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

Reprise Review: Boy Toy by Beth Orsoff

 

Genre: Chick-lit

Description:

“Sabrina Mayerson is turning 40, and all she wants for her birthday is one night of hot, sweaty, twenty-something sex.  Twenty-eight-year old Andrew Whelan is happy to oblige.  But when one night becomes a weekend, and a weekend turns into a relationship, Sabrina knows she's in trouble.  Because Sabrina's desire for Andrew is rivaled only by her desire for a child.  And the responsibility of fatherhood is something Andrew definitely does not want.”

Author:

“Beth Orsoff writes chick lit, romantic comedy, and humorous mystery/suspense novels. She recently attempted to write a dark and brooding book, and even that one turned out to be funny (see The Billionaire Who Wasn't). So Beth has decided to feed her dark side on Netflix, and embrace her love of witty repartee in her books.”

Appraisal:

The book kicks off with us meeting the protagonist, Sabrina. She’s turning forty and the Silicon Valley corporate lawyer is celebrating by spending a weekend with her best friend Gillian in Napa Valley. Needless to say, wine is consumed. Sabrina’s reasonably happy with her career, but her personal life, not so much. That becomes apparent as you get to know a bit about her ex-husband (aka “the lying bastard”) and she ruminates on her desire to become a mother, but the lack of viable father candidates is a concern.

Enter Andrew, the man serving up drinks at the winery where Sabrina and Gillian are currently hanging out. He’s too young and in a completely different place in life than Sabrina, but when the sparks fly a short fling doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, right?

As you should be able to guess, things get complicated. Then they get even more complicated. Then they get … well, you get the picture. How all of this happens and subsequently gets resolved is humorous (since it is happening to someone else), entertaining, and a fun read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and content.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on a pre-release copy and I can’t judge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Truth Walk by Melissa Bowersock

 

Genre: Mystery/Supernatural/Ghosts

Description:

“Most departed souls want to move on to the next stage of existence, but have unfinished business that Lacey and Sam need to resolve for them. When the pair is called to a home in south Los Angeles, a poor area in a rough neighborhood, they find a soul so completely riddled with guilt that it cannot move on; doesn’t feel that it deserves to move on. What was it this person did that was so terrible? And are they ever going to be able to crack the impenetrable wall of secrecy that’s been built around the truth?”

Author:

“Melissa Bowersock is an eclectic, award-winning author who writes in a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres: paranormal, biography, western, action, romance, fantasy, spiritual, and satire.”

For more visit Ms.Bowersock’s website and follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

As I was reading this book I was thinking about how book genres and series can follow a pattern and yet each book is unique enough that if a reader likes one, they’ll probably see appeal in most of them. Readers of books in the romance genre will recognize that there is a basic pattern to most books in that genre with specific high-level things happening in each book, with the pattern making for an entertaining and fun read, but with each story being unique in the specifics so you can’t predict exactly what is gong to happen or how the story’s conflict will ultimately be resolved. While the pattern and the specifics of this series are obviously much different, I feel the same way about the books in the series. Every one I read is entertaining, draws me in quickly and I have a hard time putting the book down until I get to the end. They’re quick reads, roughly the same length as a typical romance book too. As soon as I finish one, I’m eagerly awaiting the next.

While the big picture story in each book has some patterns, the specifics of the characters involved and their story is not, which is what makes each book unique and what draws you in. The characters in the story and where the story happens is different each time which also adds to the unique parts of the story. Recent books have happened on cruise ships, the Navajo reservation, or in this case the less well-to-do sections of Los Angeles, specifically the Compton and Watts areas. I recommend this book and all of them in the series to anyone who likes mysteries with some different twists from the norm (like a little supernatural twist or two).

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Although this is book 46 in this series, each book stands alone, so there is no need to have read any others in the series to understand this one.

Format/Typo Issues:

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

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Review: I Wish I Could Write by Katherine Widner

 Genre: Poetry Collection

Description:

“I Wish I Could Write is the debut work of writer, poet, and professor, Katherine Widner.

I Wish I Could Write is a powerful collection of poems that weaves together the complex threads of literature, identity, gender, religion, and family. Widner offers a thought-provoking analysis and reflective journey through the intersections of human experience, challenging readers to explore the depths of their own multifaceted identities.

In this striking collection, each poem serves as a mirror, not just for Widner, but for readers—reflecting the myriad ways that literary heritage, personal identities, gender expressions, and spiritual beliefs shape our understanding of the world and ourselves. Widner invites readers to question, celebrate, and reimagine the stories and memories that define us.”

Author:

“Katherine Widner is a writer and educator whose work explores the intersections of literature, identity, gender, and religion. With a background in British, American, and world literature, creative writing, and library and information sciences, Widner brings a unique and multifaceted perspective to her poetry. Her academic journey has taken her through several prestigious institutions in North Carolina, including the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Greensboro. Widner's passion for fostering creativity and critical thinking in others is evident in her roles as a mentor to faculty and students alike, as well as in her role as an award-winning instructor.”

Appraisal:

A couple decades ago my first reviews of anything were reviewing record releases of a specific genre of music for a few websites and a magazine. My cohorts and I not only talked about the sound of the music, but had a tendency to go way down the rabbit hole, talking about the lyrics of the songs. In spite of this I would claim to not be a big poetry guy and seldom will you find me reading a poetry book, but I decided to give this one a read and I made the obvious connection. Poetry is just like song lyrics without the music in the background. A good poet, just like a good songwriter, can say a whole lot in just a few words. Of course the message you get from that poem might not be the same one another reader gets, and that’s okay too.

This collection was a good one with some poems that felt very personal, or maybe they weren’t about the author, but she put herself in the place of a friend or acquaintance when she wrote the poem. Regardless, it draws the reader into the same place. Some of the poems are longer and others shorter. Several toward the end take on specific forms. Haikus, which was a form I was familiar with as well as tankas and senryu, two other Japanese poetry forms that I wasn’t familiar with. We’ve also got a poem labeled as “a sentence” which is just what it sounds like, a poem done in one sentence and a “sentiment”, which is what it appears to be as well. In all, a big variety of well done poetry that took me back to my days of admiring song lyrics and in the process made me realize that I really do like poetry.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small number of adult words.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 4-5,000 words

Review: The Ethical Assassin by William Ferraiolo

 

Genre: Crime Fiction/Psychological Thriller

Description:

“A found journal whose author wishes to remain anonymous... After losing his family in a tragic automobile accident, one man’s reason to go on living is stripped away. That is until one day, by chance - some might call it serendipity - he overhears a conversation that moves him to consider a new life. A man needs to be killed, and our protagonist decides to kill him. But he doesn’t stop there. Keeping a journal at every step of his way, our anonymous protagonist archives the subsequent events, taking the reader through his accounts of the men he kills and the causal antecedents that facilitate these assassinations. Attempting to come to grips with the life-shattering car crash while trying to make sense of the moral ramifications of his deadly acts of vigilantism - the ethical assassin kills only men who need killing - he tells us his story while attempting to navigate the dangers of doing so.”

Author:

“William Ferraiolo received a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma in 1997. Since that time, he has been teaching philosophy at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California.”

Ferrailo has written several books which all seem to be non-fiction prior to this one.

Appraisal:

This made for an interesting read. The premise (we can pretend it is true if you want) is that this is a “memoir” that was found by a waitress in a diner and based on the wishes of the author (he even makes that clear in the story) was published as a book. The author, after a life-changing disaster in his own life becomes an assassin, not killing people for hire or killing famous people, but instead killing people who, based on their actions, “have it coming.”

This was an interesting premise. The author didn’t want to go to prison, which he makes very clear, so he’s careful in choosing his victims, not taking chances on some who he thinks deserve to die, but involving situations where he’d be more likely to get caught. He keeps on the move and does all that he can to prevent getting caught. A lot of the story is, instead of what I’ll call the “action” of planning and executing one of his victims is instead pondering what he’s doing, his reasons for doing it, and the philosophy of that. If these people really deserve to die, is him making it happen really a bad thing? These and numerous other questions are going through his mind over and over so at points it feels a bit repetitive, but it also feels real, like anyone struggling with an idea tends to review the same things over and over in their mind. Ultimately it made for a thought provoking read, even if I’m not going to follow in his footsteps.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

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

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words

Review: Eve Versus the Apocalypse by Erica Lucke Dean

 

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Romance/Dystopian

Description:

“When everyone Eve cares about is killed in an alien invasion, she uses her skills with a blade to battle her way through the changing landscape. But with humanity on the brink of extinction, the aliens aren't the only monsters the college color guard faces.

After fleeing the war zone that was once Atlanta, Eve heads north to her family’s cabin in the woods. In the desolate mountain town, she encounters a group of survivors on the way to the fabled Safe Zone. Impressed with her fighting skills, the group's leader invites her to join their ranks.

But trust is a rare commodity in Eve’s new reality, and she must decide whether an alliance with the dangerously sexy Archer is worth the risk. His offer of protection is tempting, but if she agrees to join him, she’ll be putting more than her life on the line. She can either save what's left of humanity or lose her heart—and the whole damn world along with it.”

Author:

“Best known for her engaging and relatable characters, Erica Lucke Dean specializes in crafting stories that explore the complexities of relationships and feature quirky young women navigating the ups and downs of life and love. For over a decade, her novels have captivated readers of romantic comedies and paranormal romances alike, thanks to her ability to blend humor and authentic emotions.

Erica was born in the Twin Tiers of Upstate New York and lived on both coasts before ultimately settling in the scenic North Georgia Mountains, where she and her family live with two ginormous English Mastiffs and a diabolical Frenchie hell-bent on world domination.”

Appraisal:

The world has gone crazy, invaded by some strange aliens who are killing off the human population. Eve is tough and with the saber she used to use for show as a member of the college color guard she figures out how to deal with them well enough to survive, at least so far. While this is happening in the real world, Georgia specifically, the story world is much different with these aliens and the issues they caused. Avoiding the aliens and finding what is needed to survive for the humans who are left is a challenge. In some ways dealing with the humans is tougher. Eve knows she can’t trust the aliens, but with the humans sometimes she can and sometimes maybe not. Figuring that out is problematic at times. Luckily, she finds out that there is an area that is safe from the aliens, if only she can get there. This would be an adventure even without the twist of Archer, a man she’s very attracted to who seems to like her too, but can she trust him? Eve’s adventure as she worked through the issues that popped up kept me engrossed in this story to the last word.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and a few mild adult situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words