Ready for a new Pages and Paws world record? Good. Here it is. Our shortest review ever. For Blue. By Caroline Allen:
We don’t do books that promote tarot card reading. Not for the neighborhood powder puff. Not for adults. And certainly not for middle grade readers.
Bye!
There are two things you oughtta know about Christmas in Bethel right out of the kennel says I, Kimber the Magnificent. 1) This isn’t a “Christmas book.” 2) Coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs. Like:
Regarding #1, this isn’t a “Christmas story” in the usual sense. Yes, it includes Thanksgiving and the holidays and Christmas. And all that good stuff. But its message of love and grace and forgiveness works year round. Besides. We put this book on order at the library in early November. It didn’t arrive until after New Year’s. So there!
Still with me, Cupcake? Arf!
Now, regarding #2 and that Coo-Coo for Cocoa Puffs thingy? That’s Her Momness and Richard Paul Evans books. A master storyteller who’s penned an entire galaxy of finely crafted, clean and uplifting fiction, Evans has been one of Mom’s favorite authors since just after the Ark made landfall. Or at least since 1993. That’s when a perennial seasonal fave, Evans’ The Christmas Box, first came out. Evans topically publishes a new book every year coinciding with the Christmas season. That’s why RPE is called “The King of Christmas Fiction.” Mom’s read ‘em all. That Coo-Coo for Cocoa Puffs thing.
Why? Well, dear reader, keep reading:
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
How an interplanetary ex-bodyguard with a ray gun winds up as a fruit picker with an artificial leg is the focus of this light and fluffy graphic novel by E.B. Roshan.
When we first meet Rex he’s picking fruit on a farm in the Vega system. It seems an odd choice for a former bodyguard. Think Han Solo meets Lurch in the San Joaquin Valley.
But when Sir Sarpedon returns to the farm unexpectedly and sees Rex with a ray guy, the former pretty much freaks out. Apparently fruit pickers and ray guns don’t mix. That changes when Rex saves Sarpedon from an attack by a deadly tree viper, courtesy of some smokin’ hot shootin’.
Next thing ya know, Rex is offered a chance to join Sarpedon’s security team. He takes it. And joins Sarpedon and crew members Fido and Theo aboard the Black Stone. Their job is to collect “dues” from farmers on “harvest moons” for their boss, Lord Delta. Aka: Stealing.
Turns out Sarpedon isn’t exactly a warm and cuddly kinda guy. In fact, he’s a jerk.
When the ship lands on Delta Three to meet Lord Delta, said Lord can’t be found. So Sarpedon and Rex decide to cool their jets at a local watering hole. Rex tries to rein in Sarpedon’s rude behavior and gets zappified for his trouble. After Rex recovers from his injuries, he’s offered a temp job at the bar. We’re not exactly sure what happens to him or why after that. Cuz the story just kind of walks off a cliff and dives off.
This book is like an omelet – light and fluffy. The pacing is nimble and the story moves quickly. You can read it cover to cover inside of an hour.
We would’ve liked to have read a hard copy that included color illustrations. But the PDF version provided for our Kindle was black and white only. So we won’t be rating this book. However, young readers who enjoy sci fi and/or comic books will enjoy Free. It’s a sweet, uplifting story that’s worth a look-see. It launches on January 15.
E.B. Roshan is the author of the Shards of Sevia series. Find out more here.
Author E.B. Roshan.
Kimber: Okay, Mom. Time for a pop quiz.
Mom (being her usual alert, coherent self): Huh?
Kimber: Whaddya get when you roll Ethan Hunt, Luther Stickell, and Kwai Chang Caine all into one, to the tune of Life Is A Highway?
Mom: Is this a trick question?
It could be in this thriller where Zen Buddhist spook dude teams up with handy-dandy computer nerd while on the run from some uber bad guys in this up and down action/adventure tome. It called Way of the Bow. By Vince Fratello.
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sarge is a warrior with the NSA and the “Gray Consultants.” Very hush-hush. Very effective. He’s also 65 years old. Trying to retire. Bernie’s a computer nerd. Aka: expert hacker. Both skill sets come in handy. Especially when people are trying to kill you.
This storyline is the strongest part of the book. What follows as Sarge and Bernie team up to get to the bottom of what happened and why and head for D.C. for answers is a mixed bag.
Most of the rest of the book is about the people and places Sarge and Bernie encounter as they make their way from the West Coast to D.C. This includes an extensive cast of colorful characters like the dude with the ultralight, Gwen the horse lady and the guys in the boxcar en route to Montana. Tough-as-nails with a heart of gold Catholic nun, Sister Rose-Carolyn. A ride aboard an eighteen-wheeler. A dash to Chicago with Carrie and her EV camper van, The Beast. A side run into MMNA, judo, jiu jitsu and aikido. Salem Sue, the World’s Largest Holstein Cow. It’s also a bit gastro pub on wheels. So you might want to bring a fork. Or two.
While eloquent and articulate, we felt the book loses focus and meanders into metaphysical sermonizing a little too often. And that’s too bad. Because it’s actually pretty well written, with sturdy characters, credible dialogue and generous doses of dry humor, which we totally love. But when it strays from spook thriller about uncovering a deadly conspiracy at the highest levels and wanders into Adventures in Zen Land, the action/adventure angle gets lost in the reeds.
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let’s just cut to the chase on this one, okay? What a dud. This book is so busy trying to be clever or hip or something, it forgets to create a coherent story. That kinda matters. Especially if you’re gonna pitch it to us for review.
Newsflash: We don’t do muddled and mussy. We’re just funny that way.
Yo! Wazzup?
Kimber: The ‘Ole Curmudgeon (TOC) can’t come to the blog right now. She’s hunting up the nearest plate and fork. So I’m gonna take over for a min, okay?
Now. You know that the OC is like, super-duper opinionated. On Pretty. Much. Everything. Especially books. We don’t apologize for that one bit. In fact, it’s one of Mom’s best features. (I can’t remember the other two at the moment. Can I get back to you on that that?)
Anyway, Mom’s been whaling away on the last few Kristin Hannah novels she read. Cuz they were like, lousy. Lookin’ at you, The Women. Distant Shores. Summer Island. The Four Winds. Barf-o-rama x4.
So Mom and I are diving into that “Christmas reading” thing. With both feet. And four paws. I’m not quite sure what ‘Christmas reading’ means. But if Mom likes it, then so do I!
We have some perennial favorites. Like Richard Paul Evans’ The Christmas Box. Earl Hamner Jr.’s The Homecoming. The Polar Express. That green dude, Whoville, and his dog Max. Luke 2.
We also grab some new titles every year. That’s how we found Dear Santa. By Nancy Naigle. I’ll let The ‘Ole Curmudgeon fill ya in:
We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Please note that we won’t be rating this book. Assigning a numerical rating to a memoir just doesn’t feel right.
Kimber: Mom and I? We don’t say the above about too many books. But June Summers’ Hope Unleashed isn’t just any book. Hauntingly beautiful and searingly elegiac, Hope Unleashed is based on the life of a real woman, Wendy, as told by her mother. It also has dogs. About 40+. And about 20 cats (Nobody’s perfect). And how Wendy’s limitless love for animals and her passion for saving lives became her own lifeline as she battled an aggressive form of cancer.
Mom says you might want to grab a box of tissue before diving into this one. Or maybe a whole pallet. I’ll let Mom tell ya more. As soon as I re-up her tissue supply. Take it away, Mom:
“So who are you and what have you done with Nicholas Sparks?” Her Momness asketh the other day. I’m pretty sure it’s a “rhetorical question.” Not sure what that means. Except that Mom’s been reading Nicholas Sparks since just after the discovery of fire. And apparently she was, shall we say, less than impressed with this tome? Here’s why:
You know how Mom and I love history, write? (That’s not a typo.) So when we saw William C. Davis’ An Honorable Defeat: The Last Days of the Confederate Government at a library book sale recently, we snapped it up right quick. Thought we’d chew on it awhile. After all, it smelled like a good idea!
Pages & Paws 