Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie


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5 Ways to Fight the Book Snooze Button Like a Boss

“The sandman beckoneth” yawned Her Royal Momness the other day. Perched atop her Royal Throne-eth. Battling to stay awake with a book so dense, it could moonlight as brick mortar.

So, what’s a body to do with a read so somnambulent, it’ll put No Doze out of business? We’ll get to that in a min, Sweet Stuff. First, let’s debunk a common myth about boring books. It goes like this:

I’m tired but reading will perk me up. Wrong. Plowing thru a dull-as-dirt book is like singing your brain to sleep. In print. So when reading starts feeling like a one-way ticket to dreamland, you need to bring out the heavy artillery. Here are 5 ways to fight the snooze button like a boss:

1. The Anti-Comfort Principle.

Get out of the bed. Reading in bed is where literary motivation goes to die. Instead, force your body into a posture that screams “I am a prisoner at the Hague.” Sit entirely upright in a wooden kitchen chair. Better yet, stand up. There is zero recorded instance of someone achieving REM sleep while standing on a cold hardwood floor. If you want to go the extra mile, embrace Quora’s absurd but undeniably effective suggestion: stand on your head to force blood flow to the brain. (Note: do not try this if you value your neck or your hair).

2. Turn Up the Light.

Is your “reading vibe” a soft, moody, low-lit lamp in the corner? Cute. But it’s a one-way ticket to Snoozeville. Switch to the brightest, most sterile “interrogation room” lighting you can find. If you’re reading a digital book, crank that screen brightness until it feels like you’re staring directly into the sun. (Accessories not included. Batteries sold separately.)

3. Engage Your Inner Drama Monarch.

If you just silently scan the text, your brain treats it as background noise. You need to make a scene! Read the text out loud. Do it with an aggressively dramatic, theatrical voice. Giving a dry textbook character a snooty British accent or a villainous pirate growl instantly makes 18th-century philosophy a thousand times better. So does reading next to the dog’s food dish. But we won’t be responsible for the consequences.

4. Bribe Yourself with Food.

If your stomach is empty, you’re sluggish. If you’re too full, you’re sluggish. The sweet spot? Slowly sipping or crunching on something. The physical act of chewing and swallowing keeps your jaw working and your eyes open. Just make sure it’s crunchy or sour enough to shock your system—milk and chocolate chip cookies will just put you right back to sleep. (Don’t ask how we know this.)

5. Weaponize Your Annotations.

Don’t just stare at the page like a passive zombie. Or the neighborhood fluff ball. Grab a highlighter or a pen and go to town. If you own the book, deface those pristine pages with aggressive notes, frustrated exclamations, or sarcastic critiques of the author’s writing style. When you force your hands to move, your brain is forced to process.

When all else fails? Just do what we do with an aggressively boring book. Put it back. Dump it. Drop kick it out the front door. Banish it from your TBR pile. Give it to the neighbor’s cat. Send it into exile until you’ve run out of Sominex.

And just start another book.


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Don’t Be This Author – or – How to Get a Negative Review in 3 Easy Steps

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


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‘Daughter of Warriors’: Almost There, But Not Quite

Kimber: So there I was. Comfortably parked in Mom’s lap. She’s parked in this “yawn” chair thingy. (Mom says it’s a “lawn” chair. But she doesn’t fool me!) And she’s reading this “based on a true story” book, Daughter of Warriors. While yawning in that chair overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca. That’s on Washington’s North Olympic Peninsula, Toots. Like this:

And this:

Within a stone’s throw of this::

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

Anywho, we’re parked on this “yawn” chair thingy on a bluebird-sky day, thinking we’ll dip a toe or two into the text. Test the narrative waters. Here’s what we found.

Based on a true story, Daughter of Warriors follows a young Osage woman, Lucy Eagleton, from Pawhuska, Oklahoma, to Kansas City as Lucy searches for an ever-elusive sense of personal safety and security amid the Oklahoma oil rush of the 1920s and beyond.

After a series of heartbreaking losses and tragedies in Book One, Indian Territory,  Lucy and her Irish husband Edward Walsh and their toddler daughter, Genevieve, leave Pawhuska for Kansas City. Book Two, Paris of the Plains, opens as the family arrives in K.C. There, in the thick of the Roaring Twenties, the Walshes encounter “machine politics,” the Cosa Nostra or Mafia and “sophisticated wickedness.”

But safety remains an illusion. The shadows of Oklahoma follow Lucy, claiming those she loves and threatening her young daughter. Caught between her spiritual heritage and the sophisticated wickedness of a world that views her as a “savage,” Lucy must make an agonizing choice to ensure her daughter’s survival.

We found this historical fiction a masterpiece of writing, but a chore to read. More on that in a min, Cupcake. So kindly keep your hair on. First:

For those unfamiliar with the history, this book might be an eye-opener. We found it difficult to stay engaged since the material was already familiar. So Daughter of Warriors didn’t offer much in the fresh perspective department. And while the emotional core is compelling, the repeated focus on similar experiences over and over and over makes the narrative feel slow and redundant.

We also found narrator Loula Long Combs to be jarring. Distracting. Loula is an older white woman who befriends and loves Lucy and hears Lucy’s story. Loula is a pain in the neck. She appears in italics at the beginning of most chapters, jumping in where she’s really not needed. But that doesn’t stop said pain in the neck from narrating and doing the hand-wringing commentating thing every few pages. Worse, Loula just can’t resist telling readers how they ought to feel about Lucy and her story instead of letting readers make up their own minds. Kimber: Seriously, Toots? And Loula’s sackcloth and ashes sermonizing? Kimber again: Gag me with arugula!

Scene stealers: Hawk, an Osage warrior tasked with protecting the Walsh family. Cordelia, child of a Negro mother and Chinese father who flees violence, finds refuge in the Walsh home, and becomes Lucy’s good friend. Chestnut the horse.

At over 500 pages, Daughter of Warriors is a heavy lift. We appreciated the beautiful writing and strong female characters. While the story is emotionally rich, its repeated beats became too predictable and formulaic to keep us engaged. Additionally, the victim-oppressor dichotomy of noble, near-flawless Osage vs. evil, greedy oppressors? It gets old. Fast. (This may even out in later pages. But we weren’t gonna stick around that long.)

Yea, verily. We bailed at about 140 pages. Almost there, but not quite. As in, could not make ourselves turn another page. So we won’t be rating this book. However, we will be offering some suggested titles for further reading:


For further reading (The short list.):

This Tender Land – William Kent Kruger. Read our review here.

The 10 Big Lies About America: Combating Destructive Distortions About Our Nation – Michael Medved

Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History – S.C. Gwynne. Read our review here.

The Settlers’ War: The Struggle for the Texas Frontier – Gregory Michno

O Pioneers!, My Antonia – Willa Cather

Oh What a Slaughter – Larry McMurty

The Last of the Mohicans – James Fenimore Cooper

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West – Dee Brown


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Why ‘Scavengers’ Left Us Breathless (3 of 3)

The Rum Runner: The Legend of Captain John Stewart (3 of 3)

By Doralynn Kennedy (Indie author, 2025)

Genre: Fiction/Gothic Romance

Pages (print): 530

Via: Author request

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

“The only thing they didn’t account for was you and me falling love.”

Picking up where we left off yesterday, we’re diving into the third and final book in The Rum Runer Trilogy today. It’s called Scavengers. To get up to speed, see our reviews of Book One, Cliff House here, and Book Two, Rum Runners, here.

“How many years had he fought to master the sea, only to build something more dangerous along its edge? He had raised Cliff House with his own ambition, poured into it barrels, bribes, blood, sweat, and secrets.”

Case Pharmaceuticals sent master spy Caroline Oliver to get the goods on Edward Kelly, mysterious owner of a sprawling dark mansion squatting on cliffs overlooking the coast of Maine. But Caroline and Edward have formed their own alliance, escaping the avaricious clutches of Cliff House for a cottage in the quiet fishing town of nearby Clifton.

“But Caroline felt the weight in each step: every move forward was a step deeper into a game with rules written by enemies who would never play fair.”

Circling like sharks with blood in the water, Case will stop at nothing to gain access to and control of Cliff House. One swallows secrets and real estate. The other swallows souls.

“Always give your enemy more paper than powder. Paper stalls. Powder kills.”

Caroline and Edward are soon neck-deep in a high stakes game of chess with not just Cliff House, but also a cold-blooded band of avaricious cutthroats headed by the ruthless Marcus Veyron. This guy gives pit vipers a bad name. He uses other people’s lives as steppingstones and corporate cannon fodder.

But in a game “where the board bleeds,” Caroline and Edward have weapons not seen…

Caroline and Edward don disguises and take on new personas in an effort to stop both the house with a taste for blood and the voracious Case vultures determined to snap up the decaying mansion – and Edward’s secrets in the process. And while Edward has survived many brushes with death, he’s not sure Caroline can survive another war with it in this epic page-turner.

“Edward didn’t just survive. He endured, and he fought with a patience born of a century.”

Meanwhile, Edward’s thoughts return to Ruth (see Rum Runners review) and the promises he failed to keep. He will not make the same mistake with Caroline, who is also being hunted by a pack of Case’s hyena-like goons.

“Fear is cheaper than bribery, and more reliable than loyalty.”

This book has more plot twists than Snake Alley, especially as the story steams toward a shattering crescendo.

“Some lies we carry willingly because the truth would drown people we love.”

Together with the two other books in The Rum Runner Trilogy, Cliff House (Book One) and Rum Runners, (Book Two), Scavengers rings down the curtain on an ambitious, three‑part masterpiece. The trilogy is a colossal odyssey — three parts, one unforgettable saga. But these novels are much more. They’re deeper. Older. Wiser. With echoes of another Ruth. A distant Ruth. From Moab. (You’ll recognize her if you know what to look for.)

“When deliverance comes, it may be at our hands, but it will be God who commands it.”

The writing? Well. Glad you asked. The writing paints in lightning, not pastels. Sentences crackle like live wires. The words don’t just tell the story—they grab you by the collar and pull you in. Think intense as a thunderstorm on a Friday night — unpredictable, relentless, and somehow still beautiful.

There’s a lot of fire in this third book. Fires in Caroline and Edward’s cottage in Clifton. Fires to ward off chill. Fires to light dark corners. Popping fires that collapse into ash. Fires burn in the story itself, sputtering and smoking just under the surface. Call it “foreshadowing.”

There’s also a cup with three drops. A choice. For Mary. Keep this safe. For better. For worse. “Together, then. Until the last piece falls.”

Each of the three books in The Rum Runner trilogy can be read as a stand-alone. If this book consisted of just Cliff House or just Rum Runners, that would be enough. But we recommend reading all three novels in succession, as intended and designed. The tail is tucked in neatly at the end, which is the mark of a true professional.

Finally, it’s been awhile since a book moved us a much as this trilogy.  Every page is a heartbeat, every chapter a pulse. It’s an emotional journey that you don’t just read, you live. Indeed, the story doesn’t unfold, it envelopes you like a fine mist. Or a second skin. It wraps you in a sensory experience that refuses to let go. It left us breathless.

I’d grab a copy now ‘fize you.

Our Rating: 5.0


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High Spirits & Higher Stakes: A Prohibition-Era Page-Turner (2 of 3)

The Rum Runner: The Legend of Captain John Stewart (2 of 3)

By Doralynn Kennedy (Indie author, 2025)

Genre: Fiction/Gothic Romance

Pages (print): 530

Via: Author request

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

We’re picking up where we left off yesterday with a review of the second book in the three-novel collection, The Rum Runner: The Legend of Captain John Stewart. Here’s our review of Book One: Cliff House. (Kimber: I’d check that out, Toots. It’ll give ya some important back story.)

So, Mom and I? We figured we’d just dip a toe into Book One. Like, test the narrative waters. Then get to Book Two when we can. Cuz, our TBR pile looks kinda like Mount Rushmore these days. Or maybe the state of Alaska.

Just shows you what we know.

After finishing Book One, Cliff House, we were itchin’ to dive into Book Two, Rum Runners. Like, Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200. So, we did. The next day.

Yep, we thoroughly enjoyed Cliff House. But guess what, Cookie? Book Two, Rum Runners, is even better. I’ll let Mom ‘splain. Ya might want to buckle up.

He’s caught between the two things he loves most – the empire he’s built and the woman he loves. John Stewart is being pulled in opposite directions that he can’t reconcile in this sweeping gothic romance set on the New England Coast.

“Not all houses are for the living.”

John Stewart is an enigmatic kinda guy. Taciturn. Passionate. Mysterious. We kept seeing Jay Gatsby. Or maybe Edmond Dantes. And a little of James Clavell’s Dirk Struan of Tai-pan. A dash of Rhett Butler. And Stewart’s main squeeze in Book Two, nurse Ruth Wilson? We kept seeing Dickens’s Esther Summerson of Bleak House.

Well. Rum Runners opens 100 years before Book One. An exhausted nurse peers into a tempestuous sea in the midst of a raging storm, searching for any hint of shipwreck survivors. Survival is something Ruth Wilson knows well. Half her town is gone due to a deadly flu epidemic, including her family and most of her friends and neighbors. But in the raging storm she finds another survivor: Captain John Stewart.

“Revenge makes widows where it should only claim enemies.”

Once he’s healthy again, Stewart contacts Ruth and asks her to come to his Connecticut estate, Marshwood Manor, to care for his diabetic mother. Once there, Ruth meets the kindly and steady Dr. Michael Best (echoes of another Dickensian character, Tom Pinch of Martin Chuzzlewit.). Together, Ruth and the doctor oversee the Stewart matriarch’s care. The doctor asks for Ruth’s hand in marriage. She is touched by his kindness and quiet, unfettered steadiness. Ruth is also unsettled by “men with rifles in the roses” at Marshwood Manor. And what’s up with the little girl who isn’t really there?

“Ruth found herself suspended between the two: the quiet ward of Dr. Best, where one might count a lifetime in the faithful return of spring blossoms; and the reckless blaze of John Stewart, where one might live a single year and yet feel it outweighed all others.”

Ruth chooses to join John Stewart at the new house he’s building on a cliff in Maine. And “The promise she gave a dying woman was a chain that pulled tighter the more he disappeared.” Can Ruth keep her promises to John’s dying mother without losing her own soul?

“She thought she wanted glitter. What she really wanted was grace.”

Book Two explains how and why John Stewart got into rum running. And the origins of Cliff House, which is really two houses. Cliff House above is all show. Chandeliers. Polished wood. A band and a ballroom. Cliff House below is hidden doors. Narrow, slick staircases. Deliveries at odd hours. Shadows. And while Cliff House remains a formidable character in Book Two, it’s not as central as it was in Book One. So, make sure you read both, okay?

The tone of Rum Runners differs a bit from Cliff House. The latter is more cerebral. There’s plenty of action in Rum Runners. For example, after a duel to the death over smuggling supremacy, Stewart’s criminal empire grows. It spreads from Main to Chicago, “from coast to coast: bribes paid, rivals buried, men bought for loyalty or silence.”  

We loved how the author weaves echoes of Book One throughout Book Two: A woman in pink. Mercy with a mouth like a trap. A cup with three drops. A flask and water from a cavern pool. One, two, three. One, two, three.

“Memory is an animal that will not be tamed.”

As in Cliff House, superb writing and skillful storytelling are the watchwords for Rum Runners. The author’s metaphors remain as sharp as a chisel carving stone. Her similes sparkle like embers in the dark. The narrative makes readers feel like we’re tip-toeing into a shadowy world of secrets where faint whispers curl through cracks in the walls and floorboards are full of breaths held too long.

The story races forward with the precision of a seasoned conductor, keeping the beat tight and the tension high. It’s a brisk, expertly paced journey where every word is a deliberate choice, every scene a calculated advance.

And… we’re not through yet! Be sure to keep an eye out for our review of Book Three: Scavengers. Coming TOMORROW!

Our Rating: 4.5


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How ‘The Rum Runner’ Caught Us On a Cliff (1 of 3)

The Rum Runner: The Legend of Captain John Stewart

By Doralynn Kennedy (Indie author, 2025)

Genre: Fiction/Gothic Romance

Pages (print): 530

Via: Author request

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

“Mercy with a mouth like a trap.”

Kimber: Okay, Mom. I give up. What’s a “gothic romance”?

Mom:  “Gothic romance” combines dark, suspenseful settings with intense, often forbidden love, blending horror, mystery, and passion. It’s often characterized by moody, atmospheric settings. Crumbling mansions. Haunted castles. Foggy forests. They shape the story’s tension, drama, and intrigue.

Kimber: You mean like a nice, thick juicy Porterhouse steak sizzling on the grill?

Mom. Sighs. Something like that.

Well, friends. We don’t usually gravitate toward “gothic romance.” But when we received a review request from author Doralynn Kennedy for her latest book, The Rum Runner: The Legend of Captain John Stewart, we accepted it on the strength of her prior work. A formidable author and prodigious writing talent, Kennedy has published in multiple genres, including romantic suspense, Gothic romance, Christian fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. We’ve reviewed a couple over the years, including Thirteen Miracles and The Mystery of the Fox Down Dog and Other Stories. Enjoyed them.

So even though we’re not really big “gothic romance” fans, we decided to take a chance on The Rum Runner and Book One: Cliff House. It’s the first book in a three-novel omnibus collection. We’ll get to the other books later. But were we ever surprised with Cliff House. Here’s the skinny:

When the past refuses to stay buried and an external hurricane mirrors an inner storm, love becomes a dangerous game of shadows and secrets in this deliciously moody and atmospheric read set in Maine.

The Plot

Caroline came to steal his secrets. But he stole her heart.

When Case Pharmaceuticals’ investigator Caroline Oliver arrives at a decaying mansion on the Maine coast as a hurricane closes in, she expects corporate secrets tied to rumors of immortal life. Instead, she finds a house that’s alive – and a man who should not exist.

Edward Kelly, rumored to be a long-dead Prohibition-era smuggler Captain John Stewart, is now a billionaire businessman of impossible age. Haunted by a century-old curse, he’s spent decades hiding from a past that refuses to stay buried. A hundred years earlier, a private nurse named Ruth Wilson stepped into his world of passion, smugglers, and secrets, and fell in love with a man the sea refused  to drown. Now the past and present collide.

Because some storms do not end with the water. Some follow a man ashore and wait for him in the dark...

The Rum Runner is a masterful, highly readable blend of spooky haunted house with a mind of its own, supernatural mystery, and a generational curse tied to Prohibition-era rum runner and Cliff House owner Captain John Stewart, aka: Edward Kelly. The historical context is – duh – rum running – and smuggling during the 1920s. This includes speakeasies, murder, mayhem, and one super creepy house help duo, Mr. and Mrs. Yardley.

It may be the first book we’ve read where a house is a main character. Like, sentient. Hungry. Jealous. And if Cliff House is a trap, what does that make Edward? Is he really flesh and blood or… something else?

The Rum Runner grabbed us in Chapter 1. Didn’t let go until the final page. As noted above, we’ve enjoyed Kennedy’s prior novels. But The Rum Runner is a whole new level of excellence and expertise. It’s Kennedy’s best work yet. And thoroughly un-putdownable. Like this:

Superb writing and masterful storytelling propel a plot that hits you with relentless momentum. The plot-punching narrative and dynamic characters combined with breathless pacing pour out a story that’s as smooth as a rum-soaked sunset. It’s also as creepy and compelling as the water-soaked beams and stones of Cliff House. The story creates a subtle but distinct line of rising tension and intrigue as we follow Caroline in and out of the rhythms of the house and the stories within while the “creep-out factor” soars into the stratosphere.

Haunting, mysterious and exceedingly eerie, The Rum Runner would make a great movie. (What’s Vincent Price or his progeny up to these days? Hmmm…) “We sail!”

Again, kindly note that this omnibus collection includes three novels. It’s a heavy lift, clocking in at over 500 pages. Book One, Cliff House, clocks in at 174 pages.

Cloaked in a shroud of secrets that echo through the story like ghosts of yesteryear, this exceptional gothic romance caught us on a cliff, haunting our thoughts long after we turned the last page.

We loved it! You will, too!

Our Rating: 4.0

Join us TOMORROW for our review of Book Two: Rum Runners. And don’t forget the Porterhouse! “Cut loose!”


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Why ‘Corvus’ Will Wing Its Way Into Your Heart

Corvus

By Shallen Anne Chitwood (Turtle Top Publishing, 2026)

Genre: Fiction/Children – Middel Grade

Pages (Print): 146

Via: Author Request

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

Did you know that butterflies can taste with their feet? Yup. It’s a thing. Like a superpower. Did you further know that crows have “monocular vision”? That’s a thing, too. It means crows can look in two directions at the same time. Kinda like I, Kimber the Magnificent, can keep a close eye on a rib eye steak at the same time I’m watching a new, juicy burger. What?

Well, yes sirree, Lassie! One of us learned a lot in this charming and highly engaging new book by one of our favorite indie authors, Shallen Anne Chitwood. (Kimber: Her work is like, Totally PAWsome! Just sayin’. See our review of one of her previous books, Big Love and War Horse.) True to form, Chitwood delivers again in this heartwarming and heartfelt story about a crow who’s afraid to fly and his chatty caterpillar chum with a heart of gold. We Totally Love-if-ied this book. Here’s why:

Clarence is a caterpillar with big ideas. Corvus is a little crow with a big problem – he’s afraid to fly. Together, these unlikely friends discover a world full of surprises, danger, and change.

Winter is coming and a legendary one-eyed hawk is stalking the crow clan. With his family preparing to migrate south, Corvus must decide if he can trust his wings and himself. Can Clarence help Corvus face his fears and find the courage to fly before it’s too late?

As danger closes in, Corvus learns that help can come from mysterious allies and unexpected friends. And that sometimes, the greatest “magic trick” of all is… Oh, wait. To find that out, you’ll have to read the book yourself.

“You know, when crows are given their names, it has great meaning. Your name defines who you are and what you will become. It is your fate. At least, for crows it is.”

Narrated by Clarence, who’s one sharp cookie, Corvus is a delightful read. Themes include friendship and transformation. Kindness. Honesty. Loneliness. Loss. Family. Loyalty. Hope. Masterfully written with pitch-perfect pacing, the plot is propelled by superb story-telling skills. It’s a lithe and agile read, moving as fast as Golden Tempo around the final turn at the Belmont Stakes. Descriptions are rich and robust, creating a You Are There vibe like you’re smack dab in the midst of the action. And in this warm and wonderful read, there’s plenty! Indeed, this charming and engaging story will grab young readers at page one and keep them turning pages until the very end.

“Well, I’ll come find you and let you know it’s me. Friends for life, Corvus, that’s what we are.”

There’s also the cycle of life. Life purpose. Perspective. The fabled one-eyed hawk, Zenith. The distinguished Monarch Extraordinaire, “Clarence Silkwood the Fourth, MD, Ph. D, LLC, Esquire.” Kimber: How’s that for a mouthful? Can I eat it?  

“But Corvus’s battle was with fear, and fear is a formidable opponent.”

Scene stealers: Valia the Valiant and Lily Jane, famer’s daughter extraordinaire. And oh yeah. The illustrations by Michael Schulbaum? Que magnifique!

We also loved the way the author skillfully weaves fun and fascinating facts about science and nature into the story without sounding like school. Or even worse, homework. Like how crows have a special relationship with a farm, helping out “in ways that other animals can’t.” That includes eating grubs and bugs that would ruin a garden. And keeping the rodent population down. How ‘bout this: Did you know that crows don’t bury their dead? They might place sticks, leaves or pebbles near them, but they don’t bury them. But crows are also one of few animals that hold funerals, grieve and mourn the loss of their loved one. Handy-dandy sections at the end include Fun Facts for Curious Readers, Nature Notes, and Discussion Questions.

“But you’ll never know how something is gonna turn out unless you stick around to find out.”

Brimming with wit, whimsy, and wonder, Corvus is another winner. So, if you’re on the look out for a book for children ages 8 to 12 that’s uplifting, inspiring, and informative without feeling like a classroom lecture, grab a copy of Corvus. Now would be good.

“The truth is, if you put kindness out into the world, it usually comes back to you.”

On a personal note: We got interrupted while reading this book. Had to put it down for a few weeks due to external circumstances beyond our control. But when we returned to its pages, we found the story waiting patiently for us. Welcoming us back. Like an old friend. Or a really, really good dog (Mom: Don’t tell Kimmi I said that, okay? I’ll never hear the end of it!)  We finished the balance of the book in one sitting. Couldn’t put it down!

“He sat down next to me so I wouldn’t be alone. Sometimes that is the best thing you can do for a friend. Just be there.”

Finally, Corvus is one of the finest children’s books we’ve read since a pig named Wilbur and a clever barn spider named Charlotte. Or a “sheep pig” named Babe. We like, Totally Love-ified it! You will, too.

Our Rating: 4.5


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How to Survive a ‘Beach Read’ With Your Furry Bestie

The Beach!

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?

Next stop: China!

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!

Go!

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!

Oh yeah!

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?
Till next time!


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From Battlefield to Blessing: One Veteran’s Journey to Peace

How can a World War II veteran find peace? After serving with the United States Army Air Corps as a dorsal turret gunner over the skies of Europe, Paul Cornelius Ferrant returns to his strawberry farm in Louisiana. He tries to pick up where he left off. But the war has left internal scars that no one can see. Except One.

This is a story of war and peace. And something Tolstoy missed. But you don’t have to in this faith-flavored biography

Biography of Paul Cornelius Ferrant: World War II Veteran in the Army of Peace

By Verena Ferrant Harp (Indie author, 2025)

Genre: Non-fiction/Biography

Pages (Print): 235

Via: Author Request

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

Paul’s story is told in chronological order, beginning with his family history. This includes Paul’s family and their origins. (We got kinda lost in the whole “eighty-eight first cousins” thing.) Working the fam farm. Harvesting the farm’s cash crop, strawberries. (Kimber: Do they give out free samples? Askin’ for a friend.) Also Paul’s adventures and travels with a Flathead motorcycle, including picking fruit in Michigan as a migrant farm worker.

The next part follows Paul’s war experiences. Several chapters detail Paul’s military training at various camps and installations across the States, post-Pearl Harbor and Paul signing up to serve. This gives readers a feel for Paul’s history.

Paul eventually trains to be a gunner aboard an A-20 Havoc with the U.S. Army Air Corps. He ships to England, where he gets a firsthand introduction to the damage and devastation of war. Then it’s in the air. Flying combat missions over France with the 640th squadron. The narrative shines here, with full-bodied, accurate descriptions of air combat. Descriptions of Paul’s post-war feelings of isolation and “How do I pick up where I left off – or can I?” are poignant and heartfelt.

Paul marries and returns to farm life. But the war still dogs his memories. Is inner peace possible?

Meanwhile, Paul can’t figure out why his wife is continuously “vibrant and vigorous.” She certainly lives up to her name: Joy. Then he hears two more words: “God gives…” And “No other name…” And he begins his service in another army, the Army of Peace. This takes up the balance of the book. (We found it somewhat overlong. You may not.)

The story has good potential but is hampered by some rookie mistakes. These include use of the present tense and first person POV.

Biographies are almost universally written in the past tense (e.g., “He was born…” and “He traveled to…”). The reason is simple: A biography recounts a subject’s life and events that have already occurred. So the past tense provides a natural, reflective, and traditional flow for storytelling. Use of the present tense here is confusing. It doesn’t really work.

Another thing that doesn’t really work is use of the first person POV. While first person POV is typically reserved for autobiographies, third-person is the standard for an account of someone else’s life. Also, page 156? What is that?!

That being said, this book is meticulously researched and offers readers a You Are There look into a WWII vet’s life and struggles, pre-war, during war, and post-war. The author capably conveys Paul’s sense of humor, taste, and personality. The writing style welcomes you at the door and invites you to kick off your shoes. This biography doesn’t just tell a story; it pulls up a rocking chair, pours out a glass of lemonade, and makes you want to sit down and stay awhile. With some additional polish and pruning, it may convince you to stay a long while.

Our Rating: 3.0


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Kimber’s Ultimate Pup-riotic Book List for the 4th!

Happy Dog-pendence Day!

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

Who’s ready for a swim?

While Mom is grilling outside, I’m 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 today. 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!