Twelve Mad Men / Bracha, Nixon, et al

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Horror/Psychological Thriller

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

Twelve different authors contributed to this novel, including Pals past and present, Ryan Bracha and Keith Nixon, along with ten others. Most of the others have had their solo work reviewed here with three of these (Les Edgerton, Richard Godwin, and Gerard Brennan) receiving nominations in the 2014 BigAl’s Books and Pals Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition to those already mentioned, contributions were also made by Paul D Brazill, Craig Furchtenicht, Allen Miles, Darren Sant, Gareth Spark, Martin Stanley, and Mark Wilson.

Description:

“At St. David's asylum for the criminally insane there are twelve residents. They call us that. Not inmates.

We all have a favourite colour. A favourite member of staff. A favourite method of receiving torture for the purposes of science.

We all have our reasons for being here. Our stories. Our tales.

Why don't you come and hear them?

Twelve Mad Men is a groundbreaking literary collaboration. A novel which has a series of stories woven into the narrative, and featuring the finest independent authors from across the globe.”

Appraisal:

Run off to Amazon (unless you’re there already), click the look inside for this book, and read Ryan Bracha’s introduction. If the concept appeals to you, the book should, too. For the tl;dr crowd (that’s “too long; didn’t read, for the uninitiated), the concept is each of the contributors imagined they were “residents” at St. David's Asylum for the Criminally Insane, and tell the story of how they got there. As Bracha says in the introduction, it is a chance for each to “showcase their most depraved sides.” Then Bracha added words of his own between each contribution to weave a coherent whole.

It turned out better than I’d have guessed possible. Assuming depraved and (again borrowing from Bracha’s intro) “violent, sweary, funny, and filthy” are your thing. (Aren’t they everyone’s?) That each author’s character used their own name added to the humor as I, for example, imagined Keith Nixon as an oil painting crazy with a talent for making psychiatrists throw up their hands in frustration or Mark Wilson as a gender-confused patient with an addiction to what in times past was euphemistically called “self-abuse” (often accompanied by warnings of impending blindness). Not for the faint of heart, but a must read for horror fans interested in something different.

FYI:

Among the things we normally mention here are if a particular flavor (or flavour) of English is used (the authors are from both the US and UK and this is reflected in word usage, slang, and possibly spelling conventions), whether there is sexual content (yup), adult language (yes, yes, OH YES), or anything else that might rile up, offend, or nauseate some people (you betcha). Sensitive types, this book’s not for you.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofing and copy editing issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reprise Review: Canvas Bound / Laura M. Kolar

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: YA/Coming of Age/Paranormal Romance

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

Laura M. Kolar is a self-declared hopeless romantic who lives with her husband and daughter in Michigan. To learn more visit her website.

Description:

“The Captive Art Series is a trilogy set in an art academy in England, where many of the students have some very interesting and unique talents. The first book, Canvas Bound, follows sixteen-year-old Libby Tanner, whose art comes to life. Her painted skies turn from day to night, leaves rustle on trees, and every so often a mystery boy appears.

While attending Aldridge, Libby meets charming Brent Henderson, a performing arts student who showers her with attention. But his rival, gorgeous Dean James, is the one who occupies her mind…

Libby soon learns there’s more to both Brent and Dean than she ever imagined. In order to save her future, and the boy who’s captured her heart, she must unlock the secrets behind her art by entering the most dangerous place of all…the world within her paintings.

But once she steps into the canvas, she risks being trapped forever.”

Appraisal:

Olivia Tanner has an unusual artistic talent, as do all the students enrolled in England’s Aldridge Art Academy. Libby, as she likes to be called, is a conservative but smart, independent, and strong-willed girl. She is a well developed protagonist and this story is told through her eyes. Although she would rather stay in her room and paint, Travis, her student liaison, has also taken it upon himself to be her social director and insists she participate in the schools activities.  I LOVED his character, he is the big brother she never had growing up and their personalities played off each other well. I found the tension and drama drove the plot at a nice steady pace throughout the story, but towards the end I found it hard to put the book down.

Ms. Kolar handled her flawed characters well expressing their insecurities as well as their strengths in a believable way. I loved the way she compared nature verses nurture in the lives of Dean, Ryan, and Brent. As Libby starts to listen to her intuition she is able to see her classmates as they really are and read their true intent. It was enlightening to her as she realized that she was the only one who came from a safe and stable background. The balances of evil intentions are redefined as misguided attempts to gain self worth may be a little naïve, but this is a young adult story and I would like to see this aspect further explored as this trilogy continues.

This is a captivating story that will tug at your heart-strings and awe your senses as these young adults find their way around their lives and learn to control their abilities in a productive/positive way. These are not magical abilities as much as they are psychic connections with their chosen art form. I found the topic fascinating and I am sure you will also.  

Format/Typo Issues:

I read an advanced review copy and cannot comment on this section. Although, I will say Red Adept Publishing produces extremely clean books.

Rating: ***** Five stars

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Tommy the Tortoise’s Wish for Speed / Nathan Mercer

Reviewed by: BigAl with input from The Princess

Genre: Middle Grade/Children’s Fiction

Approximate word count: 5-6,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: YES

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Author:

A former school teacher and veteran of Desert Storm, Nathan Mercer lives in Pennsylvania with his family.

For more, visit Mercer’s website.

Description:

You all know the fable about race between The Tortoise and the Hare. But do you know what happened before the big race?

Appraisal:

As I’ll sometimes do with children’s books, I drafted The Princess, my eleven year-old granddaughter, for her input to assist with my review. Her feedback was mixed.

She called it an “interesting story,” but gave it an overall grade of C+. The reason she gave for not giving it a higher grade was that she thought it was “missing some stuff.”  Explaining further she said it needed “little topics supporting the big topic” or “more little adventures supporting the big one.” I interpreted that to mean, at least for her, the story was too one dimensional and needed a little more meat.

My suspicion is that a younger reader might feel differently. The Princess just started sixth grade and testing the readability of a couple samples of text from the book indicated that it is at a fourth or fifth grade reading level.

However, The Princess also had no trouble understanding the point of the story. She gave me a summary of the plot and said it was “a book with a moral.” She explained the lessons to be learned as “it takes practice and study to get good,” continuing to say that “even little changes can make a big difference,” and that a person should “make goals.”

Based on the feedback from The Princess and reading of Tommy’s story myself, I’d recommend this as a good book for fourth graders (plus or minus a year depending on the individual) and a story a parent might consider reading to a younger child. If the child isn’t familiar with Aesop’s fable of The Tortoise and the Hare, you might follow up with that story the next night.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reprise Review: A Land of Ash / David Daglish

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Short Story

Approximate word count: 30-35,000

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

Growing up on a Missouri farm, David Dalglish normally writes fantasy. This includes two series, the Shadowdance Triology and the five volume Half-Orc series. For more on Dalglish, visit his web site.

Description:

"The Yellowstone Caldera has erupted once every 600,000 years. We're 40,000 years overdue.”

Although David Dalglish wrote the majority of the stories in this collection, it also includes contributions from David McAfee, Daniel Arenson, John Fitch V, Michael Crane, and Robert Duperre.

Appraisal:

Start with the assumption that the Yellowstone Caldera has erupted. Assume people know what's coming - a large dust cloud traveling west to east that will kill many and throw much of the world into the equivalent of a nuclear winter. Then write a series of short stories about how people will react with contributions from a variety of writers. What a great concept.

Given the assumptions, how would you react? Would you hunker down and wait for the inevitable? Would you flee, hoping to outrun the cloud or at least prolong life as long as possible? Would you maximize the enjoyment of what little time you had left? The widely different characters in these stories cover a broad spectrum of possible reactions, yet with the overriding assumption as the glue A Land of Ash reads more like a novel than a short story anthology. An added bonus is the chance to be introduced to several new authors.

Format/Typo Issues:

I read this prior to starting the blog, however I believe there were very few, if any, issues at that time.

Rating: ***** Five stars

Mazie Baby / Julie Frayn

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: YES

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Author:

The author of three novels and two short story collections, Julie Frayn lives in Calgary, Alberta where she’s a senior manager at a historical theme park. Her novel It isn’t Cheating if He’s Dead was the top vote getter in the Chick-Lit/Women’s Fiction category of the 2014 BigAl’s Books and Pals Readers’ Choice Awards.

For more, visit Frayn’s website.

Description:

“When Mazie Reynolds was a young girl, she believed monsters lived under her bed. Now a grown, married woman, she discovers one sleeps in her bed.

Mazie schemes to save herself and her daughter. Her plan will work, if she can out-maneuver the monster who is a master of manipulation and control. She’s got one thing going for her, the one thing she truly owns. Mazie has moxie to the bone. But will it be enough?”

Appraisal:

I liked Mazie Baby for several very different reasons. The main one is the portrayal of living with an abusive husband. The family dynamics between Mazie, her daughter, and husband rang true and gave me insight into the difficulties someone in that situation has in surviving or getting out. It made for some intense drama as does the story of what Mazie finally does when she realizes the time has come for a change.

However, it isn’t all unrelenting drama and vicarious stress for the reader, Mazie goes through what I’ll describe as an adventure. Her next door neighbor, who helps Mazie along the way, also provides a bit of comic relief. Just as with It isn’t Cheating if He’s Dead, another of Frayn’s books I’ve read, I loved Frayn’s characters. They hit the right balance between being realistic (not unlike people you know), and unique, so you aren’t sure where they’re going to take the story. An excellent read.

FYI:

Uses Canadian spelling conventions (a cross between the US and UK).

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Xaman / Simone Beaudelaire and Edwin Stark

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Thriller

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

“Simone Beaudelaire is the pseudonym for a single mom and teacher from Texas.

In her spare time, Mme Beaudelaire reads romances as fast as she can get her hands on them, and when she isn't reading them, she's writing them!” She also has several other published books listed on Amazon. For more, visit her blog.

Edwin Stark was born in Caracas, Venezuela on the edge of a rain forest in South America. He grew up dreaming crazy tales and eventually started writing them down. English is not his first language. Mr. Stark has written horror, satire, and short story collections, which are infused with his unique style of humor. You can read more about him on his blog.

Description:

“In the jungles of Belize, an ancient power lurks, and American grad student Rachael Monroe is about to come face to face with it. But is it a monster from a long-dead culture, or something far more dangerous? And who is Xaman, the mysterious local man Rachael finds so inexplicably fascinating?

Seeking answers to these questions will lead Rachael deeper into the heart of a centuries-old mystery that might reveal to her a love that can surpass even death... or her own gruesome end.”

Appraisal:

This is a story of star-crossed lovers with a twist of paranormal. But before we get to that part of the story we are transported to the depths of a rainforest in Belize following Rachael Monroe, her fiancé Josh Randall, and their guide, Alphonso Montoya, as they make their way through the jungle. We are given an excellent introduction to their characters as well as the location with the descriptive prose. I had no problem immersing myself into the scene.

Rachael is an independent, strong-minded woman who goes after what she wants in life, Josh has invited himself along on this three month expedition to chaperone her, which didn’t sit well with Rachael at all. As unexpected events arose, Mayan mysticism and history were brought into play, captivating my attention completely. The plot moves at a good pace as some seedy characters are introduced and take the plot in unexpected directions, not the least of which is the introduction of the devastatingly handsome and mysterious Xaman.

When certain Mayan artifacts spark visions, memories, or dreams in Rachael, she is a bit unnerved but interested in finding out what it all means. Seeking the help of the local curandera, she has no idea what she is in for when a whole new world from the past comes to light. Soon after, Josh’s true role in the plot becomes evident. The authors have woven a fascinating tale about past lives and fate surrounded by mysticism of the Jaguar Queen in the Mayan jungle who felt slighted hundreds of years ago.

I think Mr. Stark’s and Ms. Beaudelaire writing styles and storytelling meshed well. I hope to see some more collaborations between these two in the future.

FYI:

Ms. Beaudelaire writes some steamy sex scenes which are explicit but well written. These may not be suitable for some readers. I enjoyed them.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four stars

Reprise Review: The Test / Margaret Forrest

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Approximate word count: 35,000-40,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO Paper: YES

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I couldn’t find any information about Margaret Forrest.

Description:

When Kate Thomas finds a lump on her breast, she fears the worst. After all, her mother died from breast cancer. The story follows Kate for twelve days as she undergoes medical and personal tests triggered by her discovery.

Appraisal:

I was captivated by Kate’s personality: genuine, intelligent, necessarily fearful (because of the lump), at times irreverent but also introspective. This story could easily be non-fiction--an autobiographical description of how Kate’s life turned upside down. Real or not, the author had me believing. At times, I laughed aloud at Kate’s wry life observances. A few sentences later, I’d be sharing her fear and approving of her seemingly irrational reaction to how people treated her and her lump.

I read the story in one sitting. The prose is clean, crisp and engaging throughout. Try this for a description of how Kate feels after taking her mammogram: “I feel as though I’ve just boarded a train without knowing where it’s taking me.” Ahhh, nice words.

The author illustrates her tale with a number of charming, poignant pencil sketches. These images were a wonderful surprise, and they sucked me into the story even more, adding a layer of humanity and personal detail that enriched my reading experience.

I’ve recommended the story to my step-daughter (who recently recovered from breast cancer) I know she’s going to empathize and laugh along with Kate. But you don’t need any association with cancer to enjoy this book--highly recommended.

Format/Typo Issues:

None noted.

Rating: ***** Five stars

The Mysterious Case of the Golden Egg / Ernie Lindsey

Reviewed by: BigAl with input from The Princess

Genre: Middle Grade/ Young Adult / Mystery

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

An author of primarily mystery and suspense for adults, Ernie Lindsey has at least ten novels and numerous short stories available. His book Sara’s Game was on the USA Today bestseller list and reached #2 on the Kindle Bestseller list. A native of the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Lindsey and his family now make their home in Oregon.

For more, visit the author’s website.

Description:

“The sudden and unexpected arrival of a mysterious package interrupts Hat Tintersmoot’s twelfth birthday. Where did it come from? Who left it? Once she discovers that the small cardboard box is a gift from her Grandpa Gordon, the mystery deepens...considering the fact that he passed away three years ago.

The handwritten note reads, “Inside this box is an impossible mystery that only the purest of hearts can ever hope to uncover. Solve it, and you will discover the answer to one of the greatest secrets ever.”

It’s another perfect job for the owner of The Marshmallow Hammer Detective Agency. With the help of a new best friend, and her first official employee, Hat must uncover the truth behind five difficult clues in order to find the answer to the greatest secret ever.”

Appraisal:

Twelve year-old Halcyone Acasia Tintersmoot, known as “Hat” (her initials and the thing you wear on your head). She has this nickname for the obvious reason that her real name is a mouthful. She’s the owner of “The Marshmallow Hammer Detective Agency.” You won’t find it in the phone book, but it is as real as it gets, at least to Hat. Although this is the first book in the series, Hat mentions other cases she’s worked on and sometimes solved.  “The Case of the Disappearing Toothbrush,” is one. You’ve probably worked a case like that one yourself. “The Mysterious Case of the Cute Boy on the School Bus” is an open case that Hat manages to solve while working on the current case.

When I read and review children’s books, I’ll sometimes draft The Princess, my now eleven year-old granddaughter, to assist. Our process is for her to read a book first, then tell me what she thought, with likes, dislikes, and a letter grade, just like a report card. I’ll then read the book so I can add my impressions while watching for the things The Princess has mentioned. I think The Mysterious Case of the Golden Egg received the most accolades of any book we’ve done this with. Her report to me started with “I liked this a lot” and ended with, “I’d give it a grade of A plus, plus, plus …” I finally told her I got the idea so she’d stop with the pluses.

The mystery to be solved was set up by Hat’s grandfather, who died three years earlier. Before he died, which he knew was coming, he’d arranged for Hat to receive the first clue on her twelfth birthday. Grandpa Gordon was a private detective and liked to talk to Hat about his cases, which was Hat’s inspiration to become a detective. One of the comments The Princess made was that the mystery wasn’t like some, where you found out the solution, and felt cheated that the clues weren’t there to solve it while reading. She felt the clues were tough, but also liked that many of them she was able to figure out. The mystery hit the right balance for the age the book is aimed for. The Princess also thought the book would be fun to read aloud to younger kids and although it would be an easy read for an adult, she thought “even a grownup would like it.”

The Princess was right. I was surprised at how much I liked this book. The clues were fun to try and figure out, and not too easy, even for someone several times older than the target reader. As Hat works her way through the clues she meets and helps several of her Grandpa’s friends (an aspect of the book The Princess also thought important enough to mention) and in doing so learns a lot of life lessons that Grandpa knew he wouldn’t be around to teach her in person. The Princess and I both hope the author continues this series. It’s off to a great start.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

When You Make it Home / Claire Ashby

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Contemporary Romance/ Relationships

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Claire Ashby was born and raised in the heart of Atlanta … She resides in Austin with her family and a pack of wild dogs.” 

When You Make It Home is Ms Ashby’s debut novel. Learn more about her at her website or check out her Facebook page.

Description:

“Meg Michaels, a bookstore owner, has already walked away from two cheating exes. She’s learned her lesson and has her mind set on success—until she gets knocked up. Embarrassed and unwilling to discuss her situation with friends and family, she wears layers to hide the pregnancy.

When Meg gets sick at a party, she’s mortified. Even worse, Theo Taylor, the guest of honor, discovers her secret. Theo, an Army medic wounded in the war, agrees not to reveal her condition, and the two forge a bond of friendship that blossoms into love.

Theo is soon filling all of Meg’s late-night cravings—and not just the pregnancy-induced ones. But can their love overcome all the obstacles that stand between them and creating a happy family?”

Appraisal:

Meg has dealt with so many disappointing relationship issues in her life she has built a wall around her heart. She is plagued with abandonment issues that started when her mom left her and her twin brother at a very young age and continues with all the men she has ever had relationships with. When she ends up pregnant with an ex-boyfriend’s baby, who was separated from his wife at the time, her life spins out of control.

When Meg meets her best friend Ellie’s brother-in-law Theo, who has just returned from Afghanistan minus one leg, an unconventional bond starts to form between them. Theo is angry and bitter but trying to cope with his “new life.” He refuses to be a burden to anyone and has a lot of admirable qualities even though his rehab is not going smoothly. The dialogue between Meg and Theo is realistic and genuine as their relationship develops into more than either one of them bargained for.

The story is mostly told through Meg’s eyes as she deals with telling everyone about her pregnancy and has to explain that the baby daddy is not her ex-fiancé who she broke up with two or three months before. She is also dealing with the real baby daddy, her own father who has left her stepmother (who Meg never really bonded with), and running the family bookstore with her twin brother. She also feels the maternal need to find her own mother to learn why she abandoned her and her brother before they were two years old. There were a lot of relationship dynamics explored is this novel. It was a huge undertaking for a first time author to take on. I felt like the timeline didn’t quite work out for me in a couple of places, mainly concerning the pregnancy, and this threw me out of the story for a while.

Meg’s emotions were all over the place, which is normal, because of the hormonal changes women’s bodies go through during a pregnancy. I loved this quote from Meg during one of her inner dialogues giving herself a pep talk while trying to control her emotional turmoil. “I wanted to know the pleasure of someone holding me up. But maybe some of us were meant to hit the ground. Otherwise we’d never learn to bounce.  I could bounce.”

Theo’s dialogue and actions had a way of melting my heart throughout the story. He had to chisel his way into Meg’s heart. At one point when Meg released all her fury at his actions, I feared for their relationship. However, I was proud of Meg for finally owning and expressing her feelings. In my opinion this should have led directly to the climax of the story. As it is… I was left wanting with a certain unresolved story arc, which made the ending feel rushed. I felt cheated that Ellie and Jake were not included at the end. Ellie was an important friend that was there through the whole story. We shared the drama with her pregnancy problems and celebrated her baby along with Meg’s when they had a dual baby shower. I felt like this oversight was unforgivable and took away a star.  

When You Make It Home, is an emotional rollercoaster. I have no doubt that it will make you laugh, cry, and warm the coldest heart.

FYI:

I would consider this an Erotic Romance with adult sexual situations that may not be suitable for all audiences.

Format/Typo Issues:

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy. Other than the timeline issue I found no significant editing or formatting issues.

Rating: **** Four stars

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Evolution of a Wine Drinker / Alicia Bien

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Humor / Culture / Non-Fiction

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Raised in Ohio, Alicia Bien received a Bachelor's Degree in Literature and a Master's in English Linguistics. She is a Fulbright Scholar, wine lover and comedy fan. While interning in the U.S. Senate, she saw lots of funny things.

Drawing on life's humorous experiences, Alicia writes and performs comedy. She studied sketch and improv at Second City, Hollywood and the Upright Citizens Brigade.

She lives in California with her husband and adopted cat.”

Her blog looks like a fun site to visit.

Description:

“Do you like wine but don’t know anything about it except it’s 1) Alcoholic and 2) Wet? Well, Alicia Bien is here to remedy that. Pronto!

Here's a collection of wine stories, the highs—and lows—of Alicia’s own evolution as a wine drinker from novice to—many bottles later—an expert wine bottle opener. These pages contain an alphabet’s worth of wine stories from 'Drinking Alone' and 'How the Army Changed My Life’, to ‘Ullage Uvula, U Know’ and ‘Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-Ay, My Oh My What a Zinfandel Day’.

So grab a bottle, sit back and enjoy. CHEERS!”

Appraisal:

Every now and then I have to step away from my fantasy diet and read something… well, more down-to-earth.  As I was scanning the books submitted for review database, I came across Evolution of a Wine Drinker and thought, “I like wine! Perhaps I could educate myself a little.” So I stepped outside of my comfort zone to review a non-fiction novella, hoping some of the wine culture will rub off on me. These are stories of Ms. Bien’s experiences with wine, wine tasting, and vacations centered on wine regions. Bien takes her wine very seriously and has taken the time to educate us novices on the finer points of all things wine.

It all started in college (go figure) when she was looking for an elective and her academic advisor pointed out a “wine tasting class” in the catalog… She grinned. So begins Alicia Bien’s love of wine. She learned how to hold each wine glass, judge a wine by its color, how swirling wine in the glass aerates the wine to improve its flavor, and how to smell the wines to help your taste buds better define and appreciate the flavors and nuances of a wine. She studied grape varietals, wine growing regions of the world, and their histories. In time her instructor managed to turn a college beer chugger into a passionate wine drinker.

This book is full of short personal essays cleverly arranged from A-Z which include humorous and educational stories from Ms. Bien’s adventures with wine and wine country not only here in the states but around the world. Along with stories about her friends and their own wine tasting club parties, which almost convinced me to try hosting one. :) This book is a fast, pleasant read that will leave a smile on your face. It may also make you feel a little more confident in choosing your next bottle of wine. This review was written while enjoying a glass of Belle, a sweet red wine from Red 55 Winery located in Texas. Ha! See, I never would have checked that out if I hadn’t read this book!

Format/Typo Issues:

I came across no editing or formatting issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Sunshine / Alyssa Cooper

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Dystopian/Short Story

Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Alyssa Cooper is a Canadian writer with a graphic design diploma and a passion for storytelling. She collects old books and antique typewriters, and has a preference for the darker side of fiction.”

For more, visit Cooper’s website.

Description:

“When ozone levels plummeted, the world changed. There’s no going back.

This is a world where sunshine can kill. Where there are heavy steel shutters on every window, and underground tunnels for safe passage. Where citizens nourish themselves with synthetic vitamins and rationed food, living a life in darkness, never seeing the sun.

This is the only world that eighteen-year-old Manda has ever known. As this strong, passionate girl struggles to bloom in a hard and unforgiving world, she finds a single comfort; Jordy, a man who delicately shows her how beautiful life can be. But then the letter comes.”

Originally published in 2012, the author did some revamping and republished it, hence the subtitle “The Author’s Edition” on Amazon.

Appraisal:

This long-ish short story or novelette has a love story as a significant story thread, but the main story conflict is the protagonist Manda’s struggle living in the world the author has imagined. It isn’t clear why, but with rare exceptions, people are not exposed to the sun. Maybe the world is different due to climate change. (The rarity of rain and shortage of water argues for this.) Possibly it is due to government intervention for health reasons. Most likely a combination of both. Avoiding the sun is possible through a change in habits (most sleep during the day, with waking hours at night) and infrastructure (blackout blinds and underground tunnels to get from place to place). A thought-provoking story.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars