Reprise Review: It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead by Julie Frayn

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Description:

“Jemima Stone is tortured by the disappearance of her schizophrenic fiancé, Gerald. She seeks refuge from her pain by feeding the homeless.

When he is found murdered in a city three thousand miles from home, Jemima finds salvation in the arms of the detective who has obsessed over her case for four years, and redemption by reuniting one of her homeless friends with the family he thought he'd lost.”

Author:

“From nine to five, Julie Frayn is a mild mannered accountant. But the rest of the time, her writer alter-ego comes to life. When she isn’t counting beans or making things up in her head, she is mother to the two most perfect adults on the planet. She isn’t biased, just observant. When they were younger, they were perfect muses for silly poetry about smashed peas and birds with gastroenteritis.”

Appraisal:

Jemima Stone, Jem for short, is one those characters I found myself caring about almost immediately. She isn’t without faults (who among us is?), but she also has a way of taking a negative and turning it positive, which is a quality we could all emulate. An example of this is her obsession with finding her fiancé, Gerald, who disappeared. When she spotted a man that looked like him apparently living among the homeless in a park, she took to preparing and delivering food to the homeless in this park each morning. While initially this was with the hope of finding Gerald, it quickly became more about helping those in need and continued after he was found murdered in another city.

In addition to the main storyline, finding out and coming to terms with what happened to Gerald and why he left like he did, there are secondary story threads which are no less compelling. The changing relationship with the police detective who was investigating Gerald’s disappearance is one. Another is Jem’s work with the homeless, especially one man who she goes above and beyond in finding out his story and trying to help.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

The author is Canadian and uses her native spelling conventions which are a mix of US and UK spellings. There is at least one, possibly more uses of Canadian slang. The one I noticed, twonie (although the spelling I've seen is toonie), is the slang for the Canadian two dollar coin and understandable in context for those not familiar with the term.

Added for Reprise Review: It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead by Julie Frayn was the WINNER in the Chick-Lit/Women's Fiction category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran February 25, 2014.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing or copy editing issues. There are a handful of occurrences of an invalid character that I suspect happened as part of the formatting or a file conversion process, but not enough to be a concern.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Review: Dogs Don’t Lie by Lisa Shay

Genre: Cozy Mystery/Women Sleuths/Young Adult

Description:

“On call at Crater Emergency Animal Hospital, I, Doctor Kallie Collins, receive a curious request from the sheriff’s department. I’m to meet with a detective at a small ranch outside of town.

You see, there’s this dog with a bone he’s not willing to part with.

On scene, the dog tells me the bone is human. Actually, he shows me the location of the body, complete with a human skull, through an animal-communication technique I learned a couple years ago. Now I have to explain how this works to the detective, convincing him I’m not the murderer.

Who knew a simple farm visit would put me in the middle of a murder investigation? Well, I did kinda jump into this mess. I had to. I know what happened. The two four-legged witnesses to the murder told me.

And I’m the only one listening.”

Author:

“Yes. Lisa Shay is my pen name…

I live on the coast in the Pacific Northwest.

I read. A lot. Pretty much any genre.

I love animals. A bonus since the cozy mysteries are about a veterinarian who can communicate with animals… Yes. I'm a geek.”

Appraisal:

Kallie Collins is an enthusiastic young Veterinarian, who can understand animals’ thoughts. My first impression of her is of an educated, responsible young woman who wouldn’t run off half-cocked into what could be dangerous situations. But, add Kallie with her two best friends, a few cupcakes, and off they go willy-nilly. Even after the new cute detective asks her to let the department take care of the situation now that she, and the dog, had exposed a murdered victim.

I thought the premise of the story was a good one, but the execution fell flat. Kallie’s two friends were two-dimensional as were a few of the PD involved. The plot seemed to drag on and on with Kallie’s escapades. I wish the animals played a larger part, and I was disheartened when Kallie kept forgetting to listen to the cat’s side of the story. WTH? When the family disappeared from the house and left the animals behind Kallie took them both home with her. So, it wasn’t like she had restricted access to the cat.

The last fifteen percent was exciting, tense, and unexpected. I just knew Kallie’s goose was cooked and then I was afraid she was going to do something really stupid.  I really liked Detective Ben, he was smart, levelheaded, and intuitive. I think he is going to be around for a while.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Dogs Don’t Lie is book 1 in Ms. Shay’s A Kallie Collins Cozy Mystery Series.

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing significant to mention.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Review: Child of Sorrow by Melinda Clayton

Genre: Mystery

Description:

“When fourteen-year-old foster child Johnathan Thomas Woods is suspected of murder, an old letter and a tacky billboard advertisement lead him to the office of attorney Brian Stone. Recognizing the sense of hopelessness lurking under John’s angry façade, Stone is soon convinced of his innocence. When John offers up his lawn-mowing money as payment, Stone realizes this is a case he can’t refuse.

In the face of overwhelming evidence assembled by the prosecution, Stone and his team find themselves in a race against time to save an angry boy who’s experienced more than his fair share of betrayal, a boy who more often than not doesn’t seem interested in saving himself.”

Author:

An author with several books to her credit, Melinda Clayton is a licensed psychotherapist, runs a small publishing company that publishes her books as well as a handful of other authors, and a writing teacher for Southern New Hampshire University’s online MFA program. She is also a contributing author at Indies Unlimited. For more, check out her website.

Appraisal:

Child of Sorrow has appeal for the obvious reasons a mystery should, something unknown to figure out. In this case trying to determine who really killed Johnathan Thomas Woods’ foster mother. As I was reading, I was doing the obvious, trying to fit the facts as I knew them thus far to the potential suspects. Was it John? Was it someone John was trying to protect? Was it someone who had nothing to do with John? But I also found myself pondering different and, in many ways, bigger issues as well. One of those things I was thinking about was kids who end up in foster homes, or kids who get in legal trouble at a young age, both of which it turns out applied to Brian Stone, John’s attorney, as well as Brian’s assistant and now John. What are the odds of someone in that position turning things around and finding success in life? Does our system tend to help or hinder this? In our fictional story here, how would the story have turned out differently if John hadn’t gotten Brian involved when he did, well before most people would have done such a thing.

This was a great mystery that kept me guessing. It has well-drawn characters

who it is easy to pull for, at least in the case of the good guys, and a plot that got me thinking. Definitely my kind of book.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Although this book is the third in Ms Clayton’s Tennessee Delta Series, each of the books in the series stands on its own. Having read the prior books in the series to be able follow the story in this one is not necessary.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Reprise Review: Reclaim My Heart by Donna Fasano

Description:

“Sixteen years ago, Tyne Whitlock cut all ties to her past and left town under the shameful shadow of a teenage pregnancy. Now her fifteen-year-old son is in trouble with the law and she is desperate for help. But reaching out to high-powered attorney Lucas Silver Hawk will tear open the heart-wrenching past in ways Tyne never imagined.”

“Forced to return to the Delaware Indian community where Lucas was raised, Tyne and Lucas are tempted by the heated passion that consumed them as teens. Tyne rediscovers all the reasons she found this man irresistible, but there are scandalous secrets waiting to be revealed, disgraceful choices made in the past that cannot be denied. Love is a powerful force that could heal them both—if the truth doesn't rip them apart.”

Author:

Donna Fasano was the winner in Books and Pals first ever Readers’ Choice awards in the romance category. She is also a three time winner of the HOLT Medallion, a CataRomance Reviewers Choice Award winner for Best Single Title, a Desert Rose Golden Quill Award finalist, and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have sold just shy of 4 million copies worldwide and been published in nearly two dozen languages. Ms. Fasano also enjoys posting delicious recipes on her website where you can also find out about her other books. You may also like to follow her on FaceBook.

Appraisal:

Beyond the entertainment provided by a good book there is often more to be gained for a savvy reader. Fictional characters can be like windows into the minds and hearts of others and sometimes can provide a catalyst to a better understanding of ourselves. Any book in the romance genre almost always has this. While we’re being entertained by the foibles and human frailties of the hero and heroine we’re also gaining insight into how other people think and react in different situations. The best authors are keen observers of human nature and able to translate what they’ve found into their stories. I’ve read many of Donna Fasano’s books and from her very first, Mountain Laurel, originally published a few decades ago, have been impressed by her ability to create characters that rang true to life. Reclaim My Heart continues this streak, but it also has something extra.

In addition to the type of themes you’d expect in a romance novel mostly revolving around romantic relationships, marriage, and commitment, are several others. While issues of the role and importance of the immediate family, a couple and any children involved, this book also explores extended family and how these relationships influence lives in both good and bad ways. Ideas around this subject are looked at from multiple perspectives, Tyne’s relationship with her parents, the relationship Lucas and Zach (Tyne’s son) have with Lucas’ Uncle Jasper, and the relationship between an Amish woman who figures into Lucas’ life and her father. Other themes such as culture, religion or spirituality, and the concept of home and roots (both familial and geographical) play a part in the story. The result is Fasano’s best book yet. One that should satisfy the romance reader looking for entertainment, but a story with more complexity under the surface than a typical romance.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This book contains adult language and situations that may be offensive to some.

Added for Reprise Review: Reclaim My Heart by Donna Fasano was the WINNER in the Romance category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran May 20, 2013.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on a pre-release copy and I’m unable to judge this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: Crime Beat Girl by Geri L. Dreiling

Genre: Thriller/Women Sleuth

Description:

“A girl is dead. A boy is locked up. Can Debbie Bradley discover the truth before more lives are lost...maybe even her own?

A series of deadly shootings. An outbreak of stolen cars. When journalist Debbie Bradley returns home to St. Louis, the summer crime wave has started. And she's in the center: A witness, a reporter, a target.

Debbie's reasons for leaving behind her promising career in Washington D.C. were complicated. Her mother, a prominent lawyer, was diagnosed with cancer. Her engagement was cooling. When she got offered a job in St. Louis that she hadn't been looking for, Debbie recognized an opportunity. Or an escape.

But she didn't expect to come home and see a girl die. Debbie never planned to investigate a boy behind bars. And she didn't anticipate colliding with hostile cops and wary politicians. As her work gains attention, Debbie gathers enemies. Will her assignment to cover the St. Louis crime beat be her last?”

Author:

“Dreiling's background is eclectic. She is an award-winning alt-weekly journalist, a lawyer who represented clients in criminal defense matters, and she served a stint as the public information officer for the prosecutor's office in the city of St. Louis. Dreiling currently teaches media law and media ethics.”

Appraisal:

I loved this book. It had a lot of different things going for it. Obviously the first is the story. Or actually multiple story threads with different mysteries involved, although ultimately they do tie together. Then we’ve got the issues with our protagonist Debbie, both dealing with her mother’s illness and trying to figure out what direction she wants her life to go romantically and career-wise. Last, we have the setting of St Louis, a city that is unique in so many ways, much of this coming through in the story.

If you’re into female sleuths, prefer Woodward and Bernstein to Perry Mason, or just like a good mystery or thriller, Crime Beat Girl would be a good choice. I’m hoping to read about other adventures in the future from Debbie.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Minimal proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Review: Roller Coaster Romance by Kate Moseman

Genre: Sweet Romance/Romantic Comedy

Description:

“Falling in love is the wildest ride...

When Vanessa finally gets her dream job as a manager at the most elaborate theme park in the world, love is the furthest thing from her mind. She’s walked right into the middle of a workplace war, and her roguish employee Thomas is clearly on the wrong side. All she has to do is keep it professional—even if she can’t stop thinking about him.

Thomas has just 30 days to outwit upper management and convince his fellow ride operators to unionize. Falling for his cool-and-collected new boss is not part of the plan. So why can’t he stop finding excuses to spend time with her?

Their slow burn could ignite the fireworks of love—or destroy everything they’ve fought for.”

Author:

“Kate Moseman is a writer, photographer, and recipe developer who lives in Florida with her family and enjoys going to theme parks as frequently as possible.”

To learn more about Ms. Moseman check out her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Vanessa is thrilled to get her dream job as a manager at Destiny Theme Park. She’s a little nervous the first day at her new job, but well prepared. Thomas is the employee assigned to introduce her to each of the different areas of the park and how they operate. Vanessa and Thomas both share an instant appeal for the other. Both keep these feelings under wraps, upper management and employee relationships are frowned on, I suppose. At any rate it’s a good policy. Vanessa is also unaware of the situation she has been dropped into accepting this new job. The Union is trying to entice the employees to join, and Vanessa, being upper management, has to side with her boss or lose her job. This creates a stressful, suspenseful, and intriguing conflict between Vanessa wanting the best outcome for her employees and still having to side with her employer. She has also been tasked to uncover who is organizing the ride operators.  

On her mission she starts to spend as much time with Thomas as she can, while at work, to find out if he is promoting the union. All this time together starts heat to build in their relationship. I enjoyed the character development of the key players, even Dirk, the resident brown-noser. Vanessa tries to keep him busy trying to keep him out of and from causing trouble, which he is very good at. I liked Vanessa’s character, she is intelligent, down to earth, and astute. Thomas with his costume hats sitting at a rakish angle always made me smile. I loved his confidence and humor.

Roller Coaster Romance is different from other sweet romances I’ve read. I really enjoyed the smartly written plot, characters, and dialogue. This would be a great summer read.   

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Nice, clean, and entertaining read.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 35-40,000 words

Review: Red Hail by Jamie Killen

Genre: Science Fiction/Post-Apocalyptic

Description:

“Professor Colin Ayres has spent years researching the strange story of Galina, Arizona, a sleepy border town ripped apart by violence and paranoia after the outbreak of a mysterious illness in 1960. Colin is certain the Galina Incident was simply a case of mass hysteria. But when his partner, Alonzo, starts exhibiting strange symptoms, Colin is shocked to realize they are the same as those that emerged in Galina decades ago.

As Alonzo’s condition worsens, Colin scrambles to piece together what really happened during that terrible summer in the past. He uncovers a story of murder, corruption, and fanaticism. The deeper he digs, the more he becomes convinced that what happened in Galina wasn’t mass hysteria after all.

When others start to develop the same eerie symptoms, Colin must confront the possibility that someone—or something—is driving the plague. Guided by rumors of a person who found a way to stop the plague in the sixties, Colin races to find answers before the disease destroys Alonzo and everyone else it touches.”

Author:

Jaimie Killen is a writer of sci-fi, dark fantasy, and horror who lives in Texas. For more check out her web site and follow her on Twitter.

Appraisal:

I’ve read several books over the last few years that have had, as a big part of their storyline, a pandemic or plague or the like. Sometimes the issue was one in the past, like in this book, and other times it is more contemporary, imagining something now or at some point in the future. When these books work for me it is typically for several reasons, not only the intensity of the story, and me as a reader being pulled in and rooting for the characters, but also because it gets me thinking and asking questions. Could something like this really happen? How would I react, would it be the same as the characters in the story or differently?

Given current happenings in the world, my reactions and thoughts to such a book remain all of the above with a bit more immediacy. The “sure, this is fun to think about, but nothing like this is really going to happen” thoughts don’t have the same credibility as usual. I suspect some people would stay away from such a story right now. In my case, I’ve found these books help me cope to some degree with the real world. That the plague in Red Hail is imagined to have been (at least mostly) in the past and geographically limited might help as well.

As for the story under discussion today, I loved it. The various characters (both heroes and villains) were well done, keeping me rooting for the good guys, both past and present, and on the edge of my seat to see how it would all end.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words

Reprise Review: Witches and Bandits and Swords (Oh My!) by Dominic O'Reilly

Genre: Fantasy

Description:

A sea voyage to trade spices with a distant land promised great fortunes for you and your friends. However, a vessel flying a pirate standard had other ideas. How well can you deal with the unexpected? Find out in this create-your-own adventure!

Author:

Dominic O’Reilly lives in Manchester, England and has many temporary jobs, all including the typing up of very mundane, and totally uninteresting, information. When he needs to escape from the mundane, he writes. The genre depends on his mood at the moment. Dominic has a blog you can visit and also a page at DeviantArt.

Appraisal:

Anyone remember Zork, one of the first interactive computer adventure games? I do. I played it while I was in college on one of those ancient Apple computers – back before they were Macs, back before they came in colors. Way back… And I loved it. It was my first experience with just how addictive a computer can be. Well, I think that this author probably grew up with Zork, and loved it, too.

I spent about 45 minutes gleefully building my own adventure and snickering to myself and thinking “Boy, this is just like Zork!” OK, I admit it… I wasn’t able to accomplish much except to wander around in a circle picking up herbs and offering a guard some very odd bribes. But neither was I ever able to do much of anything in Zork, and that didn’t stop me, nor did it dim my enjoyment.

This book has the same snarky, tongue-in-cheek humor – usually at your expense. The baddies aren’t really bad – just offer them a potion that you were able to have mixed up by one of the witches on the heath using herbs that you picked up while walking in circles, and they’ll be your friends. The pirates steal your cargo, but they don’t kill you – it’s much more fun to watch as you walk in circles picking up herbs and encountering odd characters. There are bandits with spiky clubs, but their aim isn’t any better than your prowess with a sword is. Everything’s all in good fun.

The book has 3 chapters, and if I understand it correctly, you can ‘save’ your adventure, when you inevitably end up getting killed, by jumping to the next chapter (as opposed to starting over). So, in effect, you get three ‘lives’. I’ve read a few ‘create your own’ adventure Kindle books, and this is more elaborate, with a greater number of options than the others I’ve read (not to mention having a much more wicked sense of humor).

Highly recommended, if you have a good sense of humor, and even more so if you can remember playing Zork.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This is very family-friendly. The humor is snide, but not mean. The ‘baddies’ are bad in name only. Even getting killed is an opportunity for the author to poke fun at the reader.

Added for Reprise Review: Witches and Bandits and Swords (Oh My!) by Dominic O'Reilly was a nominee in the Fantasy category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran May 24, 2013.

Format/Typo Issues:

In all the jumping around I did during my game, I saw only one minor typo, so I’d say formatting is excellent. On the Kindle, the links to select the next scenario work perfectly, and some are worth a laugh in themselves.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: SingleEyePhotos

Approximate word count: (varies – this is a create-your-own adventure)

Review: Killing Harry Bones by Jonathan Harries

Genre: Adventure/Men’s Fiction/Dark Comedy

Description:

“In his first novel, Jonathan Harries flips the script and creates a world where the poachers are afraid of the animals—and then things really start to get weird.

Someone is slaughtering big-game hunters in Africa. And the deaths are particularly gruesome.

At the same time in Chicago, a disheveled and depressed Roger Storm, recently relieved of his duties as an ad exec, is also contemplating murder—that of his ex-boss, the despicable Harry Bones.

Then in what seems like a bizarre coincidence, Roger bumps into his supposedly dead childhood friend, the notorious arms dealer Freddy Blank, at a restaurant in Paris. Freddy and his ravishing partner, ex-Mossad agent Conchita Palomino, convince Roger to join them in a harebrained scheme to save Africa's wildlife and displaced people from a sinister global organization. In return Freddy promises to take care of Harry Bones.

Kicking, pleading, and dodging savage mercenaries while lusting after the voluptuous Conchita, a terrified Roger is hauled from Paris and London to the wilds of Ethiopia's Omo Valley, where under the darkest sky he has ever seen, an epic showdown takes place.”

Author:

Jonathan Harries, “grew up in Namibia, an extraordinarily beautiful and wild country where the desert meets the sea, with not a blade of grass in between. In my early teens we moved to South Africa where, after completing the perfunctory exercises necessary for entering adulthood, I began a career in advertising. While my love and fascination with wildlife began in Namibia, it grew into a passion in South Africa, and I spent every chance I got going to Botswana and other places where you could--and luckily still can--see animals in their natural habitat…

Since retiring, I've developed my passion for writing and storytelling into a second career--in fact, it is more of a vocation… The profits from all sales of my books are donated to animal charities. I hope they give you a laugh at the same time that they bring some awareness to the horrors of poaching and animal trafficking.”

You can see all of Mr. Harries books on his Amazon Author Page.

Appraisal:

First, I have a small disclaimer, I do not fit the demographic for this book so my opinion may slip through. However, it is only my opinion. I also confess I picked this book up because of the cover. I understand that is a big “No, no.” I expected something along the lines of Monty Python, I was mistaken…

Roger Storm’s life is in the dumps, he’s been let go from his job as a top ad-executive. He’s depressed and drinking himself into a stupor. When in a bar he spots a childhood friend who supposedly died years ago. Freddy Blank tries to recruit Roger into his campaign to save Africa’s wildlife. But he’s real sketchy about what he wants Roger to do or what part he will be able to play in Freddy’s scheme. Roger is a whiny nerd and Freddy is a masterful manipulator. Roger follows him around because Freddy’s business partner is a beautiful woman named Conchita.

The plot moves at a believable pace, until Roger reminisces about the trouble he and Freddy got into at school and growing up through the years. These steps back in time help us understand Freddy’s character. Of course there is an arch villain out to stop Freddy’s plan because he is making lots on money taking big game hunters on safaris to get trophies mounted on their walls.

What we have here are master conmen conning other conmen. There is espionage, double agents, and mercenaries working for the highest bidder. This is a real man’s man book full of alpha males and poor Roger is right in the middle of it all. His life will never be the same.

If you are a manly man who loves adventure and dark humor, you will probably love this book. The bonus is Killing Harry Bones is free, and if you enjoy it the other two books of this trilogy are waiting for you to pick them up. So, just go for it!

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Killing Harry Bones is book 1 of Mr. Harries, The Roger Storm Books. I will warn you that there are lots of strong adult language. But, if you are a manly man you can handle that, right?

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Saturday Morning Tea by Tony Bridwell

Genre: Business Fiction

Description:

“Leah, the newly promoted manager at Blaise International, faces a common challenge: how to turn slow sales and uninterested employees into a booming enterprise. Uniting her team and avoiding employee layoffs seem impossible. Until she meets the Professor, Their weekly lessons on the power of story help Leah turn her employees and leadership team from unmotivated individuals into a community with a common goal. Alongside Leah, learn the three ways to experience story and how to identify a misaligned story. The Professor teaches that the way we present ourselves through verbal and nonverbal cues — employee recognition, team meeting behaviors, and identifying employee burnout — impacts not only our own path, but also the paths of others. Saturday Morning Tea is a powerful tale of leadership and ambition that proves how story has the power to change everything.”

Author:

“As an author, international speaker, consultant and coach, Tony Bridwell has been making a difference at some of the world’s largest organizations for the past 20 years. He is the former Chief People Officer of Brinker International and a past partner with global consulting firm, Partners In Leadership. Currently, Tony is the Chief People Officer for Ryan, LLC, the global leader in Tax Consulting.”

Appraisal:

This was described as business fiction. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but after reading it think that’s a fair label, although depending on the picture that label paints for you it may or may not be exactly what you expect. Leah, a newly-minted manager meets “the Professor” at a local tea spot one Saturday morning. They get talking about Leah’s difficulties and the Professor lends his advice. This turns into a regular Saturday get together with the chronicling of what they discuss being the first part of each section in the book. Their discussion is a fairly realistic telling of what you might expect to hear from an intelligent up-and-coming, yet inexperienced manager and her mentor. Definitely fiction and definitely discussing business. The style is reminiscent of what fables and other stories that mentors and other more experienced people have used for thousands of years to illustrate points as they educate those who can benefit from their knowledge and experience. It isn’t fiction in the sense of entertaining like a good novel or short story, but by presenting the information as a story it makes it easier to take in and digest. At the end of each section the lessons you hopefully are coming away with are laid out much more explicitly, in my opinion to review the first time around and for easy reference down the road.

This is one of a series Bridwell has and continues to write.  I think this particular volume is especially interesting because I think he makes a good case for his approach to teaching, using stories, and how that approach can help in managing and mentoring others. Well done with an excellent lesson.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 13-14,000 words