Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie

Category Archives: Action/Adventure/Thriller


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A Throne, a Prophecy, and a Twist We Didn’t See Coming

The Promised Queen

By Matthew Toss (Christian Faith Publishing, 2026)

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy

Pages (print): 381

Via: Author request

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

A young girl sets out with her faithful bud to fulfill a prophecy and become the…

Kimber: Oh, wait. One of us is getting a wee bit ahead of herself. (Insert eye roll here). Cuz. You know Mom. So, let’s back up a bit for a bird’s eye view of this highly readable and eminently engaging novel by Matthew Toss.

Ready? Set? Let’s go!

The 4-1-1:

Who is the real queen of Anam?

Young Liberty dreams of a ship. (Kimber: I’m seeing The Dawn Treader. What?) High-spirited and adventurous, Liberty is the polar opposite of her quiet, demure twin sister, Eslanda. The girls will turn thirteen during the annual Harvest Festival and choose an “apprenticeship.” Let’s just say Liberty isn’t exactly turning handsprings at the prospect.

Liberty’s best friend is Cayden. The two kiddos slip into the country of Anam a week before the Festival – an event that will crown Anam’s long-lost princess. But the Viceroy, who has managed the nation through the interregnum, sets a perilous scheme in motion. He dispatches a bounty hunter on a desperate, near-impossible mission to fracture the transition of power before it can begin.

“May the winds of fortune blow you, the depths below not know you, never a tavern throw you, and true love a lass to show you.”

As Liberty and Cayden travel deeper into Anam, they cross paths with vibrant, magnetic figures who leap off the page, each with their own secrets and stakes. Their journeys drive them toward a volatile, unprecedented reckoning – one no one is ready to face, and from which the nation may never return unchanged.

And what’s up with all the fires in Trapper’s Woods?

We like, Totally Love-ified this book. It moves like greased lightning, with characters that practically jump off the page and land in your lap.  The epic sweep of The Promised Queen reminds us of Middle Earth. There’s even a battle scene reminiscent of Minas Tirith. Along with plenty of action and a boatload (literally) of adventure, there’s also plenty of fantastical creatures like kelpies and nixies and hippocerfs, oh my! It’s a little Narnia. A little Neverland. A little The Once and Future King. (Or in this case, queen.) With a dash of The Great Divorce.

“The history of Anam is not always one of peacetime. Surely you have learned the terrible stories over the years of the wars against magical creatures, the reign of the western giants, and even the king who went mad.”

Characters

Besides Liberty and Cayden, main characters include Archbishop Langthorne, Lorcan, captain of the guard, and Doran the bounty hunter. Fiadh. Captain Fox. Cordanyth, Guardian of Ancient Wisdom.  Much more! All so lively and quick, we knew in a moment they must be… oh, wait. Wrong story. Where were we?

“I have never sensed a war that didn’t come, nor have I sensed a war whose outcome I did not see. Until today. The future is obscure, hidden behind a veil.”

Oh yeah again. This book is a delightful read. It grabbed us in chapter one and reeled us in like a fish on a line. Saturated with intrigue, mystery, and adventure, the plot unfolds like a kaleidoscope, each shift revealing a new facet of the story as you join our dynamic duo on the adventure of a lifetime. Additionally, the author’s world-building skills are top-notch. The language is as lilting and lyrical as bird song, each word a note in a tune that lingers in the air and makes you want to hear more. A triumph from the start, this exceptionally well-written debut novel restored our faith in indie authors. It made one of us want to stand up and cheer.

“These people are my family. I plan to fight for my family.”

Brimming with wit, wisdom, and whimsy, The Promised Queen is as satisfying as a warm slice of chocolate cake, fresh from the oven. Drenched in chocolate fudge sauce and a nice big dollop of vanilla ice cream. With a banana split chaser. Kimber: Don’t forget a perfectly cooked filet mignon with a side of crispy bacon the size of Alaska.

Mom: You eat what you want and I’ll eat what I want, okay?

Wait. Is that Camelot? Where once it never rained till after sundown….

Our Rating: 4.0


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From Page to Power: Riding the Rieden Reece Rush

“Mom! Mom! Ya gotta meet my new BFF!” spake I, Kimber the Magnificent.

“You have a new BFF like, every day, Kimster.”

“What’s wrong with that? Cuz I love everybody! But this BFF is a major scene stealer in this new fantasy thingy for middle schoolers. It’s just your speed.”

“Tell me more!”

Kimber: “I knew Mom would say that. Cuz, ya know. Mom. (Insert eye roll here.) Anywho, that’s why I’m introducing you to my new BFF, Bess the pittie. From Matt Guzman’s seventh and final installment in the Rieden Reece series, Rieden Reece and the End Game. Let’s listen in, shall we?”

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 ‘Oday the Healer’: A Faith-Woven Fantasy of Second Chances & Survival

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…

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Why ‘The Colonel’s Revenge’ Will Make Your Mom Forget Dinner Time

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.)

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Why We’re Sweating in February

We hear that much of the U.S. is jacketed in snow. And wearing icy pajamas. But Mom and I? One of us is breaking out the iced tea and A/C. Here’s why:

Where’s the iced tea?

J.A. Jance’s Exit Wounds is that rare kind of “immersion” where you forget your own address but can recite the protagonist’s entire personal history without even trying. 

The 4-1-1

Is the sudden death of a jail inmate linked to the murder of a reclusive woman who lived in a dilapidated mobile home with 17 dogs? What about two other dead women in New Mexico? Are the women’s murders linked by an 85 year-old bullet? How? And the vehicular homicide in Silver Creek, AZ?  Is a serial killer loose in Sheriff Joanna Brady’s county? Is a “surprise” family announcement coming from the Bradys? Will Joanna’s stay-at-home hubby’s first novel ever sell? And what about the dirty tricks her opponent is cooking up as the sheriff’s re-election campaign heats up?

A powerful tale about the darkest corners of human nature and unseen wounds that never heal… Much more.

Skillful writing.  Pitch-perfect pacing. Sturdy, three-dimensional characters that almost stand up and walk. The scent of summer rain. A plot with more twists than Lombard Street. And dogs! All make Exit Wounds unputdownable so far.

So, hey! It may be winter. Much of the country may be in a deep freeze. But reading this fast-paced mystery/suspense/thriller, one of us is sweating with this edge-of-your-seat Whodunit set in Cochise County, Arizona. In July.

So if anyone needs Mom or me, we’ll be in our blanket fort. Living inside these pages until further notice. While sipping iced tea (Hi, Mom.)

What’s the last book that made you a ‘functional’ ghost in your own life?


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Why Sunny the Coast Guard Dog  Is Kimber’s New Bestie!

Shhh! I’m on an adventure!

Kimber here. Telling you about my new bestie, Sunny the Amazing Golden Retriever. She’s beautiful. Brave. Brilliant. Clever and resourceful. Did I mention we’re twins?

Yes siree, Lassie! Sunny is one sharp doggie. (Almost as sharp as me. Almost.) Ya see, Sunny’s a Coast Guard explosives detection dog!  You get to meet Sunny and her hooman, USCG Officer Thomas, in Janet Bell’s splendiferous new book for the little’uns, Sunny the Coast Guard Dog’s Dynamite Adventure.

Buckle up!

The 4-1-1

Sunny lives in animal shelter until she’s adopted by a little boy named Jamie. Jamie’s mom, Officer Thomas, works at the Coast Guard station. Sunny wants to work, too. Turns out Sunny has a knack for “nose work.” Sunny is trained to sniff out explosives. And she’s pretty darn good at it! Through all the training, Sunny is treated with kindness, patience and positive reinforcement as she learns to be a “dog detective.” Her superpower is her nose. And riding in helicopters! Oh yeah.

It takes patience, determination abd courage to master new skills and discover her talent for sniffing out explosives. But Sunny has the heart of a champion and rises to the challenge of protecting others.

Mom: Kinda reminds me of another sweet furry face we all know and love.

Then some bad guys try to escape Officer Thomas. But there’s no escaping Sunny’s incredible nose! Kimber:  “Prepare to be boarded” is something you sooo do not want to hear from the USCG if you’re up to no good. Just sayin’.

Talk about a fun book! Sunny has it all: Action. Adventure. Brisk pacing. Bright, vivid illustrations that practically leap off the page. An engaging, intriguing story that’ll grab you from the Intro and not let go until the end.  It includes fascinating information about how explosive detection dogs and their hoomans train. And of course, our heroine: Sunny the Coast Guard dog. She’s smart. She’s savvy. She’s PAWsome.

Kimber: No doubt we’re related.

We loved this book! Inspiring and entertaining, Sunny is also educational without feeling like school. This book will certainly appeal to young children and those who love them. It would make a welcome addition to any home or classroom library.

Naw. You don’t have to send your submission beautifully wrapped with a personalized, handwritten note. But it doesn’t hurt 😉🐾

Note: One of us wasn’t feeling so great when this book arrived in the mail. We waited awhile to open it. And guess what? Reading this beautifully illustrated, eminently engaging story brightened our day right away. We loved it! You will, too. Besides. Who can resist that cover art?

Our Rating: 4.5


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‘Maria’s Shadow’ a Mixed Bag

Maria’s Shadow

By D.L. Cary (indie author, April 2025)

Genre: Fiction/Thriller

Pages (print): 244

Via: Author Request

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

Can a faded Polaroid and an inconspicuous thumb drive untangle a sophisticated web of deceit and corruption that spans centuries, continents, and the highest corridors of political power? And what about the shadowy organized crime ring known as the Saffron Veil, where “entrap, entangle, and extract” is the name of the game?

And the Veil is good at it.

So good, in fact, that when nineteen-year-old Maria Hernandez leaves El Salvador to pursue her dreams of Hollywood stardom, she falls prey to cut-throat coyotes – owned and operated by the Veil – who smuggle her across the border. But Maria never makes it to Tinseltown. She winds up in a California mansion, a victim of human trafficking. Pregnant, Maria escapes with a dangerous secret. She’s pursued by the powerful Senator Edward Grayson. (Kimber: This guy makes pond scum look good.)

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DOUBLE the Fun With These 2 Thrillers

Two thriller/suspense novels set in The Great Outdoors. By two different authors. One’s set in the Cowboy State. The other, Big Sky Country. One is by an outdoor/Western author we know well. The author is by someone we’ve heard of before. Both pack a wallop. Here’s why:

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Why This Book Left One of Us Speechless

Strangers in Time

By David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, 2025)

Genre: Historical Fiction

Via: Library

Pages (Print): 431

Kimber here. Telling you to hold on to your kibble. Or whatevs. Cuz Her Momness and I? We just finished one of them thar “barn burner” thingies. It’s historical fiction. Set in an oft-overlooked epoch. By an author who’s not exactly known for historical fiction. But this fella? Even though David Baldacci’s an acclaimed, best-selling author of action/thriller tomes, he doggone outdogg-ies his-self with Strangers in Time.

I know. I’m adorable.

I’ll let Mom tell ya more:

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Surprised in Spades by ‘Legends of the North Cascades’

Legends of the North Cascades

By Jonathan Evison (Algonquin Books, 2021)

Genre: Fiction

Pages (print): 338

Via: Library

Ever grab a book that surprised the stuffin’ outta you? You thought it was about one thing. But it turned out to be something else entirely?

That happened to Her Royal Momness and I the other day. Swooping into The Book Place, Mom only had about five minutes to snatch some new-to-her titles off the shelves. So, cuz she loves the Northwest and the Cascades are like, Totally Pawesome, she took a chance on an unfamiliar title and an author we’ve never heard of.

When the cloak of night descended, and they were awash in the light of the stars, spattered cold and white across the bowl of night, the world seemed all at once larger and more mysterious.

Were we ever surprised. Like this:

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