Review: Throwing the Hammer by Gary J. Kirchner

 

Genre: Literary Fiction/Humor

Description:

“Paranoid administrators, interdepartmental feuds, quirky staff members, and an eccentric headmaster: welcome to Winston Grant High School.

Mark Patterson has a master’s degree in physics, wants to do nothing more than surf and ski, and believes that high school teaching will be the cushy job of his dreams. He receives a rude awakening when he becomes a physics teacher at Winston Grant, a begrudging little brother amidst rival private school heavyweights.

From the outset, Mark must tiptoe through a virtual minefield of Procrustean rules, coddling parents, scheming colleagues, and, of course, teen-aged students.

Things don’t go well, inside or outside the classroom. His students call him Mr. Goofegg. His football team is pathetic. His lunch-table kids behave like Neanderthals. His teaching supervisor, aka the ‘education implementation strategist,’ criticizes him for using equations. His colleagues have even organized a betting pool for when he will get fired.

And when Mark discovers that a weak student in his class is a physics genius, he finds himself caught in the middle of a conflict between father and son, a conflict which could destroy the young man’s potential. Or help Mark find his.”

Author:

“Gary J. Kirchner studied physics at McGill University and did his Master’s work in sports biomechanics. He also played football with the McGill Redmen and continued as a coach with the team for many years after he graduated. In 1993 he was a recipient of Football Canada’s Gino Fracas Award.

Kirchner taught physics at several Montreal area high schools as well as at John Abbott College. In 2014 he was awarded La Mention d’honneur de l’Association québécoise de pédagogie collégiale for teaching excellence.

He is also a flute-player, amateur astronomer, and keeps physically active as an avid cross-country skier, curler, and triathlon participant.

Kirchner lives in Dorval, Quebec, with his Estonian wife Hille. He is the author of five novels.”

Appraisal:

This book is an interesting read. It’s funny at times, frustrating at others if you’re imagining yourself in the place of or at least feeling a minimal amount of empathy for the protagonist, and thought provoking as you consider the complications that our protagonist Mark has to work through. For various reasons Mark finds himself using his education to get a job as a physics teacher because someone has to support his wife and the baby on the way. If he had his way he’d be in Vancouver surfing in the summer and hitting the slopes in the winter. The frustrations, battles, and learning he experiences are humorous at times, but the messed up priorities of a private school, sometimes more concerned with keeping the tuition paying parents happy than actually helping the kids being taught, the internal battles between different cliques (talking other teachers here, not just the students), and all the other complications keep this interesting and engaging to the end. What that end was going to be, I was not sure what it was going to be until we got there, but I had to find out and I eventually did. (You’ll have to read it yourself if you want to know too.)

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Uses Canadian spelling conventions.

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Tripping Over Your Cane by Jass Richards

 Genre: Humor

Description:

A humorous looks at the issues with aging.

Author:

“Jass Richards has, surprisingly enough (or not), a Master’s degree in Philosophy and for a (very) brief time was a stand-up comic (now she’s more of a sprawled-on-the-couch comic). Despite these attributes, she has received four Ontario Arts Council grants.”

She has several books written under this name as well as under a couple pen names.

Appraisal:

I’ve been known to say that “getting old sucks, the only thing worse is the alternative.” I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Jass Richards saying the same, not only because this book looks at aging and the pain in the … well, lots of body parts this causes, but does so in a humorous way that you old people out there could relate to (yeah, I’m looking at you, the balding grey-haired person reading this). This is a quick, fun read for you old people who can relate. You kids (yeah, the 48 year old, I’m talking to you), might still be amused, even though you won’t get some of it quite as well as those of us with more life experience.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Old people like me will be saying “language young lady, language” to the author as they’re reading. (Yes, I use those fucking words too, don’t tell on me.)

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words

Review: Extra Grumpy Trumpy by Stacey Russo

 Genre: Politics/Humor/Parody

Description:

“Extra Grumpy Trumpy is the sequel to Grumpy Trumpy no one asked for, but everyone deserves—and let’s just say, the material kept coming. Inspired by more recent events and the ever-growing absurdity of the political landscape, this book practically wrote itself. The hardest part? Deciding what not to include.

Built on the playful repetition and escalating silliness of The Wonky Donkey (but not written by or endorsed by its authors), this sing-songy satire turns chaos into catharsis. It’s packed with clever wordplay and poetic protest for grown-ups who laugh through the madness and rhyme through the rage.

It’s for readers who believe storytelling can be silly, sharp, and subversive all at once. It’s also a playful stand for free expression, a reminder that the First Amendment still matters—and we’re using it with heart, wit, and a healthy dose of rhyme.”

Author:

“Stacey is a mom, business owner, travel enthusiast, and unapologetic beach lover who turned her pet peeves into punchlines. Her writing journey began with parody—sing-songy, satirical books that helped her laugh through the chaos and find humor in the things that bothered her most.”

Appraisal:

If you’re a fan of Trump, this book is definitely not for you. If you’re not a fan this book should give you a good laugh while discussing several reasons why your lack of fandom makes sense. This parodies the style of the Wonky Donkey series of kids picture books in a way that even a pre-school kid could understand. Unfortunately those fans of Trump are unlikely to get it, but you’ll get a good laugh. I’d have never guessed that an adult picture book that looks just like something I’d read to a grandkid would have appeal to me, but I was wrong.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 24 pages

Review: Go See America by Matt Tory

 

Genre: Travel/Humor

Description:

“Want to explore America’s most wonderful, wild, and delightfully weird places — without nodding off halfway through a guidebook?

This is not your average travel book.

In Go See America, Matt Tory takes you on a humorous, heartfelt tour of 118 unforgettable places across the USA — according to a guy who went to them all. It’s part guidebook, part road trip diary, and entirely a celebration of what makes America… well, America.

Whether you love adventure, history, scenic views, or just a good laugh, Go See America isn’t just another bucket list: it’s an invitation to rediscover and fall in love with the country you thought you already knew – one memorable stop at a time.

Inside, you’ll find:

National parks, quirky attractions, scenic drives, and small-town surprises

A mix of must-see wonders and overlooked gems across all 50 states

A not-too-serious guide that feels more like exploring alongside a good friend

Photos of every location

Insider tips and personal stories that both celebrate and lovingly roast America’s greatest hits

It’s the perfect blend of inspiration and levity – whether you’re planning your next trip or just dreaming from the couch. Go See America isn’t about checking off boxes; it’s about embracing the wonder, charm, and occasional absurdity of this big, bizarre, beautiful country.

Get inspired. Get going. Go See America.”

Author:

“Matt Tory is a writer and filmmaker from Sacramento, California. He has written and directed a wide range of films, podcasts, and streaming series — including the comedy series The Beech Boys and the mockumentary We Make Movies, which was called ‘one of the best films of the year’ by Cinescape Magazine. He spends most of his time creating things that aim to make people laugh, feel encouraged, or – on a good day – both.

His latest book, Go See America was inspired by a lifetime of road-tripping across the country in search of its most beautiful, quirky, and unforgettable places.”

Appraisal:

I’ll start by saying that I’m an avid traveler and love to read travel books, so I was definitely solidly in the middle of the target audience for this. But I don’t think a person would need to be as big of a travel nut as I am to enjoy it.

As a general rule travel books fall in two categories. The first, I’ll call it a guidebook, is a list of potential places to visit. These might be specific kinds of things (scenic places or museums) or a mix of things to see and possibly focused on a specific geographical area or a broad area, but the key is that what they do is tell you about places for you to consider visiting yourself. The second category is the travel memoir. While these might inspire a fellow traveler to follow in the author’s footsteps, I see them more as a way to experience the trip vicariously. I’m never going to hike the length of the Appalachian Trail, but I’ve enjoyed experiencing that through the eyes of a couple people who have done it in the past, for one example.

Well, if a guidebook and a travel memoir had a baby … you might end up with something like this book. (And yes, you’ll find a few jokes like that one or probably better scattered through the book as well.) You’ll get the author’s take on what I like to call “The Shoshone Falls of the East,” or as you probably know it, Niagara Falls. He’ll also mention the taller and less known Shoshone Falls (which has been called “The Niagara of the West” by people more important than me). He’ll discuss places you might go along Route 66, although he doesn’t follow the instructions of the song of the same name since he forgets to even mention Winona. (To be fair, there isn’t much to do there.) You’ll get lots of travel ideas close to you (if you’re in the US) as well as some on the other side of the country, and get one man’s thoughts on how those places he chose to feature were for him. If you’re into hiking and the beauty mother nature often provides, you’ll find even more to like than the average reader as he often mentions optional hikes to consider, not to mention opportunities for a good meal or snack. (I won’t mention his obvious pie addiction, but if you’re into pie, you’ll find this inspirational.) An interesting and fun read with lots to recommend it.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words

Review: What My Refrigerator Said to Me--Misadventures in the Digital Age by Bruce Wetterau

 

Genre: Science Fiction/Humor/Short Story Collection

Description:

“What can a talking refrigerator possibly have to say? Well, if you listen to all the AI hype, you’ll believe computers will be doing all the talking and thinking for us.

What My Refrigerator Said to Me’s twenty-one tales take you on a journey into the comic possibilities of life in the digital age, now and in the years to come. After all, why should the likes of Bill, Jeff, and Elon have all the fun imagining this futuristic stuff!

You’re sure to be amused by this book’s absurdly funny answers to such burning questions as: If computers can think, will they choose a life of crime? If your pet can talk, what will it tell you? Can science turn your brain into a desktop computer? Will there still be fortune cookies in 2052?

As is so often true of comedy, along with the laughs you’ll also find thoughtful insights into the people and devices populating our futuristic, digital world.

You get the idea. These richly imaginative tales will have you boldly going where no one has gone before--again and again! This collection of witty, laughable tales makes for a great read or great gift.”

Author:

Author Bruce Wetterau started his writing career as an author of reference books. If you check out his author page on Amazon you’ll see his name on multiple reference books with publication dates as far back as the 80s and 90s. Then he decided on a change in his career, “buying and renovating old houses” as he puts it. He continues to do that, but began writing fiction with his first books being a mystery-thriller series starting in 2012. This short story collection is yet another twist to his approach to writing.

Appraisal:

These stories are all a hoot. Some take place in current times or at least the near future while others are a few decades from now, maybe some even more. All have some element involving new technology, often with unexpected repercussions. While some of the stories might get you thinking in terms of potential negatives from new tech, either through misuse or the tech becoming too independent, kind of like a teenager who decides to exercise independence, you’ll be laughing the whole way. Thought provoking? Sure. But also an incredibly fun set of stories to read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: Smoko by F.E. Beyer

 

Genre: Humor/Satire

Description:

“One day the postal services will turn a buck by using drones to deliver fake Rolexes to citizen slackers on a universal income. But for now, the mail team continues busting arse delivering gym membership promotions to retirement villages. Adopting an attitude of resignation offers comfort to some, but one worker, inspired by Ned Ludd, Marx, and the Unabomber, opts for sabotage. Both comic and absurd, Smoko is a social realist novel set in the depths of New Zealand suburbia.”

Author:

“F.E. Beyer writes about dead-end jobs, travel, history and crime. He is the author of two books: Buenos Aires Triad, a tale of low-end criminals in Argentina's capital, and Smoko, a comic novel set in New Zealand. His articles and reviews have appeared in the South China Morning Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, Inside Indonesia, and Travelogues Magazine.”

Appraisal:

This explores what it is like for a postal worker at the postal service in New Zealand. I assume this is not really how it is there, but an imagined situation sometime in the near future. The postal service has been privatized with lots of emphasis on productivity from the workers and making a good profit for the company. This is likely to ring true for anyone working for a large corporation anywhere in the world. It will keep you laughing because, as satire does, it goes a bit over the top, but it will also get you thinking and pondering where the line that shouldn’t be crossed (but maybe will be some places) should be.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Since the story mostly takes place in New Zealand there is lots of slang and expressions that fit the location. Plenty of words I’ve seen before and understood and lots more I don’t think I’ve read or heard, but felt like I understood what was being said from the context in the more difficult instances. Even the title, Smoko, refers to what I’d call slang, the Smoko Room (break or smoke room) that workers gather in when taking a break.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Review: Romeo and Juliet Keep Their Eyes on the Prize by Richard Engling

 

Genre: Humorous

Description:

This is an amusing mashup of self-help literature and a production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet through the eyes of the seriously impoverished artistic director of an ensemble theatre company in Chicago. Some of the disasters which befall the production have the ring of truth. Some of the material is laugh-out-loud funny. Often these are the same bits.

Dwayne Finnegan is in love with his work but is very aware that doing what he loves is not making him a living. And then his beloved wife tells him she really wants a baby. Is he going to have to join the corporate rat race and put a permanent lid on his creativity? Then he picks up this self-help book and somehow … it helps!

Author:

Richard Engling is or has been an actor, director, playwright, novelist and musician. He has “spent a lifetime writing and performing, paying his bills as a teacher, truck driver, and copywriter, while performing as an actor, drummer in a jazz quartet”, and was the founding artistic director of Polarity ensemble theatre company in Chicago. He has written a number of plays (some of which have been collected in print) and three other novels. He has degrees in Creative Writing and Theatre.

Appraisal:

I picked this for review because I’ve done a lot of Am Dram in my time (in the UK) and remember very well indeed the love-hate relationship with it (and the people one’s working with), the exhilaration, the pitfalls, the shoestring budgeting, the hang-it-all moment when the expensive thing that breaks the budget becomes a must-have, the endless irritation of people not doing what they’re told, and the extraordinary way all that disparity becomes (for the life of the run) a living Thing that belongs to all those involved, that (often) is almost nothing like what you set out to create. It is fascinating. And addictive.

Engling has put this, and more, on the page very amusingly. It all feels very real.

There are a couple of points made in this book which I’ll just tease out: the arts in general are very vulnerable. Fringe theatre particularly so because it is ephemeral. When the run of the play is over it’s forgotten, except by those few who saw it or were in it or helped produce it. Funding is wafer thin. So people can only really afford to do it if their family has money or they live a cold and lonely life in a garret existing on fresh air and steam. The second point is that, no matter how Woke you are, there should be a limit to how much you monkey about with scripts in the name of inclusivity. Even Shakespeare. Or perhaps especially Shakespeare.

The book deals with all of this, yet manages to make the endless problems not only funny but also resolvable. I was never quite sure what “winning boats rise together” actually means, but I could see that as the novel developed the self-help mantras were definitely giving Dwayne tools which were helping him to succeed. I used to find, myself, that a very large vodka did the trick …

If you have any interest in theatre – especially fringe theatre – you will enjoy this.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Format/Typo Issues:

A few missing words, mainly the easy-to-miss little ones that scuttle off and hide when you’re not looking, but which when present do illuminate a sentence for the reader …

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: Judi Moore

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: You Wanna Put What Where? by Brian Fasterling

 Genre: Humor/Memoir

Description:

“Hold on to your gurney and embark on a hilarious, side-splitting, comedy adventure through the often daunting world of medical procedures, where laughter truly becomes the best medicine.

In this uproarious tale told from the often-overlooked perspective of the patient, Brian Fasterling masterfully weaves together humor and everyday life experiences in a comedic and clever medical memoir, creating a literary gem that will leave you in stitches. From relatable anecdotes to unexpected twists, each page is infused with Brian's signature wit and charm.

Packed with funny, laugh-out-loud scenarios and poignant insights, You Wanna Put What, Where? is a doctor-ordered dose of comic relief. Whether you've braved the medical system or simply crave a good belly laugh, this book guarantees an unforgettable journey.”

Author:

“Brian Fasterling was born and raised in New Orleans and now lives with his wife, Kelly, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where the wind is so strong some days it could blow out the sun. Though he has finally achieved ‘published author’ status whose work lives on in perpetuity simply because it's on the Internet, in past professional lives he drew street maps by hand, became a commercial pilot and flight instructor, managed production of auto parts catalogs, wrote software to publish telephone books, developed code for iOS devices and was a sysadmin for engineering systems (all at different times, of course). He has climbed an active volcano, scaled 14,000-foot peaks, been to 46 U.S. states, likes to travel internationally, totally digs vintage stereos, plays numerous musical instruments kinda sorta well, enjoys camping/biking/skiing/jogging, and just chillin' with a cold beer while pondering the magnificent miracle that is life.”

Appraisal:

This book chronicles the author’s experience as a patient as he concludes he has a health issue, has it checked out by medical professionals, and eventually has a medical procedure to hopefully fix things. While it doesn’t go into the kind of detail you might expect from your doctor if you were experiencing this yourself, it does give some sense of the experience, which is why I describe this as a memoir as well as the books primary genre, humor. And boy, it is definitely funny. Near the end the author mentions the old saying that “laughter is the best medicine” and he was certainly self-medicating when he wrote this. If you aren’t laughing at least once on every page I believe you’re in need of a medical procedure yourself. Probably a sense of humor transplant.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: The Customer is Always Wrong by StJohn Lennox-Kerr

 

Genre: Humor/Memoir

Description:

“Working with the general public can be a nightmare, especially in the world of computer repair. In The Customer is Always Wrong, StJohn Lennox-Kerr exposes the true horrors of customer service with a collection of painfully hilarious, and sometimes downright infuriating, stories from his time at a small computer repair shop.

Just don't lose your faith in humanity!”

Author:

I was unable to find any information about the author other than what the book says, that he is an IT professional who spent a few years about 20 years ago working in a computer repair shop.

Appraisal:

This book consists of short tales of experiences the author had working at a computer repair shop. Each section is a paragraph or two, roughly a hundred words or a bit less. Around the size of this review. (Okay, maybe more like between half to a third the size of this review.) It chronicles everything from people using the parking lot in front of the strip mall the shop was located in as a bathroom to multiple unsuccessful attempts to get something for nothing from the store to how clueless people often are about their computer or life in general. While the author eventually makes it clear that the vast majority of the customers he dealt with were reasonably nice and no problem to take care of, by the time you reach that point you can’t help but wonder how any town can have as many idiots as the one he worked in apparently does.

Most of the stories managed to get a laugh or chuckle out of me or in some cases a shake of the head, struggling to believe how the customer thought anyone would believe them or go for what they proposed. Sometimes I questioned the truth of the story as well. For example one claimed that a woman came into the store carrying a fire hydrant, set it down, said “it’s yours now,” and walked out. A fire hydrant? Really? Maybe it really happened. I’m not sure how much a fire hydrant weighs, but suppose there are people tough enough to carry one out there, assuming they came across one that wasn’t connected to the water pipe. It just seems unlikely. Or maybe he didn’t mean fire hydrant, but got the term wrong. Maybe fire extinguisher. Still strange, but more believable. I’m not sure, but my alternative possibility seems possible since this book had a ton of proofreading errors (missing words, wrong words, words that should be two words made into compound words like onetime). At times a fun read, but the proofreading issues and a ton of short repetitive stories offset much of the fun.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Way, way, way too many issues with proofreading misses. It surpassed what I would find acceptable in a book twice as long.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: Teacher by James Eric Riley

 

Genre: Humor/Memoir

Description:

“These students aren’t just bad, they’re dangerous. And then there’s the principal.

For Los Angeles teacher Eric Riley, summers off, holidays, and health benefits are all that matters. Why else get into teaching in your forties? With a wife and two young daughters, and a mountain of debt after suffering a broken leg, teaching represents a steady paycheck and time off he’s never experienced.

Riley survives his rookie year as a teacher, only to be assigned a class with a special designation: Emotionally Disturbed. He starts the new position, after taking a mandatory training session on the latest approved methods of physical restraint – the delicate name for self-defense when dealing with violent students.

One day, a student attacks Riley – and Riley puts him down hard on the floor. The school principal orders Riley to be placed on administrative leave. During a series of preliminary hearings regarding his status, he realizes that the official version of the incident is changing. When his union and legal representatives appear to be incompetent, he secretly contacts staff members at his school. They break into an administrator’s office and uncover statements and records regarding his suspension that implicate the principal, the district, and even the teachers’ union.

From classic teaching moments to administrator run-ins to a district boardroom showdown, one teacher finds out what he’s good at.”

Author:

“James Eric Riley grew up near the rust belt town of Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania. He attended Eastern Kentucky University and graduated with a degree in Theater Arts. After years of summer stock and regional theater, he and his wife moved to Southern California where they discovered snow skiing and - for Riley - speed skating. But after breaking a leg in a short track competition, teaching suddenly seemed like a better idea. As a high-school teacher, he finally put his theater background to use teaching public speaking and writing and directing a one-act version of Macbeth performed by students and faculty. Now retired, he and his wife Jeneva live in Independence, Kentucky.”

Appraisal:

As I read this I struggled with just how true it was. The author was a teacher. The book is described in the materials I received with the copy I reviewed as a novel with humor or dark humor as the genre. That’s seems a clear indication of it being fiction. But then just before the book’s prologue starts I see the page with these words
******
This is a memoir. Everything you are about to read is true.

Names have been changed to protect the guilty and to ensure the anonymity of the innocent.
******
Hmm. Then I look more closely at the cover and realize that on the school building pictured, just to the left of the door, it says “A Memoir.” So maybe it is true, but all the ”characters” are made anonymous. I guess I can’t say what the answer is for sure.

What I can say for sure is that while there were times that I was stretching my ability to suspend disbelief, I mostly managed to do so. It was an adventure to read and certainly helped me appreciate teachers even more than I already did. How things were going to turn out for Eric, the protagonist of the … whatever it is … was constantly up in the air and kept me engaged and eager to find out how the story ended. Certainly a good, engaging read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reviewer copy so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: Still No Kids & Still OK: A Childfree Humor Book by Ellen Metter

 Genre: Humor

Description:

“There’s less pressure these days to make lots of dimply babies. But what about the indecision that would-be parents experience as they consider the Baby, Yes or Baby, No choices? Or the subtle societal nagging that says having zero children leads to a lonely life with only Netflix and grizzled old guys with no teeth as your friends?

Now that she’s nearly old enough to get ‘Save the Date!’ invites from the Grim Reaper, Ellen Metter is ready to share a light-hearted, illustrated look at an intentionally childfree life.

Still No Kids & Still Ok is for everyone. The author loves it when people have children since we need kids who grow up to create hilarious Netflix shows. But since parenting can be like flying a Boeing jumbo jet with squirrels in your hair, it’s best when the desire for children is strong. Like Superman strong.

And for those who hesitate to procreate? The author gets it! The only doll she loved as a kid was Barbie since that doll seemed old enough to have sex. (Protected, of course.) Still No Kids & Still Ok shares illustrated evidence that a long and childfree life is more than Ok.”

Author:

“Metter is the author of Still No Kids & Still OK: A Childfree Humor book and the sci-fi novel Transference. She's tried out several professions, including radio DJing, dishwashing, mystery shopping, and stand-up comedy. Metter enjoyed three decades as an academic librarian on Denver’s Auraria campus. She enjoys walking anywhere and singing along.”

For more, check out her website.

Appraisal:

This is a fun, relatively short read that depending on your age, parental status (are you a parent?) or parental goals (if you aren’t a parent, do you want to be now or in the future?), will speak to you in a different way. As a grandfather well past the point where having another child is likely, I still enjoyed this. But regardless of where you stand on having children, this will make you laugh, but also get you thinking. If you want kids and don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t, this book will give you some perspective on that, but in a way that will have you laughing and smiling. This book, while covering a subject that some might take overly seriously approaches everything in a humorous way. For those who don’t want kids now or in the future, you’ll have your decision reinforced as well. Along with the fun to be had in the main sections of the book there are some quotes from various people (labeled as “marvelous quote”) interspersed throughout as well as some cartoons that reinforce the message of the book.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A bit of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 17-18,000 words

Review: Meet Me in Miami by Charles St. Anthony

 

Genre: Memoir/Humor

Description:

“Food, romance, and magic: Charles St. Anthony discovered more than he bargained for in Miami. After a wobbly welcome to the South Florida metropolis, Charles does more than 1,000 food deliveries using food delivery apps. In doing so, he finds some of the most scrumptious food that Miami has to offer. Along the way, Charles picked up more than just pizza! He meets someone and gives his account of how the relationship unfolds.

We've all seen the bizarre news stories that frequently emerge from the Sunshine State. Charles also gives the authoritative analysis as to why ‘Florida Man’ exists. Part comedy and part investigative journalism, Meet Me in Miami follows studies Charles St. Anthony has written on Beverly Hills and Oklahoma City. Written with his characteristic panache, he takes you on a tropical adventure in a city where the cultures of the United States and Latin America collide.

Meet Me in Miami is a work of creative non-fiction by author Charles St. Anthony. This work is unrelated to the 2005 romantic comedy and women's clothing store of the same name.”

Author:

“Host of the T With Charles podcast, Charles St. Anthony has published several humorous memoirs. His recent series of short reads focus on the gig economy.”

Appraisal:

This is much like a couple of other books by the same author. Short reads that chronicle his adventures trying to earn a buck while delivering food as a delivery person for one or more of the food delivery services available in many cities. In these books you learn a bit about the city (obviously Miami in this installment) and the people who live there as Charles St. Anthony lays out his experiences. Some of that is what you would expect to discover about a city (what the different areas are like or where some fun places to go might be located) while others things are a bit of a twist to the norm, for example you’ll be able to answer the question ”how well do people in this city tip and how does it compare to other cities the author has experienced?” You’ll find out where people in each city like to eat, what places have unique food items, and if you had the perception that delivering for Doordash or the like was a great way to make big money, you’ll find out the reality of that as well. As with the author’s prior books I found this to be a quick, fun read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 9-10,000 words

Review: Social Vampire by James Schannep

 Genre: YA/Humor

Description:

“At a new school, you get a chance to reinvent yourself, so...why not be a vampire?

Gordon is hiding something. Is it the fact that he's secretly a vampire? No, of course n-wait. Yes. That's exactly what he's hiding. Let's go with that.

So when this nerdy teen moves to a small town where all the kids are obsessed with vampire fiction, he reinvents himself as their dream character: dark & brooding, cool as hell, and overly susceptible to stabs through the heart.

While rivaling the alpha male jock, garnering the attention of the most popular girl in his class, and forming a hilarious friendship with the girl next door (the only one who knows his secret), Gordon might find that his new school is the perfect place for him to shine-or, better yet, sparkle.

But if his classmates dig up the truth, it'll be the nail in his coffin...”

Author:

“James Schannep has no tragic backstory.

Having grown up in a fairly ordinary suburban household, with a family who loved him, he was forced to dream up far flung adventures on strange new worlds where the hero can save the day and make a difference through strength of character alone.

Schannep attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in English Literature with a minor in General Engineering. After serving honorably as a Nuclear Missile Command and Control Officer, he returned to trying to make a difference through story.

As a screenwriter, game designer, and novelist, he is probably best known for his Click Your Poison series of interactive gamebooks.

Social Vampire is his first novel.

When not dreaming up strange new worlds, James lives in the one inhabited by his wife, who faithfully remains the patroness of his art, and with his children, who don’t quite grasp what they’ve inherited yet with such an eccentric father.”

Appraisal:

Gordon, a teen boy who is the protagonist of this story, and his dad move from Los Angeles, California to Bozeman, Montana after Gordon’s mom dies and his dad becomes unemployed. This put Gordon in the position of struggling with all kinds of things including coming to terms with his mom’s death, understanding dad’s thinking in uprooting them to move back to the town where dad grew up, and most of all figuring out how to fit in in a town where he knows no one and feels nothing like what he’s used to.

There are some things in this book that I could picture myself not buying into in most books, but I do here. For example so many of Gordon’s new classmate’s appearing to believe that he was a vampire, felt reasonable to me. Sure, I had to suspend belief, but it was easy to do. At points Gordon as the narrator presents events (or a fancied-up version of events) in the form of a montage as it would be presented in a screenplay, and it didn’t feel unnatural, because Gordon presented himself as a budding screenwriter so this approach seemed reasonable.

The part that I had no difficulty with and understood immediately was the difficulty in moving into and finding a way to fit in in a new school. While it has been a few years … okay, decades … no, not centuries, not quite yet, this was something I experienced a few times as a kid and still remember the struggle. While aimed at a younger audience I think even someone well out of their teens could still enjoy this book. Those in the young adult age range should like it and relate even more.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

This review is based on an advance reader copy so I can’t judge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Review: Pirate Penance: A Rock ’n’ Roll Novel by E.Z. Prine

Genre: Humor

Description:

“It’s 1984, and Jack St James, lead singer for rock band Pirate, thought he’d married the woman of his dreams only to discover the minister didn’t have a valid license. So it’s off to Vegas, along with the band, to make the marriage official in front of an Elvis impersonator. Jack and his bride rock up to the chapel, only to find that Jack’s cash and credit cards are gone. As Jack chases down band members to get them back, he gets sucked into one band problem after another, only to find his bride now has cold feet.

Meanwhile, back in L.A., George discovers that his wife has fallen in love with another man and wants a divorce. Barricading himself in his hotel room, George refuses to give up his beloved toddler son, even when she gets the police involved.

After trying to help George, Sam is back to escorting his mom and sisters around the tourist sites in L.A. Only a mangy cat grabs his ankle and won’t let go, preventing him from getting in their limo. Trying to do the right thing for the poor little creature, Sam finds himself saddled with a huge vet bill and a growing attachment to a pet he can’t keep. A pet he’s named Hendrix after his rock ’n’ roll hero. A pet who adores him and defends him from his sisters. A pet whom everyone has fallen in love with except the one person who can decide Drixy’s future – the germ-obsessed Jack St James.”

Author:

“E.Z. (‘Easy’) Prine writes about the escapades of Pirate, a fictional eighties hard rock band out of Manchester, England. The Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 sparked what has become E.Z.’s lifelong devotion to ‘classic rock’ and fascination with those luminaries we call rock stars.

The Pirate series is E.Z.’s love letter to rock ’n’ roll and personal thank you to all the artists and supporting others who brought this amazing contribution to our world. May we always rock on.”

For more visit the website for Pirate and follow their Facebook page.

Appraisal:

This book has a short novel, the third of the series, plus three short stories.

The novel ties up the major story threads that needed a resolution from the first two books in the series. Jack and Lucy have a bit of a trip-up on the way to the altar and figuring out whether they’re going to get married or not is a big part of the story here.

There are also three short stories after the main story that focus on members of the band outside of the main storyline and timeline of the novels. They’re a lot of fun and help the reader get to know and understand some members of the band better who hadn’t received a lot of attention thus far.

With the prior book taking the band to the end of the tour that Jack planned on making their last, this might be the end of series, but the possibility of more to come isn’t completely ruled out. I found this series to be a very fun read, full of humor, but with a plot that kept me guessing as to where the story was headed while also keeping me engaged the whole way.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

In my reviews of the first two books in this series I suggested that adult language and content was to be expected in a book focused on an 80s rock band. Nothing has changed in this book.

While it might be possible to read this book and figure out what is going on I’d advise against it. Instead, get the first two books in the series and read them first. Too many things going on that you’ll only half understand otherwise.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words