Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie

Monthly Archives: November 2023


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JUMP Into the Holidays With The Great Book Reunion!

Kimber here. Doing my magnificent stuff as we jump into the holidays!

Speaking of holidays, have I got a deal for you! It’s an oldie but a goodie: Marjorie Holmes’s classic, Two From Galilee: The Story of Mary and Joseph. 

After the Earth’s Crust Cooled

The first time Mom read this book was shortly after the earth’s crust cooled. Or maybe it was in 1975? (Let’s not quibble, okay? )

“Oh my goodness!” Her Momness exclaimed the other day. We just finished lugging another dusty box up from the resident archaeological dig (Mom calls it “The Basement.” But I have my doubts).

900 Years ?

Anyway, we opened this box and lo! It was jammed with beloved books from when Mom was a young’un. You know. Like, 900 years ago. (Don’t tell Mom I said that, okay?)

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GUEST POST: Turning Pages, Changing Paths, Embracing Career Shifts By Author D.W. Brooks

By D.W. Brooks, author of Homecoming Chaos.

D.W. Brooks is an Author, Physician, and Kidney Transplant Survivor.

I often say that I spent way too much time in school. I went to college, medical school, and business school. That doesn’t count my internship and residency either. That’s a lot of education. If you look at my work trajectory, it seemed like I had a solid plan for my career. And I did from age 11 until age 26. Then, my trajectory got a bit muddled, and my career path got very rocky…

My first proper career choice when I was 8 or 9 years old was to become an author. My cousins and I created half-finished books filled with characters, friendships, and relationships. Sadly, we were not well-versed in plotting or pacing. Usually, halfway through each book, we had run out of story and ended up with a lot of incomplete “manuscripts”. Despite our failures, being a writer seemed like a reasonable career choice until I learned that earning an income was not a guarantee. Hmmm…

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‘Maggie and the Mountain of Light’ Shines Bright

Maggie and the Mountain of Light: A Wayfinder Girls Novel

By Mark Snoad (Monarch Educational Services, 2023)

Genre: Fiction/Middle Grade

Pages: 212 (Paperback, incl. Epilogue)

Via: Author request

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

“Light the path, lead the way…”

The Basics

Twelve year-old Maggie Thatcher gets more than she bargained for when her weekend at camp turns into a giant all-or-nothing race to save the world from a fate (and Fae?) worse than death in this charming middle grade fantasy.

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Tails From a Thanksgiving Expert

Kimber here. I’m an expert on thanks-giving. Just ask Mom. I’m thankful for just about everything and everyone. That dropped bit of bacon. Unattended hot dogs. Belly rubs! Sea gulls! Snoozes in the sun. Walks in the woods! My favorite blanket, right next to the heating vent.

On Four Feet

Mom says words related to “thankful” include gratitude. Appreciation. Gladness. Being at peace. Contentment. Cheer. Like me! Mom says I’m “thankfulness on four feet!” See? Told you I’m an expert.

As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, I thought I’d mention a few things that make my tail wag like a pinwheel (do any of these ring a bell?):

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A Totally PAWsome THANK YOU

I know. I’m GORGEOUS!

Mom and I wanted to take a moment to thank you, our wonderful readers! You make it all worthwhile.

Totally PAWsome!

A special Homogonous, Splendiferous, Stupendous and Magniferous THANK YOU to those who take the time to like and comment on our posts. That just warms our furry little hearts.  Cuz you’re like, Totally PAWsome. 

A few FYIs:

  1. The holidays are just around the corner. We traditionally focus on the holidays during the holidays. We’re just funny that way. So stay tuned for further flashes of seasonal brilliance and frivolity.
  2. If there’s a particular genre, title, or other things bookish you’d like to see on the blog that fits our submission guidelines, holler.
  3. Bookish guest posts are encouraged. We sometimes offer select authors guest posts, too. (If we really, really like you. Or you bribe us with extra crispy bacon.) For more info., click here. Be sure to put “Pages & Paws Guest Post” in the subject line so we don’t miss it.

Thanks again. Don’t be a stranger!


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Babylonian Saga Not Our Cuppa

Son of Babylon

By Daniel Pugsley

Indie author, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 335 (paperback); 385 (Kindle)

Via: Author Request

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

This book is set in Babylon during the tumultuous reign of King Hammurabi. The story revolves around one of the king’s sons, Bani, and his quest to become king. There’s lots of palace intrigue and court politics in between. Also betrayals, lies, spymasters, treachery and double crosses. When Bani’s mother is murdered by a jealous rival and he is shipped off to another country as a “hostage,” the stakes get even higher.

A prophecy foretells that Bani will some day hold the fate of his nation in his hands. But Bani’s not so sure. Frankly, neither are we.

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11 for 11/11

Happy Veterans Day!

On this November 11 we rounded up eleven best book titles in honor of those who serve or have served. All are set during world wars. If you love to read gripping, engaging stories about people and events set within compelling historical settings, these are among the best. Both fiction and non-fiction are included. How many have you read?

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DNF & DB Lists 5.0

Mom and I love good books! We love good books so much that we do not do lousy books. You know. The kind that top our DNF list.

Look, Cupcake

One of us used to feel a wee bit guilty about our Did Not Finish list. But then I says to Mom, “Look, Cupcake. We get zillions of requests for book reviews every day. We don’t have time to slog through sludge!”

“Yeah, but…” sputters Mom.

“Oh, c’mon Mom! Our time is valuable. Why waste it on sludge? Or stuff that’s so grimy and gross, it belongs on the bottom of a bird cage. Or the kitty litter box.”

“You may have a point there,” concedes Mom. (“A point? Really. More like, Game. Set. Match!”)

We used to slog through sludge cuz we felt duty-bound to finish every book that came our way.

Not anymore.

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‘Survivor’ Memoir Jolts, Inspires

Better Dirty Than Done

An Inspirational True Story

By Rick Czaplewski (Indie author, 2023)

Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir

Via: Author Request

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

So Mom and I, we’re cruising along the other day minding our own biz. Tip-toeing thru the tulips. Zippity do-dah-zippity-aying. My, oh my what a wonderful day-ing.

Well, okay. It was actually pouring rain. Think Noah. It was also cold. Think “Abdominal” Snowman. Cuz one of us had a growly tummy. What?

What?

Anywho, we found this “inspirational true story” thingy waiting for us at the post office. It’s a self-portrait of a young man battling cancer. Hodgkin’s Disease, to be exact.

Smack-o-Rama

Well, smack-o-rama and Jolt-a-Bolt! Felt like Déjà vu all over again. Cuz Mom’s kid bro battled Hodgkin’s Disease awhile back. So Mom got all googly-eyed for a min. You know how Mom is. ‘Sides. This bro thing was when Her Royal Momness was a youngin’. You know. Shortly before the earth’s crust cooled. It was also before Ms. Brilliant and Beautiful – Yours Truly – arrived on the scene. Smack-o-rama, Jolt-a-Bolt again!

Intense

So you might understand how this book impacted us. It’s emotional. Unfiltered and raw. There’s no pie-in-the-sky bye and bye, Pollyana stuff here. Nopers!  It’s real and it’s genuine. Heartfelt. Searing. It took Her Momness back to the days of… Wait. Let’s get to the book, shall we? I’ll let Mom fill ya in. Soon as I scout her up some more tissue. (That googly-eye thing again. Cuz. Well. Mom.)

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Fresh Approach to Thorny Topic Shines in ‘Forgiving Like God’

Forgiving Like God: A Conversation with Frank, an AI Persona

By David Wyatt, Indie Author

Genre: Christian Non-Fiction

Pages: 99, including Appendix

Via: Author Request

Back when her Momness was a young whipper-snapper – shortly after the discovery of fire – one of her fave authors was Dr. Lewis Smedes. He was a professor of theology and ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.

Smedes wrote 15 books. But Mom’s fave is Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve. Now deceased, Smedes was one of few authors who takes the time and effort  to think and dig deeply into the topic of forgiveness. 

So this book reminded us of good ‘ole Doc Smedes. The author has actually done the hard legwork of thinking, sifting, researching, reflecting, and ruminating on the topic of forgiveness. There’s none of that knee-jerk fluff stuff here. How refreshing.

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