanwhile, The Colonel’s Revenge is the second book in the Mateus de Silva adventure series. Like its predecessor, The Treasure of Tundavala Gap, Revenge’s cliffhanger ending is ripe for a sequel. So keep an eye out, my little hobbits.

Our Rating: 4.0

Kimber the Magnificent here. Giving you a little heads up. Cuz The ‘Ole Curmudgeon is being an old curmudgeon today. Again. Still. It has to do with this holiday thingy today. I’ll let TOC fill ya in:

Many people confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day. They are not the same. Veterans Day honors the living. Memorial Day honors those who gave “the last full measure” of devotion in service to our country.

It’s why I cringe when I hear “happy” Memorial Day.

For many families who’ve lost loved ones, Memorial Day isn’t a happy day. Nor is it a day intended to be celebrated in the traditional sense of that word.

If you’re thinking, “I’ve said this, but I didn’t mean to be disrespectful,” then please take a moment to learn why the holiday exists and how you might recognize it.

Originally deemed “Decoration Day” as a way to recognize the soldiers lost during the Civil War, the day gradually expanded to memorialize all those who have given their lives throughout the long history of war in the US. The holiday was officially recognized in 1971. Memorial Day continues to be a distinguished day to remember the military personnel whom we have lost.

For some, the meaning of Memorial Day is deeply personal. It is a day to mourn a dear grandparent, parent, spouse, sibling, child, or friend who died in service to our nation.

So on this solemn day, let’s remember the true meaning of Memorial Day and seek ways to honor our nation’s heroes who died in service to our great nation. Plan a visit to a military cemetery or war memorial. Fly the flag. Attend local activities hosted by local veteran groups. Or simply take a moment to learn more about those who served and why we, as a nation, set aside one day each year to remember those who have given their lives in defense of our freedoms.

“This is the day we pay homage to all those who didn’t come home. This is not Veterans Day, it’s not a celebration, it is a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of freedom.”
-Tamra Bolton

So I’m off to do some contemplatin’. Meanwhile, Mom suggests the following titles on that score (the short list. In no particular order. Both historical fiction and non-fiction):

• The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War (Pulitzer Prize winner) – Michael Shaara.

• To Try Men’s Souls – (U.S. Revolutionary War) – Newt Gingrich, William Forstchen.

• No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden – Mark Owen.

• Pretty much anything by Bruce Catton (U.S. Civil War)

• The Red Badge of Courage – Stephen Crane.

• To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor – Jeff Shaara

• Fifty-Three Days on Starvation Island: When Uncommon Valor Was a Common Virtue (Guadalcanal, WWII)

• Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of WWII’s Greatest Rescue Mission – Hampton Sides.

• The Women (Viet Nam) – Kristin Hannah. Not Hannah’s best outing in our opinion. But still worthwhile.

• Unknown Valor: A Story of Family, Courage, and Sacrifice from Pearl Harbor to Iwo Jima – Martha MacCallum.

• Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany – Stephen E. Ambrose.

• Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption –
  Laura Hillenbrand

• Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany – Donald L. Miller.

• The Forgotten War: America in Korea – Clay Blair, Jr.

See?

So We Did

Anywho. That poster thingy got one of us thinking. Mom, says I, Kimber the Genius. We can do better. Let’s make our own Bucket List. So we did.

Mom Tested, Kimber Approved

Below is our Mom Tested, Kimber Approved, 100% Unscientific, Totally Subjective 100 Books For Your Bucket List. As in, Good Stuff Here. Enjoyable. Enlightening. Inspiring. Entertaining. Thought-Provoking. Great writing. And Just Plain. Fun. Both fiction and nonfiction.

Note: We’re not talkin’ all Hoity-Toity here. So relax, okay?

Some titles are newer than others. Most have been around awhile. Stood the test of time. You’ll find some well-worn “classics” that are probably on everyone’s “Best Books” list. Some might surprise you. And a few are… Well. Hi, Mom.

We’ve also included some children’s literature. Hi again, Mom. By the way, we’re only including titles we’ve actually read. In case you’re wondering.

Mom-Tested, Kimber Approved.

So here, without further ado or hullabaloo, is the Official Mom and Kimber version of 100 Books For Your Bucket List. As in, read these before you die and you can die happy, okay? In no particular order:

100 Books For Your Bucket List

1. The Bible

2. The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

3. The Velveteen Rabbit – Margery Williams

4. Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds – Joy Adamson

5. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

6. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

7. The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

8. A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

9. Bleak House – Charles Dickens

10. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

11. Cry, The Beloved Country – Alan Paton

12. Out of Africa – Isak Dinesen

13. The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Victor Hugo

14. The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas

15. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum

16. The Sacred Romance – John Eldredge

17. The Hiding Place – Corrie ten Boom

18. Waking the Dead – John Eldredge

19. The Prayer of Jabez – Bruce Wilkinson

20. Through Gates of Splendor – Elisabeth Elliot

21. The Chronicles of Narnia – C.S. Lewis

22. The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring – J.R.R. Tolkien

23. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen

24. Because of Winn Dixie – Kate DiCamillo

25. Silas Marner – George Eliot

26. Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell

27. Black Beauty – Anna Sewell

28. Animal Farm – George Orwell

29. 1984 – George Orwell

30. Winnie the Pooh (the complete collection) – A.A. Milne

31. Hamlet – Shakespeare

32. Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe

33. Jane Eyre – Emily Bronte

34. The Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan

35. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

36. The Scarlett Letter– Nathaniel Hawthorne

37. The Giving Tree – Shel Silverstein

38. My Antonia – Willa Cather

39. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl

40. Ben Hur – Lew Wallace

41. The Bronze Bow – Elizabeth George Speare (Newbery Winner)

42. Common Sense – Thomas Paine

43. A River Runs Through It – Norman Maclean (Pulitzer Finalist)

44. The Prince – Nicolo Machievelli

45. Gulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift

46. Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie

47. Bambi – Felix Salten (The original, not the Disney-fied version)

48. Tuck Everlasting – Natalie Babbitt

49. The Odyssey – Homer

50. One Thousand and One Nights: The Arabian Nights – R.F. Burton

51. The Red Badge of Courage – Stephen Crane

52. The Collected Stories of Washington Irving

53. Blueberries for Sal – Robert McCloskey

54. Aesop’s Fables

55. The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas

56. The Swiss Family Robinson – Johann Wyss

57. Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy

58. Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad

59. The Diary of Anne Frank – Anne Frank

60. Ivanhoe – Sir Watler Scott

61. Call It Courage – Armstrong Sperry (Newbery winner)

62. A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

63. The Killer Angels – Michael Shaara (Pulitzer winner)

64. Hans Christian Andersen’s Complete Fairy Tales – H.C. Andersen

65. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens

66. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel – Virginia Lee Burton

67. The Indian in the Cupboard – Lynne Reid Banks

68. Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl

69. Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll

70. Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption– Laura Hillenbrand

71. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

72. Curious George Classic Collection – H.A. Rey

73. Soup – Robert Newton Peck

74. A Fine and Pleasant Misery – Patrick F. McManus

75. The Short Stories of O. Henry – O. Henry

76. Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls

77. Doctor Zhivago – Boris Pasternak

78. Spencer’s Mountain – Earl Hamner, Jr. (The novel that inspired The Waltons)

79. Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak (Caldecott winner)

80. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Betty Smith

81. Hatchet – Gary Paulsen (Newbery winner)

82. The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah

83. The Great Alone – Kristin Hannah

84. Anne of Green Gales – L.M. Montgomery

85. The Bridge to Terabithia – Katherine Paterson (Newbery winner)

86. Babette’s Feast – Isak Dinesen

87. The Small Woman: The Heroic Story of Gladys Aylward – Alan Burgess

88. To Sir, With Love – E.R. Braithwaite

89. The Giver of Stars – Jojo Moyes

90. How Green Was My Valley – Richard Llewellyn

91. Shiloh – Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Newbery winner)

92. Island of the Blue Dolphins – Scott O’Dell (Newbery winner)

93. I Am Still Alive – Kate Marshall

94. King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian – Marguerite Henry (Newbery Medal Winner)

95. The Little House series – Laura Ingalls Wilder

96. The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

97. Babe, The Gallant Pig – Dick King-Smith

98. The Little Engine That Could – Watty Piper

99. Corduroy – Don Freeman

100. Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown

101. What would you add?

How many do you recognize?

* Can we agree here and now that Catcher in the Rye is one of the most over-rated books in the English language? And to the horror of high school English teachers everywhere, so are The Sound and the Fury, The Great Gatsby, and most Virginia Woolf entries. Ditto Marcel Proust. He’s the kind of author everyone talks about but few actually read. Cuz he’s as dense as a pea soup fog at midnight. As for James Joyce’s Ulysses? Gag me with catnip!

Mom and me, we’ve been around long enough to know some good opening lines when we see ‘em. So we made a list. Checked it twice. And came up with our 100% unscientific, totally subjective list of 35 Most Memorable Opening Lines Ever. From books we’ve actually read.

How Many?
Some are pretty well-known. Easy-peasy. Others are a bit more obscure. How many do you recognize? (No fair scrolling or Googling. You either know ‘em or you don’t.) Answers are at the bottom. In no particular order:

1. All children, except one, grow up.
2. I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills.
3. Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.
4. When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.
5. When I left my office that beautiful spring day, I had no idea what was in store for me.
6. For many years my home has been in the Northern Frontier Province of Kenya, that vast stretch of semiarid thornbush, covering some hundred and twenty thousand square miles, which extended from Mount Kenya to the Abyssinian border.
7. On the morning of August 8, 1965, Robert Kincaid locked the door to his small two-room apartment on the third floor of a rambling house in Bellingham, Washington.
8. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,…
9. Although these details in no way essentially concern that which we have to tell…
10.My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog.
11. I was born in the year 1632, in the city of York, of a good family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull.
12. One frightfully hot morning, when she was about nine years old, she awakened feeling very cross, and she became crosser still when she saw that the servant who stood by her bedside was not her Ayah.
13. ONCE UPON A TIME a girl named Cinderella lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters.
14. “What’s that noise?” said Mrs. Hogget, sticking her comfortable round red face out of the kitchen window.
15. Serene wasn’t a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York.
16. Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;…
17. In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.
18. Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies’ eardrops, and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place;…
19. In the great green room, there was a telephone And a red balloon And a picture of a cat jumping over the moon…
20. A long time ago, when all the grandfathers and grandmothers of today were little boys and little girls or very small babies, or perhaps not even born, Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie left their little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin.
21. The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day.
22. The Santa Juana is under way. White stars breaking through a high mist. Half moon. The deep burn of phosphorus running in the wake.
23. In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.
24. Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton.
25. If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk.
26. I first heard of Ántonia on what seemed to me an interminable journey across the great midland plain of North America.
27. The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it.
28. On the first Monday of the month of April, 1625, the market town of Meung, in which the author of ROMANCE OF THE ROSE was born, appeared to be in as perfect a state of revolution as if the Huguenots had just made a second La Rochelle of it.
29. “In the beginning…” or “Once upon a time…” It’s a wonderful phrase, isn’t it, full of legend and myth, promise and mystery, and a sort of invitation.
30. The family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park,...
31. Call me Ishmael.
32. A Chinese immigrant, when she lived in China, had bought a swan from a vendor who told her it was a duck who “stretched its neck in hopes of becoming a goose.”
33. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
34. The first week in August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning.
35. It was a dark and stormy night.

Answers
1. Peter Pan – J.M.Barrie
2. Out of Africa – Isak Dinesen
3. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
4. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
5. Where the Red Fern Grows – Willson Rawls
6. Born Free: A Lioness of Two World – Joy Adamson
7. The Bridges of Madison County – Robert James Waller
8. A tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
9. Les Misérables – Victor Hugo
10. Because of Winn Dixie – Kate DiCamillo
11. Robinson Crusoe – Daniel Defoe
12. The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
13. Oh, come on!
14. Babe The Gallant Pig – Dick King-Smith
15. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Betty Smith
16. You’ve got this, right?
17. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
18. Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery
19. Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown
20. Little House on the Prairie – Laura Ingalls Wilder
21. The Cat in the Hat – Dr. Seuss
22 Through Gates of Splendor – Elisabeth Elliot
23. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
24. The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway
25. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Laura Numeroff
26 My Antonia – Willa Cather
27. Black Beauty – Anna Sewell
28. The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
29. Epic – John Eldredge
30. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
31. Moby Dick – Herman Melville
32. The Joy Luck Club (Prologue) – Amy Tan
33. Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
34. Tuck Everlasting – Natalie Babbitt
35. A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle

So. How’d ya do? What would you add?

Speaking of “weekend,” are you short on time but long on wanting a worthwhile read? Like, something you can start tomorrow and finish by Sunday? Not to fret. Mom and I gotcha covered.

Featuring both fiction and non-fiction titles, the books on this list offer top-notch writing, robust characters, sturdy storylines and/or memorable life lessons and powerful personal accounts. Most are under 200 pages. Most can be read in a day or two. Or less.

In no particular order:

1. A River Runs Through It – Norman Maclean (Fiction/Semi-autobiographical)

Based on Norman Maclean’s growing-up years in Montana, A River Runs through It has established itself as one of the most moving stories of our time. It captivates readers with vivid descriptions of life along Montana’s Big Blackfoot River and its near magical blend of fly fishing with the troubling affections of the heart. An American classic.

2. The Christmas Box – Richard Paul Evans (Fiction)

A widow and a young family share a home and discover the true meaning of love, healing, and the brevity of life during the holiday season. Heartwarming. And not just for Christmas!

3. The Bridges of Madison County – Robert James Waller (Fiction)

The story of Robert Kincaid, a photographer and free spirit searching for the covered bridges of Madison County, Iowa, and Francesca Johnson, the farm wife waiting for the fulfillment of a girlhood dream. A #1 bestseller, the book was made into a movie starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep.

4. The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Fiction)

The beloved classic story about a young prince’s travels through space―a profound philosophical tale about loneliness and loss, and love and friendship. This classic fable cherished by adults and children alike.

5. Tuesdays With Morrie – Mitch Albom (Non-fiction)

A bestselling memoir and non-fiction biographical account that packs a punch. Published in 1997, it chronicles the real-life, final conversations between Albom and his former sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz, who was dying from ALS. Poignant and powerful.

6. These Strange Ashes: Is God Still in Charge? – Elisabeth Elliot (Non-fiction)

With fascinating detail, Elliot captures the stark realities of missionary life among the Colorado Indians of Ecuador. She reflects upon the “strange ashes” that can result when an act of obedience is passed through the fires of God’s perfect – yet mysterious – will.

More than a remarkable account of the author’s first year as a missionary, These Strange Ashes is a reflection on the great questions of life as well as a memorable testimony to the realities of authentic Christian commitment. One of the finest, most insightful books we’ve ever read.

7. I Came To Love You Late – Joyce Landorf (Historical Fiction – 221 pages)

Using extensive on-site research and excellent literary skill, Joyce Landorf transports you back in time for an eyewitness view of the Gospel accounts. The author weaves a tenderly perceptive, intensely personal tale as seen through the eyes of Martha — sister to Lazarus and Mary, friend to Jesus.

The story line runs from Martha’s childhood, through the baptism of Jesus, right up to His final ascension after the crucifixion. Experience for yourself the hopes, the doubts, and the sheer amazement that were being expressed throughout Israel about the carpenter from Nazareth.

8. Island of the Blue Dolphins – Scott O’Dell (Historical Fiction)

This Newbery Medal-winning classic is a gripping tale of survival, strength, and courage. Based on the true story of a Nicoleño Indian girl living alone on an island off the coast of California, Island of the Blue Dolphins has captivated readers for generations.

9. Tuck Everlasting – Natalie Babbitt (Fiction)

Doomed to – or blessed with – eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can.

When young Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.

10. Shiloh – Phyllis Reynolds

Marty will go to any lengths to rescue the sweet beagle Shiloh from his cruel owner in this Newbery Medal–winning perennial bestseller by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, the first in a series.

These are all pour yourself a cuppa, pull up a chair, take a load off and enjoy kinda books that can be read in a day or two. Or less.

What would you add?